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Ph.D. in Economics Graduate Admissions Profile

Admission is based primarily on four factors:

• Mathematical ability and training as evidenced by courses taken in mathematics and related subjects, grades in those courses, and the quantitative GRE score.
• General academic ability as evidenced by the applicant's academic record, including both grades and the difficulty of courses taken.
• Training in economics as evidenced by the applicant's academic record in economics and related fields, letters of recommendation, and work experience related to economics.
• Evidence of motivation and aptitude for research judged primarily on the basis of the letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, work experience in economics, and previous research projects.

In past years most applicants recommended for graduate admission were in the following profile areas:

• Major GPA of 3.8 or higher with consideration for the degree of difficulty of the course work.
• Upper level mathematical course work including real analysis or honors advanced calculus with grades of A- minus or better.
• Quantitative GRE score of 165 or higher.*
• Grades of A-minus or better in intermediate level theory courses (microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics) with a strong preference for honors or mathematical track versions of all three courses.
• Advanced undergraduate or graduate-level course work in economics.
• Proven independent research ability (e.g., honors thesis).
• Very strong letters of recommendations from at least two faculty members who know the candidate in both classroom and out-of-class settings (e.g. independent research).
• Statement of purpose that expresses coherent ideas about why the candidate is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in economics and describes likely areas of research interest.
• TOEFL (if applicable) at least 90 for the Internet-based test (iBT).
• IELTS (is accepted) most recent overall Band score must be at least 7 on a 9-point scale.

*GRE scores will not be required for the 2023-24 admissions season (for matriculation in Fall 2024).

UPDATE 12/18/2020 (a note on P/NP grades since the Covid-19/Coronavirus Pandemic):

UC Berkeley evaluates applicants for admission to its graduate and professional schools holistically, meaning that we consider an applicant’s combination of personal accomplishments, letters of recommendation, personal statements, academic record, and test scores in making our admissions decisions. Such a review will take into account the significant disruptions of COVID-19 when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials during the pandemic. Thus, we will not penalize students for the adoption of P/NP grades and reduced research experiences during this unprecedented period, whether the choices were made by institutions or by individual students. What is most important is that applicants demonstrate that they pursued a challenging curriculum that was relevant to their plan for graduate or professional school.

As we have continued to observe in admissions cycles, Berkeley graduates have a remarkable track record of success in graduate school admissions to the most competitive programs in the country. Our graduates are admired for their academic abilities and resilience, and are assessed, as always, on their overall performance. We are confident that graduate admissions committees will make generous allowances for the academic challenges produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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• Application and Admission Information

Duke University offers a world-class doctoral program in economics, featuring a vibrant faculty of exceptional scholars and teachers, superior research facilities, and opportunities to interact with leading scholars in related disciplines here at Duke and from around the world. Application information can be found in the menus below, and more information about our program requirements, funding, job market placements, and life in Durham and North Carolina through the menu items on the right. 

Duke Economics does not pre-screen potential applicants. We are unable to evaluate a student's "chances" for admission to our program simply from looking at their self-reported scores and academic history. We judge each applicant's potential against the strength of the entire applicant pool, which varies from year to year. We do not measure students against a set of minimum criteria in order to decide upon admission, but instead gauge them against the overall caliber of all applicants. Students who are viewed as the most competitive for the Ph.D. program will typically demonstrate a solid academic or professional history with mathematics, including multi-variable calculus, linear algebra and real analysis, as they are the cornerstones of the program, which is quite math intensive. While prior experience in the field of economics is preferred, many successful applicants to the Ph.D. program have come from a variety of backgrounds, including public policy, political science, math, computer science, business, accounting, and engineering.

The usual profile of a matriculant who receives financial aid from Duke for study in the first year would be: (1) an undergraduate record strong in economics, mathematics, or physical science; (2) a perfect or near-perfect score on the quantitative section of the GRE; (3) mathematical skills, including multi-variable calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, real analysis, and introductory statistics and probability; (4) a GPA of 3.5 or better; (5) letters from individuals which confirm the intellectual strength of the candidate. Prospective students not presenting qualifying credentials are discouraged from applying for the Ph.D. program. For more information please refer to the Graduate School's  Degree Programs  page.

Applicants interested in pursuing a graduate degree in economics must apply through the Duke University Graduate School. Please refer to The Graduate School's  website   for information about application procedures and requirements. For general admissions questions or questions about the university requirements, you may also contact the Duke Graduate School at  [email protected] .

​ The Economics Department requires Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores from applicants. In order to meet the January application deadline, GRE tests should be taken no later than the preceding November test date. Only the GRE general test is required, not the subject test. The Ph.D. program does not accept, nor will it review, the GRE subject test or the GMAT in lieu of the GRE general test for admissions purposes. The Department of Economics does not eliminate any applicant solely on the basis of the GRE; however, 80 percent of all applicants to the Ph.D. program earn scores in the top 10 percent on the Quantitative section. Scores that are significantly lower and are supported by less-than-impressive grades in mathematics and economics-related courses may result in rejection on the basis that the applicant is not competitive with the rest of the applicant pool.  Please refer to The Graduate School for more information about score requirements and how to submit your score(s).

English Language Proficiency Test Scores 

If your first language is not English, you must submit scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the academic modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The scores will be a decisive factor during the application review process. Some applicants may be eligible for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver.  Please refer to The Graduate School for more information about score requirements, score submission, and waiver policy.

• Graduate Mentorship Program

Our Graduate Mentorship Program helps applicants from under-represented backgrounds in the field prepare their applications to Economics Ph.D. programs by matching them to mentors in the Duke Econ Ph.D. program. Read about the program.

Application fee information can be found on The Graduate School Application Fee website.

Fee Waivers :

• The Graduate School offers an application fee waiver option to support prospective students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents from various populations, including those who may be experiencing economic stresses. Please refer to the website for more information.
• The Department of Economics does not offer a separate application fee waiver.

After submitting your online application, you can check the status of your application materials via the  Applicant Portal . You should log in to this system periodically to ensure that all required application materials have been received. Incomplete applications will either not be considered or will be rejected on the basis of incompleteness.

After you submit your online application, it will be made available to your department of interest within one to two business days. The actual in-depth review of your file is conducted by an admissions committee. All applications are reviewed with respect to openings in the department and the strength of other applicants. Attention is given to every aspect of an application, with an attempt made to evaluate past achievement as well as scholarly potential. Academic records, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and your statement of purpose are all taken into consideration. Admission to the Duke University Graduate School is a competitive process, and your chances of being admitted will differ from year to year depending on the strength of the applicant pool. Decisions about fall admission are generally made in February and March.

Aid offers are made on a rolling basis, as funds permit, beginning in late February. 

Decision Notification

All applicants are notified of admission decisions via e-mail (we do not mail paper copies of notifications). The notification e-mail will provide instructions for accessing the online decision letter.

If You Are Accepted

If you are offered admission, unless otherwise indicated, you must notify The Graduate School of your enrollment decision through the  Applicant Portal  by April 15 or within 15 days of your receipt of the admission letter, whichever is later. If we do not hear back from you by then, we will assume that you have declined the offer of admission, and your application record will be withdrawn.

Your admission offer is valid only for the term and program indicated in the admission letter. Requests for deferral are rarely approved by The Graduate School. Valid reasons for a deferral include serious health issues, visa issues beyond the student’s control, or military service.

Each year more than 700 people apply to the Ph.D. program in economics. Of those applicants, fewer than 10 percent are offered admission. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on country of origin or previous educational experience in deciding which students receive financial aid. Of the students offered admission to the Ph.D. program, about 23 percent decide to come to Duke, and we matriculate an average of 14 students each year. Approximately 75 percent of the students in our program are from outside of the United States. We pride ourselves on our broad spectrum of academic talent from all over the world.

The Graduate School also provides a statistical summary our graduate programs' past admissions and enrollment. For information on offers of admission and matriculation according to demographics, go to  Admissions and Enrollment Statistics .

More FAQs about the admission process can be found on the Duke Graduate School website . 

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please reach out to us!

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PhD Economics admissions FAQs

LSE has a well-established infrastructure for admitting and funding PhD students in the Department of Economics. We have a Chair and committee for both PhD Admissions and PhD Recruitment. In addition we have a dedicated professional staff at School and Department level dealing with funding and admissions. Applications are processed centrally through the  Graduate Admissions Office .

There is a strict application deadline for the PhD Economics 2024 entry. All applicants are advised to read the  MRes/PhD Economics 2024 prospectus page .

Admissions FAQs (2024 entry)

Below you will find various FAQS categorised by application , post application , funding and programme queries.

Application queries

1. when is the application deadline for the phd economics .

For direct entry to the PhD Economics programme there is an application deadline of  14 December 2023 . Complete applications must be received by the LSE Graduate Admissions Office by 23.59hrs (UK time) on 14 December 2023. We will not be able to accept any materials that arrive after the deadline; only complete applications supplied with all required supporting information by 14 December 2023 will be considered.

2. How should I apply?

Applications must be submitted via  LSE’s Online Application System  and are processed through LSE’s central  Graduate Admissions Office . All applicants are advised to read the  Department of Economics 2024 prospectus page  (for entry in 2024).

3. When should I apply?

The deadline to submit an application is 23.59hrs (UK time) 14 December 2023. Candidates are encouraged to apply early rather than wait until very close to the deadline to avoid unforeseen circumstances (eg. technical issues) preventing timely submission. Applicants who are considering re-taking the GRE test to improve their scores should do so in time to submit their new scores by the application deadline.  The Department cannot accept new GRE scores after the application deadline. 

4. What are the entry requirements? 

Entry requirements for the PhD Economics are stated on the departmental prospectus page . See also the LSE Minimum Entry Requirements including information for international students .

For details about the programme itself, see the Department of Economics Research Programmes  and the prospectus pages. See also details of the PhD Economics coursework requirements .

5. What should my application include?

Your application should include:

• An application form
• Application fee
• Statement of academic purpose
• Transcripts
• Two academic references
• Research statement (see guidance on the Research statement below)
• A separate list of all the courses you are currently taking and/or will be taking (if you are currently undertaking a degree programme)
• English language test scores (if applicable - see English language requirements )

For a full explanation of what you need to supply, please see Graduate Admissions advice on  How to Apply and guide to Supporting Documents .

6. How can I get help with the application process?

Questions about the mechanics of the application process should be submitted to LSE’s central Graduate Admissions Office . See how you can Contact the Graduate Admissions Office . A full range of Graduate Admissions guidance and information is available via their Graduate Knowledge Base  page. If you do not find the answer to your question there, please follow the “ I Need Help ” link which allows you to contact the Graduate Admissions Office by email or Live Chat.  

7. Do I need to submit a written sample? 

No, applicants to the PhD Economics are not required to submit a sample of their written work. We will, however, require a research statement.

8. Do I need to submit a Statement of academic purpose as well as a Research statement? 

Yes, the Statement of academic purpose is a school-wide requirement as it helps our academic selectors understand your personal motivation for undertaking the programme and gives you the opportunity to explain your academic strengths, relevant interests and tell us what you can bring to the programme. This Statement can be brief (ideally not exceeding 1000 words). 

9. What should my Research statement contain? 

Your Research statement should be submitted in place of the Outline research proposal, along with your application form and other required supporting documents, via the LSE online application system.

Please answer the following questions clearly and concisely. Max 200 words per question.

• Why do you want to do research in economics?
• Can you explain how your studies and experience make you suitable to do research in economics?
• Which aspect of the PhD do you think you will like the most? Which will you dislike the most? Why?
• Tell us about your favourite paper in economics. What do you like about it? How would you improve it?
• Write a comment for a general audience on ONE of the following topics (i) Is inequality good for growth?   (ii) Do immigrants take the jobs of native workers?   (iii) Is CEO compensation excessive? (iv) Is universal minimum income a good idea? (v) Overall, has central banks' move to inflation targeting been a success? (vi) Is culture an important determinant of differences in income per capita across countries? (vii) Markets function well as information is aggregated efficiently through prices. (viii) Elections are effective at disciplining politicians who do not have the public interest as their main goal.

10. How can I demonstrate research potential?

If you have served as research assistant for an economist please ask that person to write a letter focussing on your research skills and describe your experience – reference point 2 (above) of the research statement.

If not, please list any evidence you think would be valuable. Examples include but are not restricted to: experience working autonomously under stress without any guidance, demonstration of creativity in any form, experience of writing original research.

