Hardcopies of the Graduate Admissions Application will not be accepted. The application and all supporting documents, i.e., 3 letters of recommendation, GRE Scores,* and TOEFL or IELTS scores (if applicable) MUST be submitted via the online Graduate Admissions Application.
The online application (essays, payment, all degree information, recommender information, writing samples, etc) are due Monday, December 3 and will not be accepted after the deadline for any reason. Supporting documentation (recommendation letters, transcripts, scores) may come in through December 12th. We will not accept materials after this date.
Late applications will not be considered after the December 3, 2024 deadline, and incomplete applications will not be considered after December 12th.
Application Fee Waiver
Alums of the American Economic Association Summer Training and Scholarship Program qualify, for more information please visit: https://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/apply/fee-waiver/.
All supporting documents must be uploaded to your Graduate Application file. DO NOT mail in your documents, we will not print any supporting documents for your application file.
It is required that you list your cumulative GPA, all coursework after the first two years, major GPA , and graduate GPA (if applicable). International students with a different grading system should not try to convert their grades into U.S. standard grades. Please leave this area blank if this applies to you.
Unofficial Transcripts are accepted and uploaded online ONLY for graduate application process and review.
All unofficial copies transcripts for domestic and international applicants must be uploaded onto your online application. All transcripts should show courses, grades, and dates the courses were taken.
International applicants with a different grading system should not try to convert their grades into US standard grades.
Official Transcripts are required ONLY if an applicant accepts an offer of admission.
An applicant who is recommended for admission AND accepts the offer of admission must submit official transcripts.
International applicants who accept the offer of admission must submit official transcripts, degree certificates, diplomas, etc. in the original language accompanied by a translation. We accept translations from proper school officials and from government and/or official translators. The translator's statement must be prepared on the letterhead of the translator's institution and must state "This is a complete and exact word-for-word translation of the original." Every page must be signed in ink with the translator's title and, if possible, the seal or stamp of their institution. Stamps and signatures must be originals.
We require only three (3) letters of recommendation from professors who know your academic history. Letters from non-academic sources (e.g., employers) may be submitted.
Please request that your letter writers complete and submit your letters of recommendation via the online Graduate Application system by December 3, 2024 (early submissions appreciated).
Applicants who want to submit their General GRE test scores should do so on the online application and have an official score report sent to the department so that it ARRIVES BY the application deadline - December 3, 2024. We do not require or accept GRE subject tests. The GRE may not be substituted with the GMAT. Tests should be taken in October, but no later than November. Applicants with scores below 165 on the Quantitative portion of the GRE should retake the test. Scores from tests taken before October 2020 are no longer valid. If you took the GRE between October 2020 and the time of application, you need to order the reports to be sent to the department. Make sure that the institution and department codes are correct when ordering reports to be sent. If you have taken the GRE more than once, make sure that you enter the correct registration number for the score you would like to be reported on your application - you receive a new registration number every time you take the exam. The registration number is crucial to making sure your official score report is appropriately matched to your online application. If your GRE score is not properly matched to your application, it may appear as though your application is incomplete.
****Official score reports are required and must be received by the department by the application deadline. Official scores cannot be substituted with self-reported scores.****
The institution code for UC Berkeley is 4833.
The Department of Economics code is 1801.
For Fall 2025 matriculation, tests taken before June 1, 2023 will not be accepted by Graduate Admissions. Requests to waive either the TOEFL or IELTS requirements must to sent to Graduate Admissions.
CV/resumes and/or a writing sample are NOT required and are optional for your application. If you would like to submit optional materials, please upload your CV/resumes and/or a writing sample onto your online application in PDF format. CV/resume and/or a writing sample WILL NOT be accepted via email or the mail.
The Department of Economics does not offer a master's degree, only the Ph.D.
No. The Department of Economics only admits for the Fall.
No. We only accept the GRE.
The Department of Economics receives approximately 900 applications for each admissions cycle.
On average, we admit approximately 60-70 applicants for our total application pool. Of the 60-70 admitted, approximately 20-25 accept our offer of admission.
Yes, we do offer competitive fellowship packages that are based on merit and academic achievement to both domestic and international applicants. Over 50% of our new admits receive some form of university or department financial support.
We recommend that you take the GRE in October to ensure scores are received in a timely fashion by the department and that your application is complete by the December deadline for receipt of supporting documents. Official GRE score reports must be received by the application deadline. As soon as you have your GRE scores you should report your unofficial scores on your online application and enter the appropriate registration number under the exam requirements section of the application. Each time you take the GRE you will receive a unique registration number so please make sure to use the correct registration number for the score you would like reported on your application. Incorrect registration numbers may result in your application appearing to be incomplete. We must have your official score report on file by the December application deadline - unofficial scores will not be accepted in place of official score reports.
(GRE scores are required for the admissions cycle that closes on December 3, 2024).
If you have completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better in residence at a recognized U.S. institution, you do not need to take a standardized test. Instead, you must upload an unofficial transcript from the recognized U.S. institution.
Applicants may also be exempt from the English language proficiency requirement (TOEFL or IELTS) if they:
* Regionally accredited college or university means an institution of higher education accredited by one of the following regional accreditation associations in the United States:
If applicants do not meet any of the above criteria, there are two standardized tests you may take: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Letters of Recommendation must be uploaded to the online application system by December 12th. (Only for admissions cycle taking place in 2024/2025)
Only those applicants whose applications are incomplete will be notified via email. Please do not contact us to inquire about the status of your application or to confirm receipt of items sent. Given the number of applications we process it is not possible to respond to such inquiries.
Scores are valid five years from the end of the testing year when you took the test. GRE testing years begin on July 1. This means that a test taken on May 15, 2020, remains valid until June 30, 2025. Please send scores from 2020 or earlier.
NOTE: for admissions cycle in 2024/2025 (for matriculation in 2025/2026) the GRE is required.
This can only be determined once you have applied, been admitted to the program, AND accept the offer of admission. New students can then submit course syllabi and reading lists to the appropriate faculty for review and a decision on whether or not it is appropriate to waive certain requirements. Faculty typically don't allow course waivers, but may make an exception on a case-by-case basis.
The program typically takes 5 - 6 years with a rare number of students finishing in 4 years or less.
The Ph.D. program in Economics at U.C. Berkeley is a full-time program and there are no opportunities for part-time study.
This program is not offered online and we do not offer any Ph.D. courses online or have distance learning opportunities at this time.