Every year, October is the peak time for future PhD candidates in economics to start applying for their first-choice positions. For those students who want to stay in their current institutions, the process may be fairly straightforward. However, for candidates seeking opportunities internationally or simply at a different university, the prospect and the process may be somewhat more daunting.

Doing an economics PhD can be full of challenges and difficulties. Here we look at some of the personal qualities that will help you continue making progress when you encounter a problem.

Our favorite caricature of a post-doctoral researcher: a frail man (or woman) with unkempt hair, hunched in front of a computer screen, with a half-filled cup of coffee by his side. As the coffee gets colder and time flies by, he appears oblivious to his surroundings. He is happy spending long hours at his desk conceptualizing arcane theory on obscure topics the real world does not care about. He is in a state of eternal "tapasya" – meditating on his eternal love-affair with knowledge…because life is an eternal quest for knowledge! Or, so the world believes. Once the PhD has been completed, and freshly-minted researchers decide that research is what they would like to do for the rest of their lives, their friends and family might start assuming that a Doctor of Philosophy is just another armchair intellectual.

A PhD is a life choice. One of the crucial factors that a potential graduate student should account for is that doing a PhD in the US can be a completely different experience from doing a PhD in Italy, Germany, or elsewhere in Europe.

Doing an economics PhD will make you an expert in your research topic, but, beyond that, it will also teach you a number of valuable lessons which are applicable to other jobs and your personal life. Here are some of the most useful lessons that you'll learn from undertaking your own independent research project. If you plan to start your PhD application this autumn, download our free guide "How to successfully apply to a PhD in Economics".

Doing an economics PhD can feel like an all-encompassing task, but it's important for your well-being that you have a social life during this time as well. It can be hard to balance the two, but if you don't, you may find yourself overwhelmed and not able to enjoy your time researching and writing as much. Here are tips on balancing your PhD with your social life.

Due to COVID-19, PhD applicants over the past two years have had quite difficult application periods. It seems common now for students to apply to a range of universities and not be accepted to any of them. In fact, even without this exogenous pandemic factor, admission to economics PhD programs has been becoming increasingly difficult as a result of the excess supply of PhD applicants.

If you're going abroad for your studies, either for a few weeks or a few months, you'll need to deal with some practical issues. One such practical concern is finding student housing – how can you find international student housing when you're not currently in the country? To help you through this, we're sharing some tips on how to find a place to live while you're studying abroad.

A PhD can be a very expensive endeavor regardless of your background. There are many funding opportunities to finance your economics PhD and they are all worth considering prior to committing to a specific program. Remember that there are options, and that ultimately most graduate programs will view you as an asset based on what you can give back to the program through research, assisting other professors, or even obtaining grants. So, although you’re competing to get into their programs, they should also be “competing” to offer you the most options for financing. If you plan to start your PhD application this autumn, you can also download our free guide "How to successfully apply to a PhD in Economics".

Learning shouldn't only be something which you do in school and university – in order to maximize your personal development and career prospects in economics, further education is always valuable online and in-person.

Chiara Yates, professor of economics at Southern New Hampshire University, offers advice to aspiring economists navigating their studies and the early stages of their career. The following article first appeared in the INOMICS Handbook 2022. Download the INOMICS Handbook

Your phone is one of the most useful tools you’ve got. Using the technology accessible to us is a great way to keep abreast of economics research, enhance studying, and remain up-to-date with economics-related news. Most of the apps listed below are available on tablets too, so you can download them on whichever device is more appropriate for you.

In spite of all its distracting qualities, your phone is one of the most useful tools you’ve got, whether you’re studying or working in the field. It’s simply a question of how you use it. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of apps that are helpful for economists to have. They can help you find data, stay up to date, and crunch numbers on the go. INOMICS takes part in the Apple affiliate program. This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn money through any qualifying purchases made after you click through. However, this is not a sponsored post.

Online learning is not a novelty anymore. During the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown, many institutions were forced to invest in their online program offerings - or simply adjust their courses to be online-friendly. But sometimes it’s nice to learn without having to fully commit to a long program. Other times, learning from a different source can help new concepts make sense, or can refresh the memory.

Whether you want to learn about a new topic, to brush up on your skills, or to meet more people in your economics field, summer schools are an ideal opportunity for you. Many reputable universities run intensive but stimulating summer courses that give students the chance to increase their academic standing.

Esteemed economist, Berkeley Professor, and friend of INOMICS, Edward Miguel generously took time out of his busy schedule to take part in the fourth INOMICS Handbook Questionnaire. Opposite him in his customary role of quizmaster was Professor Marcel Fratzscher, president of the DIW Berlin, and one of Germany’s leading voices in macroeconomics. Observing tradition, and as a nod to those involved, the encounter has been dubbed ‘Fratzscher v Miguel’.  What took place was both in-depth and personal, the conversation ranging from the beauty of Hawaii and gender bias in economics, all the way to wealth taxes and COVID-19. For anyone connected to economics, especially those starting out, this one is not to be missed.  

Economics PhDs are aware of the transferable skills they should master to land a job in industry. But what about the reverse: is prior industry experience valuable for a PhD program?

Choosing your master's program is a big decision – with so many courses available, how can you find the right one for you? We're here to help by sharing a selection of great master's programs that you can find on INOMICS.

If you're looking to choose an economics PhD program, it's important to consider options that match your research interests and personal style. We list a selection of the best PhD programs in economics that are offered by European universities, to help you find the right postgraduate program for you.

“I am an economist,” I once proudly mentioned at a party, in a round of small talk. “Oh, so you do a lot of money counting and financial reporting?” was the reply I heard, like so many economics graduates before me. “Nah, let’s leave that to the business and finance professionals,” I answered. But what do real economists do exactly?