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Top 20 Finance Masters: Admissions Requirements Compared
GMAT, GRE and CFA policy, GPA expectations and work-experience requirements for the top 20 FT-ranked Masters in Finance programs, sourced directly from each school's own admissions page. Click any column header to sort, filter below, click a school for the full breakdown.
| Rank | School / Program | Country | Duration | Degree expectation | GMAT | GRE | CFA in lieu | Work experience | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ESCP Business School Master of Science (MSc) in Finance |
France | 15 months full-time (or 2 years, including a gap semester,… | A Bachelor degree with a minimum of 180 ECTS credits (in any discipline). ESCP's official FAQ states it works on a multi-criteria selection of candida… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Not required to apply. Candidates with a degree equivalent to fewer than 240 ECTS credits are advised to follo… | View details → |
| 2 | Skema Business School MSc Financial Markets & Investments |
France | 1-year MSc: one academic year, full-time.… | For the 1-year MSc: a four-year university degree or equivalent (240 ECTS credits or RNCP 7) plus a minimum of six months of professional experience/i… | GMAT not used | GRE not used | No CFA route | For the 1-year MSc: minimum six months of professional experience or internship required.… | View details → |
| 3 | Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management Master of Finance Program (MoF) |
China | 2 years, full-time. Tsinghua SEM's general admissions page describes p… | A Bachelor's Degree or an equivalent degree to a Bachelor's Degree (or above) in China;… | GMAT not used | GRE not used | No CFA route | Not stated as a requirement. This is a pre-experience program;… | View details → |
| 4 | Essec Business School Master in Finance (MIF) |
France | 2 years (Master 1 + Master 2) or 1 year (Master 2 only,… | A 3-year Bachelor's degree (or Licence 3) for the 2-year track (M1+M2), or a 4-year Bachelor's degree or Master's degree for the 1-year track (M2,… | GMAT required | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Not required to apply; the program is pre-experience. Internships are built into the curriculum instead: each… | View details → |
| 5 | Edhec Business School MSc in International Finance |
France | 18-month full-time programme: a one-year on-campus academic programme… | Minimum three-year Bachelor's degree (any type of engineering or business/finance background).… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | CFA in lieu | Not required to apply -- this is a pre-experience program for graduates and young professionals.… | View details → |
| 6 | Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance at SJTU Master of Finance (MF) |
China | 2 years (24 months), full-time | Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree (or recognized equivalent) before enrollment;… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Not stated as a requirement; the program describes welcoming applicants from a variety of educational backgrou… | View details → |
| 7 | HEC Paris Master in International Finance (MIF) |
France | 9 months of academic coursework (September to May),… | Applicants must hold a Bachelor's and/or Master's degree from an accredited institution.… | GMAT required | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Program is designed for pre-experience candidates; the official FAQ states students should have less than thre… | View details → |
| 8 | Nova School of Business and Economics International Master's in Finance |
Portugal | 1.5 years (3 semesters) for the Regular Track: 2 semesters of coursewo… | Official eligibility page requires an accredited/recognized Bachelor's degree (Nova SBE reserves the right to admit only applicants from accredited an… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | No CFA route | General Master's eligibility targets candidates with 0-2 years of professional experience (average cohort age… | View details → |
| 9 | London Business School Masters in Financial Analysis (MFA) |
UK | 12 months, full-time (three terms, with an optional fourth term for ad… | LBS accepts strong undergraduate degrees in any subject area equivalent to a UK First or 2:1 or a GPA of 3.3 and above;… | GMAT waivable | GRE accepted | CFA in lieu | Designed for recent graduates who have graduated within the last two years,… | View details → |
| 10 | IE Business School Master in Finance |
Spain | 10 months, full-time | A Bachelor's degree from an accredited university is required; the official page does not publish a minimum GPA,… | GMAT waivable | GRE accepted | CFA in lieu | Not stated as a general admission requirement; prior relevant experience in investment banking is cited specif… | View details → |
| 11 | emlyon business school Master in Finance |
France | 12 months (Year 2 entry) or 24 months (Year 1 entry,… | For Year 1 entry: a 3-year Bachelor's degree (180 ECTS credits) state-recognized as a 'Licence' by the French Ministry of Higher Education,… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Not required for admission; eligibility is based solely on academic credentials (Bachelor's degree / ECTS cred… | View details → |
| 12 | Esade Business School Master's in Finance |
Spain | 12 months (one academic year, 60 ECTS) | A Bachelor's degree or equivalent that entitles the holder to undertake postgraduate studies in the degree-granting country.… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Professional experience is not required to be admitted to any of Esade's MSc Programs in Management.… | View details → |
| 13 | Vlerick Business School Masters in Financial Management |
Belgium | 10 months (September to June) | Candidates studying in Belgium need a Master's degree from a recognised institution.… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | CFA in lieu | Vlerick's Masters programmes are designed for young graduates,… | View details → |
| 13 | University of Oxford: Saïd MSc in Financial Economics (MFE) |
UK | 9 months | A first class or strong upper second class undergraduate degree (with honours), or the international equivalent,… | GMAT required | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Not mandatory to have any full-time work experience prior to applying;… | View details → |
| 15 | University of St Gallen Master's Programme in Banking and Finance (MBF) |
Switzerland | 18 months (3 semesters, 90 ECTS) | A recognised Bachelor's degree worth at least 180 ECTS credits in a similar subject,… | GMAT waivable | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Work experience, challenging internships or exchange semesters are considered under 'extracurricular activitie… | View details → |
| 16 | Bayes Business School MSc Finance |
UK | 12 months | A UK upper second-class (2:1) degree or above, or the equivalent from an overseas institution. Ideal candidates have a background in finance,… | GMAT optional | GRE not used | No CFA route | Not required. Per the Masters FAQ, work experience is seen as an advantage where relevant.… | View details → |
| 17 | Imperial Business School MSc Finance |
UK | 12 months (16-month extended term optional,… | Preferably a First Class Honours degree from a recognised university; applicants with an Upper Second Class Honours degree (or international equivalen… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Applicants are strongly recommended to undertake relevant internships and work placements,… | View details → |
| 18 | Luiss University/Luiss Business School Master's Degree Programme in Finance |
Italy | 2 years (120 ECTS) | Applicants must have completed, or be about to complete, a Bachelor's degree (in Italy or abroad) that permits enrolment in a Master's degree in Manag… | GMAT required | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Not addressed on the official entry-requirements page. Admission is based on a completed or near-complete Bach… | View details → |
| 19 | Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics International MSc in Finance |
Portugal | 3 or 4 semesters | No minimum GPA is required to apply, per the programme FAQ. Candidate profile: recent graduates aged 21-26 with backgrounds in Management, Economics,… | GMAT optional | GRE accepted | No CFA route | Students typically have less than 3 years of work experience; internships count toward this.… | View details → |
| 20 | International University of Monaco MSc in Finance |
Monaco | 16 months full-time (24 months for the part-time apprenticeship track… | A 3 or 4-year university degree. No GPA or degree classification minimum is published. | GMAT optional | GRE not used | No CFA route | Not stated as a requirement. The admission criteria list only a university degree and English proficiency proo… | View details → |
Ranked per the Financial Times' Masters in Finance (Pre-experience) 2026 ranking. Every requirement here is sourced from that program's own official admissions page, click through to a school for the full breakdown, the source link and the date it was last checked.
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