How I Landed a Research Position in First Year at UofT (And How You Can Too)

How I Landed a Research Position in First Year at UofT (And How You Can Too)

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When I started undergrad at the University of Toronto, I had no connections, no insider tips, and no clue if professors even took first-years seriously.

But I knew I wanted research experience and I wasn’t going to wait until third or fourth year to get it.

So I did what most people are afraid to do:
I cold emailed over 100 professors.

Out of those 100 emails, I got 10 replies.

9 said they either weren’t accepting students or didn’t take on first-years.

And 1 professor said yes.
That one “yes” landed me a spot in a competitive neuroscience lab—in my very first year.

The Truth About Cold Emailing Professors

You’ll hear people say “don’t mass email” or “quality over quantity.” But the truth is, you can do both.

Yes, I emailed a lot of labs.
But each email was:

  • Personalized to the professor’s actual research

  • Written clearly and respectfully

  • Attached with my CV and transcript

  • Focused on what I could contribute, not just what I wanted

This wasn’t random spamming. It was targeted persistence.

What My Email Looked Like

Every email followed this structure:

  1. Who I am: A first-year neuroscience & psychology student at UofT (UTSC)

  2. Why I’m reaching out: Genuine interest in their specific work (mentioning a topic or publication)

  3. My background:

    • IB research on enzyme analysis

    • Assisting in the development of an experiment for a new chemistry course

    • Curious, reliable, and willing to learn from the ground up

  4. What I was asking for: The chance to observe, volunteer, or help with basic tasks

  5. Attached: CV + unofficial transcript

If you want to use the exact format I used, we’ve created a free Research Email Template for students. You can check it in the shop!

Following Up (The Right Way)

Some professors opened my email and didn’t respond. That’s normal.

About a week later, I followed up with the ones I was most interested in. I kept it short and respectful—just a polite check-in.

That’s actually what led to my research offer. The professor told me,

“Thanks for following up—I meant to reply earlier. Let’s talk.”

Getting the Position Was Just the Beginning

Once I was accepted, I didn’t walk in expecting to run my own project. I started small—reading literature, doing background work, asking questions.

But I showed up consistently. I followed instructions. I stayed curious. That helped me earn more responsibility, and I’ve been involved in exciting work ever since.

Final Advice

If you’re reading this wondering how to get started, here’s what I’ll say:

✅ Don’t wait until upper year
✅ Don’t underestimate yourself as a first-year
✅ And don’t be afraid to get 99 rejections to land that 1 yes

You only need one opportunity to start.

If you're serious about getting into research, we’ve put together the exact tools I wish I had back then including the free email template that actually worked for me.

Check it out and if you have any questions, feel free to DM us. We’ve talked about this process so many times on our Instagram and TikTok, and now we’re excited to finally launch this resource for you.

You got this.

— Naman

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