Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the prerequisites?
Our prerequisites are listed on our Admissions Requirements page.
Will you review my application materials before I submit an application and let me know if I qualify for admission?
No. If you want to know if you qualify for admission, please review the Admission Requirements and check those against your own transcript and resume. Due to the high volume of emails we receive, we will not respond to any requests to review transcripts, resumes, etc. prior to officially submitting your application. If you want these items reviewed, please submit an official application.
What are the minimum scores for the GRE?
Information on GRE scores is listed on our Admissions Requirements page.
What are the minimum scores for the TOEFL and IELTS?
What is the acceptance rate?
Our acceptance rate varies by the season. For Fall 2022, roughly 50% of applicants were admitted. However, our assistantships are limited and competitive, so for Fall 2022, less than 6% of total applicants (including those rejected) received an assistantship.
What is the class size?
We typically have a total of around 20 students in our graduate programs at any given time (around 10 1st-years and 10 2nd-years). Graduate economics classes tend to have around 5-10 students per class. Some graduate classes are mixed with upper-level undergraduate classes. In these cases, class size can be as high as 40-50 total students, with around 5-10 of those being graduate students who have different learning expectations and workloads than undergraduates.
Can I get an application fee waiver?
The School of Economics does not grant application fee waivers. Application fees are controlled by the Graduate School. Unless the Graduate School website says it is offering an application fee waiver, the answer is no.
Can I pursue a PhD in Economics?
We do not have a PhD program in Economics; however we do support students interested in interdisciplinary degrees, like the I-PhD (Interdisciplinary PhD) or the EES PhD (Ecology and Environmental Sciences PhD). The I-PhD allows students to develop skills in two different disciplines (e.g., recent graduates combined Economics with Psychology, graduating with an I-PhD in either Economic Psychology or Behavioral Economics). With the EES PhD, students with an environmental background can combine environmental science with economics and policy coursework; allowing them to excel in environmental policy and management careers. More information on both PhD options can be found on our Graduate Degrees page.
Can I get funding?
We offer a limited number of research and teaching assistantships to top-performing applicants. Please visit our Graduate Funding Opportunities page for more information. You do not need to submit a separate or different application to be considered for funding. Simply check the box on the UMaine Graduate School application that asks if you are interested in being considered for funding.
What is the deadline for applications and for funding?
We discuss application deadlines on our Application Process page.
Where can I get a job, and what can I expect to be paid when I graduate from a School of Economics graduate program?
Our main SOE Graduate Program web page provides a partial list of places our alumni are currently working or continuing their studies as well as what they have reported for median annual income.
Start your application!
Interested students must apply to the University of Maine’s Graduate School online system.
Have more questions?
If you have a question that is not answered in the multiple pages of our website, please fill out the form below*. Please do not ask something that is already answered on these webpages or for a pre-review of your application materials. Due to high email volumes, these types of questions will not be answered.