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MSc Finance

Start date:
Duration:
One year
Deadline:
Applications for 2023 entry are now closed
Fee:
£45,400
Location:
London, UK

Unlock your potential and boost your employability with our MSc Finance 

Our MSc Finance programme has helped students secure top jobs in investment banking, asset management, and consultancy for 25 years. Rooted in core theory and enriched by practical experiences, our programme reflects strong corporate ties with leading firms in the City of London and beyond including—Barclays, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and more.

During the programme, you will build on your knowledge with rigorous quantitative core modules, and tailor your learning with elective courses. Benefit from exposure to industry practitioners, gaining valuable experience for success in your field.

Our MSc Finance provides a unique and challenging learning experience, combining real-world application, the latest research, and international opportunities. Ready to stand out with a globally-recognised finance master's degree from our forward-thinking business school?

15th
in the world (Financial Times Masters in Finance Ranking 2023)
90%
employed within three months (class of 2022)
82%
employed in the UK (class of 2022)
20+
elective options
Explore the programme

Study your MSc Finance in London at a global top 10 university

3rd
in Europe (Imperial College London, Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024)
6th
in the world (Imperial College London, QS World University Rankings 2024)
#1
city for students (London, QS Best Student City Rankings 2023)

Programme content

The MSc Finance is a one year, full-time intensive programme with classes running from Monday-Friday between 08.30 and 21.00. Students should expect to attend one evening class per week and other optional activities such as guest lectures or alumni and career events.

As a member of the CFA University Affiliation Program, the MSc Finance curriculum is closely tied to professional practice. Imperial College Business School helps students from MSc Finance obtain their Chartered Financial Analyst designation - the most recognised investment credential in the world.

Please note, programme content is subject to change. Candidates that fail to successfully complete this degree are not entitled to a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma.

Through a combination of online pre-study modules, induction week, and a foundation module, you will be ready to hit the ground running when your programme begins. This comprehensive preparation not only prepares you for the academic rigour ahead but also ensures you're thoroughly equipped to maximise the benefits of your programme.

Online pre-study modules

July-August

Before the start of your programme, you will be expected to complete online pre-study modules, delivered via The Hub, our bespoke virtual learning environment. These include an Accounting Primer module; an online Ethics & Professional Standards module, an online Finance Careers Primer and the Career & Professional Development module. These modules do not, however, contribute to the calculation of the final award.   

Induction week

Early September

Your MSc Finance induction will be spent at our vibrant South Kensington campus in London. You will be invited to a welcome event where you can meet and network with your fellow students, distinguished faculty and dedicated programme staff, forging new connections and getting a taste of life at Imperial.

What our students say

“Besides its world-class reputation, I was most interested in the MSc Finance programme’s comprehensive design. Core modules would help me build a concrete understanding of corporate finance, derivatives, and econometric techniques.”
Gloria Guo
MSc Finance 2022
Hear more from Gloria

Career impact 

At Imperial College Business School, your career is our priority. We have a dedicated Careers team that is committed to helping you achieve your personal and professional goals. With close links to industry and a busy calendar of events, workshops and personal development programmes, as a finance graduate, you will be prepared to enter a highly competitive recruitment market. MSc Finance students have secured positions in the finance, consulting and energy sectors. They have been hired by renowned companies such as Barclays, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Bain & Company, and Bank of America.

Employment outcomes below refer to the class of 2022.

90 %

employed within three months

82 %

employed in the UK

48 %

employed in Investment Banking (of those employed within finance)

What our students say

“Imperial College Business School is at the forefront of innovation within the financial services industry. From an academic perspective, both the content and delivery of the curriculum are closely aligned with industry trends and relevant real-world themes. Additionally, the Business School provides us with access to a range of publications, including financial newspapers, which proves invaluable in keeping up with current affairs and the latest developments in the sector.”
Giorgio Curti
MSc Finance 2023
Read more of Giorgio's story

Frequently asked questions

All applications to our postgraduate programmes are made online – we do not accept paper applications. Please refer to the ‘How to apply’ section of each programme page to see what documents you are required to submit with your application and to view the selection process.

All of our programmes are academically rigorous and include a quantitative component so all candidates are expected to be familiar with a basic level of mathematics before the start of the programme. The quantitative experience statement provides an opportunity to demonstrate this to the selection committee.

