Application requirements of most of the Econ PhD program state that 2-4 completed research papers are required. I was wondering how do usually applicants write them?

I already have one research paper written with a professor who was supervising me along the way. This was a special course provided by university so finding a prof was rather not difficult.

Recently, I and my friend came up with a research idea and preliminary checked whether the research topic and hypothesis would actually worth time. He (based in Germany) is focused on quant finance while I (Canada) am focused on macro economy/finance.

We decided to find a professor who would be interested in supervising us at least 1 hour weekly. He (based in Germany) is focused on quant finance while I (Canada) am focused on macro economy/finance.

34 LinkedIn DMs and 37 emails sent and nobody is interested so far.

How do usually applicants find supervisors? Maybe there are any more conventional way to do this?

I am entering my final year at a non-target university in the UK. I am applying to target universities for my MSc to improve my chances of securing an off-cycle or graduate role in IB, PE, or PC. I am currently achieving a low first-class degree and have completed two summer internships, one in asset management and another as a portfolio management intern at a wealth management firm.

Considering my profile, I would like to know which finance or economics programmes are realistically within reach and whether taking the GRE or GMAT would significantly enhance my profile.

I am from Italy but I am studying a BA (Bachelor of Arts) in International Studies at Leiden University, during which i discovered a keen interest in Economics. As you might have though as of rn i lack the pre-requisites to apply to a MSc in Econ, however I am post-poning graduation to do a 60 ECs Transition Minor at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) to at least gain experience and credits in quantitative, mathematics and deep economics subject. I have also thought about doing a 2nd Bachelor, however i kind of passed on the idea since it would mean finish studying a bit too late, any thought on this decision?

Hoping that this is even enough for a MSc in Economics I am wondering where i would actually considered as a competitive candidate. I've looked at many options LSE (the 2 year ones), TSE (probably in top 2 with LSE), other school in the UKs but i do not know due to prices and maybe pre-requisites, PSE, Stockholm School of Economics, Erasmus, UvA (last chance since it is the easier to get into), University of Zurich, Pantheon Sorbonne, and LMUM and Bonn in Germany. This listing is in order of preferences.

Now considering that i'll probably graduate with a GPA between 7.5 and 8 (in the NL), and i'll aim to get really high grades in all the subjects of the transition minor and i'll probably take a GRE as well what are the actual chances of me being considered for one of these programs? My second option is to opt for a Master in Public Policy with substantial economics specialization as the one offered by TSE (however in Applied Economics) or the one by Sciences Po.

I am looking for some recommendations and tips, everything is accepted tbh.

Hi, I am an Economics and Math double major graduating in 3 years at a T25 university in the USA. I'm planning on applying to international masters programs and was wondering if I would be competitive for the schools in my list.

I have a 3.9 GPA, but received a B in Intermediate Micro. In the spring semester, I am taking Real Analysis 1 and Linear Algebra. I got a 170 quant on the GRE, have 1 internship doing healthcare economic consulting, another doing data analysis for an insurance company, and am currently a Teaching Assistant for an economics course. However, I think my major weakness is that I have no research at all. Is this a big negative?

I plan to receive a masters in Economics and after, get a pre-doc or work in the Fed as a RA. The schools I am planning on applying to are LSE, UCL, Cambridge, Warwick, KCL, Imperial, PSE, BSE, Bocconi, Erasmus. Based on my profile, do I stand a chance on getting into these schools, especially LSE or UCL?

TLDR: applying to masters programs from USA, 3.9 gpa, double major in math + economics, 170 quant, internships in data analysis, no research, chances at masters programs?

Is there anyone from applied economics mcom from Lucknow University?

I’m finishing an MSc in Quantitative Finance in Italy and honestly, economics theory is where I feel most alive. I’ve built a decent quant background — stochastic processes, econometrics, time series — and I keep gravitating toward programs like EUI, Tinbergen, or Mannheim.
But here’s the catch: I don’t come from money. My family doesn’t own a home, and there’s real, unspoken pressure for me to land a stable, well-paying job right after my master’s — not disappear for 4-5 years into a PhD stipend that barely covers rent in a lot of places.
I know PhD stipends vary wildly by country and program, and some (EUI, European econ PhDs in general) are supposedly livable. But I want to hear from people who actually did this from a similar starting point.

