.jpg)
Statistics (Statistical Finance)
Develop and apply statistical theory and methods in a wide range of situations relevant to commerce and finance.
Develop and apply statistical theory and methods in a wide range of situations relevant to commerce and finance
Build your professional network within a highly selected, multinational cohort and our world-leading academic experts
Apply your knowledge on an independent investigation within the area of financial statistics
Course key facts
Qualification
MSc
Duration
1 year
Start date
September 2026
Study mode
Full-time
-
Fees
£22,400 Home
£39,900 Overseas
Delivered by
Location
-
South Kensington
-
Applications: places
25:1 (2024-25)
Minimum entry standard
2:1 in statistics, mathematics, engineering, physics or computer science
Course overview
Receive outstanding training in theoretical and applied statistics and statistical finance on this Master's course.
You'll explore statistical theory and methods relating to commerce and finance, and how they apply to a range of situations in these sectors.
This includes an exploration of how techniques relate to real-world problems, while the programme also considers current developments in the field.
You'll also carry out an independent investigation within the area of financial statistics using research techniques acquired from the course.
Statistical Finance is one of six Statistics streams available at Imperial. You may wish to consider choosing one of the following streams:
- Statistics (generic stream)
- Applied Statistics
- Biostatistics
- Data Science and Machine Learning
- Statistical Finance (this stream)
- Theory and Methods
Testimonials
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You'll take all of these core modules.
Core modules
Examine statistical modelling and regression and apply it to realistic problems and real data.
Engage with a number of computational methods that are key in modern statistics and learn to implement and apply these methods confidently.
Appreciate different Bayesian and frequentist approaches to statistical inference and select and justify appropriate methods for hypothesis testing.
Assess the key concepts of probability theory and learn how random variables and vectors and their distribution functions are defined.
Become familiar with the most common data scientific methods and their uses and misuses.
You choose at least three modules from Group A and the remainder from Group B to total 25-27.5 ECTS.
Each module is worth 5 ECTS unless otherwise stated.
Optional modules - Group A
Gain a basic understanding of simulation, along with its uses and limitations, and the models for which basic or sophisticated simulation methods can be applied.
Further your understanding of statistical finance by engaging with modern statistical methods for analysis of financial data.
Learn statistical concepts such as parameter estimation with large scale data and explore data sampling strategies in a Big Data world.
Design and develop data analysis procedures using Big Data technology (Hadoop and Spark), learn to utilise Big Data technology to perform a rigorous statistical analysis, and describe and apply mathematical techniques for fitting statistical models at scale and dealing with streaming data.
Explore fundamental concepts of quantitative finance and statistical methods that are widely used to analyse financial data.
Study stochastic processes and the basic tools from stochastic analysis that provide the mathematical foundations for option pricing theory.
Discover why survival models are fundamental to actuarial work and explore key actuarial applications.
Optional modules - Group B
Explore the building blocks of deep learning models, and how to design network architectures for specific applications.
Learn modern techniques to solve various problems, including estimating distribution functions and their characteristics, as well as performing nonparametric density estimation and regression.
Investigate theoretical and methodological statistical foundations for spatial data.
Appreciate the importance of handling high dimensional datasets, through the analysis of genetics (genomics) and bioinformatics data.
Examine discrete time stochastic processes and associated computational algorithms and approaches.
You will gain a solid foundation in probabilistic generative models, learning training, inference, and model types such as autoregressive, implicit, and Bayesian nonparametric.
You'll also complete an extensive research project full-time between January and September, exploring an area of data science.
This will include an opportunity to work with a member of academic staff and/or an industry partner on a state-of-the-art research problem that suits your interests.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
This is a general guide to how teaching and learning are usually balanced across this course. The methods used may change based on the modules you take.
