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WRDS (Wharton Research Data Services)

How to Get a WRDS Account

In order to use WRDS, you need to register for an account on the WRDS website. Opening a new account is simple and requires only a couple of minutes.

Step 1: Go to the WRDS Website

Navigate to https://wrds-www.wharton.upenn.edu/ and click on the Register button.

Step 2: Select Your Institution

In the first menu, select your university. For students of Utrecht University, select Utrecht University.

Step 3: Choose Your Affiliation

For Affiliation with Institution, select the option that best fits your role (e.g., Undergraduate, Masters, PhD, Faculty).

Step 4: Complete the Registration Form

Fill in the required details. Note that usernames are permanent and cannot be modified once you have requested your account. Check with your institution's representative if there are any username requirements before creating your account.

Step 5: Wait for Approval

After submitting your registration, you will receive an email with login instructions once the WRDS administrators approve your request. Approval may take up to 48 hours.

Important Notes

  • The default expiration for student accounts is 2 years.
  • WRDS policy prohibits undergraduate/master's students from accessing WRDS during the extended break between semesters. Accounts are temporarily disabled during this time and automatically re-enabled when the new semester begins.
  • If you need help accessing to a specific database or have questions, send an email to financedata.use@uu.nl with your name, position/degree programme (BSc/MSc), type of data required, and details of your request. Please be reminded help can be provided only within the database that the school already have access to. Database with restricted access can not be provided.

Getting Help

  • For support, click on Support > Contact WRDS Support on the WRDS website and fill out the form.

Accessing Data via the Python API

See the Basics of Using Python on WRDS Platform notebook for a hands-on guide covering:

  • Installing and connecting to WRDS with Python
  • Listing available databases and tables
  • Querying data with SQL
  • Joining multiple datasets
  • Exporting results to CSV, Excel, Stata, and pickle

For a full overview of all variables and tables, see the WRDS Data Dictionary.

Available Databases

See the Available Data page for a full overview of the databases accessible to Utrecht University via WRDS, organised by category.