MS in Finance

The information on this site should provide you with answers to most of your questions regarding applying to Olin's full-time MS in Finance program. If you do not find the resource you need, please submit your own question using the form at the end of this page. We'll do our best to answer your questions and update this site as needed.

What is the tuition for the program?
The MS Finance program takes approximately 10 1/2 months of full-time study to complete. Tuition is paid per credit hour, and ranges from $39,650-$46,970 in 2008-9 depending on the amount of Foundations course work a student must complete to finish the program.

It seems the tuition fee is specially for local students, so how is that fee for international students? (Question asked by: Eric Yu)
The fee is the same for all students.

The description of the program states that an MS in Finance helps with 'advanced entry level positions.' I am already beyond that level, and was wondering if this program is not recommended for someone with 6+ years experience that has already moved beyond the advanced entry level positions.
The answer to your question depends on the specifics of your current work situation and the direction you want to head from where you are currently. I suspect that our program would provide you with an opportunity to develop new skills and to enhance skills you already have. How valuable that would be to you depends on what other opportunities you want to create for yourself. If you want to go into a general management capacity within your firm, I suspect that a general management degree like the MBA would be more appropriate; on the other hand, if doing more sophisticated technical work in finance is your objective, then our program would be ideal for you.

Is the MS Finance program accredited? (Question asked by: Ravi)
Yes, we are AACSB accredited.

I am admitted into the MSF program this year. Can you tell me the job hunting of this program's students? (Question asked by: zhuang jiu)
This past year was the first year for Olin's MS Finance program. The number of students in the cohort is very small, and I am hesitant to generalize about placement success for students who will enter the program in the future when we expect a larger class size. Still, I can tell you that the students in this year's program who have reported to us about their placement activities thus far are averaging approximately $75,000 per year in first year compensation. This is a combination of base salary and bonuses. However, please remember not to generalize too much from the success of such a small cohort of students.

I am interested in a career in academics. Will your course be beneficial for me?
The MS Finance program is generally considered one that fits best with someone who wants to work in the industry rather than academia. Nevertheless, it could be used as a stepping stone to a PhD degree in the field--although that would be somewhat non-traditional.

Would it be possible to earn the MS Finance degree part time? Or through evening classes only?
It is possible to do the program part-time, although some of the course work is offered only during the day. You would need to have a flexible work schedule.

I am very interested in your MS Finance program. Can I know what is your placement record?
Because the program is in its first year, we do not yet have placement statistics fully compiled for the Class of 2006. However, based on those who have already reported their offers, starting salaries for graduates from the MS Finance program are significantly higher than those coming out of the undergraduate program.

I have just graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Economics and I am joining the Federal Reserve Bank in St.Louis as a Research associate this month. I would like to explore the possibilities of doing MS in Finance and would like to know a typical schedule as a part time program.
This program was designed to be done on a full-time basis over a period of 10 months, although several students have done the program on a part-time basis over a period of two academic years. Depending on a student's background, the program requires 36-41 total hours of academic credit. Some of the course work is taught in daytime class hours only, so you'd need some amount of flexibility in your work schedule in order to be able to participate. There is no 'typical' part-time schedule, since the program wasn't initially designed to be done on that basis. Depending on a student's work schedule and background, any number of part-time scenarios are possible.

Is there any financial assistance available?
The only financial assistance offered for the program is in the form of loans and work-study employment on campus. More information is available from Kyle Cronan, the graduate financial aid officer. You can contact him at cronan@wustl.edu.

I am so interested in your program of MS in Finance, but I have some questions. Do you accept international applications? What are the additional requirements for the international applicant? Do your accept IELTS as well as TOEFL? (Question asked by: Wei Wei)
Thank you for your interest in our MS Finance program. We welcome applications from anyone who is interested in the degree. There are no additional requirements for international students during the application process. However, once you have been admitted, there is additional paperwork so we can issue an I-20 for you. We accept the TOEFL and do not accept IELTS.

I want to apply your MS Finance program and send my TOEFL test scores to the department. However, I cannot find the four-digit institution code and two-digit department code. (Question asked by: Yu-Shan, Peng)
The institution code for Washington University is 6929 (Department code is 02) for the TOEFL.

I am an international commerce graduate interested in the MSF program. I hold a three-year bachelor's degree. Do you accept applicants with a three-year degree into your MSF program? (Question asked by: Aditya Nema)
We require a four year bachelors degree or its equivalent. The extra year of study over and above the B.Com. can be accomplished through any post-bachelors program whether it is a graduate program or a certificate or professional degree program.

For any given year, does the program have a targeted number of students for enrollment? Do you expect this number to increase, decrease, or remain unchanged in the future? (Question asked by: John Mackey)
The program is quite new at Olin, and is small in size at the present time. We anticipate enrolling 30-35 new students in Fall 2007. Depending on the development of the applicant pool, the program may grow to as many as 40 students in the future, but probably not beyond that number.

I am from Greece Is the deadline for international students different?
No, the deadline is the same for all applicants.

Can the application fee also be paid by credit card? (Question asked by: Leon Muis)
Our online application has the capability of accepting the application fee by credit card. If you choose not to use a credit card, you may pay by personal check, certified (cashier's) check, or money order.

If I take GMAT again,then which score would you consider for your MBA program,the average score or the best score
We take your best score.

If I have already applied to the Olin MBA program, may I apply to the Olin MSF program simultaneously?
Yes, you may apply to both. If you are admitted to both programs, you will need to make a choice of which to enter.

On the transcript request form, there is a blank for school ID number. Where can I find my school ID number? (Question asked by: Jen-hao Liu)
The form asks for your school ID number or your social security number (if you have one). Many schools or institutions provide their students with a discrete number for identification purposes. If your school did this, it makes it easier for the school officer to quickly locate your records. Since many people have the same family name, this ID number points specifically to you. If your school did not provide you with an ID number, please leave this section blank.

