IllMaster of Science in Financial EngineeringUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States

Program Overview

Dates and tuition are specific to the 2027 intake

Multiple application rounds (other deadlines: Jan 1, 2027 | Feb 1, 2027 | Mar 1, 2027 | Apr 15, 2027).

Please check the official program website (link below) for specific writing guidelines

Academic statement of purpose

Maximum 300 words; upload as a separate document.

CV or resume

Most recent resume including employment dates. Prior work experience is not required.

Personal statement short answers

Maximum 250 words each; prompts 1–2 required, 3–4 optional.

Recommendation letters x 3

Submitted electronically from official university or company email on official letterhead.

Video essay

Maximum 2 minutes; upload in the portal (no YouTube/Vimeo links).

Academic: Bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0/4.0; Must meet Graduate College minimums including country-specific credential rules.
IELTS: 7.5 overall; Graduate College full-status admission minimum. Limited status is 6.5 overall and typically requires ESL placement. Scores must be dated within two years of the proposed term.
TOEFL: New scale: 5.0 overall | Old scale: 103 overall; Graduate College full-status admission minimum. Limited status is 79 overall (old scale) / 4.0 (new scale) and typically requires ESL placement. New scale applies to tests dated after 20 Jan 2026; old scale applies before 21 Jan 2026.; Graduate College full-status admission minimum. Limited status is 79 overall (old scale) / 4.0 (new scale) and typically requires ESL placement. Scores must be dated within two years of the proposed term.
GMAT: Optional; GMAT or GRE optional. If submitting GMAT, select Univ. of Illinois / Urbana-Champaign - MSFE.
GRE: Optional; GRE or GMAT optional.