How to apply
Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.
Application Deadlines
Admission to the PhD programme is highly competitive, so please allow as much time as possible to prepare your application, browse our research pages and academics' profiles, and familiarise yourself with the application process and any important deadlines.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, but you must submit your application before the deadline below to be considered. You will not be able to apply after this deadline has passed.
- For September 2025 entry: 30 June 2025
It should be noted that the deadlines for funding competitions will often be earlier than the deadline shown above. For internal studentships from the School of Social Sciences, the application deadline is the same as the programme deadline above. However, we reserve the right to close the competition at any stage if all awards have been allocated, so we recommend that you apply as early as possible. If you intend to apply for external funding sources (e.g. ESRC NWSSDTP), you must submit your programme application far enough in advance of the relevant external funding deadlines, which are usually much earlier than the programme deadline listed above.
Advice to applicants
Before you start your application, you should:
- Develop your own research proposal and project title.
- Find a supervisor by browsing our academics' profiles, and reach out directly to discuss if they are interested in supporting your research.
- Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.
When you submit your application, you must include each of the below required documents:
- A 1,500 word PhD research proposal and 500 word statement giving a brief description of any econometrics/macro/micro/mathematics and statistics courses taken during your undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, detailing core texts used. A paragraph for each course unit taken will be sufficient. Please upload the 2000 word document as a single file.
- A copy of your Bachelor's and Master's academic transcript and certificate. If your Master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
- If you have completed more than one Bachelor's and Master's degree, please provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, please also include an official document from your university verifying this information.
- An up-to-date academic CV summarising your academic record, employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE General Test) - Further details can be found in the Aptitude Test Requirements section below.
- You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution). Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following submission of your application form. You may wish to contact your referees to request they submit your reference in a reasonable timeframe as this forms part of the review process.
- A certificate or evidence demonstrating your English language ability and proficiency. Applications can be considered without this evidence but any offer would be conditional on meeting minimum requirements.
How your application is considered
Once we receive your complete application, including the application form and all supporting documents, it will be forwarded to our academic staff for review.
In making our decision, we will consider several factors. Admission to the programme is not based solely on qualifications such as grades; we are looking for applicants with strong mathematical skills and clear evidence of research potential. While high academic performance is important, we will also evaluate other key aspects, including reference letters, GRE scores, your research proposal, and any previous research experience.
Please note that even a distinction in an MSc in Economics, including a strong dissertation grade, may not guarantee admission if other elements, such as the research proposal, are not up to standard. Additionally, admission may be impacted by the availability of a suitable supervisor. This aspect of the selection process is also highly competitive, and we encourage you to consider this when applying.
Interview requirements
As part of the offer making process, applicants will be required to undertake an interview assessment. This may be in the form of an in-person interview or video call.
The interview is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of the broad topic area, the viability of your proposed research and its intellectual contribution, alongside the fit of your project with the supervisory team. You also may be asked to identify and address any potential ethical considerations in relation to your proposed research, and discuss how best to progress your ideas in line with University of Manchester ethics guidance.
The interview panel will consist at minimum of your proposed primary supervisor and an independent interviewer.
Aptitude test requirement
You must input the details of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE General Test) in the Admissions Test section of the application form ensuring that you report the scores on the quantitative, verbal and analytical writing sections along with percentiles. There is no restriction on when you took the test.
Exception to the GRE General Test requirement can be obtained in advance, but only if you have alternative means of demonstrating strong quantitative ability. If an exception is granted you will be informed by the Admissions Team how to complete the Admissions Test section of the application form.
Deferrals
Re-applications
If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful, you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard programme entry criteria for that year of entry.
In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen programme.