Admissions

The Ph.D. program admits students for enrollment only in the fall semester. We typically enroll two or three students each year.

Application Deadline

The deadline for fall admission is January 1.

This deadline reflects the deadline for receipt of all your supporting materials at the department office, so please plan accordingly. Admissions materials may be submitted up to one year in advance.

Admission Requirements

Academic Achievement

The minimum acceptable GPA for graduate students is 3.0. Most applicants have GPAs of 3.6 or higher. We will consider your undergraduate GPA as well as your GPA in any graduate degree programs.

A background in marketing is not required. Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree, but this degree may be in any discipline. It is beneficial to have some familiarity with marketing, but it is typically more important to have a background in the theory and methods relevant for your particular area of focus (e.g., cognitive/social psychology and research methods for behavioral research; economics or statistics for quantitative/analytical research).

An MBA or other advanced degree is not required. Graduate degrees may be useful if you can demonstrate that they are directly connected to your proposed area of study, but they are not necessary.

Standardized Test Scores

All applicants, regardless of academic background, work experience, or country of residence, must include an official GMAT or GRE score with their application. GMAT or GRE are both acceptable. Competitive applicants typically have scores of 670+ on the GMAT, 1350+ on the old GRE, or 320+ on the new GRE. Students with lower test scores may occasionally be admitted, but only if they are outstanding on other admissions criteria. GRE or GMAT tests must have been taken within the last five years.

International students must also submit an English proficiency test. Check the UF Admissions website for a list of acceptable test, minimum scores, and possible exemptions. TOEFL tests must have been taken within the last two years.

Letters of Recommendation

The applicant must submit letters of recommendation from three faculty members or others familiar with the academic potential of the applicant. Letters should speak primarily to the academic prowess of the applicant.

Application Process

To apply to the Ph.D. program, applicants must submit their materials to the UF Office of Admissions (Step 1 below). In some cases (see below), additional materials will need to be sent directly to the Department of Marketing (Step 2 below).

Foreign transcripts are evaluated by the UF Office of Admissions, which will also handle any technical questions related to your application.

Note: We realize that in certain countries, obtaining an official transcript may be costly or slow. In such cases, an applicant may submit an unofficial transcript in the first instance, for initial review by the department. If the applicant is shortlisted by the department for further consideration, the applicant will need to submit the official transcript at that time. Final admission decisions cannot be made before all the official documents, including transcripts and test scores, have reached the university.

Step 1: Apply Online to UF Graduate Admissions

You will need to provide:

  • An Application for Admission, including personal information, residency classification, statement of conduct, and self-reported GPA.
  • An application fee.
  • Official GRE or GMAT scores. You should arrange to have ETS submit your test scores for either the GRE (institution code 5812) or GMAT (institution code J7Z5J59) to UF admissions.
  • Official English Proficiency test score. If you are an international student who has not met the University’s exemption criteria, you must have an official English Proficiency test score transmitted to the University directly by the testing agency. Accepted tests include TOEFL (institution code 5812) and IELTS. Please address any technical questions directly to UF Admissions.
  • Official transcripts. You should arrange to have official transcripts sent from each post-secondary institution you attended. International students must submit these documents in the original language, accompanied by an English translation and degree statement, if applicable (including course titles and any interpretative materials such as GPA translation tables).
    The address for UF Admissions is:

    • UF Office of Admissions
      PO Box 114000 (201 Criser Hall)
      Gainesville, FL 32611-4000
  • Curriculum vita (or résumé) containing information about your academic experience, relevant classes taken, honors and awards, and anything else that demonstrates your preparation for a research program. Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Please ensure this information is also included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé.
  • Statement of purpose. The goal of this document is to inform us (1) why you want a Ph.D. in marketing, (2) why you want to study at our marketing department, and (3) what qualities make you especially well-suited for our program. You should convey what skills you possess that will enable you to become a productive researcher in the field of marketing. This may include prior research experience, relevant academic background, useful skills, and the like.
  • Any other documents that would allow us to judge your prior research experience. This may include research papers, undergraduate research, or any other material. Depending on the number of supporting items you wish to upload, you may need to combine several of them into a single file.

Step 2 optional: Send Additional Materials to the Department of Marketing

In some cases, applicants wish to include additional materials in their application, beyond the online system’s capacity or after the application deadline (e.g., a new research manuscript, CV updates, a recommendation letter, etc.). Such materials can be emailed directly to the Department of Marketing’s PhD program or the Graduate Coordinator.

Physical materials should be sent to:

Ph.D. Program
Department of Marketing
P.O. Box 117155
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-7155

After You Have Applied

We will evaluate the pool of applicants starting January 1. Given the large number of applications, we ask that you do not contact us about your status – we will let you know as soon as we have made a decision. If you are selected as a candidate of interest, we may invite you to visit our department (at our expense) during February or March to further assess your potential fit with the department. We typically ask admitted students to inform us of their decision by April 15.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to provide financial information?

Financial documents are not required for application.

Do you admit students in the spring?

No, we only admit students in the fall of each year.

What do you look for in an applicant?

We look for applicants who are smart, well-prepared, research-focused, and motivated to contribute important insights to the field of marketing. Your academic history, test scores, and transcripts allow us to judge your level of preparation for our program. Your statement of purpose and letters of recommendation will ideally speak to all these criteria and help to determine if you and the department are a good fit.

When will I hear whether I have been accepted?

We will notify you by mail or email around the first week of March.

Questions?

Dr. Aner Sela
Ph.D. Coordinator
Email Aner