The Department of Economics, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Yeshwanthpur Campus, invites you to a one-day workshop on "Behavioural Science in Practice: From Behavioural Diagnosis to Evidence-Based Intervention." Scan QR code for registrations! #BehaviourEconomics #Banglore #LSE

My background

B.S. in Applied Mathematics & Econ from T60 US public school, graduated in 2021. Graduated in 3 years. Overall GPA: 3.48

Credentialed actuary (Associate of the Society of Actuaries) with ~5 years of industry experience. Experience in Python, R, advanced predictive modeling

Undergrad courses and grades

A or A-:
Introduction to Econometrics, Linear Algebra, Intro to Numerical Methods I, International Economics, Senior Seminar (math research project), Principles of Macro, Business and Economic History, Differential Equations w/ Linear Algebra, Intermediate Macro

B+ or B:
Calc II, Principles of Micro, Intro to Statistical Analysis, Intermediate Micro, Probability with Applications, Combinatorics

B-: General Physics I, Mathematics and Applications in MATLAB, Multidimensional Calculus, Mathematical Proof

C+: Applied Regression Analysis

Research Experience:

Two projects identifying ideal locations to open a brewery in the US for Senior Seminar and Econometrics courses. These projects used empirical economic data

Volunteer with the SOA Research Institute by drafting solicitation documents, providing research suggestions, etc.

Other relevant projects:

Lots of experience working with data and creating models as part of the actuarial credentialing process and on-the-job work. Generalized linear models, neural networks, clustering methods, Bayesian techniques, etc. Projects spanning many different topics

GRE

First time I took it I got 160 verbal, 160 quant. I am working to target a 167+ quant

LORs

Two professors from undergrad - econometrics professor and statistical analysis/regression/senior seminar professor

Other

I'm also currently taking Real Analysis (2 semesters) and aiming for an A. Also re-taking multidimensional calc to make up for that B- in undergrad

I was pretty lazy in my undergrad and it shows. My grades are not the best representation of my skills, I think my quantitative work in actuarial since graduating is helpful for my application as well as the courses I'm taking now. If i can lock in that 167+ quant GRE, do you think I have shot at admission to this program?

Thank you!

Ever since I graduated high school, I’ve wanted to eventually work in a policy-advising role, whether that’s at a think tank, royal court, government institution, etc.
My first few years of college were pretty rough. I spent my high school years in a middle eastern boarding school, moved back to the U.S., and developed a lung condition that caused me severe insomnia and hypnophobia. Later, I returned to the Middle East ( getting doctor appointments are both cheaper and quicker there where), I suffered third-degree burns on my leg.

I was initially advised to pursue a BA in Mathematics and Economics, but I’m now on track to graduate next June with a BA in Accounting from a middle eastern uni.

I’m interested in eventually pursuing graduate-level economics or accounting, but I’m realizing that many graduate programs expect applicants to have a fairly substantial background in mathematics and statistics. At least that’s what the consensus on Reddit seem to be. From what I’ve seen, this can include courses such as Calculus I–III, Linear Algebra, Probability/Statistics, Econometrics, differential equations and sometimes Real Analysis or other advanced math.

My question is: how would someone in my position go about taking these courses in the U.S. after graduating?

Hello everyone, I'm currently a 4th year undergrad student, and I have to choose one optional course this semester from environmental economics and advanced econometrics, but I'm not sure which one will be the best for me. I have taken basic Econometrics I and II in my 3rd year, but I was not that good at it and really didn't enjoy it. On the other hand I don't mind descriptive or mathematical courses.

Now I'm confused because I want to go for a masters in health econ, plus have a research monograph course next(final) semester and I've heard adv econometrics would be the correct choice for these but I'm not confident that I would be able to get a good grade in this course. So is it worth tanking(huge chance) my cgpa for this course or would it be fine if I just choose environmental economics? Another point in favour of adv econometrics is that I took public economics last semester which the environmental economics course has a lot in common with. So it'll be easier, but I won't be learning anything new per se(or so I've been told, do correct me if I'm wrong).

Please help me make a decision and sorry for the thought scramble here🙏🏼

Hi everyone,

I was admitted to the Barcelona School of Economics ITFD program and received a 25% tuition waiver for the 2026-2027 academic year. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend because the remaining tuition was still too expensive for me.

I’m considering reapplying next year and taking the GRE beforehand. I am wondering whether submitting a GRE score could improve my chances of receiving a higher tuition waiver if the rest of my profile stays more or less the same (undergraduate degree in Economics, 3.8 GPA, and 3–4 years of work experience in research and analytics).

If anyone admitted for the 2026–2027 academic year received a BSE tuition waiver, especially for ITFD, I’d really appreciate hearing what GRE scores you had and what level of tuition waiver you received. I’d also be interested in hearing your general thoughts on whether the GRE played any role.

Thanks!

Hey everyone!

I thank god that this subreddit exists!

I was thinking about how to approach microeconomics from scratch, as I have to take an exam for my masters degree.

I thought of this method while being in class and struggling to keep up with my professor, and it consists of taking each one of the many microeconomic graphs, one by one, and underneath it write down the things it represents, what causes this graph to change, to which direction does it change etc. Oh and also the math equations of each graph. (everything will be more detailed than I make it look!)