11. Should my application include a diversity statement?

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university, a vision the Department of Economics fully supports. We believe strongly in expanding the diversity of our graduate student body and invite you to share your experiences, values, perspectives, and/or activities that shape you as a PhD candidate and align with these commitments as part of your statement of academic purpose.

Should a candidate submit a diversity statement as part of their statement of academic purpose the information provided will help the selection committee to contextualise the application; however, it will not play a part in assessing a candidate’s suitability for the MREs/PhD Economics programme. 

12. Can I contact faculty in advance, with a request to be my PhD supervisor? 

This is neither necessary nor desirable. Applicants must submit a complete application by the published deadline. There is a formal review process whereby the Department will decide if we can offer candidates a place on the programme. The allocation of a supervisor is done after completion of Year 1 of the programme, based on each student's area of interest and availability of faculty. There is no presumption that a student will be allocated the supervisor of their own choice, or any member of faculty they may have contacted before/during the application process.

13. Do I need to submit a GRE (Graduate Record Examination) score? 

All applicants must have taken the GRE General Test  and must include the test score with their application. For details of how to take the test, see the ETS website. The GRE has three sections: Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical. High GRE scores, especially in the Quantitative section, will further strengthen a good application. Most successful PhD Economics applicants have scores of 166 or more in the quantitative section. Applicants must enter their full and percentile GRE scores for all three sections. The test scores should be less than five years old on 1 October 2024.

14. Can I request an exemption on the GRE score requirement? 

GRE is a compulsory requirement, irrespective of the MRes/PhD Economics applicant’s academic background. Normally, no GRE waiver is possible.  However, applicants faced with exceptional and  unavoidable  circumstances may submit a waiver request by email, with relevant supporting information, to the Department’s admissions team .  The Selection Committee will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis and the GRE waiver cannot be guaranteed. NB. Please note that booking a late GRE test date will normally not be considered sufficient grounds for a waiver.

15. Can I submit an application solely for the MRes?

No, the MRes is an integral stage of the PhD Economics programme, and may only be taken by students who are committed to completing a PhD, subject to satisfying progression requirements.

16. Can I transfer from a PhD programme at another University?  

Applicants who commence/are already undertaking a PhD programme in another institution will not normally be allowed to transfer directly into a later stage of our PhD Economics. Such applicants would be expected to submit a full application to the programme like any other candidate and, if offered a place, would be required to undertake all parts of the course from the start of the programme, i.e. they would be registered as MRes students and undertake both years of the taught MRes programme along with the rest of the cohort. Exemption from parts of the PhD Economics, on grounds of having studied certain topics at a previous institution, will not normally be permitted.

17. Who should I contact for further information and advice?

If you have a query about our postgraduate Economics programmes that is not addressed above, or on the departmental website, contact the  Department of Economics postgraduate admissions team .  Please note that we are not able to reply to questions that constitute a request for an informal assessment. Applicants who have questions about their eligibility should consult the   Department of Economics prospectus page .

All enquiries about the application process must be addressed to LSE’s central  Graduate Admissions Office .

Post application queries

18. do you hold an open day.

As part of our recruitment process successful offer holders are invited to attend an Open Day where they will be able to meet and network with faculty and current MRes/PhD Economics students.

Applicants are, of course, very welcome to visit LSE on their own and attend a guided or self-guided tour – see more details about a visit to LSE . 

LSE also has many  public events  which are often open to all, although some do require a ticket.  There are also LSE Virtual Open Day events - for more information and to register your interest please visit the LSE Webpage .

19. What happens to my application after I click submit?

During this phase, the Graduate Admissions team conducts checks to ensure you have included all of the required documents with your application. Please note, the Department will not receive your application until you have supplied all of the required documents, which must be submitted by the application deadline. 

Once the deadline passes and the Department receives all complete applications the Selection Committee begins its review of all applications, until they arrive at a final shortlist of candidates. This process usually takes around 4 weeks at the end of which the Committee holds its final meeting to decide on who to make an offer to.

NB: The Department of Economics does not hold interviews as part of its selection process. 

After the Selection Committee meeting, all applicants who are offered a place on the PhD Economics programme are reviewed by the Funding committee for consideration of all funding at our disposal. The Department cannot guarantee that all of those offered places to study will also be offered funding. 

From early March onward, formal offers will be sent out by the LSE Graduate Admissions Office after carrying out its standard checks. The Department will also contact candidates to whom we wish to offer a place on the PhD Economics. At that stage, each candidate will be advised if they have been awarded funding, waitlisted for funding or have not been allocated funding at all. 

Candidates who are unsuccessful will be informed of the final decision by the Graduate Admissions Office. We typically expect this decision to be communicated to you around the beginning of March. 

20. When will I get my decision on my PhD Economics?

Admissions decisions will be made by a committee in the Department of Economics. Applicants will be informed of the decision by early March 2024. If your application is successful, we expect you to let us know by 15 April 2024 whether you are planning to enrol.

21. What are my chances of admission?

The admission committee reviews all applications and offers a place to those candidates with sufficient research potential.

Applicants who have questions about their eligibility for applying to research programmes at LSE should consult the  LSE Minimum Entry Requirements   and the  programme-specific  page for the programme to which they intend to apply. Also see  additional information for international students . Meeting the minimum requirements is not a guarantee of admission. In fact, most successful candidates exceed one or more of the requirements.

We regret that we cannot provide any further information or comment on an individual's chances of admission prior to receiving a complete formal application. The committee will make their decision based on all the information submitted with the application, which should be submitted online to the central  Graduate Admissions Office .

Funding queries

22. is there a separate process to apply for phd economics funding.

There is no separate process to apply for any funding which is administered and awarded by LSE - as a matter of normal procedure, all applicants who are offered a place on our PhD Economics would be considered for all types of funding at our disposal and for which they are eligible, on the basis of the information submitted in their application - see  Costs and financial aid  

As competition for places is very high and competition for funding is even more intense, we may not be able to offer funding to all PhD Economics students, hence applicants are advised to actively explore all sources of potential funding – see information in the School's  Financial Support Office  pages  (please check regularly for 2024 information updates) . 

23. Will there be funding options available once I've started the PhD Economics

Offer holders are expected to only take up a place on the PhD Economics if they have funds in place to finish their degree; please be aware that it's very unlikely there will be any funding available from the Department of Economics to fund PhD Economics students after they have started their degree. While there might be limited sources of funding at later stages of the PhD, e.g. from teaching or research assistant positions, these cannot be guaranteed nor can specific amounts (if any) be estimated at this stage. 

24. Will my financial status be a factor in the selection process?

Admissions decisions are made on the basis of academic merit alone, without any reference to an applicant’s financial situation. Applicants who are able to fund themselves or succeed in securing a scholarship or sponsorship from any source will be considered for entry to the programme in exactly the same way as applicants who have no funding in place. The same procedures and standards apply to all applicants competing for entry.

Programme queries

25. What can you tell me about the structure of the programme?

See the prospectus page for the PhD Economics programme – section “ Programme structure and courses” . The PhD Economics programme is grounded in two years of coursework through the MRes component followed by three to four years of research through the PhD.

Also see the LSE A cademic Calendar  for all Research Students at LSE, where clicking on “Programme Regulations” and “Research Course Guides” will give you detailed insight into the topics covered in each programme of study. 

26. Is the PhD Economics offered on a part-time basis?

The PhD Economics is only offered on a full-time basis.

27. How does the programme differ from the US and European programmes?

The programme has the standard structure of top US programmes with compulsory coursework in the first two years and research thereafter.  As in most US programmes, students take core courses in year one and field courses in year two.

28. Can I progress to the PhD Economics via an MSc programme at LSE?

There will no longer be automatic and direct progression from any LSE programme into our MRes/PhD Economics from the 2024/5 academic cycle.  Students registered in the LSE Department of Economics during the 2023/4 academic year, who wish to be considered for 2024 entry to the MRes/PhD Economics would need to submit the standard full application package by the deadline for 2024 entry (14 December 2023).  All applicants - including LSE students - will be given equal consideration, as part of the MRes/PhD Economics' standard process for admission as well as funding.  

Graduate Admissions

• University of Pennsylvania
• School of Arts and Sciences

Search Results

Frequently asked questions, what are the suggested gre and toefl requirements for the phd economics program.

The minimum suggested GRE score for the Quantitative section is 164 or higher. The Admissions Committee is a little more lenient regarding Verbal scores from international applicants.  We are looking for scores of 154 or higher.

The Admissions Committee is looking for a score of 24 in the speak section of the TOEFL test. We will nonetheless consider the speak test scores of 20 or above, and an overall total score of 100 or above.  

Can I submit multiple sets of GRE or TOEFL scores?

An applicant is only required to submit one set of test scores, but if you have taken them more than one time, you may submit a second set of scores as long as they are not expired. The Admissions Committee will give consideration to the highest test scores submitted.

Can I receive a TOEFL waiver?

International students must submit a TOEFL score unless they have or will receive an undergraduate degree from a college/university in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or Ireland or they have completed, at the time of application, four semesters of graduate study at an institution in the above mentioned countries.

Pennsylvania State law, all graduate students must be certified in English before teaching undergraduate students. If you are accepted and choose to enroll in our program, you will either be required to attend the Summer English Language Program or you can take a test through our English Language Program Office (at your expense) before the summer program to become certified in English. A 27 on the speak score of the TOEFL exam will certify you in English.

Does Penn Econ accept IELTS test scores in place of TOEFL?  How should I submit IELTS scores?

Yes, we accept the IELTS test scores in place of TOEFL and a score of 7.0 and above is acceptable. However, you cannot upload them with your application. Results should be forwarded directly by the testing agency to my office.

Gina Conway University of Pennsylvania Ronald O. Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics 133 South 36th Street, Suite 150 Philadelphia, PA 19104-6297

Is it possible for me to obtain a waiver of the application fee?

We regret that we cannot waive the application fee for international applicants. U.S. citizens and permanent residents may request a waiver in cases of documented financial hardship. To request a waiver, please email the Graduate Division at [email protected] with an explanation of your situation  prior to submitting  your application. S/he may ask for additional documentation.

Does the Department of Economics Doctoral program allow students to transfer into the program?

We do not allow students to transfer into the program. All students must start with the first year PhD courses.  All students who have successfully passed the first year PhD courses can request to transfer up to 8 credits if they have previously matriculated in a graduate program.

What other materials do I need to submit with my application?

A complete application consists of:

• Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts uploaded to CollegeNet
• Official test scores (GRE / TOEFL / IELTS)
• Application Fee ($90)
• Writing Sample is optional  

Can I have more than 3 letters of recommendation?

The admissions committee requires 3 letters of recommendation, but you may submit a fourth letter if you wish.

Should I contact an Economic Faculty member before I apply?

No. There is no need to contact the faculty during the application process. 

Do you accept recommendation letter submission through Interfolio?

No, we are not able to accept Interfolio documents. Letters should be uploaded directly into your application by your recommenders. If your recommender is experiencing any issues they may email their letter directly to our Graduate Coordinator, Gina Conway ( [email protected] ).

Are there requirements for the Statement of Purpose (aka Personal Statement)?

The Admissions Committee does not instruct applicants on what to write in their Personal Statement. We suggest that you discuss your academic and career objectives. Be as specific as you can about your program of study and your reasons for wishing to study at the University of Pennsylvania. (Should be approximately 500 words)  

Can I apply for a Ph.D. in Economics offered by the School of Arts and Sciences in the Department of Economics and another PhD program in the Wharton school?

Yes, you may apply to both programs at the same time. Follow this link to apply on-line: CollegeNet for the School of Arts and Sciences of the Department of Economics Ph.D. program at the University of Pennsylvania. You may look up the Wharton Doctoral programs website for application to the Wharton School.

• Application Procedures

Prospective applicants can apply to the Ph.D. Program in Economics using the following options that can be found on the  Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  website.  Please be aware the application deadline for the Economics Department Ph.D. program is December 1, 2023.

• On-line applications are accepted by the Yale Graduate School
• Paper copy of the application is no longer available

All information regarding the Graduate Program in Economics is available on this web site. Hard copy of materials will not be mailed.

