PhD Admissions
Admissions Links
Requirements for Admission
Admission to the Ph.D. program in the Department of Business Administration is based on a variety of academic accomplishments, including:
- Educational goals,
- letters of recommendations,
- and demonstrated success in research.
The Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has established a minimum grade point average of 3.00/4.00 for admission. In addition to the "B" average minimum, an acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is required. In some cases, scores from the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) may be substituted. Successful candidates usually score in the ninetieth percentile or better on the GMAT.
Applications are considered for Fall semester admission only. Typically, the deadline for Fall admission is the first Monday of February. For full consideration, all materials must be received by the specified deadline. No transfer credits are accepted. Most students will enter with either an MBA or a related Master Degree. A student entering without a Master degree may be required to take additional courses.
All international students are required by the University of Illinois to submit acceptable scores from the Test of Foreign Language (TOEFL) if their native language is something other than English. TOEFL scores are only valid for two years before the proposed term of entry. Graduate applications are exempt only if they have completed at least two years of full-time study within five years of the proposed date of enrollment at the University of Illinois. Please note that for international students, financial support is contingent upon the student being certified to teach by passing either the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or the SPEAK test administered by the University of Illinois.
Prerequisites & Business Discipline Proficiency
Entering students must demonstrate a basic level of proficiency in Statistics. Further, in order to gain a Ph.D. in Business Administration, each student must demonstrate some breadth in business-related disciplines: i.e., Microeconomics, Behavioral Sciences, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and Strategy. The proficiency requirements can be demonstrated in a number of ways such as documentation of course-work in prior degree programs, relevant work experience, additional courses during the Ph.D. program, etc. Students with no prior exposure to one or more of these areas may be advised to take senior undergraduate or MBA courses, as appropriate, in the summer prior to admission to the Ph.D. program, or during their time of study at Illinois.
Financial Support
An assistantship, which would include waivers of tuition and most service fees, is usually included in an offer of admission. Certain exceptional candidates may be offered additional awards as well. If admitted, your letter of acceptance will specify the nature of your assistantship and/or fellowship. Loans and other forms of assistance are often available through the Office of Financial Aid.
Admissions Checklist
- a completed application form
- a statement of purpose
- three letters of reference
- transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate work
- Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Records Examination (GRE) scores
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Spoken English (TSE) scores for all applicants whose native language is not English.
