The goal of the PhD program at the Leeds School of Business is to prepare students for careers in research and teaching at major universities so applicants are evaluated on their prospects of becoming leading scholars. Admission decisions are made based on a variety of factors including previous academic performance, work experience, test scores, letters of recommendation, research interests, and any other activities that present evidence of tenacity and scholarly potential.

Our faculty look for applicants who have a strong command of research skills, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong applicants are intellectually curious and highly motivated by academic inquiry. We are committed to increasing ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity among our faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal opportunity to all students.

Our application closed on December 1, 2023. Thank you for understanding that we do not accept requests for late submissions. We invite you to apply when our application reopens in July 2024 for Fall 2025 admissions.

How to Apply

Plan ahead when submitting your online application and application materials to allow time for all materials to arrive by the deadline. There is no guarantee that incomplete applications will be considered for admissions. For questions about our admission and application process, please check our Frequently Asked Questions.

The average GMAT and GRE scores for admitted students for fall 2023 are 715 and 320, respectively. We do not have GMAT/GRE score minimums.
The average GMAT and GRE scores for applications received for consideration for fall 2023 admissions are 705 and 323, respectively.

A complete application consists of the following items. All of these materials must be submitted by the application deadline.

  • Completed and submitted online application
  • Application fee
  • Starting fall 2020, the Leeds PhD Program will allow applicants to take and submit online official GMAT or GRE test scores across all program area. ALL applicants must submit official GMAT or GRE scores that are less than 5 years old. Official scores must be sent directly to us by the testing agencies. GRE scores should be sent to school code 4841. GMAT scores should be sent to code 11S-Z2-41. Please schedule your test early enough to allow time for your official scores to reach us by our application deadline.
  • Personal statement of 1–3 pages that explicitly addresses your research interests as well as your career objectives. If you are aware of specific faculty members with whom you would like to conduct research, please list them and explain why you would like to work with them.
  • One set of unofficial transcripts from each institution for all higher education you have completed regardless of whether you received a degree. While credits from one institution may appear on the transcript of a second institution, unofficial transcripts must be submitted from each institution, regardless of the length of attendance, and whether or not courses were completed.  This includes community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs. Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended is considered to be a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of your admission or dismissal from the university. ONLY after you are recommended for admission will you need to provide official transcripts. Instructions for Uploading Unofficial Transcripts to Your Application.
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Resume or CV
  • The Leeds PhD Program requires English proficiency testing regardless of the number of years you have studied in the United States. The language requirement will be waived if your native language is English. International applicants should submit official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores that are less than 2 years old. TOEFL scores should be sent to school code 4841. To report your official Duolingo scores, please click ‘Send Results’ from inside the application, and then choose, ‘University of Colorado Boulder – graduate.’ Please schedule your test early enough to allow time for your official scores to reach us by our application deadline. For more information about English language requirements, please click here.
    Minimum TOEFL score required is 100
    Minimum IELTS score required is 7.0
    Minimum Duolingo score required is 120