It has been a while since I last posted about the University of Illinois Masters in Finance program and there have been a number of updates that I think many of you would find interesting. I also went through all the older posts and updated the links as the business school is now the Gies College of Business. This is one of the oldest MSF programs in the country so I will make a mental note to try and write more frequent updates.
STEM Program
If a program isn’t STEM, it is at a significant disadvantage in my opinion. UIUC is now designated as a STEM program and international students can stay in the US for up to 36 months with the OPT STEM extension.
Specialized Tracks
The University of Illinois MSF program does a great job with providing students a number of specializations. This is something I think makes the program stand out as these will allow you to focus your education and differentiate yourself. There is also a research track for anyone considering doing a PhD after the masters. I haven’t seen this before so this is definitely a unique feature of this program.
Specializations students can choose:
- Asset Management
- Corporate Finance
- Data Analytics and Fintech
- Quantitative Finance
- Real Estate
- Finance Research (PhD Specialization)
Students also do a full service practicum project than can further bolster your specialization.
Application Deadlines
Students who are interested in the Illinois MSF program should be mindful that the first round deadline is fast approaching. Application requirements are similar to other programs (GMAT/GRE, Resume, Transcripts, Essays, etc.), so you will want to make sure you have things in order sooner rather than later.
- Round 1 Deadline: Friday, 24 January, 2020
- Round 2 Deadline: Sunday, 15 March, 2020*
- Round 3 Deadline: Wednesday, 15 April, 2020
Please keep in mind that Round 2 is the final deadline for international students.
Class Profile
I like to post class profiles whenever I see them as I think they give applicants a good idea of where they stack up. The below profile is for the current year.
- Class Size – 133 Students
- Avg. GPA – 3.41
- Avg. GMAT – 686
- Avg. GRE – 317
- Avg. Work Experience – 9 months
Additionally, the class is evenly split between men and women, a remarkable achievement. Over 12 countries are represented which is pretty impressive as well.
Tuition
This is a 3 semester, full year program. The site does mention the possibility of completing this program in 2 semesters for individuals with significant finance experience, but I would not consider this to be the norm. The total tuition cost for this program (as I write this in January 2020) is $61,521. There is a campus fee that has to be paid so the effective cost is a little over $68,000. This doesn’t include housing.
There are two scholarships (Merit and Golden) that students can receive. They are limited and highly competitive.
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A lot of great things going on with the University of Illinois MSF program. Happy to see the school thriving and it looks as if this MSF is on a great path. Keep checking back for additional updates in the future.
Here is a link to the University of Illinois Masters in Finance program
