What is the application deadline?

Our application deadline for Fall 2025 is December 3, 2024. All completed applications received by the December 3, 2024 deadline will be reviewed, and admissions decisions will be made without regard to the date of submission of the application.

Can you send me information on the Ph.D. program in Economics?

The Economics Department no longer mails brochures. Information on our Ph.D. program is available on our website.

Do you offer a master's program in Economics? If so, how do I apply?

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, our Ph.D. students may obtain an M.A. degree during their program, either as a terminal degree for students leaving the Ph.D. program or as an intermediate sign of achievement for students who are continuing in the Ph.D. program.

For students who are interested in applied economics, but are not pursuing a Ph.D., the University of Maryland offers a Master of Science in Applied Economics. This program is designed for working professionals; it is not appropriate for a Ph.D. in economics.  Contact CPmasters-econ [at] umd [dot] edu or visit http://masters.econ.umd.edu for more information.

Do you offer a part-time program?

Our Ph.D. program in Economics is strictly a full-time program.

Do you offer spring or summer admission?

Applicants are considered for admission to the fall term only. There is no spring or summer admission.

Where can I find an application for the Ph.D. program in Economics?

The University of Maryland's Graduate School accepts applications through its gradapply.umd.edu application system. Before completing the application, applicants are asked to check the Graduate School for specific instructions https://gradschool.umd.edu/behavioralsocial-sciences/econ

For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students should visit gradapply.umd.edu for more information.

Where do I send my application materials?

As required by the Graduate School, all application materials are to be submitted electronically:

•   Graduate application

•   Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (Optional for Fall 2025)

•   TOEFL/IELTS - 

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English language proficiency.  Applicants are automatically deemed to have met this requirement if they hold a degree from a university in the United States or in an English-speaking country included on the UMD Graduate School’s list, which can be found at the bottom of this page:  https://gradschool.umd.edu/admissions/english-language-proficiency-requirements.   Note that such exemptions are based solely on the country in which you were educated, and not on your citizenship.  

All students who do not meet the conditions described above must meet an English language test score threshold to be fully enrolled, and another, more stringent threshold to receive assistantship funding.  The first set of thresholds, for full enrollment, are determined by the Graduate School and not the Department of Economics.  They are described here: https://gradschool.umd.edu/admissions/english-language-proficiency-requirements.  

The second set of thresholds, for assistantship funding, are set and subject to change by the Maryland English Institute and the Graduate School, and are described here:  https://marylandenglishinstitute.com/english-programs/international-teaching-as….    A score below the threshold on any section precludes a student from receiving a teaching assistantship (TA) position and necessitates taking an English course that would interfere with enrolling in the standard first year course sequence in Economics.  Therefore, we require applicants to meet these more stringent thresholds at the time of application in order to be considered for assistantship funding.  Unfortunately, we are unable to make conditional offers.

Applicants who meet the requirements for full enrollment but not for receiving a TA position and who have secured external funding for their studies may be offered admission, but will not be offered funding by the Department, do not automatically become eligible for TA positions in future years, and are not guaranteed Department funding in subsequent years.  
 

•   Transcripts from all institutions attended after high school or secondary school whether or not a degree was granted. An official copy of all previous degrees/diplomas and transcripts issued in the original language with a literal English translation. The transcripts should be uploaded into your online application.

•   Statement of purpose

•   Letters of Recommendation

•   Program/Department supporting documents https://gradschool.umd.edu/behavioralsocial-sciences/econ

•   Non-refundable application fee of $75 for each program to which an applicant applies

The electronic submission of application materials helps expedite the review of an application.

When and how will I be notified of the admissions decision?

Admissions decisions are usually made in early March. We will send an offer letter of admission by email to be followed up by an official offer letter by first class mail. If you are not offered admission, you will receive a formal rejection letter directly from the Graduate School.

How can I pay the application fee?

Applicants must pay the non-refundable $75 application fee with a credit card during the electronic application process. 

The application fee is handled directly through the Graduate School. Please note that only credit cards are accepted. 

Unfortunately we are not in a financial position where, as a department, we can waive the application fee even in deserving cases.

