Admission requirements

Master of Science in Quantitative Finance

This page outlines the specific admission requirements for this programme.

In addition, you must meet the general requirements for Master of Science.

1. Degree requirements

1.1 Undergraduate Degree
a) A successfully completed Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS) with a specialisation (minimum 80 ECTS credits) in one of the following, provided that the combination of courses gives a good foundation for further studies within quantitative finance:

  • Mathematics
  • Statistics
  • Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Economics
  • Physics
  • Actuarial Science

Or

b) A successfully completed Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS) in the field of business administration with a highly quantitative specialisation (80 ECTS). The business degree must include the following foundation courses, or equivalent:

  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics
  • Finance
  • Statistics or Econometrics

And the following intermediate level courses, or equivalent:

  • Calculus
  • Linear Algebra


1.2  The Bachelor's degree must include the following courses (intermediate level):   

  • Calculus
  • Linear Algebra
  • Probability and Statistics* 

*Based on an overall assessment, an applicant with a strong quantitative background may receive a conditional offer of admission if this course is lacking in the bachelor’s degree. The applicant will be required to take a course in Statistics before the start of the academic year to fulfil this condition. BI Norwegian Business School offers a preparatory course in Statistics in July/August each year.

2. Grade requirements

In addition to the admission requirements for all MSc degree programmes, applicants to the MSc in Quantitative Finance programme require a minimum grade of B in one course within each of the following academic areas:

  • Calculus (intermediate-level)
  • Linear Algebra (intermediate-level)
  • Statistics

3. Limited enrolment and admission process

This is a limited enrolment programme. The admission requirements are minimum requirements and do not automatically give applicants a right of admission. If there are more applicants than available study places, applicants who applied before March 1 will be given priority, and ranked according to their GPA. 

The admission requirements above are minimum requirements. We recommend that applicants have a highly quantitative background with basic programming skills, complemented by a foundation in economics and finance, before beginning this programme. To help prepare applicants for the programme, BI Norwegian Business School has compiled the following list of reading materials.

Recommended textbook for Calculus and Linear Algebra:

  • Mathematics for Economists, by Simon, C. P. and L. Blume, 1994.

Recommended textbook on Probability and Statistics:

  • Mathematical Statistics and Data Analysis, by Rice, J.A., 3rd ed.


NB:
Grades are posted using the ECTS scale.


Last updated 20 October 2025