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PhD programs in economics in Canada

23 programs at 23 Canadian universities. Every field below is transcribed from the university’s own page, linked on each row; a dash means that page does not state it, and a plus means the source says more than the cell shows. Ordered by RePEc/IDEAS, Top Institutions in Canada (June 2026), which covers only the top quarter of Canadian institutions — no number means unranked by it, not ranked last. Deadlines change every year — confirm on the official page before you rely on one.

Filter and search these programs on the main site, or browse economics jobs.

UniversityProgramLocationDeadlineLengthGREEnglish
University of British Columbia #1 PhD Economics Vancouver, British Columbia Dec 15+ 5 years Not stated TOEFL 93
IELTS 6.5
Deadline December 15 (application); December 22 (supporting documents)
Length Minimum 5 years, maximum 8.3, average 6.2 (based on 40 graduations 2021-2024)
Funding 'All full-time UBC PhD students receive, at a minimum, this amount of funding in each of the first four years: $40,000.' Median funding $46,889 before tuition and fees.
Entry grade Minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC)
English test TOEFL iBT 93 overall (min 22 each section); IELTS 6.5 overall (min 6.0 each)
Development economicsEconometrics (applied and theoretical)Environmental economicsIndustrial organizationInternational tradeLabour economics

Minimum enrolment 2 years for master's holders, 3 for bachelor's holders. Fields truncated to 6 of ~13.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Toronto #2 PhD Economics Toronto, Ontario Jan 15 4 years+ Required —
Deadline January 15, 2027 (application-fee payment date is the deadline)
Length Regular entry 4 years (6-year limit); direct entry 5 years (7-year limit)
Funding Base funding package of $31,552 plus tuition and incidental fees for the first five years; with additional TAships approximately $44,279-$48,205 plus tuition and fees
Entry grade Minimum B+ standing in an MA in economics (regular entry); minimum A- in the last two years of a bachelor's (direct entry)
English test Not stated
Behavioural EconomicsEconometricsEconomic DevelopmentFinancial EconomicsIndustrial OrganizationInternational Economics

GRE required for non-Canadian degree holders, strongly encouraged otherwise. Separate direct-entry and regular-entry streams. Fields truncated to 6 of 10.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Queen's University #4 PhD Economics Kingston, Ontario Feb 1+ 4 years+ Required TOEFL 88
IELTS 7
Deadline February 1 (online application); supporting documents by February 15. NOTE: another passage on the same page refers to 'the January 15th application deadline'.
Length Normally at least four years of full-time study; must be completed within seven years of initial registration
Funding 'Financial assistance ... typically includes a two-term Teaching Assistantship, and may also include a scholarship. All doctoral students are eligible to receive funding for the first four years in the program.'
Entry grade Admission normally requires an honours bachelor's plus a master's in economics; a 3.0 GPA must be maintained in-program
English test TOEFL 88 iBT (600 paper / 250 computer); IELTS 7; MELAB 80
Econometrics and Quantitative MethodsFinancial EconomicsIndustrial OrganizationInternational EconomicsLabour, Health, Education and WelfareMacroeconomics and Monetary Economics

INTERNAL CONFLICT on the department page: the deadline box says February 1, the transcript section says January 15 -- NEEDS MANUAL CHECK. GRE required only for non-Canadian/US degrees.

The university’s own pages disagree on this one — check before relying on it.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Western Ontario #5 PhD Economics London, Ontario Mar 1 Next cycle not posted yet — Required TOEFL 86
IELTS 6.5
Deadline March 1, 2026
Length —
Funding Canadian students: 'Guaranteed a support package of domestic tuition and fees plus a Graduate Teaching Assistant position, which for the 2026-2027 academic year amounts to $31,222, during the first 4 years of study'. International: equivalent package of $32,100 for 2026-2027, also first 4 years.
Entry grade At least a 78% average in the MA degree
English test TOEFL 86 iBT (no individual score below 20); IELTS 6.5/9

PAST INTAKE -- March 1, 2026 shown for 2026 entry. Candidates must provide evidence of research potential. September start only.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
McGill University #8 PhD Economics Montreal, Quebec Jan 15 Next cycle not posted yet 3 years Required —
Deadline January 15, 2026 -- 'Deadline for Receipt of Complete Application'. September registration only.
Length 6 mandatory terms of full-time residency (fall and winter of the first three years); registration may continue through summer of year 6
Funding 'Financial assistance from the Department most often comes in the form of a teaching or research assistantship.' No guaranteed stipend or number of years stated.
Entry grade Minimum acceptable CGPA 3.0/4.0; a master's in economics is normally required, with direct admission possible for exceptional bachelor's holders
English test Not stated
Microeconomic TheoryMacroeconomicsEconometricsFinancial econometricsLabour EconomicsDevelopment Economics