How much is the application fee? Can it be waived? Can I pay the fee after I find out if I have been admitted?

You will be assessed a non-refundable $75 application processing fee for each program to which you apply.  You are responsible for paying this fee whether or not you are offered admission or choose to enroll. You must pay your application fee online.  Your application will not be processed until you pay your application fee and the payment is authorized.

Unfortunately we are not in a financial position where, as a department, we can waive the application fees, even in deserving cases.

Please click here https://www.gradschool.umd.edu/feewaiverinformation for fee waiver eligibility.

I am interested in an assistantship or fellowship. Do I submit a separate application for funding?

It is not necessary to submit a separate application for funding. All applicants will be considered for assistantships and fellowships through the regular application review process. Funding from the department is merit-based.

I am currently in a Ph.D. program. How can I transfer to your program?

You will need to apply through our regular admissions process, and your application will be evaluated along with the other applications that we receive from students seeking admission to the program. 

In general, credits do not transfer. A student can petition the Graduate School to allow coursework from another institution to count toward coursework requirements in the department, but permission is not automatically granted. Students who have completed coursework at another Ph.D. program can opt to try to pass our first-year comprehensive exams upon entering the program rather than take our first-year coursework, but virtually all transfer students end up taking our first-year courses upon arrival.

How can I check the status of my application?

To check the status of your application to the University of Maryland, please go to gradapply.umd.edu 

I am having technical problems with my University Online Application or the Application Supplemental Form. What should I do?

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Graduate School's online application's helpdesk for any technical issues: gradschool [at] umd [dot] edu

How many applications do you receive? How many students will you admit? And how many of these will receive an offer of funding?

We expect to receive about 600 applications. We anticipate sending acceptance letters to approximately 120 applicants and we expect to have an entering class of 20 to 25 students. Approximately 2/3 of our entering class will receive funding of some kind (assistantship or fellowship) in the first year of our Ph.D. program. The ultimate number of acceptance letters we send and the ultimate number of students who receive funding is subject to budgetary considerations.

What kind of mathematics preparation do I need in order to be admitted?

It is extremely rare for us to admit a student who has not completed the equivalent of three semesters of calculus, a semester of linear algebra, and a semester in differential equations at the time of application. The overwhelming majority of admitted students have also completed coursework in real analysis or other upper-level mathematics courses.

If I send an email to you with information on my GPA, my GRE scores, the courses that I have taken, and my work experience, can you assess the probability that I will be admitted to the Ph.D. program?

Because of a large number of inquiries, we receive concerning admission to our Ph.D. program, and the large number of completed applications we receive, we cannot assess an individual's probability of admission without evaluating that individual's completed application and the completed applications of all other applicants.

In general, our admitted students have GPA's well above a "B" average, particularly in economics and mathematics; very high GRE's (particularly quantitative); math preparation that includes at a minimum three semesters of calculus, a semester of linear algebra, and a semester of differential equations; and three excellent letters of reference that speak to an applicant's potential to successfully complete a Ph.D. in economics.

Can you provide some summary statistics on this year's incoming first-year class?

Our first-year class for 2024 is 25 percent female and 65 percent international. 80 percent of the class has received funding (in the form of a fellowship or an assistantship) from the department. We do not publish average GPA scores of incoming students since not all students come from systems with comparable grading scales, and since the quality of the undergraduate (or graduate) institution can measurably affect how the GPA is evaluated.

Can I reapply if I am denied admission? How do I reapply?

Yes. We maintain application materials for one year. If you wish to reapply, you must submit a new application and application fee. If you would like to update any other supporting materials, please do so. You can also request that supporting materials in a prior application be used for your new application.

Are there graduate-level, non-degree options at the University of Maryland? If so, how can I apply?

Non-degree seeking students wishing to take graduate classes at the University should apply as Advanced Special Students. For more information on Advanced Special Student status, see http://gradschool.umd.edu/admissions/non-degree-admissions

Advanced Special Student status is not available to students in F-1 or J-1 status. These students should consult with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at 301-314-7740 if they have questions about exceptions in this category.