MS in Finance Application Requirements & Deadlines

Completion of Statistics Course - Required

Completion of at least one full-semester, university-level statistics course is required at the time of application. Upload a course description or syllabus on the  "Carlson MS Programs requirements" page of the application for the course that satisfies this requirement.

Applicants who have not yet completed a statistics course should not submit an application to the program until they have completed the course and received a final grade. The course and final grade must appear on a transcript from an accredited institution of higher learning. MOOCs or other online courses from third party platforms do not meet this requirement, even with a certificate of completion.

Completion of Calculus Course - Preferred, Not Required

Completion of at least one full-semester, university-level calculus course at the level of Short Calculus or higher is strongly preferred, but not required, for admission. The admissions committee will take into account any calculus (or other mathematical) courses appearing on the academic transcripts uploaded into the application.

To be considered for admission to the program, please submit essay responses to the questions detailed below (approximately 2 pages maximum). You may copy/paste each prompt into your document and answer each separately. The admissions committee will review both the content of your responses and your ability to communicate clearly in writing:

1. Why are you interested in studying at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota? What draws you to the Carlson School's MSF program specifically? (approximately 200 words)
2. Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. How will completing an MS in Finance program at this time help you toward achieving your goals? (approximately 300 words)
   • MSF Research Track applicants only: Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. If you plan to enter a PhD program in the future, please mention your research interests.  (Approximately 300 words)
3. What do you feel makes you a strong candidate for the program? How will you contribute to the program overall? (approximately 250 words)

To be considered for admission, the MS in Finance program requires a first university degree that is an equivalent to a 4-year U.S. bachelor's degree. 

Unofficial transcripts should be submitted through the online application*. You will need to submit a transcript from each college or university where you have completed coursework before your application will be considered
complete and reviewed by the admissions committee. Unofficial transcripts must include your name and the name of the institution. Third Party credential evaluation reports and degree planning documents are not accepted. Non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation.

If you have previously enrolled at any University of Minnesota campus, you can obtain electronic copies of your transcripts from OneStop student services. 

If admitted to the program, you will be instructed to submit official transcripts or academic records prior to your enrollment at the University of Minnesota. Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions Office from the institution. An official, certified (signature and seal) English translation must accompany non-English transcripts. English language translation services in the Twin Cities.

*The University of Minnesota reserves the right to require the submission of official transcripts or credentials any time during the admission review process.

GMAT or GRE General Test scores are now optional for admission to the MS in Finance program for domestic or international applicants who meet the following requirement:

• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale (or overall B grade equivalent on another scale)

In the online application, in the "Carlson Masters Programs Requirements" section, you will indicate whether or not you meet this GPA requirement.

If the grades on your undergraduate academic transcripts do not meet our minimum requirement (3.0 or overall B average), you must submit official GMAT or GRE General Test scores with your application in order to be considered for admission.

If you indicate in your application that you meet our GPA requirement, but the cumulative grades on your undergraduate academic transcripts show otherwise, your admissions decision may be severely delayed, and we will still require official GMAT or GRE General Test scores before moving forward with your admissions consideration.

NOTE: Full-time work experience is not required, although at least some internship experience is preferred. Publication is not required for the Research Track, although at least some research experience is preferred.

Prepare a current resume that includes a detailed education and employment history in no more than 3 pages.

Resume Tips

• List both employer(s) and official position(s) held.
• Specify both month and year for dates of employment in each role.
• Detail job responsibilities and accomplishments in approximately 3-5 bullet points for each role.
• Include names of any tools, software, and quantitative methods used, and the context in which you used them.
• You may add a separate section for relevant academic/research projects, particularly those with a significant quantitative component.
• Do not worry about exceeding 1 page.

MSF Research Track applicants only:  Your resume should focus particularly on your academic and research experiences. It is still useful to include use of tools, software, and quantitative methods used, in context.

For additional guidance, view our Carlson Business Career Center's resume advice webpage, and feel free to use their resume template to help simplify the process.

Upload your completed resume in the online application where prompted for Resume or CV.

We require two recommendations for application to the Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program. These recommendations can be from any combination of professional and academic recommenders, though we suggest that at least one recommendation come from a supervisor if you have professional experience. 

• MSF Research Track applicants only: We prefer both recommendations to be academic, from professors.

Please note that you do not need to solicit letters of recommendation from your recommenders. We partner with GMAC for the Common Letter of Recommendation, so you simply need to provide contact information for your recommenders and the form will be automatically routed to them via email for completion. The form does include an optional section to attach a letter of recommendation if your recommender chooses to add that component.

We recommend getting started on your application early so you can enter the recommender contact information right away before continuing to work on your application. Both recommenders must complete the aforementioned GMAC form before your submitted application is considered complete. This means all recommendations must be received before the deadline for which you would like to be considered. 

International and domestic applicants whose first language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency. Proof of English language proficiency is measured according to the categories detailed below. You are not exempt if you have lived in an English-speaking country for several years, but have not completed any prior education in English.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Applicants providing an exam score must have an exam date within two years of the graduate program start date. Exams exceeding two years will not be accepted.
• We do not offer an option for the English language ability to be assessed upon arrival on campus.

For additional details regarding this requirement, please visit the Office of Graduate Admission's website or contact them at gsquest@umn.edu.   

The application fee is $75 (non-refundable) for U.S. citizens; and $95 for international applications and U.S. residents with foreign credentials. Your application fee will be automatically waived if you have served in the US Armed Forces for any length of time prior to submitting an application. Application fee waivers are not otherwise available.

• The video essay is a required component of the application that provides candidates with an opportunity to show the admissions committee the authentic you.  Think of this video essay as if you were answering an interview question with a member of our admissions committee. 
• You will need to use a computer with camera and microphone capabilities. You will have the ability to test your technology before starting the video essay and submit a practice video essay. 
• You can test your technology and run the practice simulation as many times as you wish to be comfortable with the format and technology.  You will be able to review your practice video essay(s) and your recording(s) will not be saved beyond the testing phase and will never be reviewed.
• You can also practice responding to impromptu questions offline with a friend or colleague before completing the video essay portion of your application.
• You will be prompted to click "Ready" once you are prepared to submit an official video essay.  You will be asked one impromptu question from a bank of imaginative or behavioral questions selected by our admissions team. 
• Two minutes (120 seconds) will be provided to prepare an answer and two minutes (120 seconds) to record an answer.   Recording will automatically stop after two minutes.  You are not required to use the full two minutes.  If you have time remaining once complete with your response, click the "Stop Recording" button to end the recording. 
• You will only be provided one attempt to record your official video essay.

Admission interviews are by invitation only, and may be conducted on campus or via Zoom. The interview is approximately 30 minutes in length and aimed at better understanding a candidate’s academic and professional background. You should treat the interview as you would a job interview. Appropriate attire is business professional.