Admissions and Funding

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Deadline: January 15th, 2026

Application requirements

These materials are required for application to the Ph.D. program:

• Curriculum vitae
• Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution (due upon enrollment)
• Statement of intent
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE General Test
• TOEFL or IELTS for non-native speakers of English
• Application fee (or fee waiver)
• You do NOT need to secure a faculty advisor prior to beginning the program

The economics admissions committee considers all aspects of your application. This includes the statement of intent, curriculum vitae, GPA, GRE scores, course of study, and letters of recommendation.

We encourage students from diverse backgrounds (including diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, and physical abilities) to apply. 

For these students, application fee waivers can be requested and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please review the application fee waiver information of our Graduate School and follow the steps there to submit your official fee waiver request. If you have any questions about this process, please contact our Graduate Studies Coordinator, Anna Poltrack (apoltrac@nd.edu).

Timeline

Dates based on previous years

• January 15: Application deadline
• Late February: Admission and waitlist announced
• Early March: Graduate School offers select fellowship letters to some candidates
• Late March/early April: Virtual and in-person visit days
• April 15: Final decision deadline

Tuition and stipend

The Department fully funds Ph.D. students who remain in good academic standing for five years. This means the following is covered:

• Tuition ($67,607 for the 2025-26 Academic Year)
• Graduate student health insurance
• Technology fees

We also provide:

• Annual stipend (a base of $38,000 for the 2025-26 Academic Year)
• Graduate student research fund ($2,000)

There are also additional resources and support opportunities available to you as a graduate student.

Financial Aid

Students are automatically considered for financial aid unless they indicate that they have other support. Decisions are based primarily on academic merit. Doctoral students in good academic standing can expect to receive full-tuition scholarships and multi-year assistantships or fellowships with yearly stipends. Students with assistantships will be required to perform teaching and/or research-related duties for the department.

See the Graduate School's website for complete information about financial aid options.

Eligibility and prerequisites

Your undergraduate major doesn't need to have been in economics. The admissions committee looks for academic rigor in your undergraduate curriculum, evidence that you have challenged yourself, and some exposure to research.

Modern economics is analytical and quantitative, so you must have a strong mathematical background. You should have documented experience with:

• Probability and statistics
• Multivariate calculus 

It may also be helpful if you have taken:

• Optimization
• Real analysis
• Discrete math
• Stochastic processes
• Complex analysis
• Other proof-based courses