An international applicant is anyone who is not a US citizen or permanent resident of the United States at the time of application to Chicago Booth. Here’s what you need to know about Chicago Booth PhD requirements for international applicants.
The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission has now passed. You will be notified of your admissions decision by email no later than early March. For more information about applying, see Application Process.
Please note that all international applicants must determine if they meet the University of Chicago’s English-language requirements by either taking the TOEFL or IELTS exam and receiving the minimum accepted scores, or if eligible, receiving a language requirement waiver. Please find more information related to fluency determination here.
To be considered for admission, you must have the equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university (or expect to receive one by the time you enter the program).
Booth reserves the right to review the academic records of all international applicants to determine whether their academic credentials from a non-US institution are comparable to a US bachelor’s degree.
Applicants holding only professional diplomas or higher certificates or members of professional associations such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants are not qualified to apply for admission unless they also hold recognized university degrees.
You must submit academic records (transcripts or mark sheets) with grading scales for each year of college or university education completed or in progress, as well as copies of degrees awarded. Records must provide information on the content and quality of your performance, courses taken each year, and grades received. Class rank should be noted whenever possible.
You must submit both original language records and official English translations. All translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records, and must be prepared or verified by someone whose position requires a knowledge of both English and the original language. All supporting materials must also be in English.
Please upload all required academic records to the online application system. If you are admitted, you will be required to submit official academic records and official copies of degrees awarded (and official English translations where applicable). Photocopies and facsimiles of the documents are not acceptable.
If English is not your native language, you will need to meet the University of Chicago’s English-language requirements by taking either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Please have your TOEFL scores sent directly from the testing agency to the Stevens Program. The Chicago Booth Stevens Program TOEFL code is 1819.
Please contact the Booth PhD office with your IELTS TRF number.
TOEFL or IELTS score reports are valid for two years, and scores will be considered expired if a test was taken more than two years prior to Chicago Booth Stevens Program’s application deadline. For admission for Autumn 2022, scores from tests taken prior to December 15, 2019, are considered expired. If your score has expired, you must retake the examination and submit the official scores before the application deadline. We will not accept photocopies of expired scores while awaiting the official results of a recent examination. Scores must be sent directly from TOEFL or IELTS.
TOEFL
Internet-based (iBT): 100 overall score, no subsection requirements
IELTS
Overall score of at least 7, with sub scores of at least 7 each
The English-language requirement may be waived if: English has been a primary language of communication and schooling for you since childhood; or you completed a degree or were enrolled for at least one academic year (two semesters or three quarters) in full-time status in a degree-seeking program within the last ten years prior to the deadline for this application at an accredited, English-medium, post-secondary institution in one of the following countries or territories: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, or the United States.*
*Note: This applies only to English-medium universities in these countries or territories. Study in English-medium universities in any other countries or territories not listed here does not qualify you for a waiver.
Waivers only apply to those who have studied full-time for at least one academic year in a degree-seeking program in one of the countries/territories listed above. Employment in an English-speaking country alone does not make you eligible for a waiver.
NOTE: The above-listed circumstances are the ONLY circumstances that qualify you for a waiver. Students who have only taken an ESL course, been an exchange or visiting student at a qualifying institution, studied less than full-time (or have not completed a degree or at least one year of full-time study at a qualifying institution), and/or students who have worked in the United States or other English-speaking countries only are NOT eligible for a waiver.
If you meet the above criteria, the TOEFL/IELTS requirement will be automatically waived upon review of the relevant transcripts.We cannot assist in determining your eligibility for the waiver based on the primary language criteria described above. Falsifying this information, as with any information on the application, may lead to revocation of an offer of admission.
Visa eligibility forms are issued upon admittance to the program. Depending on your nationality and particular circumstances, you will receive either the I-20 or the DS-2019 form. These forms enable you to obtain an F-1 or a J-1 visa, respectively, when presented to a US consul. You will need to verify financial support before a visa eligibility form can be issued. A financial resource statement will be sent upon admittance.
If you still have questions after reviewing our doctorate in business FAQ, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!
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