Frequently Asked Questions
1. Requirements
2. Email Inquiries
3. The Application Process
4. Completing the Application
5. International Applications
6. Funding
7. General Questions
1. Requirements
What are the minimum requirements for admission to the graduate programs (Ph.D. and M.A.)?
There are two sets of requirements you have to meet in order to be eligible for admission to one of our graduate programs. The university has requirements that can be found here. The specific requirements for the MA and PhD programs in economics are:
- 3 credit hours of intermediate macroeconomic theory
- 3 credit hours of intermediate microeconomic theory
- 3 credit hours of statistics
- 3 credit hours of calculus
In each case, the course should have been the equivalent offering of that course as taught in the home department of a US university. For instance, a course titled "Business Math" offered by a business school may not be the equivalent of a calculus class taught in a math department.
Note that these are minimum requirements and we rarely admit students who barely meet the minimum requirements. That only ensures that your application will be given full consideration.
The minimum English requirements can be found at the Graduate School's webpage. The Graduate School requires each applicant whose native language is not English, and who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, to demonstrate competence in the English language by achieving a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Pearson Test of English (PTE). Applicants who received a degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, and applicants from countries on the Graduate School's list of exempt countries, are exempt from this requirement. The Graduate School does not accept Duolingo, TOEFL ITP, PTE (home edition), or the WildCAT EPT for admission. Test scores must be no more than 18 months old as of the application deadline.
Language proficiency requirements must be fulfilled prior to your application. If you do not meet the language proficiency requirements, you should not apply, because your application will be rejected. You should instead take the exam, confirm the score is sufficient, and then apply for the next admissions cycle.
Any non-native English speaker offered a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), whether a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or international student, must meet the speaking requirements in Chapter 1, Section G5 of the Graduate Handbook.
What is the typical length of graduate studies in your department?
Most M.A. students finish between one and a half years and two years. Most Ph.D. students take five years to finish the degree.
Do I have to have a master’s degree before I can apply for your Ph.D. program?
No. Applicants with bachelor degrees can apply for the Ph.D. program.
2. Email Inquiries
Can I email some of my information to the Director of Graduate Studies to get an admissions decision without a formal application?
No. Admissions decisions are made after evaluating all completed applications that were submitted by the deadline. If you send such an inquiry, the response will be a restatement of this policy.
Can I increase my chances of getting funding by emailing faculty members?
No. Individual faculty members do not admit students or give them funding. Information you send to faculty members will not be considered when your application is reviewed. You should include all relevant information with your application.
Can I request a waiver of the application fee?
No, with one exception: the Graduate School waives the fee for McNair Scholars (this is handled in the online application). The application fee is not paid to the economics department. As such, we do not have any way to waive it, and we similarly do not have a budget to pay it for applicants. If the application fee represents a hardship, you should not apply. Even if you are admitted with funding, you will still have to show some personal funds in order to get a visa. You will need enough money to travel to the United States and to cover your living expenses until you get your first paycheck. It is not possible to start the PhD program if you cannot afford the application fee.
Can I request a waiver of admission requirements?
No. If you do not meet the requirements, you should not apply. We do not have the power to waive the language proficiency or other requirements.
Can I request a waiver of the GRE requirement?
Our department has never required a GRE score to apply. The GRE is nonetheless strongly recommended, because it provides critical information about your ability to perform in the graduate program. Your application will have to be very strong in all other respects to get an offer of admission without it. Most successful applications include a strong quantitative GRE score.
3. The Application Process
What is the general application process?
Kansas State University does not accept paper applications for admission. You should submit your online application and pay the application fee at the same time. Make sure you keep a copy of the confirmations of your online application and payment. The online application allows you to submit all required documentation via the application form. You can find more information about the application process at the Graduate School’s website.
Can I email you my transcript/TOEFL/GRE so that you can provide an assessment of my chance of being admitted/funded before I formally apply for your program?
No. The Graduate Committee only evaluates submitted online applications that are complete. This includes an online application (and the application fee), academic transcripts (college and beyond), three letters of recommendation, a statement of objectives for graduate study, and a TOEFL/IELTS/PTE report (applicants whose native language is not English, unless exempt under the Graduate School's English proficiency requirements). International applicants should also upload the affidavit of financial support and supporting financial documents; the affidavit has no bearing on the admission decision, but the Graduate School needs it to issue an I-20. The general GRE is not required but highly recommended. Almost all funded Ph.D. students in the past few years submitted their GRE scores.
To be competitive for admission to the MA or PhD programs, applicants typically need to have strong backgrounds in math (including calculus) and statistics. In addition, competitive applicants typically have training in undergraduate economics courses, a grade point average (GPA) above 3.5, and a quantitative score on the GRE above the 75th percentile.
What are the average GPA/TOEFL/IELTS/GRE scores of past admitted students?
The Graduate Committee evaluates all supporting documents in every application as a whole package. We do not rely on a numerical formula to evaluate applications. We simply do not keep track of the said statistics.