PAST INTAKE -- page still shows Jan 15, 2026. Students select two major fields and one minor field.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Simon Fraser University #9 PhD Economics Burnaby, British Columbia Jan 20+ Next cycle not posted yet — Required —
Deadline Applications open October 15, 2025; close January 20, 2026. Normally begins in September; occasionally January.
Length —
Funding 'Effective Fall 2024, every PhD student is guaranteed minimum funding as detailed in the SFU Graduate Program in Economics PhD Minimum Funding Policy.' The dollar amount is in a linked policy document, not on the page.
Entry grade Minimum cumulative GPA 3.5
English test Not stated

PAST INTAKE -- dates are for the Fall 2026 start. GRE required only for applicants studying outside Canada and the US, with no minimum score. Fields not listed; applicants directed to the faculty index.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
McMaster University #11 PhD Economics Hamilton, Ontario Jan 31+ — Not stated TOEFL 92
IELTS 6.5
Deadline Application portal opens November 15 and closes January 31
Length —
Funding 'The minimum annual financial assistance provided to a PhD student is $17,500 during each of first four years of doctoral study.'
Entry grade Master's in economics with a B+ average in master's study
English test TOEFL 92 iBT (580 paper / 237 computer); IELTS 6.5 (min 5.5 each category)
EconometricsExperimental EconomicsGrowth and Monetary EconomicsHealth EconomicsInternational EconomicsLabour Economics

Total length not stated; the page gives milestones only (comprehensives within 24 months, research paper within 27). Fields truncated to 6 of 8.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Calgary #12 PhD Economics Calgary, Alberta Jan 5+ 5 years+ Optional —
Deadline Applications open October 1; January 5 deadline for both Canadian/PR and international applicants
Length Five years full-time; six years maximum
Funding 'The Minimum Doctoral Stipend for students enrolled full time in the PhD program is $18,000 annually for four years.' 'There is no guaranteed funding after Year 4.'
Entry grade A minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 point system over the past two years of full-time study
English test Not stated
International tradeEnergy policyLabourRegulatory economicsFinancial economicsPublic economics

GRE strongly encouraged: at least 155 Quantitative and 3.5 Analytical Writing. The department stipend figure ($18,000) is lower than figures quoted on university funding pages -- department page recorded.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Ottawa #13 PhD Economics Ottawa, Ontario Feb 1+ 6 terms+ Not stated —
Deadline Canadian -- Fall: February 1. International -- Fall: December 1. Winter: not available.
Length Six terms of full-time enrolment required; typically four years, maximum five (seven for students transferring from the master's)
Funding —
Entry grade At least a B+ (75%) average at the MA or equivalent level -- competitive, not a guarantee
English test Not stated
Public EconomicsIndustrial OrganizationMonetary EconomicsInternational EconomicsEconomic DevelopmentEconometrics

'The Ph.D. program is offered jointly with Carleton University'; the thesis may be written and defended in English or French. Fields truncated to 6 of 8.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Carleton University #14 PhD Economics Ottawa, Ontario Feb 1 Next cycle not posted yet 5 years Not required TOEFL 100
IELTS 7.0
Deadline 'The application deadline for the fall 2026 admission is February 1, 2026' (department page). Graduate Studies table lists February 1 with no year.
Length 'The expected term to successfully complete the Ph.D. program is five years.'
Funding 'Funding is only available to full-time students.' May include teaching assistantships, graduate scholarships and entrance scholarships, but 'there is no guarantee of admissions or funding'.
Entry grade Master's degree in economics with a GPA of A- or higher
English test CAEL 70; TOEFL iBT 100 (min 24 each); IELTS 7.0 (min 6.5 per band); PTE 75; Duolingo 130
Economic developmentEnvironmental economicsIndustrial organizationInternational economicsMonetary economicsEconometrics

PAST INTAKE on the department page (fall 2026). The PhD is run jointly with the University of Ottawa. Fields truncated to 6 of 8.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) #15 Doctorat en economique Montreal, Quebec Mar 1+ 4 years+ Not stated —
Deadline Fall term: March 1 (international), April 1 (resident and Canadian). Winter term: no admission.
Length 4 years full-time (6 years part-time); 90 credits
Funding 'Bourse de soutien universel d'une valeur de 13 000 $ pour 3 ans' for all doctoral students meeting eligibility criteria, plus a bursary covering droits majores for full-time international students. Program page advertises up to '80 000 $ sur 4 ans pour les meilleurs candidats'.
Entry grade Master's in economics with an average of at least 3.2/4.3; or first year of the master's completed with at least 3.5/4.3
English test Not stated
MacroeconomicsMicroeconomicsInternational financeMonetary theoryEconometricsPublic economics