Note: Do not request materials from this email site. Please see  Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Official score reports must be submitted for all required examinations. Ask the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to report your scores to the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, code 3987.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  The General Test is required of all applicants. Applicants should take the GRE no later than November. Applicants are strongly encouraged to register early to schedule test dates and times. For registration forms, test dates, test centers, and general information contact  www.gre.org(link is external) . 

Test of English as a Foreign Language.  The TOEFL is required of all applicants whose native language is not English.  This requirement is waived only for applicants who have received a baccalaureate degree, or its foreign equivalent, prior to matriculation at Yale, from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction. NOTE:  1 or 2 year MA degree does not qualify for the waiver.  If you do not qualify for a waiver but have taken the TOEFL within the last two years you will need to have your TOEFL scores released to us (code 3987). If your scores can no longer be released, you will need to take the test. The test should be taken as early as possible to ensure that your scores are received in time to be incorporated in your file.  Normally TOEFL scores will not be released if they are older than two years. If you took the TOEFL before and ETS will release those scores then you should no have to retake the examination.

International English Language Test System (IELTS).  You may substitute IELTS for TOEFL. 

If you are still not sure if you must submit TOEFL scores, please review this flowchart:  Is English Language Testing Required for My Application?  (start with the question “Is your native language English?”)

For additional information and the latest updates on the TOEFL and TSE, please visit the ETS website:  www.toefl.org(link is external) .

Test of Spoken English (TSE).  All international applicants who accept offers of admission to the Ph.D. program and whose native language is not English are strongly encouraged to present scores on the Test of Spoken English by the time of enrollment in the fall. The TSE is administered in the United States and abroad. For further information check the  www.toefl.org(link is external)  web site. Students who do not demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English may be retested and/or asked to take courses in English for speakers of other languages. A high level of proficiency is required for students to serve as teaching fellows.

More information about  TOEFL and IELTS tests  can be found on the Yale Graduate School website.

Doctoral and master’s degrees. Students may enter the Graduate Economics Program after earning a bachelors degree (or the equivalent) or a master’s degree. The Master of Philosophy is awarded to students who complete all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation. The Doctor of Philosophy is awarded upon acceptance of the doctoral dissertation. The Economics Department does not accept students into a terminal master’s program. The Economic Growth Center offers a one-year MA program in International and Development Economics.

Full-time and Part-time Study.  Doctoral students are expected to devote their full energies to course work and preparation for the qualifying examinations in the first years, and dissertation research and writing in the final years of graduate study. There is no part-time study available to applicants to the Department of Economics.

Nondegree Study.  Qualified individuals who wish to study at the graduate level but not pursue a degree may be admitted to the Division of Special Registration (DSR) as “special students.” Admission to this program is for one term or one year only and carries with it no commitment for further study. These students are not eligible for financial aid or loans. Applicants interested should apply in the same fashion as for full-time study.

Interdisciplinary Study.  Students may apply for admission to only one department or program within the Graduate School per year. Students may take one or more courses in a related department, and are often advised by faculty members from more than one department during their dissertation research. Students in the Graduate School, may, with permission, take advantage of course or research opportunities in Yale College and in the professional schools.

Joint-degree Programs.  The Department of Economics offers a joint J.D./Ph.D. degree with the Yale Law School. Students must apply to and be admitted to the Yale Law School independently of the Graduate School. Applicants may apply to both schools at the same time or they may enter one school and apply to the second during their first year of study. A separate application is required for each school, and each makes its own admission decision. Students who apply simultaneously to two schools should indicate that they are doing so on both applications. For information on the Yale Law School see the following web site:  www.law.yale.edu/yls/admis-jdindex.htm .

Transfer Students.  The Yale Graduate School does not admit transfer students. The presumption is that students who receive a Yale doctoral degree do their studies at Yale. Students currently enrolled in a doctoral program elsewhere who wish to apply to a Yale doctoral program may do so through the normal admissions procedure. They must meet all the application requirements, including the deadline for submission. Some very successful students have entered the Yale program in this way. Such students may petition the Economics Department and Graduate School to waive a portion of the Ph.D. course requirement (normally a maximum of three courses) in recognition of previous graduate-level work done at Yale or elsewhere. All other requirements, including the comprehensive examination, the economic history requirement, the oral examination, and the econometrics paper, must be completed at Yale. Students who enter the program from another doctoral program receive the full six-year financial aid package.

Those interested in transferring to Yale might consider the Exchange Scholars Program as an alternative. At participating institutions, students may petition their own schools to enroll full-time at Yale for a term or for an academic year as exchange scholars. Participating universities include Berkeley, Brown, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Stanford.

Further Graduate School Information.  A comprehensive description of academic rules and regulations of the Yale Graduate School will be made available to students when they are registered. The Programs and Policies booklet may be found on the Internet at the  Graduate School  website.

Length of Study.  Students are expected to complete the requirements for the degree in six years of registration. The first two years are generally spent taking courses full time; the third is spent preparing a dissertation prospectus within workshops and completing all requirements except the dissertation; the remaining years are spent pursuing and writing up a work of original research. The average length of time required to complete the program is five years. A small percentage finish in four years, although students are guaranteed registration for 6 years in which to finish their degree.

Residency Requirement.  Doctoral students in this program are required to be in residence in New Haven for at least three years.

Dissertation.  The doctoral dissertation is the climax of the graduate school experience. Every dissertation makes an original contribution to a student’s field of study by discovering significant new information, achieving a new synthesis of ideas, developing new methods or hypotheses, or applying established methods to new materials. A dissertation also demonstrates the student’s mastery of relevant resources and methods. Students work with two advisers throughout this process.

In the academic year 2023-24 tuition for full-time study is $48,300. This rate is expected to increase in subsequent years. Ph.D. candidates are charged four years of full tuition. Thereafter students are charged a modest continuing registration fee each term until the dissertation is submitted or the terminal date is passed.  For the 2023-24 academic year this fee is $790 per semester.

The Graduate School provides full tuition, health insurance and stipend fellowship for the first six years of study. Normally the Department of Economics provides additional stipend support. There is a combined award policy that applies to students who obtain outside fellowships. This policy gives students a financial incentive to obtain outside awards.

Teaching Fellowships.  Because the faculty considers teaching to be essential to the professional teaching of all doctoral students, they serve as teaching assistants in the third and fourth years of study.

Research Fellowships.  Department faculty often hire students as research assistants either part-time or full-time.  During this academic year there are seven students supported as full-time research assistants where this funding replaces the need to serve as a teaching fellow.  In the summer of 2020, twenty-five students were supported as part-time research assistants for faculty. 

Outside Fellowships.  All applicants for admission are strongly urged to compete for outside fellowships which can be used at Yale. These fellowships are sponsored by both public and private agencies and are often more generous than those awarded by the University. In addition to their financial advantages, distinction is conferred on a student who wins an award. The  McDougal Graduate School Center  maintains a library of fellowship information; incoming students seeking external aid are advised to consult it on arrival in New Haven.

Federal and Non-Federal Student Loans.  Loans administered by the University are available to citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. The types of loans and amounts a student is eligible to borrow are based entirely on financial need as determined by federal formula.

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Common Admission Questions

Below is a list of questions commonly asked by prospective graduate students. Please review these carefully before contacting anyone in the Graduate School or the Economics Department.

How can I apply to your Ph.D. program?

Please refer to the Graduate Admissions page for required material . The department does not require anything over and above what the Graduate School requires for admission. During the online application process, applicants to the Economics Ph.D. program will be asked to supply a list of the most advanced courses taken in Math and Economics as well as the textbooks associated with those courses.

Do I need to submit a writing sample?

Beginning in the 2022-23 application cycle, the department will now require a writing sample. It can be a self-standing paper or an excerpt of a larger paper, senior thesis, etc. The maximum number of pages that may be submitted is 25.

Can the department mail me an application?

No, the department does not have paper applications. The application process happens through the Graduate School’s Admissions Office . The online application can be found here .

Do I need to submit a GRE score?

Yes, all applicants to the Economics Ph.D program are required to submit a current GRE score. If your scores are more than five years old, you must retake the test. When registering for the test, you must request that your scores be sent to Princeton University, Office of Graduate Admissions (institution code 2672, no department code is required). Allow several weeks for test scores to reach the University. To ensure timely receipt of GRE scores, applicants are urged to take the paper exam in October or the computer-based test no later than early December. An application is considered incomplete without these scores. For more information contact Educational Testing Services at (609) 771-7670, (866) 473-4373, or on the web .

What are the department’s English language testing requirements?

Starting in the fall 2024 admission cycle, we have revised the requirements around the Policy on English Language Proficiency and English Language testing. We also are now accepting Duolingo English Language Test (DET), in addition to TOEFL or IELTS, to fulfill the English language test requirement.

As part of the revised policy, the following applicants are not required to submit English language test scores:

• Applicants whose primary language is English. Primary language is defined as the language that someone communicates in most frequently and in most situations when speaking, reading, and writing.
• Applicants whose undergraduate instruction is entirely in English as certified by the institution and for whom the degree will be awarded prior to anticipated enrollment at Princeton.
• Applicants whose graduate study was on a full-time basis for at least one year where instruction is entirely in English as certified by the institution.

All other applicants must submit valid TOEFL, IELTS, or DET scores.

Find more information about English language testing requirements on this page .

When is the application deadline?

The final application deadline for all applicants is December 15. This deadline applies to the receipt of applications and all supporting material. Earlier applications are encouraged.

Can I apply for financial aid?

You do not need to apply for financial aid. All students who are offered admission to the Ph.D. program are offered tuition support from the Graduate School, as well as a yearly stipend for living expenses for all five years of regular enrollment.

Do I need to have a Master’s Degree to apply?

It is not necessary to have an advanced degree to apply to our program. Many students come to the program directly from an undergraduate institution.

The B.A. program in my home country is only 3 years. Is that acceptable?

The admissions committee will accept a B.A. degree regardless of the program length.

My B.A. is not in economics. Can I still apply?

It is not necessary to have received your undergraduate degree in economics. The department admits students from other disciplines. However, a knowledge of economics and a strong math background are desired.

Can I transfer credits from another graduate program?

No, there are no allowable credit transfers from another program to the Economics Ph.D. program. All admitted students, regardless of an advanced degree, will begin the program as a first year student subject to the first year core courses. An admitted student can, however, opt to take an exemption exam before the beginning of the term for any of the first year core courses.

Do I need work experience to apply?

Work experience is not required. Many of our students come directly from an undergraduate program and do not have work experience.

Can I visit the department and speak with someone on the admissions committee?

No one on the admissions committee will meet with an applicant before they are offered admission. The faculty on the committee will remain anonymous. If you visit the campus or the Department of Economics, you can schedule an appointment with the Graduate Program Administrator for further information about the program or the admissions process. You can reach the Graduate Program Administrator, Laura Hedden, at 609-258-4006 or [email protected] .

When will I know if I have been admitted?

The Graduate School’s official admission notification happens in March. Many times admitted applicants will receive a congratulatory email from the department a few days before the Graduate School’s official deadline.

Can I defer admission if accepted?

Generally, the Economics Department does not allow deferrals. Princeton allows very few deferrals each year, which must be approved by the department and the Graduate School. If your deferral is not approved you may request that your application be reactivated for consideration the following year. This does not guarantee that you will be readmitted.

I’m a graduate student at another institution. Can I study at Princeton as a visitor?

A small number of special students not enrolled as regular degree candidates apply and are admitted to study as nondegree visitors. See the visiting students page to learn more.

I’m interested in the Political Economy Program. Do I apply to the Economics Department or the Politics Department?

In order to participate in the Program In Political Economy , a student must apply to one of three departments: Economics, Politics, or the School of Public Policy and International Affairs. Students will be subject to all other requirements of the home department, so an applicant should choose to apply to the department that most suits their interest. Students join the Program at the start of their third year after passing required coursework and a field exam in Political Economy.

I’m thinking about applying in the future. Can you recommend courses for me to take now to prepare for my application?

The department cannot make specific recommendations. When reviewing an application, the internal admissions committee of the Economics Department does not base a decision on any one factor. The whole application is taken into account. It is not necessary to have graduate-level courses on the transcript, but the committee will look at the degree of difficulty of the courses you have taken as well as the grades for your courses. A strong math background is required, as is working knowledge of multivariate calculus and matrix algebra. The committee looks for strong letters of recommendation from your professors who can attest to the type of student you are and can speak to your potential in the graduate program.

My application for admission was denied and I plan to apply again. What will I need to submit? Can you review my past application and make suggestions?

