Our admissions decisions are made on a combination of GRE scores, prior preparation in economics, mathematics, statistics, and other technical courses, grade point averages in these topics, overall grade point average, perceived quality of undergraduate and, if applicable, masters training, letters of recommendation, and so on.  We have no specific thresholds for GRE scores but the average GRE scores of admitted students since 2004 was 520 in verbal and 770 in quantitative.  We make some allowance for lower verbal scores from international students.

Since 2004, the Economics Department has had an average of 197 PhD applications each year. Of these, an average of 109 applicants was admitted into the program. Of the admitted applicants, an average 28 students begin our PhD program each year.

An average of 10 assistantships is awarded to each first year PhD class. Assistantships offer an out-of-state tuition waiver, tuition payment for up to 9 credit hours, a monthly stipend, and an insurance package.

Required Application Materials

• Program Application
            Please apply on-line at www.applytexas.org

• A Personal Statement/Essay
            The Economics Department does not have any specific requirements for the essay.  This essay is simply a way for applicants to share information about themselves that the Admission Committee might not otherwise see when looking at other application materials.

• All transcripts from prior institutions/colleges (International applicants: one transcript in your native language and one translation in English)

• Official degree statements or diplomas for any degrees awarded (International applicants: one in your Native language and one English translation)

• GRE scores
            These scores should be sent directly from Educational Testing Service
            These scores must be from a test date within five years of the date of your application
            For information on test dates and locations, please visit http://www.gre.org/
            Institution code for Texas A&M University: 6003

• TOEFL scores
            This test is needed only if your GRE verbal score is below 400
            These scores should be sent directly from the testing service
            These scores must be from a test date within two years of the date of your application
            For more information on test dates and locations, please visit http://www.ets.org/toefl/
            Institution code for Texas A&M University: 6003

• Three letters of recommendation
            Letters should be from people who are familiar with your academic background (i.e., professors or advisors)
            Professional references (i.e., employers) are acceptable if academic references are unavailable
            Letters can be written on letterhead from your professor or submitted via the recommendation form found here
            http://admissions.tamu.edu/forms/Graduate_Letter_of_Rec.pdf

The letters of recommendation and personal statement can be mailed directly to our office

Texas A&M University
Department of Economics
4228 TAMU
College Station, Texas 77843-4228
United States

The remaining material should be mailed directly to the admissions office

Texas A&M University
Graduate Admissions
PO Box 40001
College Station, Texas 77843-4001

Texas A&M University
International Graduate Admissions
PO Box 40002
College Station, Texas 77843-4002
United States

• Application deadlines
            The application deadline for the possibility of University Fellowship is January 1
            The application deadline for the possibility of Departmental Assistantship is January 15
            The application deadline without the possibility for financial aid is March 1

            Admission for the Ph.D. program in Economics is granted only in the Fall semester

• Tuition
            For information on current tuition rates, please visit http://finance.tamu.edu/sfs/

• Financial Aid
            Qualified students may apply for financial aid in the form of assistantships and fellowships. The Application for Admission also serves as the Application for Financial Aid. There is no separate application form for financial aid.

             To be considered for departmental assistantships, applications should be submitted no later than January 15. Awards are evaluated annually and are made on the basis of merit without regard to sex, race or creed. Prospective students interested in financial assistance through student loan and grant programs should contact the Director of Student Financial Aid.

• Assistantships
            The primary forms of financial aid are research or teaching assistantships. In general, research assistants devote up to 20 hours per week helping faculty members with their research projects or teaching. Teaching assistants teach one section of introductory principles or intermediate level classes per semester. Students on assistantships are limited to 13 hours of course work per semester. Half-time assistantship for the incoming students in 2004 is $14,400 for nine months, and summer support in often available. Most assistantship awards carry a waiver of out-of-state tuition fees. The Department has also been able to fund additional assistantships from external research grants and awards.

• Fellowships
            The University offers a Graduate Merit fellowship and a Regent’s fellowship to first-year graduate students. Competition is on a University-wide basis, with nominations forwarded by individual departments. There is no separate application form for fellowships. The Department of Economics has won one or two fellowships every year in the recent past.