Admissions

The statement of purpose gives applicants the opportunity to demonstrate to the Admissions Committee how their previous academic training, research or interest areas, work experience, and any other relevant evidence-based qualifications have prepared them to contribute to the UCLA MQE program and to the field. Please include your future career goals and how obtaining an MQE might help you reach your professional potential.

Applicants are required to submit a personal history statement. Use this statement to share any pertinent personal information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

Applicants must submit a resume or CV. This document should showcase your experiences outside the classroom and any awards or honors you may have received.

Two letters of recommendation are required from individuals, preferably academic or professional supervisors, who are well acquainted with your performance in academic or work settings. Although only two letters are required, a third letter will be reviewed if provided.  

Only unofficial transcripts are needed during the initial stages of the application process. You will be contacted if official documents are needed.

Degree and GPA Requirements

The minimum requirement for admission for a U.S. applicant is a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, comparable in standard and content to a bachelor’s degree from the University of California. A scholastic average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent) or better, is required.

An international applicant whose post-secondary education is completed outside of the U.S. is expected to hold a degree representing completion of at least four years of study with above average scholarship from a university or university-level institution.

Official GRE scores must be sent directly by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). A photocopy of the report is not considered an official document and cannot be used for admission evaluation. Please provide the ETS with the following codes when requesting your scores:

GRE – UCLA: 4837 / Econ: 1803

Be advised that all applicants, regardless of their degree or major backgrounds, must submit GRE scores. There are no substitutes for the GRE, including the GMAT.

A GRE score is valid if the examination was given no more than five years prior to the date your application is submitted. If your score has expired, you must re-take the exam.

Applicants who hold a bachelor’s or higher degree from a university located in the United States or from another country in which English is both the spoken language and the medium of instruction, or who have completed at least two years of full-time study at such an institution, are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.

Official TOEFL scores must be sent directly by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). A photocopy of this report is not considered an official document and cannot be used for admission evaluation. 

Please provide the ETS with the following UCLA codes when requesting your scores:

TOEFL – UCLA: 4837 (There is no department code for MQE, enter 99 for “not listed.”)

If you have previously taken the TOEFL exam, your score is valid for two years from the test date. If your score has expired, be sure to take the exam by February so that your scores will arrive by March.

A TOEFL score of at least 560 on the paper-and-pencil test or 220 on the computer- based test is the minimum required. For the internet-based TOEFL, applicants must have a minimum total passing score of 87. You do not need to meet the minimum passing score for each section if the minimum overall score of 87 is met. An IELTS overall band score of at least 7.0 is the minimum required.

The application fee is $135.00 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and $155.00 for all other applicants. The application fee is devoted to the administrative cost of processing all applications received and is not refundable under any circumstances, regardless of the outcome, the date of filing, time of review, or if, for whatever the reason, the application is withdrawn.

If your undergraduate degree is not in economics, it is recommended that you have Calculus I and II for engineering and math majors, Intermediate Microeconomics and Intermediate Macroeconomics. In addition, if you have not taken Econometrics, a strong statistics background is recommended.

One of the features of the MQE program is a flexible course schedule. Hear from a few of our current students about which classes they enjoyed most and why.

Prior work experience is not required for admission to the MQE program. However, all elements of each applicant will be evaluated.

No. UCLA policies allow applicants to apply to one major/degree only, except for concurrent or articulated degrees. Please decide which of our programs is most appropriate for you prior to submitting the Application for Graduate Admission.

Tests are administered by the Educational Testing Services (ETS). View the ETS website for more information.

Any applicant whose first language is not English must certify proficiency in English when applying to UCLA and, if admitted, upon arrival. Such applicants must submit scores received on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as part of their application. The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). IELTS is administered by local IELTS test centers throughout the world. Applicants should consult IELTS for the nearest test center.

If your first language is not English, you must certify proficiency in English when you apply to UCLA. The MQE requires you submit TOEFL or IELTS scores as part of the admissions process. Official test scores will be required if you are admitted. TOEFL scores must be at least 87 on the internet-based test or 7 or higher on the IELTS. These scores represent the minimum required for acceptance to a graduate program at UCLA. Please see the Graduate Division website for additional information.  

