Economics KU Leuven

The doctorate includes the final steps of the Doctoral programme in Economics and the research process:

• Submission of the thesis manuscript
• Approval of the thesis manuscript by the Doctoral Examining Committee
• Public presentation and defense of the thesis

Entry requirements

Applicants must hold one of the following:

• A Master's degree in business (or a degree equivalent to four or five years of management studies)
• A Master's degree in another field, provided that the basics of business have been covered and other elements in the application file are outstanding and attest to a sound mathematical and statistical background.
• Academic performance should be above average.

Proof of proficiency in English:

• Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must provide evidence of English language proficiency.
• Applicants with a KU Leuven degree: applicants who have already successfully completed an English-language programme at KU Leuven, do not have to take an English proficiency test.
• Applicants with a university degree obtained in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States: the certified diploma and transcripts suffice, provided they confirm that the entire university programme was completed in English.
• Other applicants should submit a satisfactory score on an internationally recognized test of English language proficiency: TOEFL (minimum score 575 paper-based, 233 computer-based, 90 internet-based) or IELTS (minimum score 7). No other proficiency tests will be accepted.

Additional credentials.

In addition to certified copies of degrees and transcripts, all applicants must provide:

• A GRE- or GMAT-score.
• Two recommendation forms
• A letter of motivation written and signed by the applicant detailing the choice for Leuven and for this particular programme

The Admission Board evaluates all applications and has the final say on the admissibility of the student, taking the relevant information into account.