Directly apply for MFE abroad vs pursue a Master’s in India first

[Gagapoopoo]

Hi everyone,


I’m currently at a crossroads in my career path and would appreciate some advice from those who’ve been through similar situations.


My Background:

• Graduated in Mathematics & Computing from Delhi Technological University (tier 1 University in India at par with top nits) with a consistent CGPA of 8.8+.
• Strong foundation in DSA, probability, statistics, stochastic processes, numerical methods, and financial derivatives.
• Published a research paper presented at an international conference in London.
• I had a lot of math and cs courses during my undergrad, some of the relevant courses I am mentioning
  
  Maths -
  Engineering Mathematics 1 and 2
  Probability and Statistics
  Linear Algebra
  Numerical Methods to solve differential Equations
  Scientific Computing
  Stochastic Processes
  Financial Engineering
  Real Analysis
  Abstract Algebra
  Discrete Mathematics
  Complex Analysis
  Differential Equations and its Applications
  
  Computer Science -
  DSA
  Machine Learning
  Artificial Intelligence
  Software Engineering
  Programming Fundamentals
  
  Miscellaneous Analytical Courses -
  Engineering Economics
  Physics 1 & 2
  Computer Graphics
  Electrical Engineering
  Theory of Computation
  
  There were a few other CS courses but I don't think they are much relevant from quant perspective like OS,OOPS,DBMS,CN etc.
  In all of the above courses I had scored 8/9/10 i.e A/A+/O
  
  
  
• Professional experience:
  • Currently working as a Software Engineer in an MNC
• Competitive programming exposure: solved 1000+ problems across platforms, Knight on LeetCode, top 2-3% of coders & Specialist on Codeforces
• Good coding hold in Python, C++, JavaScript, and also some exposure to ML/AI.

My Dilemma:
I’m trying to decide on the right path forward to break into quantitative finance. Options I see are:

1. Directly apply for top MFEs abroad (like CMU MSCF, Princeton, Cornell, Baruch, Berkeley, LSE) after improving my profile.
2. Pursue a Master’s in CS/AI from IIT/IISc in India, improve my profile simultaneously by publishing more research papers, clearing cfa/frm l1 and do intern in data science/ml domain then apply for MFE abroad.
3. Alternatively, strengthen my profile in India by clearing CFA/FRM Level 1, then apply for MFE later without a masters degree just with sde workex.

Questions I have:

• Given my current profile, would it make more sense to apply directly for MFE programs abroad, or would an Indian Master’s + certifications like frm/cfa help significantly? Assuming I am able to get a good score in GRE.
• What are the most impactful ways I can strengthen my profile over the next 1–2 years? (e.g., CFA/FRM, finance-related projects, research, internships).
• How is the current market scenario for quant/strat roles for fresh MFE grads in the US/Europe?

I’d really value the perspective of those who’ve gone through an MFE or are currently working in quant roles.


Thanks in advance!