Seeking Affordable Master’s in Finance Programs in Europe (Excluding UK & US)

[arvind prabhakaran]

Hello everyone,

I’m looking for recommendations for strong but affordable Master’s in Finance programs in Europe, particularly those with a focus on quantitative finance, risk management, or asset management.

My Background: Undergraduate in Civil Engineering.
• Six years of banking experience in a major retail bank. risk assessment, loan portfolio management, and financial compliance.

• Studied actuarial science (CT-1, CT-3) and completed a course in Financial Engineering and Risk Management.

• Keen on gaining practical exposure, developing my skill set, and potentially working on a startup/fintech/ in the future.

Financial Considerations:

I come from a financially modest background, and high tuition fees combined with living expenses make me skeptical of large, expensive programs. I do not want to take out a loan because I simply cannot afford to. That’s why I’m looking for strong but cost-effective programs that offer good career prospects without a heavy financial burden.

So far, I’ve applied to:
• ETH Zurich – MSc in Quantitative Finance
• BFI Vienna – MSc in Quantitative Risk and Asset Management
• WU Vienna – Master’s in Quantitative Finance
• Toulouse School of Management – MSc in Finance
• Stockholm School of Economics – MSc in Finance
• Nova School of Business & Economics (Nova SBE) – MSc in Finance
• Tsinghua University – Master’s in Finance (though not in Europe, it’s still on my list)

Request to European Members:

I’d love to hear from those who have actual experience in the European finance industry and can provide insights on affordable programs that are close to financial hubs like Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Amsterdam, or Vienna. My goal is to maximize my return on education without taking on debt.
If you know of low-cost but high-quality finance programs in Europe with good career prospects, I’d truly appreciate your advice.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Andy Nguyen]

ETH Zurich is one of the good programs out there if you can get in.
Finance is a high paying industry i.e competitive and it almost always means you have to invest a lot of money, time to get in by whatever means necessary.
A program with very high ROI means it's extremely hard to get in.
Coming from a low income country like India, your options are limited. You can pick from low cost programs above but their employment outcomes are unclear.
Best of luck. I see the new wave of applicants from India and I know many of you will struggle to complete amidst this increasing competitive environment. Such is life in finance.

 

[indexquanty]

ETH Zurich is one of the good programs out there if you can get in.
Finance is a high paying industry i.e competitive and it almost always means you have to invest a lot of money, time to get in by whatever means necessary.
A program with very high ROI means it's extremely hard to get in.
Coming from a low income country like India, your options are limited. You can pick from low cost programs above but their employment outcomes are unclear.
Best of luck. I see the new wave of applicants from India and I know many of you will struggle to complete amidst this increasing competitive environment. Such is life in finance.

Hi Andy, not directly related to OP but are there still any plans for an updated UK rankings?

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Hi Andy, not directly related to OP but are there still any plans for an updated UK rankings?

Yes.

 

[VincenzoSM]

Bro EPFL MFE is a good master go there