Frequently Asked Questions
All Department of Economics graduate programs begin in the fall semester.
M.S. Agricultural Economics applications can apply at any time; however, applications received by February 15 are prioritized for... Read full answer
Yes, both our M.S. program and our Ph.D. program are STEM certified for students majoring in either Economics or Agricultural Economics. These programs use designated CIP code 45.0603 which is a STEM eligible code.
What led you to choose economics or agricultural economics as a field of study?
How has your background prepared you for graduate study in economics?
What are your career plans?
For Ph.D. applicants: What are your choices of... Read full answer
All complete applications to enter a Ph.D. program are considered for assistantships. No separate form is needed. We do not offer assistantships for M.S. students.
The fee for international students is $100 and U.S. citizens pay a fee of $60.
This website contains extensive information about the graduate program, the department's faculty, and their research. Additional questions about the Ph.D. or M.S. Economics programs can be directed to the Graduate Program Coordinator (... Read full answer
We strongly recommend that students take the GRE, but we will review applications with GMAT instead. The screening guidelines for GMAT scores are: Verbal (M.S. and Ph.D.): 50%; Quantitative (M.S.): 65%; Quantitative (Ph.D.): 75%.
The department occasionally offers fellowship grants or scholarships between $2000 and $5000 per year to supplement assistantship offers to the most qualified applicants.
For Ph.D. students, teaching and research assistantships are available, though it is much more common for first-year students to be assigned to teaching assistantships. We do not offer assistantships to M.S. students at this time.
Each year we make funded offers of admission to about 35 Ph.D. applicants, with the goal of enrolling 12-15 new Ph.D. students.
See more information about the ... Read full answer
Out-of-state students with a 1/4-time or greater graduate assistantship are assessed Iowa-resident tuition charges. Ph.D. students with a 1/2-time appointment will receive a 100% tuition scholarship, completely offsetting the cost of tuition. M.S... Read full answer
The TOEFL (or IELTS) test is required for all students whose native language is not English. The requirement will be waived if you already have a U.S. college degree. The test scores expire after two years. If the University receives the official... Read full answer
The GRE is required for all Ph.D. applicants.
For fall 2023 M.S. applicants, the GRE is strongly reocmmended but not required.
If you need to take the GRE, it is important to take it as early as possible. Information on the GRE can... Read full answer
The program's economics courses are very quantitative. Students who do well typically have a strong background in math (calculus, including multi-variate calculus, and linear algebra) and statistics, as well as intermediate microeconomic and... Read full answer
There is no single, sufficient condition for admission with financial aid. We look at a portfolio of items that include (not in any order): GRE scores (especially the Quantitative); transcripts; grades in math and economics courses; letters of... Read full answer