What is the University of Maryland's institutional code, for GRE and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE?

Our institutional code is 5814.

Do you require GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores from all applicants? How long are my GRE scores valid?

Submitting GRE scores is required for Fall 2026 admission. If your scores are older than 5 years old, you will need to retake the test and send your updated results.

Is there a minimum GRE score or GPA requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program in Economics?

In general, our admitted students have very high GRE's (particularly quantitative). The Graduate School requires a minimum grade point of the equivalent of a "B" average. The Economics Department has no specific GPA cutoff above this, but in general, the department standards are well above a "B" average, particularly in economics and mathematics courses. We generally do not compute average GPA scores for admitted or incoming students because it is difficult to construct GPA equivalents in many cases. 

Does the Graduate School maintain minimum GRE and/or TOEFL/IELTS/PTE score requirements?

The Graduate School does not set minimum GRE requirements; each graduate program sets its own standards for GRE scores.

I am an international student. Am I required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores and is there a minimum score that I must receive in order to be considered for admission?

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 from 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.  This decision rule is based solely on the country in which you were educated, and not on your citizenship.

All students who do not automatically meet the English proficiency requirement must provide proof of an English language test score above a threshold deemed by the University as adequate for “full enrollment” as described here: https://gradschool.umd.edu/admissions/english-language-proficiency-requirements Our department will not consider for admission to our Ph.D. program any applicant whose TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores do not meet the requirement for full enrollment at the time of application. No exceptions will be made.

How long are my TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores valid?

TOEFL or IELTS scores are valid for two years. However, if an applicant requests ETS to send the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores to our University before the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE expires, it should not be a problem. The applicant should call ETS and request that a score report is sent to our institution code 5814. ETS only keeps TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores on file for two years, so once the two-year deadline passes, the applicant will no longer be able to request a score from ETS.