Application

Information on the current application period starting in February 2025

Next intake is winter semester 2025/2026, with study start in October 2025.

Applications are possible starting from February 1. The sooner you apply, the sooner you get feedback - we recommend that you apply as soon as possible. The application deadline is March 15, 2025. You find the link to the application portals on this webpage, together with information about necessary documents.

Among the things you need to pay attention to during the application, here we highlight a few aspects because we often get questions related to these or because they are sometimes reason for problems with the application:

Choose the right application portal. One is for applicants with a German bachelor's degree; the other is for applicants with a foreign, i.e., non-German bachelor’s degree. Applicants who need to apply via uni-assist need to pay a handling fee. We provide hints for uni-assist.
Check the required application documents as listed here (select "Application documents")
Transcripts: In some universities, students can also get a simple list of achievements that does not contain all the information. For example, there may be no mention of the course or university. Make sure you submit the official transcript and not a simplified list.
Grading scale (needed in the case of a non-German bachelor’s degree): you must provide an official document of your university that details the grading scale. Whatever you submit, make sure that it is evident that the grading scale applies to your course of study. For example, do not just upload a snippet showing only a table with the grading scale, because then it would not be clear that this is the scale that applies to your degree. Also, the information about the grading scale must be complete. For example, if there are five grades A,B,C,D,E with E being the fail grade, it must be evident from the information that A is the best grade, and E is the fail grade.
Average grade (if you have not yet completed your bachelor's degree): if it is not shown on your transcript or some other certificate, you should ask your university whether it can provide you with a letter that states the average grade.
Achievements in study areas: In the application portal, you will be asked to provide details on achievements in different study areas. Note that you do not need to have achievements in each of the five listed study areas. Achievements in three of these areas are sufficient, and achievements in finance are not required.
Proof of English language proficiency: If you don’t have such a proof yet, note that it can be provided later, at the time you enroll. Your application will be processed without it. (To find out how you can provide the proof of English language proficiency, consult the paragraphs pertaining to Finance in this information. If your bachelor’s or other higher education degree was taught entirely in English you do not need a language test certificate but you need to document that your degree was taught in English.) Please consult the admissions department if you have any questions related to the language proof.
APS certificates or APS confirmation for applicants with a bachelor’s degree from China, India or Vietnam: Please consult the information given here (see "Application documents") and consult the admissions department if you have any questions.
If you also have a Master's degree or if you are studying for a Master's degree, you can upload related documents. They will then be considered in the review of your application, in addition to the information you provide for your Bachelor studies (which must be provided, together with certificate uploads, even if you have a Master's degree).

Application documents

Prospective students can find a comprehensive list of all required application documents on the webpage of the admission department:

Required documents

The information is provided on the bottom of the page in the section 'Further information'.

We strongly recommend to visit this page before applying to ensure you have all required materials for a successful application.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to this program must have earned or be in the process of earning a bachelor's degree (or an equivalent thereof) in mathematics or in another quantitative and mathematically-orientated discipline from a recognized university. Applicants with a degree in actuarial science, computer science, engineering, or physics are usually eligible. A degree in economics can be sufficient provided that you have successfully taken a significant number of courses in mathematics and statistics. A degree in business, commerce or accounting is usually not sufficient for admission because typical programs in these fields do not contain the amount of training in mathematics and statistics that is required for the MSc Finance. Please note that mathematics courses outside university (e.g. secondary school) cannot be considered as a surrogate for missing qualifications at the Bachelor's level.

You do not need prior knowledge in finance. The compulsory courses of the first semester are structured such that they can serve as an introduction to finance. Successful applicants will display the willingness to work in a challenging, multi-cultural environment, a strong mathematical ability and good communication skills.

Note that courses in financial mathematics and mathematics, which are an integral part of two out of three specializations of the MSc Finance, are on the level of mathematics programs. Applicants interested in these two specializations (Actuarial Science and Financial Mathematics) should therefore have a genuine interest in mathematics. Applicants interested in the specialization Financial Economics should note that the specialization is still fairly quantitative compared to many other Finance programs.

If you are in doubt whether you meet the requirements, you can send us an email with only your transcript of records for a preliminary check. Please try not to send attachments larger than 5 MB.

Furthermore, an above-average performance in the completed degree and good knowledge of the English language is required. For the latter, you can use a TOEFL (score of at least 72 for the internet-based test) or an IELTS (score of 5.5 or better). A test is not needed by applicants whose mother tongue is English or who have completed a Bachelor taught in English.

A comprehensive list of all required application documents as well as detailed information on the selection criteria can be found on the webpage of the admission department.