When an application is denied admission, the Graduate School retains the file for one year. Applicants who applied the previous year may reapply the following year for admission. Reactivated applicants should complete the admission application. In addition, they must submit official transcripts of any academic work accomplished since the date of the last application, new letters of recommendation from three letter writers (the same people, or new ones), and a revised personal statement. All materials, including the application fee, are due by the application deadline.

If an application is denied, it is not possible for the department to go back and review applications to justify the denial or offer advice on fortifying a future application.

Do you offer a Master’s program?

The graduate program in the Department of Economics is a 5 year Ph.D. program only. We do not offer a separate M.A. program. Ph.D. students in our program can apply for their Incidental Master’s Degree after completing the general exam requirement or passing the required second year courses with the required average. Princeton’s Bendheim Center for Finance does offer a Master in Finance .

Other questions?

College of Arts & Sciences

PhD Admissions

Thank you for your interest in the Georgetown University Ph.D. in Economics program. The Ph.D. program in Economics is a full-time program that admits students with outstanding analytical skills; a strong preparation in mathematics is essential for successful application. Undergraduate training in economics is desirable, but exceptions are made in cases of students with appropriate alternative backgrounds. Undergraduate training in statistics and multivariable calculus is required, plus superior performance on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical aptitude sections of the GRE. Students with previous training in economics are encouraged to take the economics achievement section of the GRE. Other admissions requirements include three letters of recommendation, official transcripts, academic statement of purpose, and application fee. An academic writing sample is not required for consideration to the program. The core courses in typical Ph.D. programs in economics, including Georgetown’s, are highly mathematical. The typical matriculate to the Georgetown Ph.D. program has a strong mathematics background and achieves above the 80th percentile on the quantitative section of the GRE. Ideally, applicants should have completed three semesters of calculus and one semester each of linear algebra and differential equations.

The application deadline for admission to the program in the Fall 2024 is January 15, 2024 .  

Application Information

Applications In order to apply to the Economics Program, you will need to complete the Economics Ph.D. Application administered through the Georgetown University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions office.

Unfortunately, the Department will not offer an application fee waiver under any circumstance.

GRE Exam Applicants must take the GRE exam as it is mandatory for your application to be considered. The GRE code for Georgetown University is 5244.

TOEFL / IELTS All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency to be eligible for admission. Please note that citizenship does not determine English language proficiency.  Proof of English language proficiency can be demonstrated by: 

• the receipt of a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction. The degree does not have to be earned by the time of application but will need to be conferred by the start of the semester to which the applicant is applying. (Please note that applicants receiving degrees at universities in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, are required to submit the TOEFL or IELTS unless the primary language of instruction at the institution is English.)
• submission of an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report with a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (internet test). Many departments and programs require submission of a TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based test) or 100 (internet test) or higher.
• submission of an official International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Module score report with a minimum score of 7.0. Some departments and programs require submission of an IELTS score of 7.5.

The TOEFL code for Georgetown University is 5244. Transcripts Applicants are required to upload to the application system unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Do not send electronic or paper copies of your transcripts before receiving an offer of admission. Review the unofficial transcript requirements for additional details and FAQs.  

Letters of Recommendation Three letters of recommendation are required. If you would like to submit a fourth letter of recommendation you may send it to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions office via email. The Department can not guarantee the Admissions Committee will review all four letters of recommendation.

Materials Please send all application materials directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Office. Please DO NOT send transcripts, letters of recommendation, copies of your GRE scores, or IELTS/TOEFL documentation to the Economics Department . The Department is not allowed to keep these materials nor are we allowed to forward these materials  to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences on an applicant’s behalf,  unless they are in a sealed envelope.  

Contacts/Questions For any programmatic related questions, please feel free to contact: Julius J. Shapiro, Ph.D. Program Coordinator Email: [email protected] Phone: 202-687-5601

For any application-related questions, please contact the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Office Phone: 202-687-5568 E mail:  [email protected]  

Please DO NOT send e-mail questions to individual faculty members. If you have any questions for Faculty members, please email Julius J. Shapiro, Ph.D. Program Coordinator instead.  

Once again, thank you for your interest in Georgetown University’s Economics Ph.D. Program. We look forward to receiving your application.

Regards, Julius J. Shapiro,  Ph.D. Program Coordinator

Apply for a PhD

Our graduate admissions process is highly selective. However, in keeping with our international character, we recognize that students from different backgrounds demonstrate high potential in a variety of ways.

Any well-qualified individual with a baccalaureate degree from a recognized college or university (or with equivalent education) may apply for admission to graduate Economics programs.

Follow this link to see data on acceptance rates, demographics of our PhD students, and career outcomes.

Students applying for entry into our STEM designated PhD program are normally expected to have passed some advanced undergraduate or graduate courses or seminars in economic theory, and to have had extensive training in mathematics, statistics, and econometrics, as well as a working knowledge of computer programming.

A score above the 90th percentile on the GRE-Quantitative section provides strong evidence of PhD-level ability; this indicator is neither necessary nor sufficient for admission, however, as the candidate’s full dossier is taken into account.

GRE Requirement

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required .  

Applicants must take the GRE General Test at least one month before the application deadline. The GRE Subject Tests are not required. The GRE is a major component in the admission decision. We do not accept the GMAT. Although GRE scores are valid for five years, we prefer to receive scores no older than two years old, if possible. Please note, however, that we do not reject or in any way penalize an applicant for submitting GRE scores up to five years old. The ETS Institution Code for the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is 3087. You do not need to specify a Department Code when requesting test scores be sent to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

English Proficiency Language Requirement

All international applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English, typically through English proficiency scores.

Accepted standardized tests include Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), TOEFL iBT Home Edition, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Cambridge English Qualifications, and Duolingo. Please note, t he TOEFL ITP exam will not be accepted as proof of English proficiency.

Minimum English proficiency tes ting requirements:

• TOEFL :   100  Overall Score (25 recommended in each section). Internet-based Test (iBT) only. We do not accept “MyBest Scores.”
• IELTS :    7.0   Overall Band Score
• CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH QUALIFICATIONS :   185   Overall Score on B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency exams
• DUOLINGO :    130   Overall Score

For more information, please click here.

The Graduate School   does not waive   the English proficiency requirement in advance.  The requirement   will be waived   at the time of the   application review   if you meet at least   one   of the following criteria:

• You are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
• You are a citizen of one of the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe.
• You are a citizen of Cameroon or Canada and your post-secondary degree is from a university in which English is the language of instruction.
• You have studied in the United States (or one of the before-mentioned countries) at an accredited college or university for at least  two years .
• You have received, or expect to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution where the   official language of instruction   is English. If your transcript does not clearly state that the language of instruction is English, then please upload supporting documentation on institutional letterhead along with your transcript.

This waiver  does not apply to students who have earned or are earning undergraduate or graduate degrees  from an institution in a country listed above while enrolled in a “dual degree” program with an institution in another country. Studying as an exchange student in an English-speaking country is not sufficient to waive the English proficiency requirement.

Applicants are urged to take the English Proficiency test at the earliest possible date.

For more information regarding the English Proficiency tests, please click here.

English Language Test Scores Validity Period

The  Cambridge English Qualifications  test does not expire.  All  other  English proficiency tes t scores (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) are valid for  two years.  For more information, please visit the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences English Language Testing Proficiency page.

All applications must be submitted and received by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences by December 15.  Letters of recommendation and official GRE scores may follow after this deadline, and will be considered until January 15th.

Please note that we will not review or evaluate incomplete applications, and we will not review or evaluate applications for candidates who did not pay the application fee. Applications must include all components . No component will be waived for any applicant. Such applications will be withdrawn and no admission decision will be made. We do not do pre-evaluations by email. Additionally, we do not accept late applications. There are no exceptions to these policies.

Materials to Submit

Please do not send any application materials directly to the Economics Department.

Application form and application fee

Apply online at the (GRS) Graduate School of Arts & Sciences website . Please use the online application. The online application system requires a payment in the amount of $95 dollars payable by credit card. The Department of Economics does not waive application fees.  However, GRS offers application fee waivers based on different criteria for both US and Non-US applicants. Note that our PhD program counts as “a STEM program in which women are significantly underrepresented” as described on the waiver criteria page. Please visit this link for further information.

2–3 months before application deadline:

• Contact recommenders; inform them that recommendations should be submitted weeks before deadline
• Contact ETS and request an official copy of your GRE results (English language testing reports for international students)
• Contact all previous colleges/universities and request official transcripts

2–3 weeks before application deadline:

• Complete application and prepare to submit before deadline
• Contact any recommender who has not submitted a recommendation and request he/she do so before the deadline.  We will be accepting letters of recommendation until January 15h for this admission cycle.

Official transcripts

Official transcripts are not required as part of the application. All applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts directly to the online application. Transcripts that are sent directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences can not be added to your application.

If you are admitted, you will be required to send in official transcripts to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences from all colleges attended prior to matriculation in the Fall.

Three letters of recommendation

We require a minimum of 3 original letters of recommendation. We generally prefer academic letters; however, professional letters of recommendation are acceptable in the case of an applicant who has been away from student status for more than 2 years. Academic recommendation letters should be written by university instructors who have taught the applicant in 1 or more classes, or have another basis for knowing well the applicant’s academic aptitude.

Recommenders must submit an online recommendation. An email request will automatically be sent to your recommenders once you have saved an online recommendation. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out.

Test scores

Standardized test scores (GRE and English Testing Scores Reports) should be sent to BU directly from ETS.

The ETS Institutional Code for the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is 3087. You do not need to add a department code.

Personal statement/statement of purpose

Applicants to every degree program offered by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences are required to submit a Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose of not fewer than 200 words. This statement must describe your qualifications and the objectives of your intended educational program at the Department of Economics. Additionally, applicants may submit a resume or CV with the personal statement. Writing samples are not required.

Additional forms required for international applicants only

Only if you are recommended for admission:

If you are an international student recommended for admission, you will be notified by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Admissions office to submit the following documents for student visa processing. You cannot be officially admitted until GRS receives and processes these documents.

• A completed, signed International Student Data Form or International Applicant Coversheet ( available with the online application ). Please note that this form cannot be emailed or faxed.
• A copy of the personal information page of your current passport.
• Copies of all current visas, if applicable.
• Financial support documentation ( Sponsorship Certification Form and Bank Statement ).

You must provide a bank statement or other appropriate evidence of financial support adequate to cover travel to and from Boston, and for tuition and living costs for at least 1 full year at Boston University. The estimate of expenses can be found on the International Students & Scholars website . Please note the minimum amount listed may be increased by up to 5% each academic year. Immigration regulations prohibit most international students from accepting any employment except University appointments during the first year of study in the United States.

Submit this documentation promptly to ensure sufficient time to process the student visa. It is strongly recommended that you send this documentation via express mail (DHL, FedEx, etc.) to the GRS Admissions office, as visa processing sometimes requires 2 months or more. It is not the policy of Boston University to send visa documents via express mail. Be sure to submit all required documentation for your visa as soon as reasonably possible so there is sufficient time for your visa documents to reach you through the regular mail. Once GRS processes these documents and notifies you that you have been officially admitted, they will let you know how you can request your visa documents be sent by express mail, but you must pay the cost of postage.

Please do not send any materials directly to the Economics Department. 

Forms should be sent via email at [email protected] or postal mail to:

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Admissions Office Boston University 705 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 112 Boston, MA 02215 USA

All application inquiries should be directed to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at  [email protected]  or 617-353-2696. A complete GRS Application Checklist can be found here .

To be considered for the Economics doctoral program, all applications must be submitted and received by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences by December 15.  Letters of recommendation and official GRE scores may follow after this deadline, and will be considered until January 15.

Questions? Visit our  PhD Admissions FAQs and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences FAQs

Please be in touch if you have any questions or concerns.

• Prospective Students
• Frequently Asked Questions

Please consult the following GSAS pages for additional information:

• https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/admissions
• https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/phd-programs/economics

In this FAQ:

Application Process

Admissions requirements, program and curriculum.

• Student Life

When will the application be available?

Application dates are available on the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Deadlines page .

Can I schedule a meeting with a faculty member or an administrator to discuss the program?

Due to the high number of applicants and inquiries the department receives, individual meetings with faculty or administrators are not possible. Questions not answered on the department website should be sent to  [email protected] .

If I have questions about the admissions process, should I contact the Economics department?

For all application-related questions, please contact the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Department at [email protected] . For any questions that are department-specific, please send your inquiry to [email protected] .

If I submit a CV, can the Economics department evaluate my chance of being admitted?

We are unable to review your CV to determine the likelihood of admission. To be considered for admission, you must complete the full application. Please do not email your CV to the department, as it will not be reviewed.

What should I do to prepare myself for the PhD program in Economics?

Please see the American Economic Association’s website,  Preparing for graduate school: What you need to do to get in.

How many applications do you receive each year and how many applicants do you admit?

The program receives approximately 1000 applications each year. Each year, the department admits about 20 to 25 applicants.

Can I find out what the average GPA or GRE score is for admitted students?

The department does not release information about applicants or admitted students, including GPA and GRE scores. As the department receives hundreds of applications, admitted students are generally very qualified. Anyone interested in the program is encouraged to apply.

When should I plan to take the GRE and/or TOEFL/IELTS exams in order to meet the deadline?

All tests should be taken at least six weeks before the application deadline to ensure timely receipt by the admissions office.

Once I take the GRE exam, how do I report my scores to Columbia?

Educational Testing Service (ETS), who manage the GRE and TOEFL tests, and IELTS are required to report their official test scores directly to the University. We recommend that you also include a photocopy of your score report, if it is available, at the time you complete your application. Please be reminded however, these scores are not considered official unless they are reported directly to the University by ETS or IELTS. For more information see the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Supporting Material page .

I am interested in the Business Economics program, how do I apply?

When completing the online application, please select the option: I am interested in both tracks in order to be considered for the Business-Economics track. Note: your decision to apply to both tracks does not affect your chances of being admitted to the regular economics track.

Can I apply to both the Economics and Business Economics track programs?

Yes, when completing the application, please select the option: I am interested in both tracks to be considered for the Economics and Business-Economics track. Note: your decision to apply to both tracks does not affect your chances of being admitted to the regular economics track.

If admitted to the Business Economics program, can I transfer to the Economics program?

No, barring exceptional circumstances, there is no transfer from the Business Economics track to the Economics track or vice versa once admitted into the program.

Can my recommenders send their letters of recommendation directly to the Economics Department?

No, letters of recommendation must be submitted through the GSAS online application system. Letters of recommendation may not be sent via email, nor may paper letters be sent via postal mail. All letters must be uploaded by the recommenders directly to the application system.

You may submit your online application even if your letters of recommendation have not yet been submitted. Once the letters are received, your application will be updated.

Can I request an application fee waiver?

All application waiver requests must be submitted through the online application. Please see the application waiver request page for more information: https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/admissions/application-fee-waivers

How do I check on my application status?

Application Tracking instructions are found on the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences FAQ page .

When can I expect to be notified regarding an admissions decision?

Notices of acceptance are sent out by March 15th; candidates have until 11:59 pm EST on April 15th to accept or reject the offer of admission via the online application.

If I am not admitted, can I reapply the following year? Can I receive specific feedback about my application?

If you are reapplying for the next academic year you must submit a new application. As noted on their  Admissions Supporting Material page , the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences allows reapplicants to reuse letters from an application in the prior year. Since the department receives hundreds of applications, it cannot provide specific feedback to applicants.

What are the admission requirements?

For detailed information regarding admission requirements, please consult the following webpage: https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/phd-programs/economics

I am trying to decide whether or not to apply to Columbia. Would you be able to give me an idea of the minimum standards for admission?

Most successful applicants to our Ph.D. program score above the 90th percentile on the quantitative section of the GREs.  Students are advised they should have completed undergraduate linear algebra, probability and statistics, advanced calculus and real analysis to be prepared for classes in the Economics Ph.D. program.  Superb reference letters and/or excellent performance as an undergraduate are considered in the admission process as well.  Foreign students must also meet the minimum required TOEFL/IELTS (see below).  Official department visits, including meeting with faculty members, are arranged  after  students have been admitted. However, you are more than welcome to arrange a tour of the Columbia campus through the Visitor’s Center,  http://www.columbia.edu/node/6060.html

Do you have a list of recommended courses that students take prior to applying to the PhD program?

Yes, recommendations include college-level coursework in probability, statistics, calculus, linear algebra, analysis and/or optimization. Some background in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics is preferable.

Is there a minimum or maximum number of pages required for the writing sample?

There is no minimum or maximum number of pages required. The writing sample would normally be a research paper on which the applicant is an author, such as a chapter from an undergraduate or master’s thesis or other research with a recommended length of up to 30 pages.

Can I submit more than the required three letters of recommendation?

Yes, Columbia GSAS accepts up to four letters of recommendation.

I have a Master’s degree from another university, can I test out of any of the first-year PhD coursework?

Normally, first-year PhD students with advanced degrees take the standard course sequence. If they choose, students can pass out of the first year Micro, Macro and/or Econometrics course sequence by successfully completing the corresponding certifying exam.

If I take the GRE exam multiple times, how does the Department evaluate those scores?

When the GRE has been taken multiple times, the highest score achieved on each section is used in evaluating your application.

When completing your application, you will be asked to enter a complete set of scores from only one exam date, and to scan and upload a copy of the score report. However, you will also be able to scan and upload the results of any other exam date, so that all scores will be available to the admissions committee. Additionally, the official ETS score report will reflect scores from all the test dates you have elected to report to GSAS.

May I substitute some other exam such as the GMAT or LSAT for the GRE?

You must take the GRE. There can be no substitutions or exceptions.

Is there a minimum score required for the TOEFL/IELTS?

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences requires a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based test, 100 on the internet-based test, or a 7.5 for the IELTS.

Under what circumstances would the Graduate School waive the language proficiency requirement?

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not waive the English proficiency requirement. For information on how applicants may fulfill the requirement, please click  here .

Do you offer a part-time Ph.D. program?

There is no part-time study available to Ph.D. applicants to the Department of Economics.

What are the program requirements for the PhD in Economics?

For detailed information about program requirements, please consult the following webpage: https://econ.columbia.edu/phd/prospective-students/current-degree-requirements-for-the-ph-d/

What are the program requirements for the PhD in Business Economics?

For detailed information about the Business Economics program requirements, please consult the following webpage: https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/programs/doctoral-program/academics/business-economics

Typically, how long does it take to complete the program?

In recent years, most of our PhD students have completed the program in 6 years.

Can PhD students in the Economics program take courses in other departments at Columbia?

Yes, in lieu of one of the fields designated by the Department, students may petition the DGS to take an individually-designed field. An individually-designed field consists of 3 courses, not all of which need to be offered by the Department. For more information, please see link here .

Can PhD students in the Economics program take courses at other universities while at Columbia?

Yes, as part of the Inter-College Doctoral Consortium (IUDC), Columbia PhD students can enroll in courses at participating universities. For more information, see link here .

Is Columbia’s PhD in Economics program a STEM program?

Yes.  As a STEM-designated program, F-1 visa holders within the PhD program are eligible to apply for the  F-1 STEM OPT Extension

Does the Economics Department require first-year PhD students to take Certifying exams?

First-year PhD students may have to take end-of-year certifying examinations in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. These examinations are taken in the summer after the first year. They are graded pass or fail. If students receive a grade of B+ or better in both of the one-semester courses that make up the first-year sequence in microeconomics, macroeconomics, or econometrics, they are exempted from the requirement to take the certification exam in that field.

Does the Economics Department require second-year PhD students to take Field Exams?

In addition to courses, second-year students may have to pass a field exam in each field they have selected. (Each student must select two fields). Field exams are given in the summer after the second year. If students receive a grade of B+ or better in all of the courses taken to satisfy the requirements of a second-year field, they are exempted from the requirement to take the field exam in that field.

Are PhD students required to work as Teaching Fellows?

Yes, as part of their pedagogical training, all PhD students must work as Teaching Fellows for at least 2 semesters in order to obtain their degree. As part of the Columbia multi-year funding package, students generally work in years 2-4 as Teaching Fellows or Research Fellows unless they obtain funding from an external source.

What type of research opportunities are available to PhD students?

Research opportunities are available in the Economics Department, in the greater Columbia community and outside the University. Students begin research as early as in the summer after their first year. The Program for Economic Research (PER) supports many PhD student research initiatives. For more information, see link here .  Depending on their areas of interest, PhD students collaborate with Economics faculty and/or faculty in other schools such as the Business School, School of International and Public Affairs and Mailman School of Public Health, among others. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences supports student research as well. For more information, see link .

Where do PhD students present their research?

PhD students have several venues to present research both in and out of the department. Starting in their second year, students present in at least one colloquium during the year. For more information about colloquia, please see the event schedule here . Starting in their third year, students present research in a colloquium once per semester. Additionally, students present research in workshops, lunches and breakfast meetings. Outside the department, students present their research in a variety of venues including the Business School, The Institute for Social and Economic Research Policy, and conferences around the world.

Where can I find information about the academic calendar?

The Office of the University Registrar maintains the academic calendar. For more information, see link here .

Once PhD students graduate, where do they get jobs?

For recent placement information, please see link .

Is there an Economics Department PhD student club?

Yes, the Association for Graduate Economics Students (AGES) hosts regular events and workshops.

How can I find out about events happening on campus?

The Economics Department maintains an electronic announcement page and posts updates on the Economics PhD bulletin board in the International Affairs Building. PER distributes updates regarding speaker events, lectures and workshops. Campus-wide events for the graduate community are listed here .

How can I find out about events happening in the community?

For upcoming events, students should consult the Arts Initiative link .

Is there a guarantee that on-campus housing will be available until I complete my PhD degree?

For students in good academic standing who make adequate progress toward their degree, guaranteed on-campus housing is available for 5 years with a possible 2-year extension. For more information, see here .

Are on-campus housing units furnished?

Yes, for more information about accommodations reserved for PhD students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences program, please see link . (Select the school specific tab and choose Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.)

Does Columbia assist students who would prefer to rent off-campus apartments?

Yes, please contact Columbia’s Off-Campus Housing Assistance Office

How can I find out more information about what is covered by Columbia’s health benefits for PhD students?

For detailed information about health benefits, please consult Columbia Health’s webpage here .

What are the fitness options at Columbia?

PhD students in the Economics program can work out at Dodge Fitness Center . During the semester, there is no membership fee required.

What sort of safety measures are in place to protect the Columbia community?

New York has a lower than average crime rate and ranks consistently among the safest large cities in the country. For more information, see the following link . Within New York City, Morningside Heights is consistently named one of the safest precincts. Furthermore, the  Department of Public Safety  ensures the security of Columbia’s campus and its students.

• Program Description
• Admissions Information
• Placement Information
• Program Requirements
• Announcements
• Graduate Student Appointments
• Office Hours
• List of 2nd Year Fields
• PhD Administrative Forms
• Job Market Candidates
• Honors and Prizes
• 1st Year Students (2023)
• 2nd Year Students (2022)
• 3rd Year Students (2021)
• 4th Year Students (2020)
• 5th Year Students (2019)
• 6th Year Students (2018)
• 7th Year Students (2017)
• Bridge to the Ph.D. Program

1022 International Affairs Building (IAB)

Mail Code 3308

420 West 118th Street

New York, NY 10027

• Economics Department
• Economics Ph.D.

Econ Ph.D. Admissions

Prerequisites.

Applicants with a bachelor's degree may apply directly to the Ph.D. program. To be admitted as a regular Ph.D. student, applicants must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better for all undergraduate work completed. Applicants must also complete the general aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and receive a minimum combined score of 300 in the new GRE scale for the verbal and quantitative sections and a minimum score of 3.0 for the analytical writing section. International students must submit their scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or, alternatively, the scores on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

In addition, applicants are required to complete one semester of each of the following courses:

Intermediate Microeconomic Theory

Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory

Grades in these courses play an important role in admission and assistantship decisions.

The entrance requirements are minimum requirements for regular admission. Since there is limited space in each year's class, meeting these entrance requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants not meeting all entrance requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis, subject to certain performance conditions during their first semester in residence. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to take additional math and statistics courses beyond the required minimum. Only rarely are students admitted without at least the first two courses of the standard calculus sequence. Courses in multivariate calculus, linear algebra, and mathematical economics are also particularly useful. We encourage applicants to take advanced undergraduate or masters level courses in economics.

