Dear Prospective Student,

Thank you for your interest in the International and Development Economics (IDE) program at Yale. I
am the administrator for the program and I am happy to answer your questions.

Below you will find some general information about the IDE program, a one-year, full-time Yale
Graduate School program which awards a Master of Arts degree in International and Development
Economics upon successful completion. IDE does not allow for part-time study.

The program is designed to provide rigorous understanding of the economic theory necessary for
economic policy analysis. To graduate from the program, students must satisfactorily complete a program
of eight graduate courses: six required/core courses and two elective courses. The 2017-2018 required
courses are Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics and Econometrics, Poverty Alleviation:
Evidence from Experimental Evaluations, Advanced Economic Development and Development
Econometrics. For electives, IDE students are free to choose any graduate level class from the Yale’s
many graduate schools: School of Management, the Law School, the Forestry School, Epidemiology and
Public Health, and the Political Science Department are popular choices.

The IDE program is heavily analytic, therefore, prospective students should have previous training in
economics equivalent to an undergraduate major in economics or a strong background in quantitative
methods. Most students usually come into the program having taken at least four or more economics
courses and have math skills equivalent to calculus. We admit students who have taken courses in
multivariate calculus, probability and statistics, econometrics, and give preference to people who have
had linear (matrix) algebra. Applicants are also expected to provide evidence of strong interest in the
fields of International Economics and Development Economics. For example, these people have
volunteered or have done some work in a developing country or have worked or interned at the World
Bank, IMF or another international agency.

Some students entering the program are required to complete the summer program in English and
Mathematics for Economists offered by Yale University. This requirement may be waived for applicants
demonstrating exceptional training in economic analysis and a good command of English.

The IDE students are a diverse group, from all countries and from all post-baccalaureate backgrounds. In
the past, many of the students entering the IDE program were early career professionals in the public or
private sectors in developing countries. In the past five years, however, approximately three-quarters of
each class come directly to Yale from undergraduate schools and have little or no work experience.
Graduates of the IDE program go in many directions: some return to jobs in their funding agencies, such
as government ministries, planning agencies, and central banks. Others pursue jobs in private firms and
think tanks, as well as the larger policy and research organizations such as the UN, the World Bank,
IFPRI, and the IMF, in addition to NGO’s around the world. Some opt to pursue further graduate
education such as a PhD or professional degree.

There is no minimum GPA (grade point average) requirement. Score reports for the GRE and TOEFL
and/or IELTS are required of all applicants. http://gsas.yale.edu/admissions/required-examinations.
Transcripts must be made available in translation if the original is not in English.
See for waiver of TOEFL

Three letters of recommendation are required from individuals who can evaluate your academic work,
intellectual ability, and/or academic potential for graduate work. At least one recommendation should be
by a faculty member of the last institution you attended as a full-time student. The on-line application
requires that you list e-mail address for your recommenders or the application cannot be submitted. Once
entered in your online application, an automatic e-mail instructions will be sent to your recommenders.
Letters will be electronically received by Yale and uploaded to your online application.

A statement of purpose or personal statement is also required. You are advised to include details
about your professional and personal goals. How does the IDE program relates to those goals, what are
your personal and professional interests and why would you be a good fit for the program? The essay
should talk about what characteristics define you, what your beliefs are and what you want to achieve
after your year at Yale. It's also important to write about your interest in the field of international
development and any related internships, volunteer, study abroad or research experiences. The personal
statement must be uploaded to your application at the time you submit it; it should be between 500-1000
words. A “writing sample” is not required.

A financial statement will be part of your online application, along with a supplementary statement
(usually from your bank) showing that you are financially able to support your year at Yale. If an
individual or your parents will be paying for your studies, then the statement should come from them and,
if possible, it should include a document from their bank proving that they are financially able to support
your study at Yale. Unfortunately, there are no Yale scholarship funds available for this program. Many
students come to the IDE program with sponsorship funds from their employer, their government or by
securing loans from banking institutions or family. International applicants may apply for the Yale
International Loan or any loan of their choice. Contact Yale’s Financial Aid Office for loan information;
their email address is gradfinaid@yale.edu and telephone number is 203-432-2739.

The cost of tuition for the 2017-2018 school year is $42,000 and living expenses for New Haven are
approximately $23,000 per single student. Tuition increases yearly by approximately 4% per year. For
this academic year, 265 applications were reviewed, 54 were offered placement and 29 have
enrolled. Class size ranges from 20 to 29 each year.

Please refer to the IDE website for more information on the IDE program.

Application procedures for IDE can be found on the Yale Graduate School’s website.
Application process: http://gsas.yale.edu/admissions/application-process
Policies and Procedures: http://gsas.yale.edu/admissions/admissions-policies-procedures
Required Examinations: http://gsas.yale.edu/admissions/required-examinations

I hope this information has been helpful.

Sincerely,

Wendy Lewis
Economic Growth Center
27 Hillhouse Avenue
Room 18
New Haven, CT 06511
Wendy.lewis@yale.edu
Tel: 203-432-3610