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 is December 15. You will be notified of your admissions decision by email no later than early March. For more information about applying, see Application Process.
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 PhD Program. The Chicago Booth PhD 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 PhD Program’s application deadline. For admission for Autumn 2020, scores from tests taken prior to December 15, 2017, 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): 104 overall, with sub scores of 26 each
Computerized: 25 in each section, with a total score of at least 250
Paper-based: 60 in each section, with a total of at least 600
IELTS
Overall score of at least 7, with sub scores of at least 7 each
Applicants who score below these minimums cannot be considered for admission and should retake the test before submitting an application.
The English-language requirement may be waived if, within the last five years prior to the deadline for this application, you completed a degree or were enrolled in a degree-seeking program for at least one year of full-time, non-ESL study in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Guyana, the Caribbean countries of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or English-medium universities in Canada or South Africa.*
*Note: This applies only to English-medium universities in Canada or South Africa. Study in English-medium universities in other countries does not qualify for a waiver.
Waivers apply to students from the countries listed above only. Students who are natives of or who have studied in English in other countries (for example, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.) are not exempt from the English-language requirement.
Waivers only apply to those who have studied full time in one of the countries listed on the waiver list above. Employment in an English-speaking country does not make you eligible for a waiver.
NOTE: The above-listed circumstances are the ONLY circumstances that qualify for a waiver. Students who studied English (or at other English-medium schools) in countries not specified above, students who studied less than one full-time year in one of the countries specified above, and/or students who have worked in the United States or other English-speaking countries 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.
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 FAQ, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!
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