清华大学某个工科的本科生即将毕业，开始着手准备申请国外大学的博士学位和奖学金，该学生有幸获得了清华一位教授的介绍，和熟悉这位清华教授的国外大学的教授取得联系，询问关于招生录取情况以及获得奖学金的可能性。

申请人去函：

　　为了让对方教授对自己有一个更深的了解，申请人将已写好的PS和简历附上。由于另附了Personal Statement和简历，故在邮件本身就不必对自己有过多的介绍，Personal Statement 和Resume能说明一切问题。

　　但是，为了表示严肃认真，申请者一定要细读过对方教授网页上的生平介绍及其研究及所进行过的研究工作。并且，在自己的Personal　Statement中一定要具体交代自己的学习与研究兴趣如何与教授的相匹配。如果邮件里跟教授说彼此的研究兴趣匹配得甚为密切，但Personal Statement中所说的却大相径庭，那后果便可想而知。

　　如果申请者能获得其所在学校或其他单位某位教授的引荐，而这位教授又具有一定的国际知名度，并与国外的教授很熟悉，则申请者一定要抓住这个资源不放，效果一般会很不错的。

对方教授回函

　　真可惜，对方教授暂不招博士。不过不要紧，他正在申请2009年度的科研经费，一旦获得批准，便会告知申请人。

　　不愧是由于清华教授的引荐，对方教授决定帮忙帮到底。他向申请人介绍了College里的一位负责人，这位负责人可以让申请人知道College里有哪些教授能招收博士并能提供奖学金的。掌握了该College的这些内部信息，申请人只需顺藤摸瓜， 必有斩获。

申请人去函：继续努力。

　　由于申请人面临申请的最后期限，申请人必须在该期限来临之前先确保能为外国校录取并获得奖学金，否则，一旦硕博连读的保养协议签下，就无法开出成绩单来进行留学申请了。因此，申请人表示，只要对方能提供经济资助，去读硕士也愿意。读博士可在其后进行。

　　此外，对方教授说正在申请xx年的经费，申请人澄清说，所要申请的就是xx年秋季入学的。最后，申请人也表示，当然会利用对方教授所介绍的信息，会适当联系其他教授。

Dear Dr. Smith xx :

At the recommendation of Prof. x x x here at Tsinghua University, I am contacting you to see whether there is any possibility for me to pursue a graduate program at your distinguished university. I have studied your biography and your research interests as shown on your university website and I believe that my own backgrounds and interests match closely with yours. In order to allow you to have a good understanding of me, I have enclosed my Personal Statement and my Resume. I would appreciate if you could read them and tell me if I am eligible for a graduate program at your university.

At the same time, I would also like to inquire about matters of financial assistance. Working toward a Ph.D. degree obviously requires quite a few years of dedicated studies and research and the financial input is simply beyond me as a student. Therefore, I would appreciate any financial assistance in the form of studentship, teaching assistantship, or research assistantship that will be available to me.

I am truly interested in entering xxx University and working under your mentoring. I will be looking forward to your evaluation of my application and your replies.

Thank you very much and my best regards.

Yours sincerely

X x x (Miss)

Dear Miss x x x ,

I do not have any PhD places available right at this moment. However, I am currently writing a number of grant proposals which are for collaboration between the US and China in the matter of Energy. Unfortunately, it is not guaranteed that I will get the money, and the studentships would be for 2009. Should anything crop up, I will have you on file.

One thing which would make sense would be for you to apply to the college – x x x can guide you in this endeavor, and this will allow other lecturers in the field who might have research assistantships available to offer them to you.

Thank you very much for your interest.

Smith x x

Dear Dr. Smith xx:

Thank you very much for your speedy reply and it is a pity that you do not have any Ph.D. places available at the moment. At the same time, I appreciate that you have suggested me to apply to college.

I figure that you have transferred my mail to Susi Underwood and it would be great for me to establish possible contacts with other lecturers. The best course of action for me is that, if you could have studentships for a Master's program, I would then start with a Master's program and if I can do a good job in that Master's program I will certainly proceed onto a Ph.D. program and I hope that by then you would have Ph.D. places available. Another thing I would like to clarify is that the program I am interested in applying is indeed for September 20xx. So, if the studentship is available for 20xx, that would simply be great. 

As you have suggested, my second alternative is to see whether other lecturers in the college can offer Ph.D. places with studentship. If I can succeed in this alternative, I would be very grateful to you all the same.

It is very helpful for you to provide me with this useful information, which enables me to know what to do next. I will certainly appreciate whatever latest information that you could give me.  

Thank you very much for your kind help.

Yours sincerely

Zhang  x x  (Miss)