UW–Doctor of Philosophy in EconomicsUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison · Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Program Overview

Dates and tuition are specific to the 2027 intake

Please check the official program website (link below) for specific writing guidelines

Statement of purpose

No department-specific length; follow Graduate School guidelines.

CV or resume

Current CV/resume.

Writing sample

Required; research paper or article in English demonstrating research and writing ability.

Recommendation letters x 3

Electronic letters due no later than December 31.

Supplemental application

Economics PhD questions, including math preparation form upload.

Academic: Bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0/4.0; Graduate School minimum of 3.00 on the last 60 semester hours, or a master's with cumulative GPA 3.00.
Prerequisites: Quantitative background; Strong mathematics preparation expected for doctoral coursework in economic theory and econometrics.
IELTS: 7.0 overall; Graduate School minimum. Lower scores may be admissible with program approval and an ESLAT on arrival.
TOEFL: New scale: 5.0 overall | Old scale: 92 overall; Graduate School minimum. Lower scores may be admissible with program approval and an ESLAT on arrival. Old scale before 21 Jan 2026; new scale on/after that date.
GRE: Required (no minimum published); Official GRE must be received by the Graduate School by December 31.

Historical admission data is not published.