ML PhD admissions now require 2+ top-tier papers and strong connections
A Reddit post reveals brutal competition for machine learning PhD spots...
Deep Dive
A Reddit user nearing the end of their master's asks how hard it is to land a machine learning PhD position, what it takes to get into a decent mid-tier program (one that publishes regularly in respected journals and gets read), and how this differs between the US and Europe. They also wonder if they should take an unpaid guided research project to build their network.
Key Points
- Mid-tier US ML PhD programs expect 2+ first-author papers at top venues like NeurIPS or ICML.
- European programs are somewhat less competitive but still require publications and a strong research statement.
- Unpaid guided research projects are increasingly used to build connections and improve application chances.
Why It Matters
The bar for AI research careers is rising, pushing aspiring researchers toward unpaid networking and early publication.