Ph.D. Home Program Overview Prospective Students Requirements Funding Fields & Courses Current Students Job Market Candidates Placements

Prospective Students

Thank you for your interest in Duke's Ph.D. program in Economics. The online application for admission for 2008-09 may be found at the Graduate School Admissions page. Paper applications are no longer accepted. For consideration for financial aid, the application deadline for fall 2008 is December 15, 2007. Our department matriculates Ph.D. students in the fall only. There is no spring matriculation for Ph.D. students.

Prospective Student Profile

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, 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.

Application Fees

The application for 2008-09 will be available in June 2007. If an application and fee payment is submitted by November 15, 2007 for fall 2008 admission, the application fee is $65. After November 15, the application fee is $75. The Economics department does not waive application fees.

Funding

Please visit the Funding page for more information on financial aid, funding and an overview of expenses for Ph.D. students, including tuition, fees and cost of living. In order to be considered for any and all financial aid and funding for graduate school, simply indicate "Yes" on the electronic application in the section where financial aid is discussed. No additional paperwork is required.

GRE Scores

In order to meet the December application deadline, GRE tests should not be taken later than the preceding October test date. GRE scores older than five years at the time of application will not be accepted as official. Duke University accepts both the old GRE with the Analytical section graded on the 800 point scale and the newer Writing Analytical section graded on the 6.0 point scale. 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 GRE. However, over 90% of all applicants to the Ph.D. program score 800 on the Quantitative section. Scores that are significantly below that (see the Graduate School's Admissions Statistics web page) and are supported by less then 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.

English Language Proficiency Tests (for international applicants)

The Duke University Graduate School requires that any applicant whose native language is not English 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), regardless of whether or not they have attended another U.S. institution or participated in an ESL program. The TSE is not accepted. The Graduate School will accept only official TOEFL /IELTS scores; those which are submitted by ETS. ETS will not submit any scores more than two years old at the time of application. It is the policy of the Graduate School to admit only those students with a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based test), 213 (computer-based test), or 83 (internet-based test), or a minimum IELTS score of 7.0. The new TOEFL iBT scores are acceptable, with minimum scores of 22 (Speaking), 20 (Listening), 21 (Reading), 20 (Writing) and 83 (Total) required for admission. For more information on the TOEFL or the IELTS, please see http://www.gradschool.duke.edu/admissions/requirements.html#toefl.

NOTE: All international students whose first language is not English are required to take oral and written English placement exams administered by the English for International Students program. These exams are independent of the TOEFL/IELTS score submission requirement. Depending on their exam results, students are either exempted from or placed into one or more EIS courses. Students with EIS requirements must begin these courses in their first year of study. For more details, visit the Requirements page.

Transcripts and Test Scores

Applicants may send unofficial copies of transcripts or test scores until official copies arrive. If the transcripts are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by an official, certified translation, which most universities and/or embassies provide. For statistics on GRE, TOEFL and GPAs for students admitted see http://www.gradschool.duke.edu/departments_and_programs/economics.html.

Application Statistics

Each year about 400 to 500 people apply to the Ph.D. program in Economics. Of those applicants approximately 60 are offered admission, with approximately 90% of them receiving an offer of five years of financial aid. The aid typically covers tuition and fee waivers and a combination of fellowships and teaching, graduate, and research assistantships which adequately cover the costs of living for the student, including rent, utilities, food, etc. 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 35% decide to come to Duke, and we matriculate an average 20 students each year. Approximately 70% 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 Economics Department at Duke University 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. Every year 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 the 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.

Final Notes

When the candidate's admissions file is complete, the Graduate School sends the file to the Economics Department. It is reviewed by a committee chaired by the Director of Graduate Admissions. Aid offers are made on a rolling basis, as funds permit, beginning in late-February. Of the approximately 20 new Ph.D. students each year, 90% or more are supported by Duke, and the remainder are either supported by external funding sources or are self-supported. The Department attempts to develop partial aid programs for such self-supported students through hourly payment for grading papers or tutoring. Loans and work-study funds, in limited amounts, are available also. Students who are projected to be successful Ph.D. candidates are generally offered aid in the form of scholarships, teaching assistantships, or research assistantships for the second year and beyond.

Please see the Graduate School website for more information on graduate education at Duke University.