PhD Admissions

Bachelor's Degree

We require a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college. A master's degree is not necessary.

High GMAT Test Score

Although there is no minimum score requirement, a good performance is weighted heavily by the Admissions Committee. Successful applicants tend to have overall scores in the 90th percentile or higher; the average GMAT score of recent admits has been approximately 730.

Learn more about the GMAT test.

Successful TOEFL Test Score

Beginning in 2011, our program now requires TOEFL scores for all international applicants regardless of their academic experience or the age of their TOEFL score.

The TOEFL tests your level of English as a foreign language. To be accepted, applicants must have a minimum TOEFL score as listed below:

Learn more about the TOEFL test.

Letters of Recommendation

We give considerable weight to letters of recommendation from faculty members that highlight a candidate's research potential, past academic achievements, and a commitment to scholarly endeavor.

Apply Early

As the application process can take some time, we encourage you to apply as early as possible. Personal interviews will be conducted with selected candidates as part of the admission process.

Application Deadline: December 15

Please apply early to allow us sufficient time to carefully evaluate your application.

Access Online Application

Admission Decision: by mid-February

Our faculty begin reviewing applications immediately following the application deadline date. We do not have a rolling admissions process. We strive to notify candidates of our admission decision quickly via email and by mail by mid-April.

Campus Interviews: TBD by areas

Personal interviews are conducted with all final candidates for admission. These interviews are held on our campus in late February or early March.

Your Acceptance/Decline Decision

If you are admitted to our program, we will appreciate your prompt response to our offer. However, the Laney Graduate School is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools and we abide by the resolution that states, students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of the resolution.

The doctoral program is designed to be a full-time, five-year program. Full tuition scholarships and attractive stipends are awarded to students in the program during the first four years of their studies, provided they are in good standing and making satisfactory progress. Fifth year funding is also available to those students who have reached candidacy in their fourth year and are in good academic standing.

Scholarships & Stipends

Tuition scholarships and stipends are awarded to students admitted to the program; domestic students are also eligible to apply for university fellowships and scholarships for specialized purposes. Annual stipends will be provided for five years of study, provided a student is making satisfactory progress. Beginning in the second year, the student will be required to provide 10 hours per week of research or teaching assistance to assigned faculty. Learn more about Emory University's financial aid policies.

Research Support

The Business School has established a research support budget for each PhD student to be used for data collection, books, travel, etc. The Sheth Research Fund offers additional dissertation support for students who have successfully completed their comprehensive exams.

Student Loans

The Emory Office of Financial Aid (OFA) assists eligible students with applying for and obtaining student loans. Among the factors you should consider before obtaining a loan are your total indebtedness including undergraduate student loans, mean time to degree in your department/program, and estimated starting salaries in your field. There is no magic formula, but there are reliable calculators that can help master's and doctoral students make informed decisions about the timing and the amount of student loans.