This way (i believe) I will be able to really memorize and understand everything better till the exam date.

My question to you is, do you think that this method will work? Can you actually decently learn microeconomics this way?

Hi,

I will be applying for PhDs (econometrics) next year and, due to personal reasons, I will be probably restricted to Central Europe. I have found CERGE-EI to have favulty exceptionally close to my own research topics. Could anybody share some experiences from their time there? Especially interested in coursework/research split and overall atmosphere. I have read mixed opinions online.

Are there other strong econometric faculties in Central Europe? I am mainly interested in Panel Data/Causal Inference, but will take general advice as well.

I have had some offers from US Universities, but unfortunately they are off-limits.

I see a lot of people mentionning predocs before starting their phds, especially when they have little to no experience.

I always had envisioned doing my undergrad then master's then applying to phds, since I thought that if you stayed in the same field you would gradually gain more and more knowledge to eventually allow you to do a phd.

I feel like no one advising me academically has ever mentioned them.

Do they add a lot of value to an application ?

Are they more common for the us / canada ? Would it be smarter to look for one if I want to also look for phds there ?

Thanks !

as an economics student i have to write a thesis but I don't know how to choose a statistical test and collect data what should I do no ai is helping me in forming the correct equations to I am stuck and I have no one to talk to

Or not? I've seen the marketing everywhere and it looks pretty good but i don't see how it is really helpful -- has anyone taken it and found it useful?

(Please let me know if this is the wrong category for the matter)

Hello.
I am a first-year PhD student. I was lucky enough to write my thesis while working for a governmental research institution. I think it is good work for a master's thesis, but it covers a very niche topic and I now believe it has several limitations. We submitted it to a Q1 journal, and it was desk-rejected with a generic letter, so it is difficult to determine the reasons.

My co-authors suggest we should try to publish it in a lower-tier journal (Q3), which is a better match topic-wise. I am worried that this might affect my reputation for future submissions.

Am I just overthinking? I still do not know much about academia, so perhaps my concern is unwarranted.

Hello all. I seek your opinions about my chances and things I can do to improve my application to UVA PhD program. I am also looking at other PhD programs like Duke, Tulane, and Rice. My research interests are in healthcare, industrial organization, and education.

I have not taken the GRE yet, so I also need to set a realistic goal for myself.

I have been on a Fulbright ETA grant, which has not been serving my technical resume very well... I graduated from a liberal arts college in '24 at the top of my class in Economics and got a research award (in hindsight it was a weird topic, gender allocation of the class on individual test scores).

While in fulbright I have taken some online economics coursework to keep my stats fresh. I feel a little overwhelmed looking at my lack of achievements. I'm also thinking about attempting a RA position at the fed, or a masters before applying for phd. But i want to start the phd sooner rather than later as i am ultimately wanting to pursue research.

Do you have any tips on things I can add to my resume to be ready for the next application cycle? TIA.

What exactly does the predoc cycle look like?

I have heard of some predocs (especially the big lab ones) start their recruiting cycle super early. At the same time, I have heard from some profs that due to basically every applicant trying for a predoc, the cycle has become more continuous and longer (partially to account for those who want to apply to grad schools while also interviewing for positions).

I would love any sort of clarity recent participants in predoc recruiting could give me for planning.

Hi everyone, I’m currently doing my masters in ECON at the #1 ranked university for the course in my country. In undergrad I was at a T30 college in my country and my grade was 80% or 8.07/10 (strong upper second) (although I have average grades in most math/stats and even micro/macro courses in undergrad) In masters my grade is currently 9.8/10 (perfect grades in almost all courses - linear algebra, calculus, stats, micro, macro, environmental econ, behavioural econ) and I’m certain I will maintain it. I will apply for the 2028 intake. I did have RA position under a professor in college and 2 papers published - but they weren’t scopus journals (but they are double blind peer reviewed) or high quality papers and even the RA position didn’t entail a lot of impactful quantifiable work. I’ve had research internships but nothing purely economical. I also hold FRM level 2 and CFA level 2 again not very PHD related. My GRE quant is 170. I’m an international applicant for both UK, Canada and US - aim is to get into T10 US or T5 UK and Canada. I can’t find on site RA positions in my country and if they exist they pay very little. I have an active GitHub with a few projects, but I genuinely want to understand how to make my application stand out given I have 2 more years to go, what can I do? I do have good relationships with college professors for LORs but I don’t hold any predoc positions and I’m genuinely very confused on how to proceed. I know i genuinely enjoy economics and academia and PHD is the right next step, however, I feel lost regarding how to build my profile. What can I do part time with uni to maximise my chances over the next 2 years, I would appreciate any help!!