Department of Economics - Ph. D Studentship in Department of Economics

What the studentship gives you

You will receive a full tuition fee waiver as well as a monthly living allowance to enable you to complete the integrated MRes/PhD programme in Economics at the University of Warwick. The funding covers the entire programme: two years for the Master of Research (MRes), followed by up to four years for the PhD, making a total of up to six years. The funding will continue during the PhD phase, provided you meet the progress criteria. It will continue even if you do not receive an external scholarship. The department will also cover part of your research costs, such as submission fees for academic journals, travel expenses to conferences where you give presentations, and costs for fieldwork or data. The scholarship is funded by the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, which ranks among the best in the UK and worldwide.

Who can apply

• Programme: You are applying for the integrated MRes/PhD programme in Economics. Almost all admitted students automatically receive a scholarship; only a small number of places are self-funded.
• Degree: You hold (or are due to obtain) a first-class honours degree or an equivalent qualification in a relevant subject area. A Master’s degree is an advantage but not essential; applicants with an MSc degree with distinction are also welcome.
• Field: Economics, including fields such as econometrics, macroeconomics, development economics, labour economics, public economics and behavioural economics.
• GRE: A quantitative GRE result is helpful, but not essential. Successful applicants usually achieve high scores.
• English: If English is not your first language, you will need to achieve Band B at Warwick (for example, an overall IELTS score of 7.0, with each component scoring at least 6.0 to 6.5).
• Nationality: Open to all nationalities. Students from both the UK and abroad are very welcome.

How to apply

You apply online via the University of Warwick’s Postgraduate Application System, and the department will cover the application fee for you. There is no separate scholarship application form: if you are offered a place, you will automatically receive the scholarship. The application deadline is 15 January, and the application period begins on 1 November of the previous year. Shortlisted candidates will attend a brief interview, usually online.

How realistic are your chances?

The admissions process is highly competitive. The department admits a maximum of approximately 15 MRes students per year (the cohort is the group that begins the programme together). The decision is made after the application deadline, with all applicants being ranked on the basis of their application documents and their interview. As the scholarship is automatically linked to a place on the programme, the real hurdle is gaining admission. A ‘First Class’ degree, a very good quantitative GRE result and strong references are what set applicants apart from the rest. If your profile clearly meets these requirements, please apply well in advance of the January deadline.