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Posted April 16, 2026

Overcoming imposter syndrome as a postgraduate student

Imposter Syndrome

Whether it is harsh feedback from your supervisor, the task of writing a thesis chapter, or comparing yourself to others in your field, it is quite common to question whether you are good enough to be in postgraduate study (I know I certainly did).

Imposter syndrome, the false belief that you are not good enough or underqualified to hold the position you have, affects many university students. Despite this, many suffer with the symptoms of imposter syndrome without reaching out for help or addressing their feelings, leading them to struggle in silence. If this resonates with you, in this blog, I will give a few tips as to how to manage the symptoms of imposter syndrome in postgraduate study.

What is imposter syndrome?

Imposter syndrome was conceptualised in the late 1970s by Clance and Imes, describing the experience of high-achieving individuals who underestimated their capabilities to the extent that they questioned whether they deserved the position they held. People who experience imposter syndrome may feel as though they have tricked everyone around them into believing that they are capable. Therefore, those who have imposter syndrome often report the fear of being ‘found out’ and that people will see them as an imposter in time. Similarly, those with imposter syndrome tend to internalise their failures, overly blaming themselves when things do not work out.

There are many times where this feeling may be likely to occur. The first is in periods of transitions. Whether this is the start of your postgraduate study or if you have been given a role that may include new responsibilities (eg teaching, a new research group, etc.), transitions seem to encourage imposter feelings. Imposter syndrome may also be heightened when we socially compare with our peers. It may seem that others doing their postgraduate degree have it worked out, while you do not. This is unlikely to be true. Often, we only hear the parts of the postgraduate journey that others want to present (people may share their successes but not their struggles). Comparing yourself to others, although quite a natural thing to do, may result in imposter syndrome.

What can you do about it?

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all method that works for reducing imposter syndrome. Nor is there an easy way to completely ‘cure’ or ‘solve’ it. However, there are things you can do to manage imposter feelings when they arise. Firstly, those experiencing imposter syndrome may be helped by taking a step back from the situation and reminding themselves of the successes they have achieved to get to the stage they are currently at.

Postgraduate study is filled with deadlines and targets to meet. To achieve this, we often jump from one deadline to another without pause for reflection of the successes that got us to that point. Reminding yourself that you are capable can help alleviate some of the imposter feelings.

If your imposter syndrome often arises because tasks become overwhelming, it may be worth practicing chunking tasks. The idea of writing a thesis of a sizeable wordcount may be overwhelming and make you question your ability, but being able to parse this task into bits may make it feel a bit more manageable. You can,

  1. Read the literature around a subject
  2. Write notes
  3. Create an initial draft of a paragraph, and so on


Even if you feel you cannot do one step of the process, it is just one step you cannot do; it is not that you are unable do the whole thing. Considering the task in parts rather than holistically can even help identify which bits of the process you are struggling with.

Finally, speak to others about your experience, they will likely understand it more than you think. In the School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen, we try to create a collaborative culture, encouraging conversation and social support around self-doubt. Imposter syndrome affects those that are very successful in their fields, and so conversations between students and personal tutors about imposter feelings is often more fruitful than one may expect. Imposter syndrome is common and speaking to others may help manage the challenges associated. Most of us feel like imposters from time-to-time.

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Ewan BottomleyAuthor’s bio: Ewan Bottomley completed his MA and MRes at The University of Edinburgh, before taking on the role as a social psychology Lab Manager there in 2017. In 2019, he joined the University of St Andrews to complete his PhD in the Schools of Psychology and Physics.

In 2023, he joined the University of Aberdeen as a Teaching Fellow. In 2024, he became a Research Fellow in the Person Perception Lab. In 2025, he returned to his role as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Aberdeen.

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