Do you admit international students?

Yes, at least half of our entering class over the past few years has consisted of international students. We consider applications from all countries and undergraduate institutions, though the quality of the undergraduate institution is a factor in our admissions decision.

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. The office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is a valuable resource of information and assistance for prospective and current international students. International applicants are encouraged to explore the services they offer and contact them with related questions.

The University of Maryland Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information; it is not a guarantee of attendance. Admitted international students will then receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland which will require submission of additional documents. 

I am an international student. Where do I send the Certification of Finances Form?

Please send the Certification of Finances Form to:

University of Maryland

International Education Services

3116 Mitchell Building

College Park, Maryland 20742

I am an international student and am having trouble obtaining official transcriptsfrom my overseas educational institutions. What do you suggest I do?

Please check the UMD graduate FAQ page for more information.

I am an international student. Am I required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores, and is there a minimum score that I must receive in order to be considered for admission?

Yes, you must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores and satisfy certain minimum scores for admission. For the upcoming year, see the chart below for our requirements. Beginning in August 2019, we will accept IBT TOEFL Superscores from ETS for purposes of meeting iBT TOEFL Subscore Requirements. If you do not meet the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE requirements listed below, then the Economics Department will not be able to evaluate your application for admission.

IBT TOEFL

Requirements For Full Admission With No Provision
Total 96
Speaking 22
Listening 24
Reading 26
Writing 24

IELTS

Requirements For Full Admission With No Provision
Overall 7
Listening 7
Reading 7
Writing 7
Speaking 6.5

PTE Requirement

Requirements for Full Enrollment
Total 68
Writing 68

The TOEFL, IELTS or PTE test is a mandatory and non-negotiable application requirement for students whose native language is not English. Waivers are only permitted if the student will obtain a degree from an institution in an English-speaking country ( i.e. The United Kingdom, English-speaking Africa, Canada and the Caribbean, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, etc.), prior to entering the Ph.D. program in Economics.

All applicants must comply by this policy regardless of citizenship status, number of years residing in the United States, and language of instruction of his or her university.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to include a photocopy of their TOEFL, IELTS or PTE report with the application materials. Do not assume that your TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores will be reported to the University in a timely manner simply because you have taken the test. The Admissions Committee will not review your file without the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores. Contact TOEFL to request an official copy of your test scores to be sent to the University of Maryland at College Park - institutional code 5814.

Please refer to the University rules regarding English proficiency for international students for more information.

How long are my TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores valid?

TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores are valid for two years. If, however, an applicant requests ETS to send the TOEFL,IELTS or PTE scores to our University before the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE expires, it should not be a problem. The applicant should call ETS and request that a score report is sent to our institution, code 5814. ETS only keeps TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores on file for two years. Once the 2-year deadline passes, the applicant will no longer be able to request a score from ETS.