Frequently Asked Questions - Admissions

The application fee is a university-wide requirement and not a program-specific application fee. Therefore, we do not control whether any waivers are available. Please see https://illinoisstate.edu/apply/fee-waiver/ for more information on the fee.

We do not waive the GRE requirement to maintain consistency and better evaluate candidates. 

Please see the funding page for detailed information on graduate assistantships and other funding.

Fall	March 1 - with financial support consideration
Fall	June 15 - financial support consideration is not guaranteed
Spring	September 1 - with financial support consideration
Spring	October 15 - financial support consideration is not guaranteed

Sample of Employers of recent graduates: Acadian Consulting Group, Ameren, American Utility Management, Austin Coming Together, Berwyn Development Corporation, Big Data Federation, Inc., Blackmore Partners Inc, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Busey, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chestnut Health Systems, Cigna, Citi, ComEd, Commonwealth Edison, Community Development Commission of Mendocino County, Convergence Blended Finance, Credit Builders Alliance, Deloitte, Ecommerce, Energy Coalition, Evergy, Facebook, Federal Reserve Board, Heartland Bank and Trust Company, Illinois Commerce Commission, Illinois Power Agency, Invest Aurora, J2C Valuation, Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions, Inc., Kentucky Public Service Commission, Lewin Group, Maine Public Utilities Commission, McLean County Regional Planning Commission, Microsoft, MidAmerican Energy, Missouri Foundation for Health, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, National Grid, New York Life, Nicor Gas, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, OneMain Financial, Peace Corps, Public Utilities Commission of California, Southern Company Gas, State of Oregon, Swiss Re, U.S. Department of Labor, USDA Rural Development, World Bank, and Zurich North America.

Sample of Universities attended by recent graduates: Auburn University, Chicago-Kent College of Law, City University of New York, City University of New York, Clemson University, DePaul University, Emory University, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, Northern Illinois University, Oklahoma State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers Business School, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, University of California, Davis, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Illinois Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Utah State University, Washington State University, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.

Yes, you may submit unofficial transcrips and GRE scores when applying to the progam. (After admission into the program, you will need to supply the official documents.)

No, you do not need to identify or get approval from an ISU faculty member before applying (either for admission or a graduate assistantship). The supervisor for your capstone project or thesis will be determined typically in the second year of the program. 

Institution Code 1319

Due to the volume of applicants, we only evaluate materials formally submitted through the application process. Nonetheless, rejected applications primarily occur due to incomplete submissions or individuals not meeting the minimum GPA and GRE thresholds.

Admission to the master’s in Applied Economics program requires submission of the official GRE or GMAT test scores. We require a minimum of 140 in the Verbal section and a minimum of 150 in the Quantitative section of the GRE. Applicants submitting GMAT scores must have a GMAT Quantitative Score of 28 or better, and a GMAT Verbal Score of 18 or better for admission consideration. 

Students from all non-native English-speaking countries must have a minimum of 79 in the internet-based TOEFL or 6.5 in the IELTS overall band score for admission to the University and for receipt of a Graduate Assistantship. For exceptions to the TOEFL/IELTS score, visit the International Admissions website.

International students may defer their admission to the program for the following semester by contacting International Admissions in the Office of International Engagement. Please note that admission is not automatic; your application will be re-evaluated for admission to the master’s program based on the required materials listed on our website for each of the desired sequences. Similarly, if you have been awarded a GA position and decide to defer your admission to the next semester, the GA offer letter will be canceled, your GA application will go back into the pool of applicants for this new semester, and your GA application will be re-evaluated.

As soon as you receive your acceptance into the program and decide to join the program, start the visa application process. Once you have received the I-20 form, you can go to the consulate or embassy to start the visa process. Please do not postpone the process since timing varies significantly based on the number of applications, timing, country of residence, and evidence of financial support.

No, WES evaluation is not required.