Q:Is there any chance for a candidate whose GMAT score falls below the Avg. GMAT score to get admitted? Q: Do you offer corporate internships to MS Finance students? (Question asked by: nan lin)
Students with lower GMAT scores certainly will be considered and may be admitted depending on other strengths of their applications and the overall quality of the applicant pool. As for offering corporate internships, this program is full-time and very intense over a period of approximately 10 months. There really isn't time for students to have an internship during the program and thus it is not a feature of the MS Finance program to offer internships in the corporate sector.

Is Calc 3 required? I have already taken Calc 1 & 2 and all the other math and statistics requirements. (Question asked by: Joseph Hwang)
Yes--Calc III is an important prerequisite for this program. However, some schools teach their sequence of courses differently--so if you feel that your background might be sufficient--please send us some information (course descriptions or course syllabi) and we will review them in order to make a more direct comparison and evaluation.

What test scores are accepted for consideration for the MS Finance program? What scores are typical of those who are accepted?
Scores from either the GMAT or GRE are accepted. Though there is no preference for either exam, significantly more applicants to the program choose to submit GMAT scores over those from the GRE. There is no minimum test score to be considered for the program. However, the average GMAT for this year's entering class was around 710. Those who have done their undergraduate work in an English language environment are not required to submit TOEFL scores. While there is no minimum TOEFL score requirement, strong English language skills are expected. A range of TOEFL scores for this year's class is not currently available.

I do not have a business background. Am I still eligible for the program?
It is not necessary to have a business background since we offer Foundations course work prior to the beginning of the academic year. This course work is in various business areas such as accounting, finance, and quantitative methods.

Am I still eligible to apply to the program without any work experience? (Question asked by: Zheng Zhang)
Yes, you are eligible to apply. Work experience is not a requirement for admission to the program.

Hi. I am applying to the MS in Finance program at Olin. Can you please tell me the department code for sending my GRE scores? Thank you. (Question asked by: Bharanidharan Ganesan)
Institution code is 6923. Department code is 4102.

What prior course work is recommended for those applying to the program?
To qualify for admission into the MS Finance program, applicants must have completed Calculus I, II, and III, as well as Principles of Microeconomics and a calculus-based probability and statistics course. Because the program focuses heavily on applied economics in finance, prior course work in this area is highly beneficial. Additionally beneficial is prior course work in accounting and finance. Though not required, course work in mathematical areas such as Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, as well as a background in computer programming languages such as C++ and Java is strongly encouraged.

Where can I find more information on the MS Finance program and application process?
The best place to find additional information is on the program web site at http://www.olin.wustl.edu/prospective/msfin.cfm. This site includes more detailed information on the program's curriculum as well as important dates and requirements related to the admissions process.

Hello there. I am very interested in your MS in Finance program, but I have never taken Calculus 2 and 3....but I have an MBA from UMSL and 6 years of professional Finance experience with The Boeing Company. I was hoping I might still be able to be accepted to your program despite the fact that I don't meet the Calculus requirements. Please let me know your thoughts.
Calculus III is the absolute minimum amount of formal mathematics required for admission to the MSF program, so you'd need to acquire that background before you can be considered for admission.

Is it mandatory to take the GMAT for acceptance into the MS Finance program? I have over 6 years of equity research experience and an undergraduate degree in finance.
Scores from either the GMAT or the GRE are accepted. You will need to provide us with one of them.

I will be taking Calculus II and III in the spring; is it still possible for me to apply to your institution? (Question asked by: Jean-Paul Larcheveque)
Yes, as long as you are taking them prior to entering our program, it will be fine. Be sure to mention on your application that these classes are in progress.

Are international students allowed to take this course as it is less than 12 months. (Question asked by: saurabh singh)
Yes, international students can definitely attend our MS Finance program. Even though it lasts less than one year, it is a full-time program.

I am an international student. At what point do I need to send in financial information?
Only after you have been admitted and have decided to enroll in our program. We then require a Declaration and Certification of Finances that shows you have sufficient funds to cover the cost of attending.

I am very interested in the MS Finance program. Could you please tell me what is the GMAT code for this program? Thank you! (Question asked by: Bo Yan)
R4T-WG-53 is the code designated for Washington University's MS in Finance program.

I have completed my MBA in the US and am an international student. I have developed an interest towards finance and want to explore the subject at a higher level. I was looking at the MS Finance course for this. Is it a good idea to do it after my MBA. I also will be graduating in fall. Is a spring admit possible? Thanks. (Question asked by: vinay)
I think that whether it is appropriate for you to do the MSF degree after an MBA depends on the direction in which you hope to go with your career development. If that is into technical aspects of financial analysis, then our MSF program could be very helpful to you. Our program begins only in the fall semester of the year, and there is at present no spring entry option.

What is the acceptance rate for the MSF program each year? In the Admissions process, what kind of quality should a strong candidate have? Prior education? GPA? GMAT? Relevant experience? Or anything else? Thank you.
For the class that entered in Fall 2006, we offered admission to approximately 40% of the total applicant pool. Our applicant pool for Fall 2007 has risen very dramatically, and the acceptance rate dropped significantly. In reviewing applications, we look for strength in all the areas you mention, although we do not expect students to have had prior full-time work experience. Most MSF students have had internship experiences, and we do look closely at the quality of these experiences.

Submit a Question

The information on this site should provide you with answers to most of your questions regarding Olin's full-time MBA . If you do not find the resource you need, please submit this form. We'll do our best to answer your questions and update this site as needed. (Please provide your email address if you would like a personal reply.)