Application FAQs

The PhD-stream MA program is course based.

No. A supervisor is not required for the PhD-stream MA program.

No. The first two years of the PhD program is comprised of course work. As you approach the end of year two, you will consider/select a supervisor.

Applicants are expected to gather all the relevant information available on our website in order to determine eligibility prior to applying. Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications received we are unable to provide pre-assessment.

You can pay using a credit card or a money order/bank draft from a Canadian bank. Your application will be processed once payment is received by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

No, the application fee cannot be waived.

Contact gradapps@uwo.ca for all technical and payment issues related to the application.

No, the graduate program has only one start date in September.

No, given the nature and set-up of our program curriculum, part-time studies are not an option.

Yes, funding packages consisting of scholarships for tuition and fees, and a Teaching Assistant (TA) position for living expenses are available. Funding decisions are made at the time of application review, no separate application is required.

The admissions process is competitive. Meeting the minimum standards is not a guarantee of admission to the program.

We receive approximately 350-400 applications to our program each year.

Typically, we have a first year class of 15 students.

All relevant documents must be uploaded to your online application. The required documents are:

Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
Two academic references
Statement of Academic Intent
GRE score
English Language Proficiency Score*

*International students whose first language/language of education is something other than English. Please see accepted forms of English language proficiency here:
http://grad.uwo.ca/prospective_students/applying/admission_requirements.html.

The statement of academic intent should be a maximum of two pages in length. It should state your specific area of academic interest, how prior education and other experiences have prepared you to be successful in the graduate program, what you hope to achieve in the graduate program, and why the program at Western is the best place for you to pursue your interests.

Applicants may be exempt from the TOEFL, IELTS or other test of English proficiency requirement if they a) have been studying for two full-time years toward a degree at an accredited institution in Canada or in an English speaking institution located in a country whose primary language is English or b) hold a degree from a country where the primary language of instruction is English.

The list of eligible countries is as follows: Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Canada, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Please contact the Graduate Coordinator at econ-gradcoordinator@uwo.ca if you require more information.

No. Students from Quebec are exempt from the English Language Proficiency Requirement.

No, all required documents should be uploaded with the online application. Paper documents will not be accepted.

Yes, you should upload your unofficial transcripts with your application. If you are admitted, we will ask you for an official transcript (that shows a convocation date and the degree conferred) at a later date.

If your degree has been granted from an institution outside of Canada, a GRE is required. A GRE score allows the department to appropriately assess your quantitative knowledge. If an application that requires a GRE does not include it, the application will not be successful. 

We look for a score in the 95th percentile on the quantitative reasoning and in the 75th percentile on the verbal reasoning and analytical writing sections.

No, we consider a GRE score to be a better reflection of your knowledge and abilities and as a better predictor of success in our program.

The core courses in the graduate program are taught using mathematical techniques. Thus, we encourage any prospective student to take as many math courses as possible. This may include multivariate calculus, linear algebra, real analysis, and statistics. Candidates are expected to have, as a minimum, one semester each of university calculus and linear algebra with a minimum B+ level of understanding. It is also helpful to have achieved a B+ standing in an undergraduate econometrics course. Although not required, advanced courses in microeconomics and macroeconomics are also helpful.