The Economics PhD Applicant Mentoring Programme

AMP welcomes applicants from all groups that are underrepresented in economics. This includes, but is not limited to, applicants who identify as black, female, low-income, first generation (i.e. first in the family to attend university), LGTBQ+, and people with disabilities. Only students who are currently pursuing or have completed undergraduate studies should join the programme.

AMP mentors are economics PhD students at Cambridge, LSE, Oxford, UCL, or Warwick who volunteer their time for AMP. They are able to answer questions about and provide advice on the application process. This may include writing a strong statement of purpose or research proposal, highlighting strengths and explaining weaknesses in the applicant’s profile, which courses to take, and how to approach professors with requests for reference letters.

Furthermore, AMP mentors can share their experiences as PhD students with applicants to give them a more accurate idea of what doing an MPhil or a PhD in economics is like.

Mentees can expect to meet via video call for up to an hour with their assigned mentor. This call is an opportunity to discuss the applicant's profile and to answer any questions the applicant has about the application process.

Please fill out our application form here to apply to join AMP.

Those wishing to apply to the PhD programme at Cambridge will be asked to submit their application to AMP before 18th November in order to be considered for a mentor ahead of the earlier Cambridge PhD application deadline (1st December).

All other applications to AMP should be submitted by 1st December. Please see the “When should I join” section below for more details.

AMP is designed for prospective applicants who will submit their applications to MPhil/PhD economics programmes either this year or the next. It is expected that mentees are applying to one or more of the following universities: Cambridge, LSE, Oxford, UCL, or Warwick.

Those wishing to apply to the PhD programme at Cambridge will be asked to submit their application before 18th November in order to be considered for a mentor ahead of the earlier Cambridge PhD application deadline (1st December).

All other applications to AMP should be submitted by 1st December.

The AMP mentors provide their time on a volunteer basis. Participating in AMP will not be considered by the department’s admission committee and in no way forms part of the application process for the PhD programme.