M.S. Frequently Asked Questions

When will my cohort begin the M.S. program?

The program is a fall admit program and the first sequence of core classes is only offered in the fall. These courses are prerequisites for courses to be taken the following spring.

What quantitative skills are needed for success in the M.S. program?

The admissions committee will be looking for individuals with strong quantitative skills. The committee will be looking for a strong GRE quant score as well as a strong math background. A fundamental understanding of differential and integral calculus is essential. Students will be working with multivariate differentiation and constrained optimization in their core courses.

All entering students will be required to attend a math boot camp to refresh quantitative skills at the start of the M.S. program. 

Does the M.S. in Economics application require GRE scores?

Yes, we strongly encourage GRE scores for all applicants as a signal of quantitative ability. The average GRE score for the Fall 2022 class was 164. 

Please note that if students have a difficult time paying to register for the GRE, ETS has a fee reduction program. For more information please see https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/fees/reductions. 

What are the English Language Requirements?

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) & IELTS

All international candidates must submit a valid TOEFL or IELTS score to be considered for admission to the program unless one of the following applies:

• You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• You are a citizen of a country where English is the SOLE OFFICIAL language of instruction*
• You have received or will receive a degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States or have attended a regionally accredited university in the United States for at least one academic year.

*Countries where English is the sole official language of instruction include Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Ghana, Guam, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, and Wales.

TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid if submitted within two years of the date on which the test was initially taken. The Institute code for the TOEFL is 5248. If you are taking the IELTS, please search on "Georgia Institute of Technology", then choose "Graduate" to have your scores sent to Georgia Tech.

The required minimum total score on the exams are:

• TOEFL-Internet-based exam = 95, with minimum section scores of 19 or higher in each skill area.
• IETLS exam = Overall score minimum of 7, with minimum section scores for reading = 6.5; listening = 6.5; speaking = 6.5; writing = 5.5.

For more details on English proficiency requirements, please see the Graduate Education English Proficency page and contact grad.ask@grad.gatech.edu for any related questions.

Can I submit my unofficial transcript & GRE scores during the application process?

Georgia Tech accepts unofficial transcripts at the time of application. We do not accept screenshots of your grades and courses. If you are admitted, we will then require that you submit your official transcripts. Please see the Graduate Admissions site for more details about the submission of transcripts.

Please note: if you are admitted, you will be required to submit your official transcripts prior to registering for classes. Under no circumstances will a student be permitted to register for classes without an official transcript on file.

I am an international student and in my country, an undergraduate degree is a three-year program. Does the School of Economics and Georgia Tech accept a three-year undergraduate degree for admission to the M.S. in Economics?

You will need the equivalent of four years of college education in the US as described on the Graduate Admissions International Students page.

The above link also indicates where you can get your non-US academic credentials evaluated.

Excerpt from the Graduate Admissions International Students page: 
 “Academic Credentials 
Georgia Tech requires that international applicants hold the equivalent of a U.S. four-year baccalaureate degree earned at a regionally accredited institution. Visit our Grad Admission Catalog for more information.”

Does the School of Economics require work experience for admission to the M.S. program?

No, we do not require work experience for admission to the M.S. in Economics.

What is the cost of the program? Do you provide funding to support students as they pursue an M.S. in Economics?

You can find a cost calculator for graduate credit hours at Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid's Cost of Attendance page. Mostly, we do not fund at the M.S. level. 

However, the School of Economics may be able to provide very few out-of-state tuition waivers to select students to help offset the costs of attendance. We have also assembled a list of alternative scholarship resources:

• FastWeb
• GoGrad.org
• American Economic Association
• CollegeScholarships.org
• Scholarships.com

Will the School of Economics or Georgia Tech waive the application fee?

We are unable to waive the application fee, however, as indicated on the graduate admissions website, “Current Federal TRIO program applicants, such as McNair Scholars, are eligible for an application fee waiver. For consideration, you should email a PDF of your current program participation certificate to grad.ask@gatech.edu for guidance on how to obtain this waiver.” Please refer to the section “Fee Waivers” on the Graduate Admissions site.

Do I have to take certain courses at a specific time?

Yes. You are required to take four core courses and six elective courses. Each core course is only offered in the semester listed below. Fall courses are prerequisites for spring courses. There is more flexibility in the case of elective courses. Fall courses are prerequisites for spring courses.

• Fall:
  • ECON 6140, Probability and Statistical Methods
  • ECON 6106, Microeconomic Analysis
• Spring:
  • ECON 6161, Econometric Modeling
  • ECON 6105, Macroeconomics

Electives may be organized in a way that best suits the student’s needs. Please refer to the M.S. Suggested Pathways for examples of how you can customize your academic plan to suit your individual needs.

No thesis is required for the Master's program.

Students are required to complete four Economics elective courses. The remaining two elective courses can be from Economics or other schools at Georgia Tech. We cannot guarantee there will be seats or departmental permission for our students to take courses outside of economics. In special circumstances, some students elect to take a Ph.D. course as a Master's elective.

May I transfer in coursework from other institutions?

1. Georgia Tech undergraduate majors may be able to transfer permitted ECON 4XXX (cross-listed ECON 6xxx) credits toward the M.S. degree. The maximum allowable transfer is two relevant courses or six credit hours. Students who transfer two advanced undergraduate courses in this category may obtain the M.S. in Economics degree for an additional twenty-four hours of coursework.
2. Students who did not receive their undergraduate degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology may transfer a maximum of two relevant graduate-level courses from another university, provided that those courses were taken in the past two years. The possible waiver of these two courses must be approved by the director of graduate programs.