Earn bachelor's and master's degrees in a discipline that relates to your intended PhD field of study. Though every university and college has its own requirements for admittance to a doctoral program, the vast majority only consider candidates who have completed coursework for those post-secondary degrees. Some schools will allow a student to enter a doctoral program while only holding a bachelor's degree and earn their master's near completion of the doctoral program.
Apply for a doctoral program by submitting to the school an official application, a statement of purpose, all post-secondary academic transcripts and recommendation letters from professional references such as colleagues and former teachers. Verify with the school what information you should submit directly to their main admissions office and what you should send to the particular department you will seek your PhD from. Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which is a standardized, computer-based test required of potential PhD students by most schools. Comprised of verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing sections, completing the exam usually takes just under four hours. Visit the GRE official website for information about test dates, testing centers and registration procedures and fees.
Meet your referred adviser or group of advisers after acceptance into doctoral school. Advisers will guide you through the process of earning your PhD. Unlike the graded coursework of undergraduate and graduate school, pursuing your doctoral degree will focus on intense research. Your advisers will provide periodic evaluations and possible testing to measure your progress and in-depth understanding of the subject area.
Research your subject with diligence, curiosity and creativity. Read every source of information and literature that has been written about your discipline. Research may include conducting experiments, discovering new or improved techniques and tackling a host of other challenges to expand your knowledge in your field. Each department offering the PhD has its own standards and expectations for judging mastery of a subject, and this will influence the direction of your research. Initial research for one subject may start with general references such as textbooks while another subject may be best approached through academic journals.
Write your dissertation. This is a formal, book-length paper that compiles and details the results of your research. Present it to the designated faculty members and be prepared for an oral examination that will require you to defend the contents of your dissertation.