When will you notify me of my application outcome?
Usually we notify the applicants of the fall admissions around March and the applicants of the spring admissions around October. The early communications are usually through email and phone calls (so it is important to make sure your email address and phone number are reachable). The official admission decision will be sent by email from the Graduate School. If you are admitted, you will accept your offer through the Post-Admission Checklist in the application portal.
Is there a way I can check the status of my application online?
Yes. Once you have submitted your online application, you can sign in at gradapply.ksu.edu/apply/status to check its status, track your recommendation letters, and complete any post-admission steps.
4. Completing the Application
What are the deadlines for applications?
We follow the Graduate School's international application deadlines: February 1 for fall (August) enrollment and September 1 for spring (January) enrollment. While we accept applications at any time, only those students applying before the respective deadline are guaranteed to be considered for funding. Applications received after the deadline are considered for funding until all resources are committed.
What mailing address, phone number and email address should I leave on the online application form?
When you fill out the application, make sure your phone number, email address, and mailing address are correct and are valid until the first few weeks here on campus. This means that they should be valid until the end of August if you apply for fall admission and until the end of January if you apply for spring admission.
What supporting documents do I need?
Graduate applicants are required to submit the following into their online application:
- Scanned copy (PDF preferred) of academic transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework from each institution attended (college and beyond). If you are admitted, the Graduate School will require you to submit original, official transcripts.
- Three letters of recommendation from someone familiar with your academic work. The letters must be sent directly from the person writing them. We will not accept letters from an applicant.
- A short statement of objectives for graduate study.
- TOEFL/IELTS/PTE report (applicants whose native language is not English, unless exempt under the Graduate School's English proficiency requirements).
- Completed copy of the Affidavit of Financial Support form and corresponding supporting documents (international applicants only).
- While not required, the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is very helpful in evaluating an application and submission of this exam’s results is encouraged. Given the importance of quantitative skills in our graduate program, the committee will pay close attention to the GRE quantitative score. (GRE scores are valid for 5 years) We do not consider GMAT scores.
The Graduate Committee only evaluates complete applications – that means all the required supporting documents have to be uploaded before we will evaluate your application. International applicants should upload the financial affidavit at the same time; it does not affect the admission decision, but the Graduate School cannot issue an I-20 without it.
You can find more details about the required supporting documents and forms for your application at the Graduate School's website.
Can I email you the supporting documents?
No. Supporting documents should be uploaded when you fill out the online application. Please do not email the Director of Graduate Studies large attachments (more than 1M) unless prior arrangements have been made. In general you should fill out the online application and upload your supporting documents.
Should you need to send any documents after your application has been submitted, please contact the Economics Department econ@ksu.edu.
The online application form asks for names and contact information of the three references. Will they be contacted to get the letters of recommendation?
Yes. When you enter your references' contact information in the online application, they are contacted automatically and receive a secure link to upload their letter of recommendation.
You can track the progress of your recommendation letters on your application status page.
Please note that we will not accept recommendation letters from an applicant. We only accept recommendation letters directly from the person writing the letter.
What are the institution/dept codes for TOEFL/GRE?
The Kansas State University institution code is 6334. Applicants should upload copies of their scores to the online application; official scores may be requested later. If you send official scores, the department code is 84 for TOEFL and 1801 for GRE. Because ETS does change the codes from time to time, you may wish to double check these codes with ETS.
5. International Applications
Is economics at K-State classified as a STEM degree?
Yes. We offer a degree that falls under CIP code 45.0603:
"45.0603 – Econometrics and Quantitative Economics A program that focuses on the systematic study of mathematical and statistical analysis of economic phenomena and problems. Includes instruction in economic statistics, optimization theory, cost/benefit analysis, price theory, economic modeling, and economic forecasting and evaluation."
Where can I find the affidavit of financial support form for international applicants?
The affidavit of financial support (for international applicants only) can be found on the Graduate School's International Students webpage. More information about how to fill out this form can be found below. The affidavit has no bearing on the admission decision, but the Graduate School requires it before it can issue an I-20 or DS-2019. Sponsors must sign the form by hand; electronic signatures are not accepted. Some applicants do not need to submit it (for example, H-1 visa holders employed full-time and their H-4 dependents who do not plan to change visa type, or students who will not request an I-20 or DS-2019 from K-State); see the International Students webpage for the full list.
Should I send in my financial affidavit after I am admitted?
No. Please upload the affidavit and proof of funds together with your other supporting documents. The Graduate School will not issue an I-20 until proof of funds is provided. Since it does not adversely affect your chance of being funded by the department, there is really no reason to wait. Sending it in late will delay your I-20 and may delay your enrollment.
How do I fill out the affidavit of financial support?
