Economics programs are among the most popular on educations.com. That's why we decided to make it easier for our visitors to find the right program for them in this highly competitive field of study.
We've worked backwards from traditional rankings with our own twist. Since the US and UK dominate the rankings, we wanted to show you a broader view of what the world has to offer and put more emphasis on some of the factors you think are important for you, such as the desirability of the location and a significant number of international students.
Read on for our top picks for international students interested in studying economics:conomics:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology , USA
Ranked 1st in the world in economics in 2017 by the QS Rankings, MIT offers a renowned undergraduate and graduate program in economics. Head faculty teach introductory courses to new undergraduates and are encouraged to develop their research skills with programs such as the Undergraduate Research Opportunities program that connects them to a network of graduate students and of faculty members. MIT's student body is 34% international, and their graduates are often employed by international and national organizations, making it a highly desirable university for students around the world.
Harvard University , USA
Ranked 2nd in the world for economics, Harvard has produced a number of Nobel laureates in economics. The department sponsors more than 15 seminars per week on a range of topics in economics by top international and US scholars. The university welcomed 9,851 international students in 2016-2017 and truly attracts talent from around the world with their international students coming from 153 countries.
Aiming to attract students and scholars from around the world, their international office offers a wide range of services such as employment, visas and tax assistance. Their homestay program, which connects international graduate students and Boston residents, has been helping students discover their new home since 1962.
Harvard University offers a range of internships and research assistantships for undergraduate economics students as well as research funding opportunities.
London School of Economics and Political Science, Royaume-Uni
Home to one of the largest economics departments in the world, the London School of Economics and Political Science is ranked first in the UK and 5th in the world for economics.
A true international experience, LSE's student body is 71% international and the campus is located in the heart of the metropolitan city of this highly diverse capital, ensuring a unique international experience.
LSE supports its international students with a student visa advisory team to help some of the world's most talented students sift through the paperwork and get started on their studies. Research in the Economics Department often focuses on global issues such as climate change and economic development, making it an ideal choice for economists seeking a global perspective.
University of Oxford , UK
Ranked 7th in the world for its economics programme, Oxford welcomed its first international student in 1190 and today has an international student population of 38%.
Seeking to promote a level playing field for emerging talent, the application path for international students is exactly the same as for UK students. International students receive support from immigration services as well as help with organizing interviews, course admission tests and an English assessment.
Members of their economics department serve as officials and advisors to many international and national organizations and committees. In the most recent UK research assessment, REF 2014, Oxford was ranked first in terms of overall research strength, with more research results ranked as world leaders in terms of originality, rigor and importance than any other economics department in the UK.
Erasmus School of Economics , Netherlands
Ranked 44th in the world and 12th in Europe for Economics and Econometrics by QS, Erasmus School of Economics international students make up 30% of its student body.
Erasmus School of Economics has two scholarships dedicated specifically to non-EEA students, making it clear that they are interested in recruiting global academic talent. Incoming students at the school tackle two issues that are most difficult for incoming students: visa processes and finding accommodation.
If you live halfway around the world and can't visit all the campuses you want before applying, Erasmus University, of which the Erasmus School of Economics is a part, has launched a virtual experience that invites students to visit campus, classrooms, and student housing online.
University of Melbourne , Australia
Ranked 1st in Australia and 25th in the world for economics, the University of Melbourne has attracted 40% international students. The University of Melbourne has taught economics since 1855. The university has a number of specialist research centres, including an experimental economics laboratory which tests theories in a controlled laboratory environment.
International students get a free pick-up service from the airport, and you can access housing, financial, and well-being support when moving to Melbourne.
ETH Zurich, Suisse
ETH Zurich is ranked 35th in the world and 1st in Switzerland in economics. Its master's program in management, technology and economics, with its cross-industry collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking, makes it special. Students have the option of combining their economics studies with an industrial internship of at least 10 weeks. ETH Zurich has 38% international students.
With a well-developed research arm, the department conducts basic and applied research in management, economics, innovation, systems dynamics and risk. Much of their research aims to improve understanding of technology in organizations, societies and economies. ETH Zurich is interested in innovative teaching methods in addition to research and continuously seeks feedback on course content and teacher performance in order to develop their programs based on student feedback.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology , China
If you are looking to study abroad at a young and modern university, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology offers international students a lively student lifestyle and an excellent gateway to China. Their economics department was ranked 24th in the world and 2nd in Asia. More than 60 nationalities are represented in their student body and 80% of their professors come from top foreign universities.
Their economics department focuses on economic growth and development, Chinese economics, industrial organization, econometrics, and international economics and sponsors regular workshops with top global scholars.
As an elite research-based university, students still benefit from experiential learning with 70% of their graduates participating in internships.
Canada
University of Toronto, Canada
Ranked 21st in the world and 1st in Canada for its economics department, the University of Toronto offers economics students an internationally recognized degree. Recruiters from 21 countries rank University of Toronto graduates among the top three public universities for work-ready graduates.
Faculty members research and teach a wide range of areas of economics that cover theory, applied data analysis, and econometric methodology. Economics students studying at the U of T are encouraged to collaborate and undertake codisciplinary studies with the faculties of law and management.
Their student body comes from 168 countries and regions and, showing their commitment to international students, they award the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships to outstanding scholars from around the world.
Bocconi University , Italy
Ranked 16th in the world and 1st in Italy for economics, their department eagerly recruits the best international professors from around the world. In addition to teaching and research, some members of the Economics Department have been chosen as consultants for international organizations such as the IMF, UN and World Bank.
Although Bocconi's percentage of international students is 11%, they are actively involved in helping international students have a great study abroad experience. They offer a series of services and activities to help new students upon their arrival and throughout their studies. This includes a crash course and a follow-up course in Italian to help new international students have a rewarding experience in Milan. Help find housing, academic counseling services, and a host of orientation activities to help international students acclimate to campus. Moreover,
Selection criteria
The universities included in our “Top 10 Universities to Study Economics” list have been chosen for a variety of qualitative factors that we hope will help international students find their ideal university abroad.
Factors include the percentage of international students enrolled in the university and the services provided to them before, during and after their studies, including the availability of internships and extracurricular activities. We also considered the university's global and national rankings, the popularity of the study abroad destination, and the host country's openness to international students, including ease of applying for visas students.
Wherever possible, we have considered student reviews as well as private reviews emailed to educations.com which indicate the first levels of service provided to prospective international students.
We have also done our best to include universities of different sizes located in different countries to expose prospective international students to a wider variety of study options available around the world.
The rankings mentioned in the report refer to the QS Economics & Econometrics 2017 ranking . The percentage of international students was referenced by Times Higher Education in December 2017.
Finally, we researched, whenever possible, the employment percentage of international students after graduation and the emphasis placed on programs to prepare students for an increasingly changing world.
