Since graduating with my BS in 2023, I’ve been working full time as a Research Lab Tech at University A (STEM field in the US). With the encouragement of my current PI, I decided to finally pull the trigger and apply for PhD school at University A. I recently accepted my admissions offer for 2025, with the intention of having my PI as my future PhD advisor.
Recently, my PI informed me that they are interviewing for a new position at University B. I honestly have little preference between Uni A and B (they’re both in the same city), I just want to stay with my current PI. We have a great working relationship, so I’m sure if they got the job they would want to take me with them to University B.
However, I’m worried about the red tape. Since I don’t technically start at University A until the Fall (and even then I’m supposed to be rotating as a 1st year) I’m not technically their grad student yet. On the other hand, we’ve worked together for 2 years and through 2 publications, so I think there’s an argument to be made that I’m their PhD student in all but name.
If my PI gets the job, will I be able to follow them to University B even though they’re not officially my advisor yet? I’m also a little worried about funding, I already have guarenteed funding at Uni A (private) but I’m not sure if Uni B (public) would be willing to fund an extra student, especially with the current climate in academia.
I know nothing about how academic job negotiations work, so any insight would be helpful! Thanks!
Comments
This is something they’ll need to negotiate with the new school. It happens all the time, though of course we do live in extraordinary times.
Ask PI about B.
Availability of stable funding is key … take this from someone who has been bounced around departments looking for funding. Though you like your current PI, there’s no reason you’ll not like the ones from Uni A. You may consider moving with your professor if and only if he guarantees you funding for the next 5 to 7 years. This is key. Another reason is if Uni B has the same or better lab/research facilities as Uni A.
I’m surprised the prof told you about interviewing there. Usually it’s a secret that would destroy their standing in their original institution, so they would only reveal it after they have accepted the new job.
But anyway, usually you can move with them. Often, your degree-granting institution remains your original institution, though.
This is not automatic. You’d have to apply to the new school and they’d have to accept you. You’re not officially a phd student of the professor there yet, so I’m not sure what strings they’d pull for you. But if they do because you’ve worked on publications with them, then maybe they’d talk to the school.
Then funding: if the professor is not funding you through their own grants, then the funding depends on the new school and you know what’s going on with funding these days. It’s not a given that this happens seamlessly.
One of my friends switched schools because of his advisor and the new school made him redo all the coursework to satisfy the new school’s procedures. So what I’m saying is schools tend to enforce their own process and procedures.
At the end of the day, it’s up to your PI to negotiate this with the new institution.
Idk what experiences others posting here have had, but in my experience it is easy for a professor to bring students with them to a new school. I moved as a student with my own PhD advisor and my current department regularly admits students who follow their advisor.
I suppose there may be roadblocks at some schools or in particular circumstances, but I’ve not encountered them personally. The largest headache in this situation tends to be about what course credits can be transferred and whether the strident would have to retake their PhD qualifying exam. Since you haven’t started yet these are non-issues for you.
I was in a similar situation two years ago where my (now) advisor was a faculty member at one university, and then accepted a position at a different university before I matriculated. I technically had to apply to the second university before being admitted but I did “follow” him there without ever being a student of the first school.
Ask them.