The priority admissions deadline for the Ph.D. program beginning in the Fall semester starting in August is Feb. 1. All applications received after this date will be considered on a rolling and space-available admissions basis through April 30 of each year.
Requirements for Admission
All applicants must submit:
- The online Graduate Studies application
- GRE scores (GRE Institute code: R5248) - please note that the GMAT will not be accepted
- Georgia Tech requires that all applicants demonstrate proof of English language proficiency
- Official transcripts for all universities attended
- Letters of recommendation
Please make sure that all details are filled out as requested on the Graduate Admissions website. This will avoid any delays or problems in processing your application.
Our admissions committee will look at all aspects of the application in order to determine an admissions decision. The size of the entering class is flexible and will vary across the years. A 3.0 GPA (or U.S. equivalent) minimum is highly suggested for students applying to the program, but all applications will be given due consideration. Similarly, while there is no set GRE minimum score, a quantitative score of at least 160 or higher is strongly preferred. Please note: Attaining these scores (or below or above these scores) does NOT guarantee admission to the program.
Cohorts are admitted and begin their coursework each fall. Our program allows Fall admissions only. The deadline for applications to begin each year is Feb. 1 prior to the August start date. Applications will be reviewed after the final deadline.
Important: International students need to apply much earlier, as the processing of the I-20 forms by the Georgia Institute of Technology, and subsequent visa processing in the home country, takes a fair amount of time. In order to ensure that all documents are processed in time, we highly recommend that international students complete the application process no later than October prior to the August start date.
Funding Sources
Most full-time Ph.D. students in Economics are supported either by teaching assistantships or by research assistantships. Both forms of support cover resident tuition and most fees and, also provide a base stipend of $2,500 per month for Fall and Spring semesters (nine months). The assistantship terms require that students devote approximately 20 hours a week to assistantship tasks. Students may also receive summer funding in the form of an assistantship for up to $2,500 per month. Over 70 percent of full-time students are currently funded via an assistantship, the rest are funded via various fellowships or self-funded.
In addition, a select number of entering and continuing students receive fellowships that increase their level of financial support beyond the base stipend. The terms and conditions of these fellowships vary. Some supplement assistantships, while others release the student from assistantship duties for one or more years.
All applicants who plan to enroll full-time have to indicate on their application if they would like to be considered for a graduate teaching assistantship.
The continuation of the financial support beyond the first year of studies is contingent on the student's performance in the program and the availability of funds.
Additional information about Graduate Assistantships, fellowships, loans, and off-campus employment options is available on the Office of Graduate Studies site.
Tuition Costs
For detailed information about current tuition costs, fees, and deadlines to submit payments, visit the Office of the Bursar. International students should refer to the Office of International Education website for the estimated cost of attendance that must be demonstrated to be eligible for an immigration form I-20 or DS-2019 to be issued.
Ph.D. student placement and career resources
Graduates from the School of Economics Ph.D. program choose careers in academics, government, and the private sector, with a focus on consulting and finance. A sample of recent offers in academics is listed below, as well as the placements into government and the private sector since the
program’s first graduates in 2015.
- Academic offers in the U.S. and Canada: Allegheny College (tenure track), Arizona State University (post-doc), Clarkson University (tenure track), College of Wooster (tenure track), Georgia Tech (tenure-track), Illinois College (tenure-track), Harvard University (post-doc), University of British Columbia (post-doc), University of Texas, Rio Grande (tenure-track), University of Virginia (visiting faculty), Wayne State University (lecturer), and Widener University (tenure-track).
- International academic offers: Beijing Normal University (tenure track), Hunan University (tenure-track), Shanghai Finance University (tenure track), Shanghai International Studies University (tenure track), Shiv Nadar University (India, tenure track), University of International Business and Economics (China, tenure track)
- Government: the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (post-doc), US Bureau of Economic Analysis, US Census Bureau, and the US Food and Drug Administration.
- Private sector: Cadmus Group, Citibank, First Horizons Bank, Intercontinental Hotel Group, RBC Insurance, SunTrust Bank (now Truist Bank), and Wells Fargo.
Please refer to the Jobs for Economists Network by the American Economic Association to research job opportunities for Ph.D.-trained economists and career paths within and outside of academia.
Student acceptance rate and demographics
For details on the admissions, acceptance rate, and demographic characteristics of the students please use Georgia Tech LITE and enter search terms for Doctor of Philosophy at the School of Economics, Ivan Allen College.
Time to degree
The Ph.D. program in Economics is designed to be completed within five academic years. See more information in the Requirements for the Doctoral Degree in the Georgia Tech Course Catalog.