For the affidavit of financial support (international applications only), you will need to provide proof of funds, such as bank statements, a bank letter on letterhead, or a scholarship or sponsorship letter. See the Graduate School's estimated costs page for the full list of acceptable documents. The bank balance does not have to be "frozen" or in time deposit, and it can be in a foreign currency in most cases, as long as the documents show the currency. Bank statements and other supporting documents must be less than 12 months old and translated into English.
We strongly encourage applicants to send in the affidavit together with the application. Generally if you send in your affidavit one month after the application deadlines (i.e., after March 1 for fall admissions and after October 1 for spring admissions), you should plan for the possibility that your admission might be delayed one semester and thus you should not make travel arrangements until you receive your official admission letter and I-20 from the Graduate School.
I do not have enough personal/family funding for the financial affidavit, should I still send in the affidavit?
Yes. The affidavit has no bearing on the admission decision, but the Graduate School needs it to issue your I-20, so submit it showing whatever personal/family funds you have.
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If you absolutely have no money at all, you may not wish to continue the application process, because the full assistantship from the department, including a stipend and a tuition waiver, is usually below the minimum requirement for visa purposes. Even if we offer you full funding, you will still need to show personal/family funds to cover the difference in order to get an I-20. The current minimum amount is listed on the Graduate School's estimated costs page; it is higher if you will bring dependents. If you cannot show enough funds to cover the difference, it is not meaningful to continue the application process.
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Because both the required amount and our assistantship package change from year to year, it is "safer" to send in an affidavit with personal/family funds somewhat above the difference if you can only attend the program with departmental funding.
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If you have enough personal/family funds to cover the entire required amount (see the Graduate School's estimated costs page) on the financial affidavit, you should send in the affidavit that shows your personal/family funds. This is the best option for all international applicants. It will not adversely affect your chance of being funded by the department. But it would significantly increase your chance of being able to enroll in time because the Graduate School can issue your I-20 sooner.
Note that these are not funds that must be paid to the university. Rather, this is a requirement for the issuance of the I-20 form leading to a visa. Nor would it obligate you to come to our program by filling out the affidavit form.
How long does it take from the time I receive the admission email from the department and the time I receive the official admission letter and I-20?
We send an email to an applicant to notify him/her of our recommendation of admission/rejection as soon as we make a decision, usually in March for fall admissions and around October for spring admissions. However, our email is only a recommendation to the Graduate School. You should wait for the official admission letter and I-20 before you make travel plans. It can take several weeks between the time we send you the email and the time the Graduate School sends out the official admission letter and I-20. If your financial affidavit does not meet the minimum requirements when we notify you of our recommendation, the processing time starts when we receive your updated affidavit.
Because it takes time for me to make visa appointments and such, can you ask the Graduate School to process my admission letter and I-20 first?
The Graduate School processes the admission letters and I-20s strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Processing can take several weeks. If you want your application to be processed first, make sure you submit all your supporting documents, especially the financial affidavit, by the deadline. Some applicants wait until we make the admission decision to send in their updated affidavits – this usually leads to delay of their admission letters and I-20s.
Do I have to buy health insurance while attending Kansas State?
Yes, health insurance is mandatory for all international students.
The Kansas Board of Regents requires that all international students maintain health insurance coverage. Insurance coverage will be automatically included in your tuition bills.
If you have questions about the health insurance coverage or prefer to obtain health insurance from another provider, please contact International Student and Scholar Services at isss@ksu.edu. You can find more information at the ISSS website.
6. Funding
Is there a separate form to apply for departmental funding?
There is no separate form. Just ask for it in your statement of objectives. Generally we consider everybody for departmental funding unless you are already being funded by a government agency.
If I send in the affidavit of financial support with my own or family funding, will it decrease my chance of being funded by the department?
No, it will not. We usually do not consider somebody for departmental funding if the applicant is already being funded by a government agency. Otherwise, if you submit a financial affidavit with your personal/family fund, we will still consider you for departmental funding.
7. General Questions
What more information can you provide about the department and the university?
You are encouraged to browse the following web pages about the department, the graduate school, and the university (You should especially check out the first two web pages):
https://www.k-state.edu/economics
How much will tuition and fees cost?
Read the details about Tuition and Fees from the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
Our fully funded graduate students receive a tuition waiver of up to ten credit hours per semester (the normal load for a typical graduate student is nine credit hours per semester).
In the admission letter I received from the Graduate School, it says that you (the Director of Graduate Studies) will be my advisor. Does that mean I will work on my dissertation under your supervision?
No. That is a common misunderstanding. The Graduate School appoints the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) as the advisor for all incoming graduate students in our department. The DGS will advise you on courses to take etc. upon your arrival. However, by the end of your second semester (see the Graduate Handbook for Master's Students and the Graduate Handbook for PhD Students), you should choose your major professor and file the program of study. You will work on your dissertation under the supervision of your major professor from then on.
Can I contact the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) if I have more questions?
Certainly. You can find contact information for the current DGS on the department website. If you have submitted the online application, please quote your full name that you put on your application, your date of birth, and your application ID in all correspondence.