Application Process

Other than academic records (transcripts, etc.), all application materials must be submitted electronically, including letters of reference. Please follow the steps below to complete an application to this program. Prospective students must apply to WVU using 2137 as the major code.

Enter the WVU Application portal (Prospective PhD Economics students must enter 2137 as the application major code.)

Create a username and password.

Once an account has been created, applicants can edit the application at their discretion. Please complete all questions asked.

Upload an up-to-date resume: Your resume should include enough information for the admissions committee to trace your entire academic and professional work history and should indicate any relevant affiliations.

Request three letters of recommendation through the online portal. Individual letters should not exceed one page. We recommend that your reference provide additional information that is not found in the other materials being submitted. We are particularly interested to learn about your preparedness for a rigorous Ph.D. program. Topics with regards to your ability to work with others, your scholarly ambition, etc. are also useful. Your reference letter(s) should cover aptitudes necessary for your success in the program to which you are applying.

Create a Statement of Purpose (not to exceed one page): Your statement of purpose should be a short, one-page essay which describes your interest in the program, why you wish to pursue the program at WVU, how the program will help you reach your academic goals, and any additional information which may be necessary to understanding your candidacy.

Pay application fee.

Submit application.

You may also send other supporting materials you wish to have considered with your application. All of these can now be submitted electronically as part of the online application process. This method is strongly preferred since it assures timely receipt of the documents. If these materials cannot be submitted electronically, they should be sent to the WVU Office of Admissions and Recruitment. In the case of paper submission, letters of recommendation should be completed on letterhead and either sent directly to the Department of Economics by the writer or sealed in an envelope with the writer's signature over the seal and included with the other application materials sent to the Department of Economics by the applicant.

Applicants will then need to send their official transcripts to WVU's Office of Admissions. If the applicants undergraduate school offers "e-script" (an official electronic copy of transcripts), email the transcripts to [email protected]. This will help expedite the admissions process. If they do not offer this service, please have your official transcripts mailed to: West Virginia University Office of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment  PO Box 6510  Morgantown, WV 26506-6510

For applicants submitting GRE scores, the GRE Institution code is 5904, Department code is 1801. Applicants scoring below a combined score of 300 in the verbal and quantitative sections or below a 3.0 in the analytical writing section should consider re-taking the exam to strive for higher scores.

Students whose first language is not English must obtain a score of at least 79 on the TOEFL-ibt or a score of at least 6.5 on the IELTS test to be admitted to graduate study. Go to www.toefl.org or www.ielts.org to register and find out more about the test. This is a University requirement. Applicants who have received a high school diploma or an undergraduate degree in Australia, Canada, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Liberia, Nigeria, Commonwealth Caribbean Countries (Anguilla, Antigua, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caico) do not need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission. For TOEFL, our Institution code is 5904, Department code is 1801. Generally, West Virginia University and our department will accept test scores that are no more than five years old as long as the applicant can provide a valid copy of the official score report.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis once all parts of the application are received including official transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation. To be assured of full consideration for admission and financial aid, all materials should reach the WVU Admissions Office by January 15th, when we begin our application review. Depending on availability of spaces, we can continue to process applications until May 14.

All completed applications are automatically considered for financial aid. We do not need additional information about the applicant’s financial status. We do not admit PhD students in the Spring semester except under special circumstances.

Ph.D. Application & Admission

The application deadline for those seeking full consideration for financial aid is January 10.

For more information or questions regarding the PhD program – e-mail us

DO NOT E-MAIL FACULTY MEMBERS DIRECTLY. THEY WILL NOT RESPOND TO YOUR REQUESTS. Please submit ALL your inquiries to the e-mail link above.

STEM Designation Our PhD program has recently been reclassified as STEM (CIP Code 45.0603: Econometrics and Quantitative Economics). Students in STEM degree programs can apply for a 24 month STEM extension of F1 Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Overview of Ph.D. Admissions at Texas A&M

Our admissions decisions are based on a combination of prior preparation in economics, mathematics, statistics, and other technical courses, grade point averages in these topics, overall grade point average, perceived quality of undergraduate and, if applicable, masters training, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and so on. We do not have minimum thresholds for GPA, GRE scores, or courses taken. Admission is only granted for students entering in the fall semester; we do not admit students entering in the spring semester.

An undergraduate major in economics is not a requirement, but students are expected to have taken some economics courses, including at least intermediate theory courses. Students should also have a solid background in mathematics. The recommended math courses are calculus, linear algebra, and mathematical statistics, but more math is generally considered an advantage. A master’s degree is not required for admission to the Ph.D. program, nor for completing the Ph.D. degree.

Each year we receive around 200 applications to the PhD program. We admit 10 to 15 percent of those applicants. Of the admitted applicants, an average of 15 begin our PhD program each year. The average GRE scores of those students is 156 in verbal, 164 in quantitative, and 4.0 in analytical writing.

The Department awards an average of 10 assistantships to each first-year PhD class. These assistantships include a monthly stipend, a tuition waiver, and a health insurance package. Assistantships are renewable each year for five years so long as students remain in good standing in the department.

How to Apply to the PhD Program

• Submit an application and upload documents online at  Texas A&M Grad CAS

Required Application Materials

• Program Application

Apply on-line at  Texas A&M Grad CAS

• Personal Statement/Essay

The Economics Department does not have any specific requirements for the essay. This essay is simply a way for applicants to share information about themselves that the admission committee might not otherwise see when looking at other application materials. This essay is uploaded via the  Grad CAS website .

• All transcripts from prior institutions/colleges (International applicants: one transcript in your native language and one translation in English)

Scanned copies of your transcripts should be uploaded to the Grad CAS  website . These scanned copies are sufficient for the department to review your application and make admission and funding decisions.  While it is also possible for you to instead submit paper copies to the address below, we strongly discourage submission of paper copies as part of your application since it will slow down the processing time for your application significantly and may cause you to miss out on funding opportunities. Instead, please upload scanned copies to the Grad CAS website.  However, in order for you to ultimately enroll at Texas A&M University, you must submit official copies of the transcripts. The preferred way is to submit “official” versions of electronic transcripts via the one of the university-approved vendors which includes AVOW, SPEEDE, eScrip-SAFE or National Student Clearinghouse. Electronic transcripts from other vendors will not be accepted by the university (similarly, the university does not consider copies you scan of your “official transcripts” to be official). The less-preferred (but still acceptable) way of submitting official transcripts is to mail them directly to the registrar at:

Graduate Admissions Processing Office of Admissions Texas A&M University P.O. Box 40001 College Station, TX 77842-4001

To summarize, while you will eventually need to submit either official paper copies or university-sanctioned electronic copies of your transcripts to the Office of Admissions before enrolling at Texas A&M University, to avoid lengthy delays in the processing of your application you should upload electronic copies to Grad CAS when applying. If you would like to additionally submit official transcripts to the address above, you are welcome to do so, even though it is not necessary unless you are accepted and enroll.

• Official degree statements or diplomas for any degrees awarded (International applicants: one in your Native language and one English translation)

These statements should be submitted in the same manner as your transcripts. That is, scanned copies should be uploaded to the  Grad CAS website  in order for your application to be reviewed.  If you decide to enroll at Texas A&M, you will need to submit official copies of degree statements, just as you do for transcripts. Directions for doing so are the same as for transcripts, as described above.

These scores should be sent directly from Educational Testing Service. The scores must be from a test date within five years of the date of your application. For information on test dates and locations, please visit www.gre.org. The institution code for Texas A&M University is 6003.

• TOEFL scores

This test is required only if your GRE verbal score is below 146, and if you come from a country where English is not the native language. These scores should be sent directly from the testing service, and must be from a test date within two years of the date of your application.

• Three Letters of Recommendation

Letters should be from people who are familiar with your academic background (i.e., professors or advisors), and should preferably be written on letterhead. Professional references (i.e., employers) are acceptable if academic references are unavailable.  The names and email addresses of your letter writers should be entered into the  Grad CAS website . Once you enter the names and email addresses of your professors into the Grad CAS website and complete that part of the application, the system will email them asking for them to upload their letters for you.

Optional Application Materials

• Optional Writing Sample

Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit an original writing sample. It should be sole-authored and written in English. For example, applicants may choose to submit a research paper written for a prior course. Submission of a writing sample is recommended but not required for consideration for admission and funding. If you would like to submit a writing sample, you should upload it as a “supporting document” to the to the  Grad CAS  website.

For information on current tuition rates, please visit  http://sbs.tamu.edu/accounts-billing/tuition-fees/cost-attendance/ .

Financial Aid

Qualified applicants will be considered for financial aid in the form of assistantships and fellowships. The application for admission also serves as the application for financial aid. There is no separate application form for financial aid.

To be considered for funding, applications and the supporting materials should be submitted no later than January 10. The department will continue to accept applications until March 1, though applications received after January 10 are not guaranteed full consideration for financial aid. That means while we will attempt to consider applications received after December 15 for financial aid (the sooner we receive the materials the better your chances), we do not guarantee full consideration.

• Assistantships

The department primarily funds PhD students via research or teaching assistantships. In general, research and teaching assistants devote up to 20 hours per week helping faculty members with their research projects or teaching. Most assistantships also include tuition waivers. The Department has also been able to fund additional assistantships from external research grants and awards. All applicants, including those who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, are eligible for assistantships.

• Faculty Intranet

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

• Prospective Ph.D.s

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read the answers to these frequently asked questions before you contact our offices with any queries.  If you still have remaining questions, please contact the Graduate Program Manager at [email protected]

Admissions Standards

Are there any changes to the application process or requirements due to the covid19 pandemic.

The Department of Economics at Northwestern is committed to an individualized and holistic review of each application to the PhD program.  This review will take into consideration the substantive disruptions of the COVID19 pandemic as well as other challenges that influence personal circumstances.  We recognize that many institutions converted to a Pass/No Pass (P/N) grading system in response to the pandemic. Finally, we understand that there are circumstances which may prevent students from submitting a complete application. Please email [email protected] with any individual requests or concerns.

I am trying to decide whether or not to apply to Northwestern. Would you be able to give me a idea of the minimum standards for admission?

If i e-mail you my resume, can you tell me if i am likely to be admitted to your program, how many applications do you receive each year, and how many applicants enter the program, can i apply to more than one doctoral program at northwestern university, nature of our program, i would like to seek a master's degree but not a ph.d. may i apply to your program, how many students do you have in the program, do you accept international students, do you offer a part-time ph.d. program.

There is no part-time study available to applicants to the Department of Economics.

Can I undertake non-degree study at Northwestern?

What are the departmental policies regarding dual-degree programs, what is the attrition rate from your program, is your program considered stem, how and when to apply, how do i apply, does the department review applications on a rolling basis, what is the deadline for applying, can the application fee ever be waived, should i report my gre and toefl/ielts scores to the graduate school directly, what is the latest date that the gre and toefl/ielts can be taken without risking the score not meeting the deadline, what if my current institution does not assign grades on a 4.0 scale, may i substitute some other exam such as the gmat or lsat for the verbal, quantitative, and analytic sections of the gre.

You must take those three parts of the GRE.

Do you accept scores from the online, at-home GRE exam?

The language requirement, what is the language requirement for international students, may i substitute some other similar test, do you accept scores from the online, at-home toefl, english is not my native language, but i have already attended a college in america or another english-speaking country. do i have to take the toefl/ielts exam, are there any other language requirements.

• Scoring 26 or higher on the Speaking Section of the TOEFL Internet-based test taken in the two years prior to entry to Northwestern,
• Scoring 8 or higher on the Speaking Section of the IELTS test taken in the two years prior to entry to Northwestern,

Recommendation Letters

Can letters of recommendation be submitted in hard copy, how many letters of recommendation are required, do you accept submission of letters of recommendation through interfolio, reapplication or deferment, suppose that i apply and am not admitted. may i ask you to reconsider me next year do i have to repay the application fee, suppose that i apply and am admitted but i want to delay my admission one year. may i receive a deferred admission if i received financial aid, may this be deferred, if i applied to your program in previous years, do i still need to resubmit application materials, additional faq pages.

• General University Admission FAQ's
• University Financial Aid Information

Admissions FAQ

Can i apply to receive a master's degree in economics.

Our department offers admission only to students interested in earning a Ph.D. Our program is not designed for students who are interested only in a Master's degree. However, all our Ph.D. students earn a STEM designated M.A. degree by completing all the requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation.

For students who are interested in graduate level economics, but are not pursuing a Ph.D., the department offers a Masters of Energy Economics. This program is designed for professionals working in the energy industry; it is not designed as a preparatory step towards a Ph.D. in economics. For more information about the Masters in Energy Economics please visit their website here .

Can you evaluate my chances of successful admission?

Without seeing the entire application pool and your complete application including the recommendation letters, we are unable to comment on your chances of successful admission. Please do not email for a pre-screening or your application materials.

Can I transfer credits from a previous graduate program?

No. We do not waive coursework for this program.

When will I be informed of my admission decision?

Our admissions process has multiple stages. In the first stage, we create a shortlist of candidates who will be invited for Zoom interviews. The applicants who have been selected for a Zoom interview will generally be notified in the first half of February. We expect to notify the admission status starting in the second half of February.

What kind of financial support is available?

All admitted students receive an offer of financial support covering five years in return for teaching or research assistantship. Continuation of the financial support beyond the first year is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. Funding may be available beyond the fifth year for students who show exceptional promise.

What if I already have funding from an outside source?

Admitted students with outside funding will receive a supplementary offer from the department. Applicants with outside funding still apply through the usual admissions process.

Is the Major Concentration in Finance different from just specializing in financial economics?

The Major Concentration in Finance is purposely different from a standalone degrees in Finance or Economics in that students who obtain a "PhD in Economics with a Major Concentration in Finance" or "PhD in Finance with a Major Concentration in Economics" will need to satisfy the requirements of both programs. Doing so will allow them to go on both on the economics and finance job market with an additional costly signal regarding their training and areas of specialty.

Can I tour the department or meet with faculty prior to admission?

We invite all admitted candidates to an open house which includes a chance to talk with faculty members and other students. It with also be offered virtually. The date of the open house will be announced in February.

Due to the number of applications we receive, we do not schedule in person meetings prior to reviewing applications. Our website provides information about admissions and our program. It provides answers to common questions applicants may have. Please thoroughly read the Admissions FAQ before contacting us directly.

Do I need to take the GRE exam?

The Department of Economics requires all applicants to provide GRE (Graduate Record Examination) General Test scores. It cannot be waived for any reason. This test should be taken no earlier than three years prior to the date of application and no later than the December prior to the desired fall entry. An official copy must be sent to the Department of Economics directly from the Educational Testing Service. Photocopies are not acceptable. For further information on the GRE, contact the Educational Testing Service, Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ 08541 USA. ETS can be reached by telephone at(609) 921-9000, by email at [email protected] or on the web at http://www.ets.org .

I have taken the GRE more than once. Which score will be considered for my application?

We will consider your highest score on each section of the exam as long as the exam was taken no more than five years prior to our application deadline.

Will you accept GMAT scores instead of GRE for my application?

No, we only accept the GRE. There are no substitutions.

Can I submit an IELTS score instead of a TOEFL score as a certificate of English fluency?

We accept both IELTS and TOEFL scores as proof of English fluency.

I am an international student but have attended institutions where instruction was entirely in English. Do I need to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score?

The English fluency exam requirement will be waived if prior to matriculation at Rice you have received a degree from a university located in an English-speaking country in which the official language of communication is English.

If you only have or will receive a degree from an institution in a non-English speaking country, you will generally not be exempt from the TOEFL unless the language of communication (not just instruction) is English. If you believe that your university qualifies as one with English as the official language of communication, please provide justification of this somewhere on your application and this information will be reviewed by the committee.

Is there a department code for ETS to use in order to send my test scores?

The Rice University GRE school code is 6609. The department code for Economics is 1801.

Can the official transcripts arrive after the deadline?

Yes, as long as the rest of your application and unofficial transcripts (uploaded) are submitted by the application deadline, the official transcripts can be sent at a later time (but no later than the first week in April if you are invited for a virtual interview). Please note that your application checklist will be marked as incomplete until an official transcript is sent.

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The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree.  It signifies that the recipient is able to conduct independent research and has both a broad basic knowledge of all areas of economics and a comprehensive knowledge of one area in particular.  The Ph.D. program equips its graduates with modern economic techniques, enabling them to take leadership positions in economic research in the academic, business, and government worlds.

The Department of Economics has risen to prominence in recent years by attracting internationally renowned scholars to its faculty and by carefully selecting its student body.  There are many reasons to believe that we can offer students an outstanding intellectual environment.  Seven members of our department are Fellows of the Econometric Society, and one is a Nobel Laureate.  Many currently serve or have served on the editorial boards of major journals, including the  American Economic Review ,  Econometrica , the  Review of Economic Studies , and the  Journal of Economic Theory .  Perhaps most significantly, the department placed among the top ten in the Tilburg University  ranking  of economics departments.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to graduate studies in economics is limited to students of outstanding promise. All applicants must submit scores from Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which is administered by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J. 08540, to complete their application and be considered for admissions. All international students must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Exceptions to this rule include students who attended English speaking college-level institutions. Students from English speaking countries, such as the U.K. or Ireland are also exempt from taking the TOEFL or IELTS exams.

The Ph.D. program is designed for full-time students only. In evaluating applicants for this program, members of the departmental admissions committee consider the following criteria: previous academic performance, quantitative GRE scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and background in economics and mathematics. Because of the diverse nature of such information, we do not adhere to strictly defined cut-off points on grade-point averages or GRE scores. Applicants should also remember that the Ph.D. and the M.A. programs are very different and have different objectives and  admissions criteria. Admission into the M.A. program does not guarantee eventual admission to the Ph.D program. Those interested in the Ph.D. program are encouraged to apply directly to the Ph.D. program, and not to the M.A. program.

DEPARTMENTAL FELLOWSHIPS, PRIZES, AND AWARDS

There are various sources of funding for students in the Ph.D. program. Our top students receive MacCracken fellowship awards. These fellowships guarantee funding for five years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) in the form of payment of the basic tuition fee as well as a living allowance for the year. Many other students work as teaching adjuncts, sometimes assisting a professor and sometimes teaching a course of their own. Many professors also have research grants from a variety of sources (National Science Foundation, C.V. Starr Center, etc) which provide research assistantships (R.A.'s) to graduate students.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A Ph.D.

Program Requirements

Field Requirements

Assessing Progress in the Economics PhD Program

Responsible Conduct of Research

Graduate Handbook

Related Information

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How to Apply to the PhD Program

The next admission cycle is for Fall 2025, with the application portal opening in September. The deadline for applying is Thursday, December 12, 2024 .

You still need to submit test scores from the GRE and TOEFL (if a non-native speaker of English). 

We do not admit any students for the spring term.

We do not have a master's program in economics.

Basic Requirements for Admission

Our basic standards and requirements for admission are:

• A grade-point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or an academic rank in the top 5% of your class.
• A score in the 80th percentile or higher on the quantitative portion of the GRE general exam. This requirement applies to both the old and new versions of the exam.
• For students who are not native speakers of English, a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL iBT, or 7.0 on the IELTS. a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL iBT, or 7.0 on the IELTS. Students who have at least four years of funding from a third party may be admitted with a TOEFL score of 79 on the ibT or an IELTS score of 6.5. Test scores are valid within 2 years of program start (September); so a TOEFL or IELTS exam date earlier than September 2021 will have to be retaken for a Fall 2023 admission.
• Coursework in multivariate calculus and linear algebra.
• For the full list of application requirements, please review the Application Checklist page .

Every year we receive far more applications from students who meet these standards than we can admit, so we use additional criteria to evaluate the applications. These criteria include courses taken and texts studied, letters of recommendation, research papers and other professional activities and academic honors. The admissions committee will also look for evidence that the applicant has been exposed to economic theory beyond the intermediate undergraduate level. This introduction may come through a course called advanced economic theory, mathematical economics, game theory, or mathematics for economists.

It is recommended that students take more than just the mathematical prerequisite classes, as more experience in analysis, differential equations, optimization, topology, probability, or measure theory will help your graduate study immensely.

TOEFL Waivers

The TOEFL may be waived for admission if the applicant has completed at least 16 credits of college-level work at a university in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand within 24 months of the desired date of admission. If you are admitted and are offered a teaching assistantship, you will need to take the Spoken English Test for Teaching Assistants  (SETTA).

If you have questions about applying to the Economics Doctoral Program, please contact the Economics Graduate Studies Office at  [email protected] .  Please do not write to individual professors with transcripts or resumes.  Your credentials cannot be evaluated without a formal application.

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Welcome to the School of Economic Sciences PhD Programs

Phd programs in economics and agricultural economics.

The School of Economic Sciences offers two doctoral programs: the PhD in Economics and the PhD in Agricultural Economics.

• The PhD in Economics is designed to prepare students for careers as professional economists in academia, government, and the private sector. The program is structured so that a student with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and an appointment as a graduate assistant should be able to complete the required coursework within three academic years, excluding summer sessions. Students with a Master of Science in Applied Economics degree may be able to complete the required coursework in less time, depending on the content and quality of previous work. The length of time required to complete the dissertation varies greatly but students usually complete the entire program, including the dissertation within four years.
• The PhD in Agricultural Economics is designed to provide the student with an excellent foundation in the theory and methods of economic analysis as well as experience in applied analysis of agricultural, agribusiness, and/or resource economics problems. Career opportunities for agricultural economists also include academia, government, and the private sector. Many academic positions (especially at land grant universities) include salary support for a combination of teaching, research, and/or outreach related to the food and fiber sectors and the natural resource base that supports them. The time required to complete the doctoral degree in agricultural economics is comparable to that required for the economics PhD.

We next list key features of our PhD programs.

Student publications . The collaboration between students and professors is close, our offices are often next to each other, and it is common for professors to coauthor papers with PhD students, which turn into journal publications. In the last years, coauthored papers with our students were published in journals such as  Science, Economic Inquiry, BE Journal of Macroeconomics, Canadian Journal of Economics, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, American Journal of Agricultural Economics,  and  Economic Letters , among others. In addition, the environment between students and professors is very collegial, and we meet once a week (normally after seminars) for drinks in a relaxed environment.

Job placement . The job market placement of our recent PhD graduates has been extremely positive, including positions at the University of Arkansas, Penn State University, Yale University (Post-Doc), University of Connecticut, Purdue University, California State University, College of William and Mary, Cornell University (Post-Doc), Colorado State University, University of New Mexico, Illinois State University, University of Kentucky, Hamline University, University of Oklahoma, University of Georgia, and University of Nebraska; City University of Hong Kong, Renmin University, University of International Business and Economics, and Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (China); Higher School of Economics (Russia); at government agencies such as the US Department of Agriculture, Freddie Mac, the United Nations; and at firms such as JP Morgan-Chase, Amazon, BNP Paribas, Charles River and Associates, Amgen Corporation, FedEx, and American Express.

Funding opportunities . Many admitted students are international and around 80% of admitted students receive graduate assistantships from our School (with other students being funded by governments in their home countries, or private foundations, such as the Fulbright Scholarship or the Soros Foundations). At this point, common assistantships (with a 20-hour per week work obligation) pay an estimated monthly stipend of $1,949. The stipend is provided for the nine-month academic year. Health insurance and most tuition costs are provided to you in addition to the stipend, resulting in a total award value of up to $46,396 depending on residency status. Also, students in good academic standing typically receive one additional month of pay for teaching and/or research assistance during the summer. Therefore, Ph.D. students with a 9-month assistantship plus one-month of summer pay receive a total stipend estimated at $19,490 per year. Please note that we plan to increase monthly stipends starting every year, conditional on funding availability.

MS in Statistics. The PhD program enhances the marketability of graduates in all degrees by deepening their training in economic theory and econometrics. To further strengthen their quantitative training, some students simultaneously pursue a Master’s degree in Statistics (pdf) (at least 2-3 students pursue this option every year).

Class size. On average, our incoming class has around 18-23 students. Most of our students complete the program in 4 years, and a few students complete it in 5 years. Overall, we often have more than 80 students in our PhD program. You can learn more about the Economics Graduate Student Association .

The PhD requires core courses in economic theory and econometrics, advanced topics courses in applied fields, and the completion of a dissertation. In the first year, study in the doctoral program is tightly structured. During the first year, full-time students take four core theory courses, one core course in statistics for economists and one core econometrics course. Because the fall core courses offered in the first year are prerequisites for subsequent courses, students generally must begin the program in the fall semester. Additional core courses are taken in the second year. Field courses are taken in the second and (possibly) third years. Total requirements for the PhD degree include a minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate, including at least 39 credits of coursework from the core and field courses and 20 credits of doctoral research.