Key
- Lectures, tutorials and practicals
- Research project
- 67% Title 1 goes here
- 33% Title 2 goes here
Teaching and learning methods
-
Dissertation
-
Group tutorials
-
Lectures
-
Modern statistical computing skills
-
Office hours
-
Oral presentation and assessment
-
Practical computational sessions
-
Problem classes
-
Research seminars
-
Virtual learning environment
Balance of assessment
This is an example of how assessments are usually divided, based on a typical pathway through the course. The actual breakdown may be different depending on the modules you choose.
Key
- Modules
- Research project
- 67% Title 1 goes here
- 33% Title 2 goes here
Assessment methods
-
Assessed coursework/tests
-
Enhanced coursework assessments
-
Oral presentation
-
Written examinations
-
Written project
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
Application deadlines – Round 2 closes on Wednesday 7 January 2026
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by 23.59 (UK time) on the closing date of an application round, to ensure you receive a response on your application by the relevant decision date.
Round 1
Business School courses only.
Round 2
- Applications open on Monday 29 September 2025
- Applications close on Wednesday 7 January 2026
- Decision by Wednesday 4 March 2026
Round 3
- Applications open on Thursday 8 January 2026
- Applications close on Wednesday 11 March 2026
- Decision by Wednesday 6 May 2026
Round 4
- Applications open on Thursday 12 March 2026
- Applications close on Wednesday 29 April 2026
- Decision by Thursday 2 July 2026
We recommend applying as early as you can – we cannot guarantee that places will be available, or that courses will remain open, in later rounds.
There is no application fee for Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are applying for a Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course.
The application fees for postgraduate courses are:
- £90 for all Master's applications, excluding those to Imperial Business School
- £125 for MSc applications to Imperial Business School
- £150 for MBA applications to Imperial Business School
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
We do not interview for applicants for entry to this programme.
When applying via the My Imperial application portal, you must choose your stream of choice at the start of the application process.
If your first choice application is made to a different MSc course, it is possible to also apply to the MSc in Statistics course as a second choice.
However, it is not possible to apply to one MSc in Statistics stream as first choice and to another stream as second choice.
If you are applying for one of the specialist streams, please select that stream as your first choice. We will automatically consider you for the general stream if your chosen specialisation is full.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Find the answers to the most common applications questions.
Fees and funding
Home fee - Statistics streams
2026 entry
£22,400
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £12,858 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2025.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note:
- The loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start.
- If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
The Martingale Foundation are offering fully funded scholarships for eligible students on selected Mathematics courses.
Overseas fee - Statistics streams
2026 entry
£39,900
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £12,858 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2025.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note:
- The loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start.
- If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
The Martingale Foundation are offering fully funded scholarships for eligible students on selected Mathematics courses.
Scholarships
View all scholarshipsStatistics scholarships
Value per award
- Varies
Who it's for
- All applicants to the MSc in Statistics.
Martingale Scholarships
Value per award
- Varies
Who it's for
- All applicants to Mathematics postgraduate courses.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
Develop highly transferable skills that will prepare you for further study of statistics or a career in statistical finance.
.svg){kind=icon}
These include skills in programming, problem-solving, critical thinking, scientific writing, project work and presentation.
Mathematics graduates at Imperial are highly sought after in a wide array of employment and research sectors.
These include banking and finance, accountancy, education, and IT and technology.
Further links
Contact the department
Email: maths.pgtadmissions@imperial.ac.uk
Course Director: Dr Kolyan Ray
and Deputy Director: Dr Zak Varty
Visit the Department of Mathematics website.
/fit-in/1440x9999999/prod01/channel_3/media/study---restricted-images/_imperialstmarys-265_062816_001.jpg)
Request info
Find out more about studying at Imperial. Receive updates about life in our community, including event invites and download our latest Study guide.
/fit-in/1440x9999999/prod01/channel_3/media/study---restricted-images/Newsletter.jpg)
Events, tasters and talks
Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.
/fit-in/1440x9999999/prod01/channel_3/media/study---restricted-images/UG---Events.jpg)
Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications