For direct entry to the PhD Economics programme there is an application deadline of 14 December 2023. Complete applications must be received by the LSE Graduate Admissions Office by 23.59hrs (UK time) on 14 December 2023. We will not be able to accept any materials that arrive after the deadline; only complete applications supplied with all required supporting information by 14 December 2023 will be considered.

Applications must be submitted via LSE’s Online Application System and are processed through LSE’s central Graduate Admissions Office. All applicants are advised to read the Department of Economics 2024 prospectus page (for entry in 2024).

The deadline to submit an application is 23.59hrs (UK time) 14 December 2023. Candidates are encouraged to apply early rather than wait until very close to the deadline to avoid unforeseen circumstances (eg. technical issues) preventing timely submission. Applicants who are considering re-taking the GRE test to improve their scores should do so in time to submit their new scores by the application deadline.  The Department cannot accept new GRE scores after the application deadline. 

Entry requirements for the PhD Economics are stated on the departmental prospectus page. See also the LSE Minimum Entry Requirements including information for international students.

For details about the programme itself, see the Department of Economics Research Programmes and the prospectus pages. See also details of the PhD Economics coursework requirements.

Your application should include:

• An application form
• Application fee
• Statement of academic purpose
• CV
• Transcripts
• Two academic references
• GRE scores
• Research statement (see guidance on the Research statement below)
• A separate list of all the courses you are currently taking and/or will be taking (if you are currently undertaking a degree programme)
• English language test scores (if applicable - see English language requirements)

For a full explanation of what you need to supply, please see Graduate Admissions advice on How to Apply and guide to Supporting Documents.

Questions about the mechanics of the application process should be submitted to LSE’s central Graduate Admissions Office. See how you can Contact the Graduate Admissions Office.

A full range of Graduate Admissions guidance and information is available via their Graduate Knowledge Base page. If you do not find the answer to your question there, please follow the “I Need Help” link which allows you to contact the Graduate Admissions Office by email or Live Chat.  

No, applicants to the PhD Economics are not required to submit a sample of their written work. We will, however, require a research statement.

Yes, the Statement of academic purpose is a school-wide requirement as it helps our academic selectors understand your personal motivation for undertaking the programme and gives you the opportunity to explain your academic strengths, relevant interests and tell us what you can bring to the programme. This Statement can be brief (ideally not exceeding 1000 words). 

Your Research statement should be submitted in place of the Outline research proposal, along with your application form and other required supporting documents, via the LSE online application system.

Please answer the following questions clearly and concisely. Max 200 words per question.

1. Why do you want to do research in economics?
2. Can you explain how your studies and experience make you suitable to do research in economics?
3. Which aspect of the PhD do you think you will like the most? Which will you dislike the most? Why?
4. Tell us about your favourite paper in economics. What do you like about it? How would you improve it?
5. Write a comment for a general audience on ONE of the following topics
   (i) Is inequality good for growth?  
   (ii) Do immigrants take the jobs of native workers?  
   (iii) Is CEO compensation excessive?
   (iv) Is universal minimum income a good idea?
   (v) Overall, has central banks' move to inflation targeting been a success?
   (vi) Is culture an important determinant of differences in income per capita across countries?
   (vii) Markets function well as information is aggregated efficiently through prices.
   (viii) Elections are effective at disciplining politicians who do not have the public interest as their main goal.

If you have served as research assistant for an economist please ask that person to write a letter focussing on your research skills and describe your experience – reference point 2 (above) of the research statement.

If not, please list any evidence you think would be valuable. Examples include but are not restricted to: experience working autonomously under stress without any guidance, demonstration of creativity in any form, experience of writing original research.

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university, a vision the Department of Economics fully supports. We believe strongly in expanding the diversity of our graduate student body and invite you to share your experiences, values, perspectives, and/or activities that shape you as a PhD candidate and align with these commitments as part of your statement of academic purpose.

Should a candidate submit a diversity statement as part of their statement of academic purpose the information provided will help the selection committee to contextualise the application; however, it will not play a part in assessing a candidate’s suitability for the MREs/PhD Economics programme. 

This is neither necessary nor desirable. Applicants must submit a complete application by the published deadline. There is a formal review process whereby the Department will decide if we can offer candidates a place on the programme. The allocation of a supervisor is done after completion of Year 1 of the programme, based on each student's area of interest and availability of faculty. There is no presumption that a student will be allocated the supervisor of their own choice, or any member of faculty they may have contacted before/during the application process.

All applicants must have taken the GRE General Test and must include the test score with their application. For details of how to take the test, see the ETS website. The GRE has three sections: Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical. High GRE scores, especially in the Quantitative section, will further strengthen a good application. Most successful PhD Economics applicants have scores of 166 or more in the quantitative section. Applicants must enter their full and percentile GRE scores for all three sections. The test scores should be less than five years old on 1 October 2024.

GRE is a compulsory requirement, irrespective of the MRes/PhD Economics applicant’s academic background. Normally, no GRE waiver is possible.  However, applicants faced with exceptional and unavoidable circumstances may submit a waiver request by email, with relevant supporting information, to the Department’s admissions team.  The Selection Committee will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis and the GRE waiver cannot be guaranteed. NB. Please note that booking a late GRE test date will normally not be considered sufficient grounds for a waiver.

No, the MRes is an integral stage of the PhD Economics programme, and may only be taken by students who are committed to completing a PhD, subject to satisfying progression requirements.

Applicants who commence/are already undertaking a PhD programme in another institution will not normally be allowed to transfer directly into a later stage of our PhD Economics. Such applicants would be expected to submit a full application to the programme like any other candidate and, if offered a place, would be required to undertake all parts of the course from the start of the programme, i.e. they would be registered as MRes students and undertake both years of the taught MRes programme along with the rest of the cohort. Exemption from parts of the PhD Economics, on grounds of having studied certain topics at a previous institution, will not normally be permitted.

If you have a query about our postgraduate Economics programmes that is not addressed above, or on the departmental website, contact the Department of Economics postgraduate admissions team. Please note that we are not able to reply to questions that constitute a request for an informal assessment. Applicants who have questions about their eligibility should consult the Department of Economics prospectus page.

All enquiries about the application process must be addressed to LSE’s central Graduate Admissions Office.

See the prospectus page for the PhD Economics programme – section “Programme structure and courses”. The PhD Economics programme is grounded in two years of coursework through the MRes component followed by three to four years of research through the PhD.

Also see the LSE Academic Calendar for all Research Students at LSE, where clicking on “Programme Regulations” and “Research Course Guides” will give you detailed insight into the topics covered in each programme of study. 

The PhD Economics is only offered on a full-time basis.

The programme has the standard structure of top US programmes with compulsory coursework in the first two years and research thereafter.  As in most US programmes, students take core courses in year one and field courses in year two.

There will no longer be automatic and direct progression from any LSE programme into our MRes/PhD Economics from the 2024/5 academic cycle.  Students registered in the LSE Department of Economics during the 2023/4 academic year, who wish to be considered for 2024 entry to the MRes/PhD Economics would need to submit the standard full application package by the deadline for 2024 entry (14 December 2023).  All applicants - including LSE students - will be given equal consideration, as part of the MRes/PhD Economics' standard process for admission as well as funding.