Master of Science in Finance

*Fall term is the preferred start for MS in Finance students. Winter admission is offered as an alternative track and may take longer to complete than if started in fall. International students admitted in winter will need to take 2-4 additional elective credits to stay compliant with F-1 student visa requirements.

MSF Program Requirements

The Portland State MSF is open to professionals and recent graduates with business and non-business degrees.

MSF Application Requirements

• Meet PSU minimum admission requirements
• Professional resume
• Unofficial transcripts/mark sheets from any institution where a bachelor's degree was awarded and any institution where graduate-level credits were completed. Upon admission, applicants will be required to provide official transcripts from these institutions. Visit the PSU Admissions website for detailed transcript requirements.
• Application essays (3 written and 1 video): Essays are your opportunity to tell us who you are beyond your GPAs, test scores and resume. Use this opportunity to provide us with a better understanding of your personal journey, unique background and goals associated with the program.
  • Video essay (1): Applicants are required to record a one-minute video of themselves answering the following question - "Introduce yourself and tell us your story. What led you to apply to this program?" The application system provides detailed guidance on how to complete this process. Reading your response is strongly discouraged. Applicants who experience technical difficulties and are not able to submit a video essay with the application may be required to attend a remote interview with the MSF Academic Director.
  • Written essays (3):
    • 250 words maximum per essay question
    • Answers to all four questions are required
    • See all essay questions below
• Contact information for two or more references (professional references preferred). Forms will be emailed to these contacts and we must receive at least two submissions before applications are reviewed.
• $67 application fee - Attend an Information Session to waive this.
• GMAT and GRE Optional: We recognize that standardized exams are not always a fair reflection of a candidates’ abilities as a result of the inequity of those exams. Therefore we have suspended the GMAT and GRE requirement. This means the GMAT or GRE are no longer required for admission to the MSF program at PSU. We recommend that applicants with undergraduate or graduate GPAs lower than 3.0 or prerequisite grades lower than a B consider taking the GMAT or GRE to improve the competitiveness of their application. We may require completion of primers and communication courses from students admitted to the MSF program who need additional preparation.

Essay Questions

1. Introduce yourself and tell us your story. What led you to apply to the MS in Finance program? (video, 1 minute maximum)
2. How have you developed your problem-solving approach in your professional or academic career? Please describe your general process for solving problems, and provide a specific, relevant personal example. (written, 250 word maximum)
3. Describe your specific short-term and long-term career goals, and explain how the PSU MS in Finance program will help you achieve them. In your response, be specific about both your goals and the ways the program’s content, curriculum, or experiences will directly contribute to your professional growth. (written, 250 maximum)
4. Success in graduate study requires preparation in multiple areas. Please describe the specific steps you have taken to prepare for success in this program in three areas: academically, financially, and personally. In your response, provide concrete examples of your preparation in each area. (written, 250 maximum)

Additional International Student Requirements

• English Language Proficiency
• International Documents & Certified Translation
• Financial Documentation
• Other Helpful Information for International Students

Learn More About the Master of Science in Finance

• Overview
• Curriculum
• Faculty
• Class Profile
• Employment Profile
• Tuition & Fees