Overview
Start date: September 2025.
Duration: 12 months (Full-time only).
Fees: UK - £47,100 (per annum). Overseas - £47,100 (per annum). Scholarships available.
Application deadline: Applications open from 14 October 2024 and close as follows - Applicants who require a visa: applications close on 04 April 2025 at 17:00 UK time, Applicants who do not require a visa: applications close on 29 August 2025 at 17:00 UK time.
Entry: A quantitative undergraduate degree at 2:1 Honours (or equivalent) from a recognised university. Applicants are also required to meet the Level 2 English Language requirements. Learn more.
Location: This programme is delivered at our Canary Wharf campus.
Important updates: Please note that the MSc Finance programme has been redeveloped for 2025 entry. Please take time to review the page in its entirety as well as other finance postgraduate offerings at UCL School of Management such as the MSc Finance with Data Science.
Programme
The Finance MSc programme offers world-class generalist training in finance. It provides you with a deep understanding of finance principles, financial practices, and analytical techniques. It combines theory and practice in a variety of finance-related topics, giving you a solid financial foundation and equipping you with the skills required to succeed as a finance professional.
This full-time programme is delivered by UCL School of Management and UCL’s Department of Economics.
Organisations seek talent who can bring core knowledge and critical thinking from the outset, and the MSc Finance programme is designed to equip ambitious students with the knowledge and decision-making skills to work for leading financial firms around the world.
The Finance MSc programme curriculum is closely aligned with the CFA® curriculum and covers most of the topics included in CFA® Level 1 and Level 2. Although our programme is not designed, per se, as a specific preparation for the CFA® exam, it focuses on the underlying scientific foundations (and, in place, lack thereof).
Programme structure
You will study four core modules in Term 1, providing a robust quantitative underpinning in key areas of finance. In Term 2, a further two core modules are studied, again reflecting a quantitative thrust. An optional module portfolio is offered, with four optional modules which can be undertaken in Term 2 and/or Term 3. The optional modules enable you to develop your interests in specialist areas and begin to mark out your career path.
Additionally, in Term 3 and during the summer, you will work on a concrete finance research project (such as a company valuation or the in-depth assessment of an investment strategy) supported by specific briefing and follow-up sessions.
The optional modules listed are subject to change each year and are indicative only. For questions about optional modules, please contact us at: mgmt-finance@ucl.ac.uk.
MODULES
Programme for Students Starting Year 1 in September 2025
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 and over the summer period |
|---|---|---|
|
Compulsory Financial Econometrics and Data Corporate Issuers and Equity Valuation Financial Statement Analysis Quantitative Methods
|
Compulsory Derivatives Portfolio Management Optional (Group A) Valuation Hedge Fund Strategies Behavioural Finance (Group C) Influence and Negotiations Strategy and Project Management Data Visualisation Retail and Consumer Entrepreneurship
|
Compulsory Finance Research Project Optional (Group B) Further Quantitative Methods International Macroeconomics and Finance
|
You can choose a minimum of one and a maximum of three optional modules from Group A; a minimum of one and a maximum of two optional modules from Group B; and a maximum of one optional module from Group C.
Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available. Please check this page again soon for more information.
Teaching Methods and Typical Contact Hours
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars. Assessment is through written examinations, individual/group coursework, and a combination of written report and a viva for the research project.
Each taught module in Terms 1 and 2 is delivered over 10 weeks, with 3 contact hours per week comprising lecture content and interactive components. Optional modules in Term 3 are delivered intensively with 10 x 3-hour sessions over a period of 5 weeks.
In addition, students spend approximately 7-12 hours a week for each module on assessment and independent study to further develop the skills and knowledge covered in lectures and seminars.
The total number of weekly hours will vary according to the module and the weekly activities being undertaken.
Core and optional module lectures, and any workshops, normally take place on weekdays between 08:00 – 19.30 hours but some events such as careers and networking opportunities may be scheduled for evenings and weekends.
How is this programme unique?
This programme draws upon the combined strengths of two highly rated departments: UCL School of Management and UCL's Department of Economics. The knowledge and expertise of UCL's academic staff combine to provide a repository for students to draw upon as they identify and respond to challenges and issues in real-world scenarios.
The programme offers knowledge, understanding and skills in a range of areas critical to the effective functioning of current and developing finance-related applications. These include asset pricing, derivatives, valuation, risk, analytics, modelling, and portfolio management. The programme captures most of the topics included in the CFA curriculum for Levels 1 and 2.
Upon graduation, you will have acquired a set of analytical skills, qualitative insights, and an ability to work flexibly, creatively and internationally in a range of finance-related areas, including asset managers, investment banks, and management consulting firms.
As an MSc Finance student, you will benefit from a bespoke Careers and Employer Engagement programme and a dedicated careers team who will help you present yourself to leading graduate employers with confidence.