While an advisory committee tailors each student’s program to his or her interests, all programs are designed to meet the following requirements.

Core courses:  A 27-credit core curriculum ensures that each PhD student receives advanced training in economic theory and quantitative methods: (1) theoretical foundations of economics–12 credits (EconS 500, 501, 502, 503) or their equivalents; and (2) tools for research and empirical analysis–12 credits (EconS 510, 511, 512, and 521) or their equivalents.

Directed elective:  Students take one 3-credit, 500-level course as a directed elective with the approval of their academic advisor.

Fields of specialization:  A student’s program is required to demonstrate an area or areas of concentration that prepare the student for the dissertation. Through field courses, the students receive additional preparation in at least two areas of specialization. Together with individual research activities and mentored study, the field courses prepare the students to apply economic theory and quantitative methods to real-world problems.  Selections among field courses allow students to tailor their graduate program to specific interests and to interact with faculty working in their area. The fields of study offered are: Macroeconomics; Development Economics; Health Economics; Econometrics; Environmental & Natural Resource Economics; International Economics; Industrial Organization; Public Economics; Agricultural Economics (required for Agricultural Economics PhD) .

Advanced topics are taught in a repeatable, variable-credit course in each field area. Students take a minimum of six credit hours in each of two fields, and 12 credits overall in field courses.

Additional credits:  Additional coursework and research credits are used to bring the student up to 72 credits.

Application Process

For more information, please visit the following link, which provides instructions about the on-line application process and all necessary application materials: Application Process . Please note that applications to our Ph.D. program require you to submit your CV, your undergraduate transcripts (and, if applicable, transcripts from your Masters or other postgraduate courses), your scores in the GRE exam, your scores in the TOEFL exam (unless you can show that your undergraduate education was taught entirely in English), a statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation on your behalf. You do not need to establish connections with faculty during the application process. You will pick faculty to work with on research after the first year of the PhD program. The School of Economic Sciences does not charge or handle the application fee. Please contact the Graduate School at [email protected] .

• GRE exam . We do not have a minimum GRE score. However, the average GRE score in the quantitative section (the most important section for our application process) is around the 75th percentile (157 points), but most funded students are above the 80-85th percentile (about 159 points or above). If you took your GRE exam in the last 1-2 years, please contact us to check if you should include a more recent score in your application.
• TOEFL exam . The minimum TOEFL score is 213 in the computer version (which corresponds to 550 points in paper version and 80 points in the internet version). In case you took the IELTS exam, the minimum IELTS score is 7 points. Please note that the TOEFL/IELTS exams can be waived if you completed a degree (or at least an entire academic year) at a university in the which all coursework was taught in English. Specifically, the Graduate School from WSU waives the TOEFL/IELTS exam to applicants who completed their degree from institutions in the following countries: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Canada, Guyana, Kenya, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago. For more details on this policy, visit International Requirements website and for more information about the TOEFL exam .
• GPA score . The average GPA score into our Ph.D. program is around 3.4, but it varies depending on the coursework the applicant did in undergrad (for instance, we understand that your GPA can be lower than 3.4 if you took several math or Master-level courses).
• Transcripts . Applicants must submit transcripts from both their undergraduate and graduate-level courses, clearly reflecting the grade obtained in each course. Applicants can submit unofficial copies of all transcripts. If admitted into our program, the WSU Graduate School may contact the student asking him/her to submit official copies of all documents.

ECONOMICS MASTER'S PROGRAMS

Frequently asked questions.

The Graduate School and the Department of Economics requires Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test scores from all applicants.

HOW TO SUBMIT

GRE scores: Ask Educational Testing Service to send an official copy of the scores to The Graduate School. Use institution code 5156. You do not need a department code. If ETS requires a department code, select any one of the department codes listed on its site. Regardless of the department code entered, the scores will come to The Graduate School as long as you use institution code 5156.  Be sure to alert us if the name on your application is different from the name on your score report.

SCORE REQUIREMENTS

The scores must not be more than five years old from July 1 of the application year. For example, if you submit your application between August 2014 and January 2015, your score report must be dated July 1, 2009, or later.

We do not accept expired scores, personal copies of scores, or attested or notarized score reports.

Some departments require a GRE subject test score. To determine if your department requires a GRE subject test score, see the department listing in the Departments and Programs section of The Graduate School website.

Even though the GRE scoring scale changed in 2011, you do not need to retake the test on the new scale unless your current scores are more than five years old.

Be sure to take the GRE in time for official scores to reach The Graduate School by the application deadline.

We realize that the GRE scores of international students, particularly those whose first language is not English, may be affected by language and cultural differences. This is taken into consideration when applications are evaluated.

For GRE registration forms and more information on the test, visit the GRE Website or contact:

Educational Testing Service PO Box 6000 Princeton, NJ 08541-6000 USA

(866) 473-4373 (USA) or (609) 771-7670 (outside the US)

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GRE Scores & Submission Rates At The Top 50 U.S. MBA Programs

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In the spring of 2023, Poets&Quants reported that the Graduate Record Exam appeared to have peaked : that the test, which for years had been gaining market share against the Graduate Management Admission Test, seemed to have plateaued in terms of the rates at which prospective MBA students were submitting it with their applications to the top business schools.

Not so fast. A new analysis of submission rates at 54 of the leading U.S. B-schools shows that 2022 may have been just a minor slump. Boosted by a return to mandatory admissions testing at several schools, the GRE bounced back in 2023, with 23 of 54 B-schools analyzed by P&Q showing year-over-year increases in GRE submission rates. The average increase was 7.6 percentage points.

The rebound was not clear-cut: Nineteen schools had GRE declines in that span, averaging more than 9 percentage points. But underscoring the GRE’s strength and the GMAT’s weakness are submission rates for the latter test: Even more than the GRE’s ascendancy, the GMAT — long the dominant entrance exam for graduate business admissions — continues to decline, down at 39 of 54 schools from 2022 to 2023, and up at only eight. And the number of schools where the GRE is the preferred test continues to grow, with 16 schools reporting higher GRE than GMAT submission rates in 2023, up from nine schools the year before.

GRE SCORES AT P&Q’S TOP 10 BUSINESS SCHOOLS, 2021 TO 2023

Source: business schools, stanford leads in gre average; yale tops in median.

In past years, U.S. News & World Report included GRE score averages in the data release accompanying its annual B-school ranking ; this year the magazine released only GRE ranges for 2023, making score comparisons with past years across the top 50 B-schools impossible. Fortunately, several elite B-schools publish their own GRE data as part of their MBA class profiles; see the table above for 12 of the leading schools for which this data is publicly available.

Once again, in average GRE scores, Stanford Graduate School of Business led the way, averaging 164 in each of the Quant and Verbal portions of the GRE for a total score of 328. In medians, Yale School of Management reported scores of 166 on the Quant and 164 on the Verbal for a total of 330. That was better by 4 points than both Harvard Business School and Northwestern Kellogg School of Management , both of which reported median scores of 163 on both Quant and Verbal for a total of 326.

U.S. News ‘ GRE ranges don’t tell us much but offer only a very general sense of the kind of score test-takers need to gain admission; see page 2 for a complete list of ranges at the top 54 B-schools. Some highlights for the Quant portion of the GRE:

• Highest high end, Quant: 14 schools at 170
• Lowest high end, Quant: 2 schools at 161: Arizona State Carey and UC-Davis
• Highest low end, Quant: 4 schools at 158
• Lowest low end, Quant: 2 schools at 144: William and Mary Mason and Southern Methodist Cox

And for the Verbal:

• Highest high end, Verbal: 3 schools at 170: Kellogg, Stanford, Harvard
• Lowest high end, Verbal: 2 schools at 158: Maryland Smith and Northeastern D’Amore-McKim
• Highest low end, Verbal: 2 schools at 158: NYU Stern and Yale SOM
• Lowest low end, Verbal: Rutgers Business School, 141

In the third portion of the test, which measures a candidate’s writing ability, 41 of 54 schools reported score ranges to U.S. News, with Virginia Darden School of Business and Michigan Ross School of Business the only two schools with perfect 6.0 scores at the upper end of their range. Eight schools reported high low ends of 4.0.

BIGGEST DECLINES IN GRE SUBMISSION RATE, 2022 TO 2023

Source: u.s. news and business schools, breaking down submission rates of the gmat & gre.

In graduate business education admissions, the GRE remains a little brother to the GMAT, and the release of streamlined versions of both tests in late 2023 and early 2024 — and the fact that only 20 of the top 54 U.S. B-schools currently are test-optional, down in one year from 37 schools — will doubtless roil the rivalry between the two even further.

But before we get to set eyes upon data from takers of the new tests, we have numbers from the 2022-2023 MBA application cycle — and by far the most interesting have to do not with actual scores but with submission rates.

Nineteen of 54 U.S. B-schools lost GRE submission volume between 2022 and 2023, with the biggest drop-offs occurring at Florida Hough Graduate School of Business (down 40 percentage points to 6%), Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business (from 69% to 40%), Washington Foster School of Business (64% to 39%), Washington Olin Business School (47% to 27%) and UC-Irvine Merage School of Business (29% to 6%). Altogether, seven schools saw GRE submission declines by double digits year over year.

Yet compare that to the GMAT, which saw declines at 39 of 54 schools, and double-digit drop-offs at 18. The biggest: 29 points at CMU Tepper (to 40% from 69%), followed by 25 points at Washington Foster (to 39%), 24 points at Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business (to 30%), 22 points at Emory Goizueta Business School (to 28%), 19 points at Rice Jones Graduate School of Business (to 20%), and 18 points at both Rochester Simon Business School (to 21%) and Ohio State Fisher College of Business (to 18%). Notably, five of these seven schools do not require entrance exam scores for admission.

Altogether, 12 schools of 54 saw declines in the submission rates of both tests. Wisconsin School of Business , where GMAT submissions declined by 7 percentage points and GRE by 6, is one of those schools. See the table on page 4 for details.

BIGGEST INCREASES IN GRE SUBMISSION RATE, 2022 TO 2023

Gmat losing ground while gre surges.

Then there are the gains: 23 of 54 B-schools grew their GRE submission volume from 2022 to 2023, including 14 of the top 25, with the biggest leap coming at Rice Jones, which jumped 24 percentage points to 31%; Washington Foster was next with a 23-point gain, to 32%. Altogether, seven schools grew their GRE volume by double digits between 2022 and 2023; in the year between 2021 and 2022, only two did.

In the seven years from 2017 to 2023, 19 schools in the top 50 have seen their GRE submission rates grow by double digits. Only four have dropped by double digits in that span. Thirty schools overall have seen GRE increases since 2017, and just nine have seen declines.

The GMAT hasn’t kept up. Only eight schools saw GMAT submissions increase in 2023, led by Florida Hough, which grew its rate to 72% from 54% — one of only two schools, along with Boston Questrom School of Business (27% from 17%) to report a double-digit GMAT increase. Hough was the top school in 2023 for GMAT submission rate; Questrom, interestingly, was the only school out of 54 to have gains in both tests: Its GRE share grew to 28% from 18%.

The number of B-schools with a higher GRE than GMAT submission rate doubled in 2023 to 16, with the average rate at those 16 schools growing to more than 30%; in 2022, the average at eight schools was 17.4%. In 2023, there were 30 schools with GRE submissions at 25% or higher, up from 23 in 2022. Conversely, GMAT in that span fell from 46 schools to 43. And while there was only one B-school with more than 50% GRE submissions in 2023 — UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business , at 53% — the number of schools with GMAT submissions over 50% dropped to 11 in 2023 from 18 the year before.

Key data points in the matchup between the GRE and GMAT:

• Average % at the top 10 B-schools in 2023: GMAT 50%, GRE 32.3%
• Average % at the top 10 B-schools in 2022: GMAT 55%, GRE 31.1%
• Average % at the top 25 B-schools in 2023: GMAT 46.5%, GRE 30.6%
• Average % at the top 25 B-schools in 2023: GMAT: 54.2%, GRE 29.6%

See next pages for data on GRE score ranges at the top 50 B-schools, GRE submission rates for the last seven years, and GRE versus GMAT submission rates for the last two.

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.

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