In order to answer as many inquiries as possible in a simple and consistent manner,
here is a list of the most common questions asked along with specific answers.
Do you have spring admission?
Yes, we admit students for the spring semester. However, the program is designed
to begin in the fall semester, and finding appropriate coursework for students beginning
in the spring is often difficult.
Do you offer a terminal Master's degree?
Although UNL recognizes three options for the MA degree, students from outside UNL are
only admitted to the Option III, Ph.D. leading program.
Is there a form for letters of recommendation?
All letters of recommendation must be submitted on-line through the GAMES system.
Can I apply to the doctoral program directly from my undergraduate degree?
Yes. Well qualified students with a 4 year undergraduate degree are encouraged to
apply directly to the Ph.D. program.
For criteria used by our graduate school to evaluate international degrees, see
http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/prospective/international/degrees.shtml
What is the duration of the doctoral program?
The doctoral program is designed to take 4 to 5 years to complete. The typical student
has finished coursework and begun dissertation work during the third year of the
program.
What percentage of your students are international students?
It varies from year to year, but generally between 40% and 60% of our students in
residence are international students.
Do you admit Chinese students?
Yes. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln does not discriminate based on gender, age,
disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national or
ethnic origin, or sexual orientation
For instate students, taking a full load of 12 hour per semester, tuition and fees
are approximately $7,500. For out of state students, tuition and fees are approximately
18,000. For more information visit
UNL's Office of Graduate Studies Prospective Student Financial Information page.
The department awards three to four assistantships to new students each year. These
appointments are either teaching or research assistantships and carry stipends that
are competitive with those offered by other graduate institutions. Assistantships
provide a full tuition waiver, stipend for up to four years and medical insurance.
We cannot waive tuition for those students not on assistantship. A limited number
of fellowships allow domestic out-of-state students to obtain reduced tuition rates.
Typically 70–80 percent of our new, first-year Ph.D. students receive assistantship
funding. Plus we typically fund all continuing students making good progress up
through the 4th year of the program.
All applicants are considered for assistantships. No separate application for financial
aid is required.
The application fee cannot be waived.
Yes, we consider both M.A. and Ph.D. applicants.
We are typically able to offer funding to three or four incoming students each year,
but the number varies.
We offer only teaching assistantships through the Economics Department and research
assistantships through the Bureau of Business Research. Teaching assistants will
be required to work, typically assisting professors in the first year and then teaching
classes in subsequent years. Research assistants will work on research contracts
generated by the BBR.
Typically, our incoming Ph.D. students selected for assistantships have verbal scores
above 500, quantitative scores well above 700, and a writing score of at least 4.
These scores should not be interpreted sufficient for financial aid. Again, we evaluate
the entire application.
No, you do not need to submit a TSE score for admission. However, students on assistantship
are not allowed to teach until they have met an English speaking proficiency requirement.
There are a number of alternatives. We accept the oral score on the IELTS exam.
We can also substitute a personal interview or a video recording demonstrating your
oral command of the English language.
Our assistantships provide a full tuition waiver (for up to 12 credit hours of coursework
each fall and spring semester) and pay a competitive stipend. The assistantship
award stipend is more than sufficient to cover on-campus living expenses. In addition,
the Department often has funding for summer research or teaching. All students are
responsible for paying some fees, however. A full time student taking nine hours
of coursework in a semester can reasonably expect to pay fees of about $330. International
students are also required to pay a one-time fee of $65 upon first registration.
Yes, students holding eligible assistantships are provided basic individual student
health insurance coverage at minimal cost to the student. The student health insurance
plan covers accidents and illnesses to a maximum of $50,000 per policy year. This
is a great benefit.
Ph.D. students are expected to have adequate backgrounds in economics and mathematics.
We require economics through at least intermediate micro and macro economics. We
require a full calculus background. In addition, a course in linear (matrix) algebra,
mathematical statistics and differential equations is highly recommended.
The department does not employ a rigid formula for admission. There is not a minimum
score requirement for the GRE, although we do expect applicants to perform well.
The GRE cannot be waived.
No. We do not require the Economics subject test.
Due to the small class size, for reasons of confidentiality, we do not release that
information.
No. The department does not employ a rigid GPA requirement for admission, although
we do expect applicants to have performed well in relevant courework.
Educational Testing Service (ETS) will report scores for up to 5 years. Because
that's as long as we are able to receive official score reports, your GRE scores
are accepted for five years.
The minimum TOEFL score required is 550 (paper version), 213 (computer-based test)
or 80 (iBT test) or 6.5 on the IELTS. There are no sub-score requirements. The institution
code for the TOEFL is 6877.
The official UNL policy on TOEFL scores is that the exam date must be within two
calendar years of the term of enrollment.
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