MS Finance
FAQ

Yes, MSF students can apply to the Vanderbilt MBA program. The admissions standards for the MBA program are different and generally require three to five years of work experience. If you are admitted to the MBA program, some of the MSF course credits can be used to satisfy MBA graduation requirements.

We seek students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Diversity in all forms—academic, professional, cultural, ethnic, gender, geographic, socioeconomic—is an important component of the Vanderbilt experience.

No. Most top business schools do not accept transfer students or transfer credits.

We will notify you of the admission decision within 30 days of your application being complete. 

You should submit two recommendations from professors or supervisors familiar with your work. If you are unable to disclose your plans to a current supervisor, you should provide an explanation in an additional statement and request a former supervisor to complete a recommendation. Applicants with little or no full-time work experience should obtain recommendations from professors or supervisors of part-time work and internships.

No. It is not recommended to submit more than two letters of recommendation.

Generally, no—we do not offer deferred enrollment. In exceptional situations beyond the candidate's control, the Admissions Committee may offer a deferral. One exception is that all deferral requests for military personnel will be considered. Otherwise, candidates must decline an offer of admission and reactivate the application for admission and scholarship consideration the following year.

We seek outstanding candidates regardless of the application round. However, space and scholarships are limited, so it is wise to apply as early as possible. Applying earlier means that you will receive an admission decision earlier, leaving you more time to plan your transition to the Vanderbilt MSF program. The earlier candidates commit to the program, the sooner they have access to our career service resources.

We retain all admissions materials for two years before destroying them. You must submit an entirely new application. However, we can match previously submitted supplemental materials—such as official test scores, transcripts and recommendations—to your new application. We also ask that you provide an additional statement in the Optional essay area describing your personal and professional activities since the original date of application and explaining why you are now a stronger candidate for admission. If the essays have not changed since you originally applied, and your answers have not changed, you do not need to submit new essays. Just enter "See Previous Application."

International students do not qualify for federally funded loan programs unless they are permanent residents of the U.S. However, an international student may apply for a private alternative source of funding, but a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is required as a co-borrower. Click here for more information.

No, but the U.S. government does require international students to show proof of sufficient financial resources to support themselves for the period of their studies. Therefore, international students are required to complete the Preliminary Financial Declaration portion of the online application prior to submitting. Also, note that transcripts and diplomas not issued in English must be accompanied by notarized translations.

The interview is an important component of the application and provides you an opportunity to share your story. Through the interview, we hope to hear more examples of the types of experiences you have had in both your personal and professional life, and to get a sense of your demonstrated record of achievement, your interpersonal and communication skills and your focus—why MS Finance?

The interview usually lasts 30 to 40 minutes. In general, the goal of the interview is to assess your maturity, judgment, professionalism, initiative, interpersonal and team skills, communication skills and ability to think critically.

The module system allows MSF students to take a wider variety of courses. The Owen Graduate School of Management has been operating on the "mod" scheduling system for several years now with a high degree of success.

The MS Finance program requires either the GMAT or GRE. You may self-report the scores on your application for the admissions review process. We will verify the scores later in the admissions process if an applicant has accepted an offer of admission to the program. Official test scores should be sent to the Center for Data Management, Vanderbilt University, PMB 407833, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7833 or electronically to Caps@List.Vanderbilt.edu for the verification process each year. Please list Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management as a recipient of your GMAT or GRE score on test day if you would like us to receive your official report. If you last took the test more than five years prior to submitting your application, you must take it again. We review your overall highest test score. Some candidates take the test more than once to obtain a higher score.

We recommend that you take the GMAT or GRE before submitting your application so that you are satisfied with your scores and can record your self-reported unofficial score reports on the electronic application form. If you submit different test results, we will consider and report your highest overall score. We do not take the highest section scores from multiple tests. If your scores are below average, we strongly recommend that you retake the test, prior to submitting your application, to increase your chances of admission. Your application is considered complete and ready when we receive your online application, test scores and application fee. Although still required for admission, the evaluative interview and any other supplemental items are not required for the Admissions Committee to deny or waitlist an applicant.

We will only utilize the highest score when making an admissions decision.

The GMAT testing center does not require a school code. You will only be asked to provide the school name to the GMAT testing center. Our institution code is 1871 for the IELTS, TOEFL and GRE. When choosing the department, please proceed as follows to ensure your scores are reported to Vanderbilt: You are given a choice of "Undergraduate" or "Graduate" as the kind of test you are taking. Please select "Graduate." A drop-down box will then ask you to choose the department. Choose the last option: "Any Department Not Listed."