In the quantitative experience statement, you need to list up to five of the most quantitative modules or elements of your studies to date. You should list the main topics of study (eg: algebra, probability etc) as well as the level of study (eg: high school, undergraduate degree, short course etc) as this will allow the selection committee to have an understanding of your quantitative experience to date.

Quantitative experience is a key selection criterion for our more quantitative programmes (MSc Finance, MSc Finance & Accounting, MSc Financial Technology, MSc Investment & Wealth Management, MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering, MSc Business Analytics, MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance and MSc Economics & Strategy for Business) so please be sure to check the entry requirements for your programme of interest to ensure your background is sufficiently quantitative. For other programmes, candidates are advised to review both the programme content and the pre-study modules to see what the numerical content of the programme includes before they submit an application.

Yes, you can. Our finance programmes at Imperial College Business School are highly rigorous, and our students are required to have a high level of quantitative skills. If you are considering applying for a programme within our finance Master’s portfolio, we advise you to take our online maths test to test your quantitative ability and determine if you are suitable to apply for the programme.

Please note, this maths test is most relevant to candidates considering the MSc Finance, MSc Investment & Wealth Management, MSc Financial Technology and MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering programmes.

While it is not compulsory to submit the results of an approved English language test with your application, it is strongly encouraged and will add weight to your application if you are able to show that you have met the language requirement prior to applying. You can find detailed information regarding the Business School’s language requirements and the tests that we accept here.

You can apply to be considered for one programme each year. We will take your areas of interest and eligibility into account when considering you for alternative programmes.

As part of your application, you will be asked to provide the contact details of two referees. Your referees will be contacted by email once you have completed and submitted your application, and the email will contain instructions on how they can submit your reference via our application system.

Please ensure that each reference letter that is submitted has been sent from an academic or professional email address. We cannot accept references sent from personal email addresses, such as Gmail, Hotmail, 126, 163, Sina, QQ, and Yahoo.

Our electronic application service is provided by an external provider, so there may be a delay before the receipt of your references is confirmed on your student application account.

If you receive confirmation that your references have been received but this still isn’t confirmed on your account a week after receiving the confirmation, please contact the Central Admissions team at business.admissions@imperial.ac.uk.

Yes. As part of the selection process, shortlisted candidates for our MSc programmes will be invited to complete an interview. Interviews are conducted through Kira Talent, our video interview platform, which you can access online to record and submit your answers.

The interview process typically takes about 20 minutes and does not require extensive preparation. It aims to supplement your written application by providing a further opportunity for you to articulate your suitability for your MSc programme of choice through questions about your previous experience and future aspirations.

If you are invited to submit a video interview, you will be sent details of how to access and use the Kira Talent online interview platform.

Once you have created an account, you will be asked a series of questions, to which you can record your answers as short videos and submit them online.

Please make sure that the invitation doesn’t go to your junk mail by adding kiratalent.com to your list of safe senders. You must complete your online interview by the deadline stated in the email. If the email has gone into a junk, spam, or clutter folder in your inbox, we will not be able to rearrange a new interview for you, and your application will be considered for withdrawal.

Please note: our video interviews are conducted via the Kira Talent platform. As Kira Talent is an independent third party service provider with their own terms and conditions of service and privacy policy, please familiarise yourself with these and ensure you are happy with them before proceeding to use the Kira service and platform.

For all MSc programmes, you can normally expect to receive a decision within 6-8 weeks of having submitted a complete application. Please keep in mind that during busy times and/or where documents are missing from an application, this time may increase.

When an offer is submitted by the Business School, the Central Admissions need to make a number of final checks before it can be formally approved. These may include an additional review of an applicant’s academic background or ensuring the references we have received are valid. Until you have received confirmation of the official offer via the College’s applicant portal, please do not arrange accommodation, book flights or decline any other offers you may be holding. The majority of offers are successfully approved by Central Admissions and you will be able to see full details of your offer conditions once your official offer has been confirmed.

Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm when you will receive a decision on your application but we will be in touch via email as soon as there is an update. Please be aware that you do not need to provide any additional information unless you think that this will add significant weight to your application (e.g. updated transcripts, relevant internships, English language results).

Please email your programme admissions team if you would like feedback on your application. Please note that whilst limited feedback can be provided, the decision of the academic selectors is final and it will not be possible for your application to be reconsidered.

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