Admissions

Undergraduate degree requirements and grading systems vary widely across institutions.

Strong applicants have taken:

• Intermediate microeconomics (two semesters required; equivalent to UBC’s ECON 301 and 303)
• Statistics/econometrics (two semesters required; equivalent to UBC’s ECON 325 and 326)
• Calculus (two semesters required; equivalent to UBC’s MATH 104 and 105)
• Linear algebra and multivariable calculus (recommended)

UBC's Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies has established basic entrance requirements, but satisfying basic entrance requirements does not guarantee admission.

We do accept students without economics degrees. These students usually have a background in mathematics, physics, engineering or other STEM fields. For such applicants, we like to see some training or experience in math, including linear algebra, and statistics and/or econometrics.

We expect applicants to hold a master's degree in economics. However, if you hold an outstanding record in your undergraduate honours program in economics, we may admit you directly. In which case, you should have demonstrated success in intermediate and upper-level undergraduate courses in economic theory, mathematics, statistics and econometrics.

We expect all applicants to have a demonstrated ability to undertake advanced studies and independent research.

You must obtain an official paper transcript from every post-secondary institution you have attended, regardless of whether you obtained a degree or not (including Canadian DEC programmes). Each transcript should then be scanned as an individual .pdf file and then uploaded to the application system as indicated.

A certified English translation must accompany transcripts issued in languages other than English.

Original, official transcripts and degree certificates will be required once applicants are offered admission. More details will be in the official UBC letter of admission.

You are required to submit three confidential academic letters of reference. Letters should be from referees who can provide a report on your academic abilities and qualifications.

Your referees will be automatically contacted via the online application system only when you have submitted your online application. Referees will have the option of submitting their letters online or by mail. Letters sent by email or fax are not acceptable.

If you are applying from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language, you must provide English language proficiency examination results as part of your application.

You do not require an English language proficiency examination if you graduated from a university from one of the following countries: Canada, United States, Great Britain, The Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, British West Indies, Singapore.

You must have taken the test within the last two years, and an official test score report ordered from the testing agency is required. Photocopies of test scores are not acceptable.

You must submit a statement of intent with your application. The statement should be no longer than two pages, and you must format it according to the following parameters:

• US letter size layout
• One-inch margins
• Single spaced
• 12-point Times New Roman or similar professional font

You are required to pay a non-refundable application fee. The online application requires a credit card payment via VISA or Mastercard, or Interac/debit from individuals with banking accounts at Scotiabank, Royal Bank, or TD Canada Trust.

The application fee is waived only for applicants who are citizens and currently residing in one of the world's 50 least developed countries, as declared by the United Nations. A list of these countries is available on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website. Waivers are made in no other circumstances.

To check your application status and provide new information or updated documentation, please log in to My Applications. In My Applications, you can also find information about your references and your reference requests' status.

To accept your offer of admission, a $1000 deposit is required. Acceptance deposits must be paid when applicants accept the offer of admission, and are credited towards the first tuition installment. These non-refundable deposits assure that only applicants who intend to enter the program accept offers of admission, and reduces the time for those remaining on the wait list.

The MA program receives approximately 600 applications in a typical year. Each year, about 50 applicants enter the program.

The PhD program receives approximately 400 applications in a typical year. Each year, about 15 applicants enter the program.

The financial support process is competitive, and awards are made to a select group of graduate applicants. Currently, our first-year PhD students receive funding in the form of fellowships. All admitted PhD students receive a minimum funding of $24,000 of financial support in years 1 through 4.