Subject guides / Quantitative Finance
Quantitative Finance
Also appears in programme titles as: Mathematical Finance · Financial Engineering · Computational Finance
What a quantitative finance degree actually is
Derivatives pricing, algorithmic trading, risk modelling, machine learning for markets — quantitative finance is where advanced mathematics meets money, and its degrees train the "quants" that banks, funds and fintechs compete to hire. This is the most mathematically demanding field in this catalogue.
Imperial and Oxford run the UK's elite maths-finance MScs; the joint UZH–ETH Zurich degree is the continental heavyweight; Baruch (the QuantNet US #1) and Carnegie Mellon's MSCF are the American financial-engineering flagships.
What you study — and the quantitative bar
Stochastic calculus and derivatives pricing, numerical methods and computational finance, statistics and machine learning for finance, and programming (C++/Python) as a core skill, not an add-on. The bar is unambiguously high: a strong mathematics, physics, engineering or quantitative-economics background is required everywhere. This is the one finance field where the mathematics genuinely gatekeeps.
Where it leads
Quantitative roles at investment banks, hedge funds and asset managers, quant-trading and market-making firms, risk-modelling teams, and increasingly fintech and crypto-derivatives ventures. Compensation is the highest of any field on this site — and so is the competition and the mathematical filter at the door.
Who it suits — and who it does not
A good fit if you are…
- Mathematics, physics and engineering graduates converting into finance
- Quantitative economists targeting trading and risk careers
- Programmers with strong maths aiming at the quant market
Probably not the right degree if…
- Applicants without a genuinely strong mathematical background — the degree assumes it
- Those wanting corporate finance or general banking — different, less mathematical fields
- Anyone drawn by the salaries but not the mathematics — the filter is real
Where to study it: the programme map
Five verified programmes: the UK elite (Imperial, Oxford), the joint UZH–ETH Zurich degree, and the US financial-engineering flagships (Baruch, Carnegie Mellon MSCF).
| University | Official programme title | Length | Tuition (intl) | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baruch College, CUNYUnited States | Master of Science in Financial Engineering | — | USD 45,090 | — |
| Carnegie Mellon UniversityUnited States | Master of Science in Computational Finance (MSCF) | — | — | — |
| Imperial College LondonUnited Kingdom | Mathematics and Finance MSc | 12 mo | — | — |
| University of OxfordUnited Kingdom | MSc in Mathematical and Computational Finance | — | — | — |
| University of ZurichSwitzerland | Master of Science UZH ETH in Quantitative Finance (joint with ETH Zurich) | 18 mo | — | — |
Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 16 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.
Application strategy and funding routes
Imperial and Oxford are the one-year UK routes (Chevening-compatible, though the field is so lucrative that many self-fund or are sponsored); UZH–ETH the continental option at token Swiss tuition; Baruch and CMU the US flagships (Fulbright). Honesty on funding: this is one field where the salary trajectory makes self-funding or loans a defensible calculation — but a strong quantitative-capacity narrative still fits Chevening if your return plan is a home financial sector or central bank.
Which scholarship funds which programme
Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.
- Baruch College, CUNY — study destination outside the scheme
- Carnegie Mellon University — study destination outside the scheme
- Imperial College London
- University of Oxford — course length not on file
- University of Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
- Baruch College, CUNY
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Imperial College London — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Oxford — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
Frequently asked questions
How much mathematics do I really need?
A lot — real analysis, probability, linear algebra and comfort with programming are baseline. These programmes assume a maths, physics, engineering or quantitative-economics degree; there is no soft entry, and applications from weaker quantitative backgrounds are the standard rejection.
UK, Swiss or US route?
UK for a one-year credential and Chevening fit; UZH–ETH for continental depth at low tuition; US (Baruch, CMU) for the deepest Wall Street pipelines and highest placement rates. Employers respect all; geography and cost decide.
Is a scholarship realistic here?
Possible (Chevening/Fulbright cover the one-year routes) but this is the field where self-funding is most defensible given the salary trajectory. A central-bank or home-financial-sector return narrative strengthens a scholarship case.
Related fields
Sources
Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.
Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.