School of Business
At the School of Business we strive for better business and better society. We excel in education and research with a multidisciplinary approach and in collaboration with our partners.
All global challenges, whether related to business or not, require an understanding of how financial markets work. The field must be increasingly aware of system-wide risks, conflicts of interest, and regulatory challenges. This requires wide theoretical knowledge and practical skills, both of which are provided by the Finance Master’s programme. Finance graduates have:
Upon graduating from the Finance Master’s programme, graduates can apply analytical thinking and financial tools to a number of situations both in strategic decision-making of the firm (e.g. mergers and acquisitions) and in day-to-day management (e.g. portfolio and risk management).
The language of instruction is English.
Aalto University’s tuition fee for master’s programmes taught in English is 15 000 euros per academic year. Tuition fees apply to citizens of countries other than those of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
Aalto University has a scholarship programme to support non-EU/EEA citizens who study in a fee-charging degree programme. The scholarship may cover 100% or 50% of the tuition fee.
More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.
Master’s Programme in Finance organized by the School of Business and comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:
Students have the opportunity to complete minor studies (24 ECTS) at an official exchange programme partner of the School of Business.
Students can also apply to a double degree programme and complete two degrees in parallel: the Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration) degree at the Aalto University School of Business (one year) and a Master's degree at the partner university, University of Cologne (one year).
At the beginning of their studies, students define their Personal Study Plans (PSP) together with an academic advisor. The primary purpose of PSP is to ensure that the studies support the student’s interests and are completed in a logical order.
The learning environment is demanding, yet supportive. Most courses highlight the quantitative and analytical approach to solve business problems but are at times supported by more qualitative data. The Finance department and its professors welcome student feedback as a primary tool for developing the learning methods of each course. There are two areas of specialisation to help you select elective courses:
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance prepares students for entry-level positions in e.g. investment or commercial banking, management consulting, or the finance and corporate planning functions of industrial firms.
Core topics you cover include:
Financial Markets
Financial Markets prepare students for entry-level positions in e.g. investment management and strategy, venture capital and private equity, and risk management.
Core topics you cover include:
Financial markets are global and the industry is highly international by nature. Finance students receive world-class teaching from professors and doctoral students who have international experience from the world’s top universities like Wharton, Harvard and Berkeley. Further, most Finance students decide to complete an exchange at one of the top-tier partner universities of Aalto. They typically have excellent employment opportunities not only in Finland but also abroad, for example in nearby financial hubs such as London, Paris and Frankfurt.
Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad each year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through studies, but also multiple free time events, activities and celebrations around the campus. Programme administrators, active student tutors and student support services work rigorously to help international students integrate into the Nordic culture and feel at home in Finland.
The degree grants eligibility for doctoral studies.
The world’s most selective companies in the financial sector fiercely compete for the talent that Finance graduates possess. This is seen in multiple real-life cases and projects that companies introduce and host during Finance courses. Career-wise, the working environment in finance is very broad: potential employers vary from investment and commercial banks to management consultancies, and from brokerage and mutual fund companies to insurance and venture capital firms.
Over 80 percent of Finance students find their first established jobs already during their studies – usually through the highly active Finance student association Aalto Finance. Their mission is to provide opportunities for students interested in Finance to get acquainted, connect with the faculty, and develop networks with people working in related industries. This means active alumni relations, mentoring opportunities and many relaxed events like poker nights and after-exam celebrations.
Aalto University has well-established career services that help you get employed in Finland and abroad. Aalto students often find respected positions with ease upon graduation. An active entrepreneurship community is already present at Aalto, which can help as a springboard for founding your company. Finally, if an academic career is of interest, the Master’s programme in Finance is a great foundation for doctoral studies and post-doc positions.
The research in this programme is linked to several focus areas in the School of Business. Additional information about research related to this programme can be found at the Department of Finance website: https://www.aalto.fi/en/department-of-finance
Aalto University and the departments involved in the programme collaborate with many high-quality universities worldwide.
The student can take advantage of the studies within other Aalto University Schools, studies under the flexible study right agreement (JOO) within other universities as well as the major's international connections and student exchange possibilities.
Finance studies are flexible when it comes to choosing minor and elective courses from different majors and in different schools. For example, behavioural finance is similar to psychology, sociology and behavioural sciences, and entrepreneurial minds often find paths towards financial technology, corporate venturing, and startup investing.
Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The lively campus and freedom to choose elective courses across the university bring students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, startups.
Are you wondering what it is like to study at Aalto? Come chat with our students about all things Aalto on Unibuddy chat platform.