To ensure you are at the required standard before the programme begins and to maximise your learnings from day 1, we offer a balanced pre-sessional programme covering topics such as statistics and mathematics.
Being based at our Canary Wharf campus at One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, London’s financial hub, offers you a myriad of opportunities to network with industry professionals. The School works closely with global companies and innovative start-ups at the cutting edge of management and associated finance-related practice.
Why choose UCL?
UCL School of Management and the Department of Economics
The programme is delivered jointly by the School of Management and the Department of Economics.
UCL School of Management offers innovative programmes to prepare people for leadership roles in the next generation of innovation-intensive organisations. The School works closely with global companies and start-ups at the cutting edge of management and associated finance-related practice.
The research performed in the UCL School of Management was rated as “world-leading” and "internationally excellent" in the 2021 Research Excellent Framework (REF), placing us second in the UK for business and management.
The UCL Department of Economics has an outstanding international reputation in key areas of current research. The Department ranked top in the UK for research environment and outputs in the field of Economics and Econometrics in the 2021 REF.
The Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF) has placed UCL Economics first for 4* world-leading research outputs and research environments, with scores of 72% and 100% respectively. The Department also placed third in its overall ranking with 65% of all indicators ranked as 4*.
Applications
If you are passionate about finance and want to push yourself in your quest to forge a career in the financial sector, or want to develop your knowledge of core finance principles, this programme will be instrumental in achieving your goals.
As a Finance MSc student, you are expected to have basic knowledge in statistics, mathematics and a passion for finance. You should be motivated to take your knowledge to the next level.
Our students come from different academic backgrounds including economics, accounting, finance, statistics, engineering, or mathematics. Degrees from other disciplines may be considered if the applicant can demonstrate sufficient quantitative skills.
Student Profile
Application Process
Applications for the 2025/26 opened on 14 October 2024 and close as follows - Applicants who require a visa: applications close on 04 April 2025 at 17:00 UK time, Applicants who do not require a visa: applications close on 29 August 2025 at 17:00 UK time.. Applications must be completed and submitted by the deadline, or they will not be considered. Programmes are competitive so students are advised to apply as early as possible.
Programme dates
This programme is full-time for one year, starting in September 2025 and ending in September 2026. All students must be in London by the first day of the first term in September.
Application process
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to the competition for places. A staged admissions process is in place for this programme. This means that when you apply, your application will be considered with all others that have been submitted before the deadline. This enables us to ensure that all applications are considered fairly and equally.
Entry Requirements
We look for students with drive, intelligence, passion, and the right aptitude. To ensure we enrol students who meet those four criteria, we use the following methods to assess applications.
Academic Entry Requirements
• A quantitative undergraduate degree at 2:1 Honours (or equivalent) from a recognised university. International students can find their international equivalency on the UCL international students website.
• Degrees in economics, finance, mathematics, accounting, engineering, statistics or any combination thereof are preferred. Degrees in related fields are also considered if the applicant can demonstrate sufficient quantitative skills.
GMAT/GRE
• GMAT/GRE are not required for MSc Finance.
• However, a strong GRE quantitative (162+) or overall GMAT or GMAT Focus (at least 80th percentile) scores add weight to the application.
English Language Requirement
• The English language level for this programme is Level 2.
• Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
CV
Applicants are required to submit a CV. Please make sure to provide all relevant and accurate information (exact degree title, beginning and end dates, location for professional experience, etc.)
Personal Statement
Submitting a personal statement is not required but can be used if you wish to communicate specific information to the admission committee.
Interview
Applicants who meet the entry requirements will be reviewed. Those considered eligible for the next stage will be invited to an online video interview, with the invitation sent by email from Kira Talent.
Not sure which programme is for you?
Choosing the right programme is essential for a successful application and to ensure you maximise your time with us. We also offer an MSc Finance with Data Science programme, which is a unique programme that combines the scientific foundations of finance with the theory and practice of rigorous financial data analysis. The key differences are summarised in the table below.
