How to Apply

The Vanderbilt MS Finance application is hosted online. To begin, you will be asked to provide basic information such as demographic and contact information, areas of interest, activities and education, and work history. Applications are considered complete when each component has been received and processed by our team. You can check your application status at any time by accessing the application checklist.

All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the deadline date.

Vanderbilt Business specialized master's programs (MS Finance, Master of Accountancy, Master of Marketing, and Master of Management) are test-optional. Applicants may submit GMAT or GRE scores if they feel these scores add value to their candidacy and demonstrate their readiness for graduate-level work.

Vanderbilt requires graduate students to have a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college, or its equivalent. An unofficial academic transcript from every college or university you attended is required as part of the application. 

Legible, unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application submission and should include your full name, the name of the institution, all courses with grades received, grade point average, grading scale, and conferred degree with date (if applicable). If your conferred degree with date is not included on your transcript, upload a copy of your diploma along with your transcript. 

If your transcript is not in English, include your translated academic records along with your originals. 

Official Transcripts 

Official academic records are required for admitted students prior to enrollment. Final official academic records must be sent directly from the issuing institution/agency to Vanderbilt University. 

Information on the prior degree verification process, including how to submit official academic records, can be found on the Vanderbilt University Registrar’s Website. 

Written statements help us understand your unique qualities and goals. The required personal statement gives you the opportunity to describe your purpose for pursuing the Vanderbilt Master of Science program and explain how your background, skills, and interests align with this path. 

You may also submit an optional second statement to address anything important for the Admissions Committee to know that isn't covered elsewhere in your application - for example, employment gaps, academic concerns, or other relevant circumstances. 

The video response is a chance for you to provide a glimpse of your authentic self, speaking without a script to demonstrate your communication skills. The video questions are designed as approachable "small talk" prompts to help us get to know you. You will have time to prepare your response, and the application will provide step-by-step instructions on how to record your answers. 

Only one letter of recommendation is required for the Vanderbilt Master of Science in Finance application and recommendations are due on the application deadline date. 

Select your recommender and enter their contact information within the application early to ensure your application will not be delayed. Instructions on submitting the Vanderbilt recommendation form will be emailed directly to your recommender. 

We encourage you to choose a recommender who can share your personal qualities, ability to succeed in a top MS Finance program and potential for success in management and leadership roles. 

Acceptable recommenders include current and former internship or full-time managers, current or former professors, and individuals with whom you have worked regularly, as long as they can provide a meaningful evaluation in a professional context. 

Our preference is for your recommender to complete an online recommendation form itself. If your recommender is not an English speaker, a letter of recommendation in his/her native language with a professional translation is acceptable. The original letter, the translated letter, and a certification by the translator should be combined into one document and uploaded by the recommender into the recommendation form. 

Please upload a current professional resume that highlights your educational background, any work or internship experience, activities, interests, and hobbies that are significant to you. Your resume should be in a format that you would present to a prospective employer.

Interviews are an essential component of the application and are offered by invitation on a rolling basis to applicants who have submitted a complete application. 

Interviews are conducted asynchronously through Kira Talent, our video interview platform, allowing candidates to complete the interview on their own schedule within the designated window. A unique link will be provided to access the platform. 

The interview consists of four oral responses and one written response, with a practice opportunity provided before candidates begin recording. 

An official English Language Exam score or an approved waiver is a required component of the application. An official test score report must be requested by the applicant and received by Vanderbilt directly from the testing service. 

Vanderbilt accepts the following exams: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, TOEFL Essentials. TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years. 

English Language Exam Waiver: 

The English Language Exam requirement can be waived for applicants that meet any of the following requirements: 

• Applicant has earned an undergraduate degree in a country where the official language is English* (not just an English-speaking institution or just a country where English is spoken); or 

• Applicant has lived and worked, for the past two or more years, in a country where the official language is English* (not just a country where English is spoken); or 

• Applicant has scored in the 90th percentile or higher on the verbal component of the GMAT or GRE. 

International applicants can be considered for an English Language Exam waiver by marking qualifications on the "International Applicants" page of the application. 

Submitting official test scores: 

An official test score report must be requested by the applicant and received by Vanderbilt directly from the testing service. Once the results are ready, it can take 10-14 days to be received, processed, and attached to your application. 

School Codes: 

• Duolingo: No school code is required. You will be asked to provide our school’s name: “Vanderbilt University” in the request. If Vanderbilt is indicated as a recipient of the Duolingo English Test, the results are received and posted to your application two days after taking the test. 

• TOEFL and IELTS: 1871 

The official TOEFL or IELTS scores should be submitted to Vanderbilt University at this address: 

Center for Data Management-OWEN 
Vanderbilt University (Institution Code 1871) 
PMB 407833 
2301 Vanderbilt Place 
Nashville, TN 
37240-7833 

For questions about the TOEFL, contact ETS. 

To contact IELTS email ielts@ieltsintl.org. 

Learn more about the Duolingo English Test.