The admissions to Master's programmes at Aalto University in the field of Business and Economics are organised once a year. The application period for studies starting in autumn 2024 is from 30 November 2023 to 2 January 2024.
Here are the most important dates to remember:
In addition to these programme-specific admission requirements, applicants must also fulfill the general admission requirements.
Bachelor’s degree from a university in Finland
What is evaluated? | Previous studies |
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Admission requirements |
Applicants are expected to be familiar with the basics of finance (discounting and present value, cost of capital, basics of asset pricing and portfolio theory, basics of financial institutions and financial markets). Students accepted into the programme with little background in finance may be required to complete one or two B.Sc. level finance courses (such as Fundamentals of Corporate Finance and/or Fundamentals of Financial Markets and Institutions and/or Econometrics for Finance and/or Fundamentals of Investments) during their first year of studies. The applicants are ranked according to the following criteria. |
Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
Please Note! Remember to submit course descriptions for the previous studies.
If your previous studies were evaluated in other scale than the ECTS then you need to attach an informal description regarding the evaluation scale to the application.
What is evaluated? | Weighted GPA of previous studies |
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Admission requirements | Considering absolute and relative performance, the type of degree and the reputation of the institution granting it. Applicants with a weighted GPA of previous degree lower than 3.50 (Finnish ECTS evaluation) are not eligible for admission. |
Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
What is evaluated? | Motivational letter and CV |
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Admission requirements | Motivation letter is written in English and it should be less than 300 words. |
Evaluated documents | Motivation letter and CV |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
What is evaluated? | Applicant’s further applicability to the study option, motivation, and commitment for studies/communication skills |
---|---|
Admission requirements |
Based on the above evaluation criteria, the best applicants are invited for an interview. The applicants’ skills and ability to communicate in English are evaluated. The applicants are asked a series of questions regarding their motivation, abilities, and attitudes. The final acceptance of applicants will be made based on the interviews. |
Evaluated documents | Interview |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
Bachelor’s degree from a university of applied science in Finland or from a higher education institution abroad
What is evaluated? | Previous studies |
---|---|
Admission requirements |
Applicants are expected to be familiar with the basics of finance (discounting and present value, cost of capital, basics of asset pricing and portfolio theory, basics of financial institutions and financial markets). Students accepted into the programme with little background in finance may be required to complete one or two B.Sc. level finance courses (such as Fundamentals of Corporate Finance and/or Fundamentals of Financial Markets and Institutions and/or Econometrics for Finance and/or Fundamentals of Investments) during their first year of studies. The applicants are ranked according to the following criteria. |
Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
Please Note! Remember to submit course descriptions for the previous studies.
If your previous studies were evaluated in other scale than the ECTS then you need to attach an informal description regarding the evaluation scale to the application.
What is evaluated? | Analytical and quantitative skills |
---|---|
Admission requirements |
GMAT/GRE test score receives the most weight in selection, exact weightings are not disclosed). Applicants with a GMAT result lower than required are not eligible for admission. GMAT or GRE is obligatory in admission group 2 (minimum score 650 in GMAT, 595 in GMAT Focus edition or GRE score of 160 verbal reasoning - 161 quantitative reasoning). |
Evaluated documents | GMAT/ GRE test results |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
What is evaluated? | Weighted GPA of previous studies |
---|---|
Admission requirements | Considering absolute and relative performance, the type of degree and the reputation of the institution granting it. Applicants must demonstrate good academic performance. |
Evaluated documents | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
What is evaluated? | Motivational letter and CV |
---|---|
Admission requirements | Motivation letter is written in English and it should be less than 300 words. |
Evaluated documents | Motivation letter and CV |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
What is evaluated? | Applicant’s further applicability to the study option, motivation, and commitment for studies/communication skills |
---|---|
Admission requirements |
Based on the above evaluation criteria, the best applicants are invited for an interview. The applicants’ skills and ability to communicate in English are evaluated. The applicants are asked a series of questions regarding their motivation, abilities, and attitudes. The final acceptance of applicants will be made based on the interviews. |
Evaluated documents | Interview |
Criticality | Critical (0 points = rejection) |
At the School of Business we strive for better business and better society. We excel in education and research with a multidisciplinary approach and in collaboration with our partners.
The Department of Finance is the leading finance department in Finland with a strong dedication to research.
A parkland-style campus established in the 1950s forms the core of Otaniemi. The overall vision of the campus was that of Alvar Aalto, and its individual buildings were designed by Aalto and other celebrated Finnish architects such as Reima and Raili Pietilä and Heikki and Kaija Sirén.
Finland’s excellent reputation in education, combined with a wide range of courses offered in English, makes Finland and Aalto University an attractive study destination for international students.