Prospective Students Information

Documents needed to complete the application:

• Submit an online application form and $148 application fee paid by credit card
• Resume
• Business Essays:
  • Essay 1: What excites you most about your intended field of study?
  • Essay 2: What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation and how will a degree from Santa Clara help you achieve these aspirations?
  • Essay 3: Discuss any attributes, experiences, or interests that would enable you to make a distinctive contribution to the school and/or business profession.
• Academic Records and Transcripts:
  • International Transcripts (study outside the U.S.) If you received a conferred degree (undergraduate or graduate) from a school outside the U.S., you are required to submit the course-by-course WES ICAP evaluation. Prepare for this process at least two months in advance as this is a lengthy process. Request the WES report be delivered electronically to the Leavey School of Business.
  • U.S. Transcripts (study electronically the U.S.)
    Scan the official transcript from each institution from which you studied in the United States, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs.
• Official GMAT or GRE exam results:
  • GMAT – School code BV3-WB51
  • GRE- School code 4851
• Official TOEFL exam results:  School code 4851
  • If your first language is not English, submit your official TOEFL (preferred) or IELTS test score. TOEFL is waived if the Verbal section of the GMAT or GRE is above the 50% mark.
• Two (2) Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation from persons qualified to evaluate your academic and professional qualifications are required. You should solicit recommendations from individuals who are familiar with your academic or professional achievement and who can address your potential for success in this particular academic setting. The process is managed through the online application.  Paper recommendations are not accepted.
• Recommenders are asked to elaborate on the following qualities:
  
  • Intellectual characteristics
  • Knowledge of field of study
  • Ability to communicate
  • Diligence and self-discipline
  • Personal effectiveness
  • Potential for graduate study
  • Quantitative aptitude & problem solving skills

Tips
Prepare a document file in PDF format for each item that will be uploaded to the online application (resume, essays, transcripts/WES, test score reports, etc.).  Applicants will be instructed within the online application when each document needs to be uploaded.

Do not mail official transcripts to our office, unless requested.

A $1000 non-refundable deposit is required to secure a position in the MS in Finance and Analytics.

Students are admitted to the MSFA program for the FALL quarter only. Applications must be submitted with all required documentation.

April 1- Priority deadline for scholarship consideration.

June 1 - Final Deadline for Fall

The benefits of applying early are:

• Get ahead on outstanding prerequisites work required for program.
• Our MS Admissions Committee reviews applications as they are received, so applying early can increase the likelihood of being offered a slot.
• Find out sooner if you've been accepted and take advantage of the additional time to prepare your finances, supplemental documents, and registration.
• If accepted, we'll be able to review your application for scholarship.

You must hold an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent four-year bachelor's degree as determined by WES.org and with the following prerequisites:

1. Statistics
   Content should include topics in statistics, descriptive statistics, regression, probability, random variables and distributions, the central limit theorem, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing for 1 & 2 populations, goodness of fit, and contingency tables. (Must be taken at an accredited university and official transcript must be received by our admissions office.)
   
   
2. Calculus 1
   Content should include differential and integral calculus, key concepts of limit, derivative and continuity, derivatives in graphing and optimizing functions, and fundamental theorem of calculus. (Must be taken at an accredited university and official transcript must be received by our admissions office.)
   
   
3. We require all students to finish three online courses (or equivalent) prior to the start of the program: linear algebra, introduction to R, and introduction to Python.

• Linear Algebra course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/linear-algebra-machine-learning
• R course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/r-programming
• Python course: https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-python

These 3 online courses each take around 20-25 hours to complete and we will require certificate of completions for them.  Please use personal IDs that will be recognizable (Legal Name, application email, etc).  Students with a grade of B or better in Linear Algebra on an official Undergraduate transcript are exempt from taking the online course.  

A waiver may be considered for candidates with a high level of skill necessary for academic success. Contact our MS Admissions Office for an application for the GMAT/GRE waiver.

