Traditional Ph.D. Admissions

Program Start Dates

• Fall 2025 classes begin August 17, 2025

Because of the sequential structure of the first-year curriculum and the benefits of students working together, new students are only admitted in the Fall semester. Prospective students are encouraged to apply early such as in the period from October to November (when applying for the following Fall), since stipends may be reserved for prospective students with outstanding credentials who apply early. The application deadline is January 15. However, if there are openings for perspective Ph.D. students beyond the deadline date, the deadline to apply for the fall semester may be extended beyond January 15.

Early Admission Decisions - The deadline for our traditional PhD is January 15 for the following fall.  Earlier admission decisions may help some applicants better prepare to transition to a PhD program, as well as obtain a visa to study in the U.S. on a timelier basis in the case of international applicants.  Therefore, we are reviewing domestic and international applications and making admission decisions on a rolling basis beginning in September. You are encouraged to submit the required information as early as you can.

Admission to the Ph.D. program is restricted to students who show exceptionally high promise for mastering conceptual and analytical tools in business. While the minimum requirements have been listed here, higher requirements may be used when there are numerous applicants with strong credentials. A limited number of Ph.D. students are allowed in the program in any given year. There are also constraints on financial assistance, as in the number of stipends available. The following criteria are used when assessing applicants to the Ph.D. Program:

Admission Criteria

• Official transcripts of previous coursework
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of career goals
• Graduate College application
• GMAT/GRE score
• Interview

Official Transcript of Previous Coursework

The previous coursework is assessed to determine whether applicants have the proper background to enter the Ph.D. Program. This can include an assessment of the rigor of the previous courses taken. It can also include the performance as measured by grades. Normally, the minimum acceptable grade point average is 3.0 in the undergraduate program and 3.5 in the masters program.

The perceived quality of the previous programs where an applicant completed course work may also be considered. An MBA or related master's degree from an AACSB accredited institution is most desirable. Applicants whose master's degree is focused on a non-business discipline or is not accredited may be required to take additional courses to ensure sufficient background on fundamental business subjects. Entering students are also expected to be proficient in computer skills, calculus and statistics.

3 Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required. At least two of the letters should be from professors who can offer insightful comments about the applicant's performance in one or more previous courses taken.

Applicant's Statement of Career Goals

The applicant should provide a statement (maximum length 2 pages) regarding why the applicant wishes to pursue the Ph.D. degree.

GMAT or GRE Score

Either the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examinations General Test (GRE) are accepted; although, the GMAT is preferred. Normally, the minimum score is a GMAT score of 600, GMAT Focus Edition score of 555 (or a comparable score on the GRE). Individual section scores may be evaluated separately. Some departments may weigh the components in different ways. For example, the quantitative score of the GMAT or quantitative reasoning score on the GRE may be given more emphasis to applicants who wish to pursue a concentration in Finance, although the verbal and writing skills are still viewed as important.

International Students/Students with Foreign Credentials

A graduate of a foreign college or university who has completed an academic program equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's or master's degree is required to submit a course-by-course evaluation from a foreign credentials evaluation service that is a member of NACES. Please contact evaluation companies directly to determine the documents required to obtain this evaluation.

For applicants whose native language is not English, a minimum score as set by the Graduate College on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of Spoken English (TSE), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo is required (applicants who have completed a minimum of two years of post-secondary education in the United States are exempt from this requirement). No application will be considered by the faculty for admission until these minimum requirements have been met. Additional measures of English writing and speaking skills may be required, such as (1) a face-to-face interview or an extended telephone interview, or (2) a video tape of an extended conversation between the applicant and a fluent speaker of English.

Adequate English comprehension, writing, and speaking are necessary to perform well in course work and to perform the tasks such as research assistance and teaching. For example, papers required in courses must be grammatically correct, and it is the student's responsibility to ensure correct grammar. Students must be able to speak English clearly in order to retain an assistanceship for teaching. Therefore, applicants who are accepted into the program are encouraged to meet with their respective departmental Ph.D. advisor before they start the program to determine if they should do any special preparation to ensure that they have sufficient English skills.

Applicants who have completed a minimum of two years of postsecondary education in the United States are exempt from this requirement. The minimum College of Business requirement for the TOEFL is 600 (Paper-Based Test) and 100 (Internet Based Test). The minimum College of Business requirement for IELTS is a band score of 7.0. The minimum College of Business requirement for the Duolingo is 90. FAU's school code for the TOEFL is 5229.