MSF Program Application

The deadline to complete the application is January 15th for international students and March 15th for domestic students.

Current UF students should apply early. Optimal application is during the second year on campus. This allows time to get to know the applicant. Students accepted this early:

Have premium summer internship opportunities
May be candidates for the University of Florida Investment Corporation year long internships
Can begin graduate coursework earlier
Get connected with graduating MSF students to learn about their hiring experiences and develop relationships with some of the companies that hire MSF students
Have a better understanding of the finance industry and current markets, making them better job candidates

To assure that your information is received for consideration into the MSF Program in a timely manner, you must mail or deliver the following:

A copy of your transcript
Two letters of recommendation
A photocopy of your GMAT score report
Resume
Statement of Purpose

Domestic applicants should contact Kelly Herring by emailing their resume and an introductory email as soon as they begin investigating the program. You will be informed of program developments and receive announcement of Open House events. A phone dialog in the fall or early spring would be appropriate.

Local students considering the MSF Program should contact Kelly Herring as early as possible to attend one of the frequently held interest sessions and begin developing a relationship with the program.

The courses that comprise the MSF and MBA programs are taught at a considerably higher level of sophistication and faster pace than undergraduate finance courses. The admission process evaluates an applicant's potential, particularly current UF student applicants, to thrive in the MSF program by evaluating variables which have been historically reliable.

Students from UF typically have nearly all 'A' grades in undergraduate finance and related courses. Non-business students are expected to have competitive math grades.

The average MBA student GMAT score is about 670. MSF student scores need to be comparable as they share classes with MBA students.

UF students are very fortunate to have immensely valuable access to people like Bruce Foerster and the Finance Professional Speaker Series participants. Focused and eager students make the most out of these resources and other events we host on campus. We look for students with motivation and desire who prepare for these events and actively participate by asking questions.

Because the MSF program lasts just under a year and the placement process starts fairly early for many kinds of finance positions, applicants are encouraged to have a deep understanding of the career opportunities in their interest areas. We only admit students into the program if they have researched and can identify opportunities where they can be hired with this degree. Applicants must map out their goals, requiring that they learn finance career paths and find firms in their areas of interest. An important criterion for admission is a one to two page statement of purpose emphasizing your short- and long-term career goals and your job search strategy. The document should include (1) the position(s) you plan to fill after completing the MSF Program, (2) how the MSF degree facilitates this career goal (3) the kinds of positions that your initial career path can lead to, and (4) a list of companies or organizations that you will target for your job search. Admitted students can certainly explore other areas of finance while in the MSF program and are not restricted to their original plan, but this plan is critical for admission.

Mail the items to:

The Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate

University of Florida
Attn: MSF
321 Stuzin Hall
PO Box 117168
Gainesville, FL 32611-7168

Applicants must also complete the University of Florida graduate school's online application.

Online Application