Frequently Asked Questions

We enroll approximately 10 new PhD students each academic year. There are approximately 60 students enrolled in the program as a whole. The program is large enough to allow specialization in a number of different areas but small enough to foster close faculty-student interaction.

Approximately half of all entering students are from the U.S. and half come from abroad. Our international students come from all across the globe. In recent years, we have welcomed students from many countries, including Albania, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Columbia, Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.

Yes, the PhD is designated as a STEM program by the Department of Homeland Security.

See our PhD Prerequisites page for a complete list of required prerequisite courses.

No. Our program is structured for students to begin only in the fall semester of each academic year.

No. Our program is designed to be completed in person; we do not offer an online track.

Yes, students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Economics may take courses at Northwestern University or the University of Chicago through the Chicago Metropolitan Exchange Program.

We provide a variety of opportunities for students to learn more about the Economics Department and Ph.D. program specifically, including virtual campus visits for admitted students to meet faculty and ask questions. If you would like to schedule an in-person visit, please contact Prof. Darren Lubotsky at lubotsky@uic.edu.

No. Our program is structured for students to begin only in the fall semester of each academic year.

UIC does not grant application fee waivers for financial hardship. Application fee waivers are available in only a few limited instances, as explained on the Graduate Admissions website.

No fee waivers are available for the international credential fee.

You do not need to reach out to faculty before you are admitted. While you may certainly reach out to faculty to learn more about their work, we recommend that you wait to do this until after you are admitted to the program.

No. We take many factors into account during the application review process, and it is not possible to assess your chances of admission over email or without a full application.

The writing sample can be anything that you feel supports your application to the Ph.D. program. It may be an honors or master’s thesis, a class paper, or a document that you wrote as part of a job. We look at the sample to get a sense of your interests, experience, and writing skills. We do not expect the writing sample to show off all of your skills, of course. It is only one part of your larger application.

Yes, the GRE is required for admission. We cannot waive this requirement. We do not have a minimum threshold. In recent years, successful applicants have had GRE scores at or above 154 Verbal, 162 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytical Writing. These scores are given for reference only.  Since test scores are only one of the factors considered by the admissions committee, applicants with scores slightly lower than the averages shown above should not necessarily be discouraged from applying, nor are applicants with higher scores guaranteed acceptance.

Reference letters should assess your ability to do doctoral-level work in economics. The most helpful letters are from economics professors who are familiar with the skills necessary to do well in graduate school.

Requirements for English language proficiency and international academic credentials are listed on the International Admissions website. We are not able to waive any of these requirements.

We make admissions decisions on a rolling basis; you can expect to receive a decision sometime between January and April. If at any point you are unsure about the status of your application, please contact us at econ@uic.edu.

Students who are not granted admission to the PhD program may be considered for admission to our MA in Applied Economics program. In the PhD application, you can indicate whether you would also like to be considered for admission to the MA in Applied Economics should your PhD application be denied.