If you score 100 or higher on the TOEFL iBT, or 7.5 or higher on the IELTS, you do not need to take UCLA’s English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE). If you score less than 100 on the TOEFL iBT, or less than 7.5 on the IELTS, you are required, upon arrival at UCLA, to take the ESLPE. Depending on your results on the ESLPE, you may be required to complete up to two English as a Second Language courses, beginning in your first term at UCLA. If ESL courses are required, you should enroll as soon as possible to avoid scheduling conflicts.

Tuition costs associated with required ESL courses will be reimbursed to the student by the MQE.

No. Writing samples are not required and will not be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

A minimum grade point average (GPA) of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale), or its equivalent, in upper division undergraduate study and in graduate level study (if any), is required for graduate admission to any program at UCLA.

There is no minimum score requirement for the GRE.

Applicants who have completed three years of undergraduate course work, or the equivalent, are considered when they specify they have the remaining year of course work in progress, and describe the proposed course work for that year. Please submit your transcripts by the deadline, even if your fall term grades are not yet available.

The deadline to be considered for the 2025-26 program is March 15, 2025.  Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. Complete applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received.  Applicants who apply by November 1, 2024 will receive a response from the MQE program by December 15, 2024. Applicants who apply by December 1, 2024 will receive a response from the MQE program by February 15, 2025. All applications must be received by March 15, 2025.

If you have transferred institutions, the original transcripts from both schools must be submitted. For example, if you attended a community college then transferred to a four-year university, both transcripts must be submitted.

No, official transcripts are not needed during the initial stages of application. Please upload an unofficial copy of your transcripts to the online application. You will be contacted if official documents are needed.

The letters should be uploaded by the letter writer to the online application. If the letter writer is unable to upload the letter for some reason, there are two alternative options for submitting the letters of recommendation.

For either of these options to be accepted, you must first email the MQE Graduate Office for permission.

1) The writer may send in the letter by mail. Make sure the letter is printed on letterhead and both documents are sent in a sealed envelope.

2) The writer may e-mail the letter in PDF format directly to the MQE Graduate Office. The letter must be printed on letterhead.

Yes, application materials will be consolidated as they arrive.

Official transcripts are not needed during the initial stages of application. You will be contacted if official documents are needed.

If you are contacted, one official copy of your transcripts (and degree certificates, if applicable) must be sent directly from the registrar(s) of the academic institution(s) you have attended (beyond secondary school), or you may request official copies and mail them yourself in the sealed envelope provided by the issuing institution. Transcripts must be sent to:

Attn: Master of Quantitative Economics
UCLA Department of Economics
8276 Bunche Hall
Box 951477
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Please note that submitted records become the property of the University and cannot be returned. If you are a university/college senior, do not risk missing the deadline by waiting for senior-year grades to be posted before submitting your application and transcript. UCLA undergraduates are exempt from mailing official copies of UCLA transcripts.

International Applicants

Official transcripts are not needed during the initial stages of application. 

International applicants should submit transcripts in both the original language AND the authorized, complete, and exact English translation certified by the issuing institution. Degree and diploma certificates (or other evidence of conferral of all degrees, diplomas, or professional titles) must accompany the transcripts and must also be submitted in the original language AND in English. This evidence may be in the form of officially certified copies of the actual diploma, entries on official records or official statements from granting institutions. In all cases, the statement must include the exact, original title of the degree and the date of its formal conferral (month and year).

Unfortunately, we will not be able to update your application materials.

As a self-supporting program, the MQE is billed to veterans at the in-state tuition rate, and thus is eligible for tuition coverage under the Post 9/11 GI Bill® up to the amount of your eligibility percentage found on your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA. The cost of tuition for 2023-24 is $1,117.80per unit. Apply for your VA benefits by going online to either www.gibill.va.gov or www.eBenefits.va.gov. Visit www.vets.gov to apply online for veteran’s educational benefits.

Once your application is approved, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) which will list the benefit(s) you are eligible for. You can submit your certification for 9/11 Bill benefits by emailing UCLA’s Veterans Benefits Coordinator.