Fall admission only. Taught in French. The $13,000/3-year universal bursary is the only amount stated as applying to all eligible students.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
York University #16 PhD Economics Toronto, Ontario Jan 15+ — Not stated TOEFL 90
IELTS 7
Deadline Fall (domestic) 2027-06-15; Fall (international) 2027-01-15
Length —
Funding Faculty of Graduate Studies 'Standard Funding Packages by Program' lists Economics (PhD) as funded for both domestic and international students; no amount or number of years given.
Entry grade Minimum required GPA: B+
English test TOEFL iBT 90-91 (tests before January 2026) or 5 (January 2026 and after); IELTS 7; CAEL 65; Duolingo 130; PTE 67

Components are comprehensive examinations, a major research paper and a dissertation. Department graduate site unreachable, so length and fields could not be verified.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Guelph #17 PhD Economics Guelph, Ontario Jan 15+ — Not required —
Deadline January 15 (online application); February 1 (supporting documents)
Length 3+ years
Funding 'Full-time PhD students are offered guaranteed financial support in their offer of admission' -- teaching, research and service assistantships and scholarships for the duration of the program
Entry grade Master's with a focus on Economics, at least an A- average (80-84%)
English test Not stated
Applied microeconomicsDevelopment and growthEconometricsFinancial economicsResources, environment and energy

Applicants without a master's but an outstanding baccalaureate record may be admitted initially to the MA.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Alberta #18 PhD Economics Edmonton, Alberta Jan 15+ — Required TOEFL 92
IELTS 7.0
Deadline Applications open September 1 through January 15 each year; complete applications by midnight MT, February 1
Length Timeline laid out over years 1-5 or 6; no formal maximum stated
Funding 'All admitted students will receive funding of at least $28,000 per year for the first 4 years', comprised of teaching and research assistantships and scholarships. All PhD students are required to apply for a SSHRC Doctoral Scholarship worth $40,000.
Entry grade Equivalent of a master's in Economics with a GPA of at least 3.2 over all master's-level economics courses
English test TOEFL 92 (min band 21); IELTS 7.0 overall (min 6.5 each band)
Applied microeconomicsMacroeconomicsEconometricsEconomic theory

GRE required only for degrees from outside Canada. 'Applicants do not require a secured supervisor to apply.' First-round decisions by February 15.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Universite de Montreal #19 Doctorat en sciences economiques Montreal, Quebec — 4 years Not stated —
Deadline Du 1er aout 2026 au 1er fevrier 2027
Length 90 credits, 60 for the thesis; minimum 6 trimesters, maximum 15; four years with guaranteed funding, possible fifth
Funding Department page: guaranteed minimum 22 000 $ per year for 4 years, average 29 000 $ over the last five years, plus a 2 000 $ bonus for depositing the thesis before the 13th trimester. Central admission page instead advertises 'jusqu'a 20 000 $'.
Entry grade —
English test Not stated

CONFLICT -- department and central pages state different funding figures. Students choose two specialization fields in year two and may take inter-university courses at UdeM, McGill, UQAM and HEC Montreal.

The university’s own pages disagree on this one — check before relying on it.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Victoria #21 PhD Economics Victoria, British Columbia Jan 31 3 years+ Required TOEFL 90
IELTS 6.5
Deadline January 31 for September entry
Length 3 years ('This program is designed to be completed in 3 years.')
Funding 'PhD students typically receive 3 years of funding.' Offer normally included with admission; no stipend figure stated.
Entry grade 'A first-class A- (7.0) average in the last 2 years' (competitive standard)
English test TOEFL iBT 90 (min 20 per section); IELTS Academic 6.5 (no band below 6.0); MET 64
EconometricsEnvironmental and resource economicsLabour economicsIndustrial organizationDevelopment and growth

GRE required only for degrees from outside Canada/US. Department says 3 years, central page says 5 and Feb 1 -- department values recorded. Admits about 2-3 PhD students a year.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Universite Laval #22 Doctorat en economique Quebec City, Quebec Mar 1+ — Not stated —
Deadline Program page states only that deadlines vary by candidate type. University-wide: Fall 'Customized Research Master and PhD' April 15 (Canadian); international March 1, possibly extending to April 1.
Length 4 ans a temps complet, 90 credits
Funding —
Entry grade Moyenne de cheminement ou de diplomation egale ou superieure a 3,3 sur 4,33
English test Not stated

Taught in French; non-francophones need TCF tout public 600/699 plus 10/20 in written expression. Requires a maitrise en economique or a closely related mathematics-intensive discipline; a research director is found after the doctoral exam.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Waterloo #25 PhD Economics (Applied Economics) Waterloo, Ontario Feb 1 48 months Not required TOEFL 4.5
IELTS 7.0
Deadline February 1 (for admission in September)
Length 48 months
Funding —
Entry grade Minimum 80%, first class average in an MA Economics degree
English test TOEFL 4.5 (writing 5, speaking 5), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)
Public economic policyLabour economicsMacroeconomics and monetary economicsEconometricsNatural resources, environmental and health economics

Page states the Faculty of Arts is 'currently limiting the number of international students we can admit'. A parallel PhD field, Applied Economics - Water, is listed separately.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Dalhousie University #27 PhD Economics Halifax, Nova Scotia Jan 31 4-5 years Not stated —
Deadline Canadian and non-Canadian: application, fee and supporting documents received no later than January 31 for a September start
Length Typical time to complete is 4-5 years
Funding 'The Department offers funding in the form of scholarships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. All those who apply by January 31 are automatically considered for department funding.' No guaranteed amount.
Entry grade Course requirements for an MA in Economics (not Business) with an average of at least A- at Dalhousie standards
English test Not stated

Fields of specialization are open but applicants must name a primary field; supervisors are normally found after qualifying exams in year one.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Concordia University #30 PhD Economics Montreal, Quebec Jan 15+ 4 years Optional TOEFL 90
IELTS 6.5
Deadline Fall: February 1 (Canadian resident); January 15 (US and international)
Length 4 years
Funding Teaching assistantships offered to all full-time PhD students, subject to annual review; RA funding varies. Conference travel up to $200 within the first 15 terms. No guaranteed stipend amount.
Entry grade 3.50 cumulative GPA (4.3 scale) at the MA level, with 'A' standing in core courses
English test TOEFL iBT 90 (no part under 20); or IELTS 6.5 (no band under 6.5)
Applied econometricsLabour economicsMonetary economicsFinancial economicsGame theory

PhD candidates must pass an examination in French (international students may substitute another language). Minimum residence two calendar years beyond the master's.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
Toronto Metropolitan University #31 PhD Economics Toronto, Ontario Jan 19 Next cycle not posted yet — Not stated TOEFL 93
IELTS 7.0
Deadline First Consideration Date: Monday Jan. 19, 2026. Fall intake only.
Length —
Funding 'All students are automatically considered for a funding package of up to $21,000/year plus all tuition fees covered by the program in each of their first five years.' CERC Migration up to $25,000/year for four years; Bridging Divides up to $30,000 domestic / $40,000 international.
Entry grade 3.33/4.33 (B+) or equivalent in master's studies
English test TOEFL iBT 93 / IELTS 7.0 / CAEL 70 / PTE 63 / Duolingo 130
International economicsFinancial econometricsDevelopment economics

PAST INTAKE -- dates page still shows Fall 2026. Program length not stated, though funding covers the first five years.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Saskatchewan #41 PhD Applied Economics Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Sep 15 4 years Optional —
Deadline 'Applications must be completed by January 15th' (open September 15) for the following September
Length 4 years (thesis-based)
Funding 'Funding is available and all students that are admitted to the program are automatically considered for funding.' No guaranteed amount stated.
Entry grade 'A cumulative weighted average of at least 70% ... in the last two years of study'
English test Not stated on the program page; USask minimum is TOEFL iBT 86 (19 each area) or IELTS Academic 6.5
Applied econometricsBehavioural and experimental economicsEnvironmental and resource economicsFinance and financial economicsHealth and labour economicsInternational economics

USask's only economics doctorate -- collaborative across Economics, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Edwards School of Business and Johnson Shoyama. GRE/GMAT recommended for all, required without a Canadian/US degree.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.
University of Manitoba #47 PhD Economics Winnipeg, Manitoba Jan 15+ 4 years Not stated TOEFL 86
IELTS 6.5
Deadline January 15 (Canadian and US), December 1 (international); September entry only
Length 4 years (expected)
Funding —
Entry grade Master's with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the last two years of full-time study
English test Not on the program page; FGPS minimum is TOEFL iBT 86 (20 each area) or IELTS Academic 6.5
Public policyLabourEconomic developmentFamily and genderIndustrial relationsFinancial economics

Entry requires an MA in economics or agricultural economics equivalent to UM's. No guaranteed funding stated.

Checked 2026-08-01 — source.