|
|
MSc Finance |
MSc Finance with Data Science |
|---|---|---|
| Typical applicant | Aspiring finance professional with broad interests. A typical first job title will be Financial Analyst and many graduates will aspire to taking the full sequence of CFA certification rapidly. |
Aspiring finance professional with a passion for data and the will to develop cutting-edge data science and econometric skills. |
| Balance and focus | A generalist finance degree that balances scientific foundations and the practice of finance. |
A specialist finance degree that aims at providing a very high level of data science literacy. |
| Entry requirements | 2:1 (first preferred) | 2:1 (first preferred) |
| Quantitative skills | Excellent quantitative skills | Outstanding quantitative skills |
| GRE/GMAT | Not required, but strong GRE quantitative (162+) or overall GMAT or GMAT Focus (at least 80th percentile) scores add weight to the application. |
Not required, but outstanding GRE quantitative score (165+) adds weight to the application. |
| Key features | Outstanding coverage of CFA topics (95% of CFA Level 1 and 80% of CFA level 2). |
Almost all modules involve dealing with real-world financial data (from sources such as Bloomberg terminals, Refinitiv, etc.) |
| Target jobs | Graduates will typically place in a financial company, but will also have opportunities at finance departments of non-financial companies. In both cases, roles are likely to be more of a generalist nature with less intense data exposure. Typical examples will be Financial Analyst or corporate analyst at commercial or investment banks, but graduates will also have ample opportunities at mutual funds, hedge funds, and other financial firms. |
Graduates will typically place in a financial company, in roles that are more quantitative than MSc Finance graduates, and with a large expected exposure to computer and data scientists. Some examples: Credit Analyst (e.g., in a credit rating agency), Portfolio analyst (pathway to become a Portfolio Manager in any asset management company), Quantitative Analyst (e.g., in a hedge fund), Risk Analyst (e.g., in a clearing house), Investment Analyst (in any finance boutique), or even Financial Engineer (e.g., in an investment bank to design structured products). |
| Affiliations | UCL, through this programme, is a CFA® affiliated university, entitling students to apply for scholarships to reduce exam and registration fees. |
UCL, through this programme, is a University Partner for the CQF Institute, which provides networking opportunities and career resources for those pursuing a career in quantitative finance. |
Tuition fees and scholarships
Tuition Fees
The 2025-26 fees will be published in Autumn 2024. Learn more about tuition fees.
Scholarships and Funding
This programme does not have any compulsory additional costs outside of purchasing books or stationery, printing or photocopying.
This programme may include opportunities for students to undertake optional international study trips. The costs of such trips are usually covered by students although some elements may be subsidised or grants available depending on the destination, organisational and support responsibilities. On average, costs would be around £1,500 to £2,500 depending on the trip location, personal flight preferences and spending habits as well as the prevailing exchange rates.
For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.
Careers
As London’s Global University, we at UCL are better qualified than most to realise that any organisation is only as strong as the individuals who work for it.
This, allied to the innovation and flexibility needed in today’s organisations, means that recruiting the right person has never been more important for employers.
The MSc Finance programme enables you to make an early and substantial contribution to your future employer. As a student you are prepared for their future through career workshops, one-on-one advice, exclusive corporate events and access to our alumni community.
Whatever your nationality, experience or background, you will leave UCL equipped with the tools to become a high achiever in your chosen field.
As an MSc Finance student, you will benefit from a bespoke Careers and Employer Engagement programme and a dedicated careers team who will help you present yourself to leading graduate employers with confidence.
Our portfolio of careers support for MSc Finance students includes:
- Individual career coaching sessions with Careers Consultants dedicated to the School of Management
- Weekly careers and professional development workshops on topics including marketing yourself as a candidate, interviews, assessment centres and planning your next steps
- Exclusive industry insight sessions and employer-led events, accessible only to School of Management students to help guide your career choice.
- Access to UCL School of Management alumni keen to support you with your career
For further information on the Careers provision for UCL School of Management, please see our Careers page.
In addition to the bespoke activities within the School of Management, you also have access to the central UCL Careers provision. Every year over 1,000 employers/organisations attend events arranged by UCL Careers, including careers fairs, employer presentations and sector ‘themed weeks’, which may include employer forums, networking events, talks on how to get into the sector, and one-on-one advice sessions.
Our students go on to careers in a range of sectors; the most common destinations for our students are financial institutions of various types, banks, and consulting firms.
Graduates from the MSc Finance programme have secures jobs in a variety of high-profile companies. The UCL Graduate Outcomes Survey (graduating classes 2018-2021) showed on average the top 15 companies graduates went on to secure roles in were:
- AXA Group
- Barclays
- Beiersdorf
- Boston Consulting Group
- Deloitte
- Deutsche Bank
- Eurobank
- EY
- Goldman Sachs
- Jupiter Asset Management
- Morgan Stanley
- PwC
- Rothesay Life
- Shanghai Pudong Development Bank
- St Partners
For alumni graduating classes 2018-2021 the top three job titles among Finance graduates were; Finance and Investment Analysts and Advisers, Management Consultants and Business Analysts and Actuaries and Economists and Statisticians.
This data has been sourced from Graduate Outcomes Surveys from 2018 to 2021 and from alumni guest speakers and their employers in recent years.
Contact
For further information regarding the MSc Finance programme, please contact the Postgraduate Team.
For further queries regarding admissions please see the UCL Postgraduate Admissions Webpage.
Other programmes of interest
UCL and the UCL School of Management offer a range of finance and data science-related programmes, while this programme is unique in combining the two, please note other programmes that may be of interest to you.
Programmes delivered by the UCL School of Management
Register for more information
FAQs
You may apply now for a place on a programme without a current English test as long as you send your qualification as soon as you receive it. If you are offered a place, it will be conditional on you providing evidence of meeting UCL's English Language Requirements before the start of the programme.