1. Take the GMAT or GRE (GMAT is preferred) and TOEFL, PTE Academic or IELTS, if required, before submitting your application so that you can include your scores in the application. If you have already taken your required tests and sent your score reports to Vanderbilt, your scores will automatically be verified by Vanderbilt. Please send all score reports to: 

If your official or unofficial transcript is not in English, you must obtain a notarized English translation from a certified professional and submit it with the official or unofficial transcript. If your university retains the only official copy of your transcript, we will accept a duplicate copy certified by an officer of the university. **Please note: We do not require official documents such as official transcripts and official test scores unless an offer of admission has been accepted. You may self-report your test scores on your test score section of your application. You may upload an unofficial transcript with your English translation to your application materials. We will verify the official transcripts and official test scores in May of each academic year prior to enrollment. Once you are notified of admission to the program, you may send all official transcripts electronically to Caps@List.Vanderbilt.edu. You will be required to send official transcripts for each institution listed on your application. Please ensure your conferred degree and graduation date are posted to your official transcript, otherwise you will be asked to order another transcript reflecting your conferred degree and date of graduation prior to enrollment. 

International students do not qualify for federally funded loan programs unless they are permanent residents of the U.S. However, an international student may apply for a private alternative source of funding, but a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is required as a co-borrower. Click here for more information.

Most students find that life as a Vanderbilt MS Finance student is very demanding. Classes, group work, individual study, the career search, student organizations, guest speakers, recreation and social events are time-consuming activities, but they are an important part of the Vanderbilt MS Finance experience. As a result, most students do not work while classes are in session. Those who wish to work have several options to help fund their education and gain valuable experience. U.S. citizens, permanent residents and eligible non-citizens may apply for graduate assistant positions. Opportunities to work with professors and administrators are posted at the beginning of each academic year. Students may work up to 20 hours per week, but most jobs require only 10 to 15 hours and offer flexible schedules. International students may NOT work off-campus. There may be other opportunities for employment on campus and outside of the business school. For more information, you should contact Vanderbilt's Student Employment Office, which is part of the Office of Student Financial Aid. In the past, some Vanderbilt MS Finance students have lived on campus and worked part-time as advisors or supervisors in one of the residence halls or international houses. To learn more about this option, contact the Office of Housing & Residential Education.

In order to qualify for the Federal Stafford Loan Program, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Vanderbilt MS Finance students can complete this form online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Title IV code for Vanderbilt is 003535. The deadline for filing the FAFSA is typically at the beginning of May. Financial aid applications submitted after the deadline may be subject to delays. Financial aid is always determined by the federal income tax information filed for the previous year.

All admitted applicants are automatically considered for scholarships awarded by Owen. A separate application is not required for scholarship consideration. Selection criteria are based on many of the same factors evaluated for an admission decision: academic performance, GMAT scores, leadership potential and personal characteristics demonstrated through the essays, interviews and recommendations. Scholarship decisions are communicated in conjunction with admissions decisions.

Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, Vanderbilt University, 2309 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203-1725 or finaid@vanderbilt.edu; telephone 615.322.3591 or 800.288.0204; or fax 615.343.8512. General office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST.

During Federal Verification, the school compares information from your application with the financial information (federal tax forms, W2s or other financial documents) you or your parents supplied to the government. Your Student Aid Report (SAR), which is a summary of information compiled from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and a variety of worksheets are used in this process. Check the first page of the SAR to see if you were selected for Federal Verification. You may download the Federal Verification Worksheets from here. You will need to mail your signed, completed worksheet with a signed copy of your tax return to the Office of Student Financial Aid, Vanderbilt University, 2309 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203-1725.

Vanderbilt requires that all students, spouses and dependents have health care coverage. The detailed costs, forms and form completion/submissions deadlines are all available on the Vanderbilt website for student accounts.

Filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in applying for federal financial aid. The FAFSA should be completed as early as February but no later than May to assure timely processing. Four to six weeks after filing the FAFSA, you will receive the resulting Student Aid Report (SAR) for your verification. Financial aid awards will be determined based on the information supplied on the FAFSA. A financial aid package will be calculated, including any Vanderbilt MS Finance scholarships, Federal Stafford Loans and a private alternative loan to meet the cost of education or academic budget for the year.

To find out more about Graduate Stafford Loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized) please visit the financial aid website here.

Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans are need-based loans for U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. The federal government pays the interest on these loans while the student is in school and during the grace period before repayment begins. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans are non-need-based loans for U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. The borrower is responsible for the interest on these loans as soon as the loan is disbursed. Most terms and conditions of subsidized and non-subsidized Stafford loans are the same. The combined federal loan limit is up to $20,500 per year for graduate and professional students. Private alternative loans are available for all students. A number of major lending organizations offer loan programs to qualified borrowers. A listing of recommended private alternative loan providers is available upon request from the Office of Student Financial Aid. This information will include maximum loan amounts and terms and conditions of each program listed. The student may borrow up to the cost of education minus any financial aid. International students can use this resource if a qualified U.S. citizen or permanent resident serves as a co-signer.

The loan application paperwork is usually available in the fall of the year prior to enrollment. Visit Vanderbilt University's financial aid website for details.

In order to qualify for federal financial aid, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Federal financial aid includes the Federal Stafford Loan Program. International students can apply for private alternative educational loans only with the assistance of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident as a co-signer.