Eligibility:
Candidates must have 4 or more years of full-time work experience and one or more of the following:

• A bachelor's degree from accredited school with a cumulative GPA above a 3. 4 (STEM majors), or 3.5 (Non STEM majors)
• A master's doctorate, or professional degree (JD,MD) with a cumulative GPA above a 3.3 from an accredited university, or professional certification, e.g. CPA, CFA. Note: Certificate programs do not count.
• Conferred degree that is quantitative in nature, e.g. math, engineering, or hard sciences (undergraduate or graduate)
• Have five or more years of military enlistment

No GMAT/GRE waiver is automatic and an approved waiver does not guarantee admission to the program. If you have any questions about our waiver policy contact our MS Admissions Office. 

**A waiver may be considered for MS in Finance and Analytics candidates.

While the  GMAT  (Graduate Management Admissions Test) has been the standard exam used for business schools, the  GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is also accepted. We do not prefer one exam over the other.

We do not have minimum test scores and your application evaluation is based a comprehensive review. The average GMAT score for MS program is 603. The average GRE score is 309. The average TOEFL score is 101.

Scores from either test are valid for five (5) years. Applicants are welcome to take either exam more than once; we will only consider the highest score.

• GMAT School Code: BV3-WB-59
• GRE School Code: 4851
• TOEFL School Code: 4851; or BusinessCAS B888

Our MSF program does not require full-time work experience. However, work experience is preferred and most MSF students have had between 1-3 years of work experience prior to enrolling. College seniors and recent college graduates are eligible to apply.  

Yes, you may submit, however it is preferable that self-reported GMAT, GRE, and/or TOEFL scores are submitted with the application. We recommend that applicants take the test at least 4 weeks before the posted deadline. Delays in taking and/or reporting the test scores will postpone the completion of your application, and ultimately a decision. All scores are verified.

Tuition

$1,312 / unit (2020-2021 tuition)

• 36 units to complete degree for students admitted for Fall 2020 and beyond.
• 46 units to complete degree for students admitted prior to Fall 2020, For details on payment options and schedules, visit the Bursar's website here  »

All MS students are eligible for merit-based scholarship after enrollment. These scholarships are awarded to the top academically performing students in the programs based on performance. You cannot apply for these scholarships.

In addition, the university offers federal and private loans. Domestic students (US citizens and permanent residents) are eligible both federal and private loans, while international students are eligible only eligible for private loans with or without a creditworthy US cosigner. 

Financial Aid

Federal and Private Loans: The University Financial Aid Office can help in locating and applying for these types of aid. You may visit the staff in Patricia A. and Stephen C. Schott Admission and Enrollment Services Building; call (408) 551-1000, or email onestop@scu.edu.

Scholarships: All applicants to any MS program are considered for a scholarship if they submit their completed application by April 1.  Awards are based on professional accomplishments and outstanding scholarship as demonstrated in collegiate transcripts, GMAT or GRE score and recent coursework. The Graduate Business Office does not award need-based scholarships.

All MSFA students are eligible for merit-based scholarship after enrollment. These scholarships are awarded to the top academically performing students in the programs based on performance. You cannot apply for these scholarships.

In addition, the university offers federal and private loans. Domestic students (US citizens and permanent residents) are eligible both federal and private loans, while international students are eligible only eligible for private loans with or without a creditworthy US cosigner.  

You are required to order an official transcript file from BusinessCAS for each school you attended – and the additional WES evaluation (if you’ve attended an international school). These will be uploaded to complete your application (only file types accepted are: pdf, doc, or .docx). You will be instructed in the online application when each document needs to be uploaded.

Yes. Applicants with degrees from international institutions are required to have their official transcripts evaluated by WES.org. This is required for all international degrees, even if the transcript is printed in English. We require course-by-course, cumulative GPA, and U.S. degree equivalency ICAPS evaluation  (electronic delivery). No exceptions are made. 

For Fall applications submitted by the April 1 deadline will have decisions rendered electronically by the end of day April 20.  Applications completed by the May 1 deadline will be reviewed as completed and decisions rendered electronically within 2 weeks of completed submission.  

Interviews may be required for applicants. 

Average Age: 27
Average GPA: 3.18
Average GMAT: 603
Average GRE: 309
Average Months Employed: 40
Number of Countries of Origin: 7
Enrollment Plan: 92% Full-time

Where SCU Alumns Work