Kellogg Doctoral Program

• PhD Overview
• Programs
• Admissions
  • Applicant Profile
  • Application Process
  • Application Requirements and Checklist
  • Reapplication and Internal Transfers
  • Financial Aid and Expenses
  • Decision Process
  • Admissions Statistics
  • Recruiting Forum
  • Frequently Asked Questions
• Research
• Student Life
• Community Resources and Housing

If you have applied to a PhD program at the Kellogg School in the past two years, the PhD office may still have your application on file. If you wish to reapply using the same materials, please verify that the file is available by contacting the PhD Program Office by e-mail.

If new materials are available, re-applicants should:

• Complete a NEW online application through ApplyYourself and submit the application fee;
• Submit an updated statement of purpose;
• Submit one new letter of recommendation;
• Submit updated résumé;
• Submit new test scores (if applicable) for GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and/or IELTS;
• Submit updated transcripts or grades not contained in the previous application.

Because of the competitive nature of PhD study and the rather large applicant pool (more than 800 applications were received for fall 2009.), the admissions committee does not encourage an applicant to reapply unless there has been a significant change in his or her credentials, such as additional coursework or a much-improved GRE or GMAT score.

Internal Transfers & Students Seeking Readmission
Any current or previously admitted Northwestern student who was registered for at least two quarters at the Graduate School may be considered for another graduate program through a program transfer or readmission to Northwestern. A transfer student is defined as a currently enrolled student. A former student (one who was enrolled in and/or received a degree through Northwestern's Graduate School) can also be considered for the Kellogg School’s doctoral program and ask for readmission to Northwestern. (Please note that students enrolled in a Kellogg MBA Program are NOT considered transfer students because they were not admitted through Northwestern's Graduate School.)

At Kellogg, transfer and readmission requests are considered for the upcoming fall quarter only. Students who meet the above criteria should submit their admission requests and supporting documents to Kellogg by the standard application deadline — December 31.

Submission Process for Transfer Students
Transfer students DO NOT complete the online application form or pay the application fee again. They have already been admitted to Northwestern University through the Graduate School. The Graduate School will forward a copy of any undergraduate and graduate transcripts submitted with the student's previous application as well as any test scores (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS). The Graduate School will also provide a copy of the student's current Northwestern transcript.

To be considered for admission, transfer students should do the following:

Complete the Department Transfer form. This form should be submitted to the Graduate School for processing.
Submit the following documents to Kellogg:

• Statement of purpose
• Two (2) letters of recommendation (Please note that letters of recommendation from a previous application are destroyed, so there are no letters on file with the Graduate School.)
• New test scores (if applicable) for GRE or GMAT
• Résumé

Please note: For a student seeking a departmental transfer, the student's current department WILL NOT be notified of the student's interest in a transfer. If the student is admitted into the new program, the student's current program will be notified that the student will withdraw.

Submission Process for Students Seeking Readmission
Students seeking readmission to Northwestern DO NOT complete the online application form or pay the application fee again. They have been admitted through the Graduate School once before, so there is no need to submit another application. To be considered for admission, students should do the following:

Complete the Readmission form. This form should be submitted to the Graduate School for processing.
Submit the following documents to Kellogg:

• Statement of purpose
• One official transcript documenting each course taken beyond high-school level, whether or not within a degree program; this includes coursework done at the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Two (2) letters of recommendation
• New test scores (if applicable) for GRE or GMAT; TOEFL or IELTS
• Résumé