‘I haven’t once regretted choosing to study finance’

Liisa Stucki’s interest in business started already in middle school when she read Talouselämä, a Finnish business magazine her entrepreneur father subscribed to. In high school, she chose subjects that best supported admission to a business school, and she applied to Aalto University School of Business because of its strong reputation. Another factor was that, living close to the Otaniemi campus, she could live at home a little longer.

‘When I started my studies, many people in my year had come from outside the Helsinki metropolitan area. Although I knew some of Aalto’s new students, none of my closest friends started at the School of Business. However, I’ve found new good friends—for example, in my German course and among the finance majors. We have a really strong sense of community’, Stucki says.

After completing the introductory courses in different subjects, Stucki chose finance as her major. The studies cover, among other things, financial markets, models for securities pricing and portfolio theory, as well as company valuation and financing decisions. Sustainability is also part of the curriculum, and both mathematics and analytical thinking are needed.

‘My minor is economics, and you need math there too. But it’s just a tool, and you can do well in your studies even without a top grade in advanced math’, Stucki says.

Finance buddies made the start easier 

In Stucki’s year, there are about 90 finance majors, but only around ten are women. For some reason, the field is still male dominated, even though it offers equally interesting and well-paid opportunities for women.

‘Many of the male students studying finance had seen the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, which sparked their interest in the field. By contrast, fewer of us women knew at the start of our studies that finance might be the right path for us. Maybe more young women would choose finance if they heard about this study and career option already in high school.’

Getting started with major studies was made easier by the Finance buddies — upper-year students in the major who reached out before the academic year began and were easy to approach with any questions about finance studies.

So far, Stucki has completed five major courses, and the most interesting ones for her have been Investments and Financial Markets and Institutions. There’s a lot of new information to absorb, but you learn it when you put in the effort.

‘I’ve learned a lot about financial markets and, for example, how important it is for society as a whole that banks follow the rules. The project where we examined appropriate levels for banks’ capital requirements also taught me a lot’, she explains.

‘I knew beforehand that the quality of the teaching would be high, but the professors are also approachable, and it feels like they genuinely want us students to learn.’

Student organizations bring both joy and practical help

A typical day for a finance student usually includes a lecture, independent study, and exercises or group assignments. Stucki often comes to the Otaniemi campus even on days when she has no lectures scheduled.

‘The study and group work spaces at the School of Business are really good, and it’s nice to come to campus not only to study but also to meet friends. The women studying finance form a fairly close-knit community, and it’s nice to go for lunch together from time to time’, Stucki says.

According to Stucki, university studies differ from high school especially in that you must take more responsibility for your own learning. The workload is substantial but manageable—as long as you plan, for example, assignment deadlines well in advance.

‘It’s worth planning your week ahead of time. I also don’t attend absolutely every lecture; I think about which ones are the most useful for me.’

Liisa Stucki balances her study routine with physical training in her free time. Events organized by subject and student associations bring both enjoyment and practical benefits.

‘I haven’t had much time for my previous hobbies—football and tennis—but I go to the gym. At events by Aalto Finance, Aalto Investment Club and Women’s Career Society I’ve met company representatives and heard startup founders’ stories, which has helped me understand different career paths. I’ve also noticed that there are a number of successful women in finance’, Stucki says.

‘The Aalto Finance student association also provides concrete help—for example, with how to format your CV.’

Master of Science in Business Administration in 3 + 2 years 

Stucki plans to continue from the bachelor’s programme to a master’s, aiming to complete the Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration in three years and the Master’s in two. Another strong option would be to apply for a trainee program after the bachelor’s and start the master’s after the internship period.

‘I heard that many banks, asset management companies, and large corporations have trainee programs of varying lengths. You gain valuable work experience and learn more about different career paths, so I might apply to one of these programs.’

To anyone still considering what to study, Stucki warmly recommends finance.

‘I would probably have regretted it if I hadn’t applied to the School of Business and to finance as my major, but I haven’t once regretted applying here!’

At Aalto University School of Business, students starting their studies in 2027 can study finance as their bachelor’s major only in the new English-taught Bachelor in Finance programme, for which the application period is open in January 2027. 

In the Finnish-language Kauppatieteiden kandidaattiohjelma (Bachelor’s Programme in Economics and Business Administration), all students take the introductory finance course, and finance can also be taken as a minor.

Graduates of the Bachelor in Finance can proceed directly to master’s-level studies in finance as a major. Graduates of the Kauppatieteiden kandidaattiohjelma, in turn, may apply to the Master’s Programme in Finance if they meet the separately defined criteria.