Introduction

Masters in Finance (MFin) is a master's program offered by graduate schools to students with studies focused on subjects from the field of finance. A Masters in Finance program is typically stretched over a period of 0-2 years, depending on the graduate school and can be pursued, in some cases, part-time too. Masters in Finance is a discipline with a vast spectrum of subjects being covered under it.

One might think that the cost is directly related to the quality of the course they are applying for. But is that really true, in every case? For those who have little access to such information, we have curated a list that presents some of the top Master of Finance courses at highly affordable tuition expenses. These courses are offered by globally well-recognized Universities and also boast a good job placement rate and wide-spread alumni network.

List of Universities offering the most affordable MFin

Although most Masters in Finance courses can be highly expensive in terms of tuition fees and application fees, burning a huge hole through your pocket. In order to counter such financial restraints, we have listed below the most affordable MFin programs to opt for this 2025, providing them along with the expected tuition fees and application deadlines. 

1. ETH ZURICH UNIVERSITY

Course: Master of Science UZH ETH in Quantitative Finance

About: MSc Quantitative Finance at ETH Zurich is a 1.5 years course for 90 credits. It is a highly international degree programme jointly offered by the University of Zurich (Department of Banking and Finance) and ETH Zurich (Department of Mathematics). This course of Masters in Quantitative Finance offered jointly by ETH and UZH is ranked #4 overall in the world, preceded only by the best universities in the USA, namely Princeton University  and NYU. It is therefore the highest ranking course in this field in Europe ranked as #1. Along with this, they also boast a 100% employment rate for their students.

The course offers a unique combination of finance theory with mathematical methods such as probability theory, statistics and econometrics, numerical analysis and others for finance and insurance. Recent developments in the FinTech area are also included in the course modules. Any course of the programme is part of one of the two fields: ‘Economical Theory for Finance’ or ‘Mathematical Methods for Finance’, including core courses and elective courses.

Curriculum: The course curriculum consists of two semesters followed by the writing of a Master’s thesis to attain the completion certification and recognition of holding the MSc Quantitative Finance degree. Graduates have preparation and access to opportunities to work as specialists in quantitatively oriented areas of the financial services industry.

1. Requirements: This MSc Quantitative Finance course strictly requires a University Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, and / or science background (physics, mathematics, engineering, data science, etc).
2. Application Deadline: Generally in January every year. The semester starts every fall in September and the admission is very competitive with a 15% to 20% acceptance rate.
3. Fees: The tuition fee per semester (half year) is CHF 800, along with a supplementary charge for international students of CHF 100. There is an application fee of CHF 200 and a one-time enrolment fee of CHF 100. This totals the tuition expenses to CHF 2000 ≅ INR 180,000, making it a highly affordable masters in finance program to study abroad.

Important Note: While the tuition fee total is as low as INR 1,80,000, the living expenses there can be a bit on the higher side. In order to get an overview of costs, we can draw a rough monthly budget. Accommodation charges can vary depending on your choice between renting a room or a flat, but here we’re considering an average of CHF 800; insurance, public transportation, and electricity would approximate to CHF 500. Food, household items and utilities, and personal expenses would require CHF 700; while one could set aside CHF 150 for provisional expenses. This would total to CHF 2150 ≅ INR 1,92,000 monthly, i.e. approximately INR 23,00,000 annually would account for living expenses on an average with some space to save more. 

Although the living expenses in Switzerland are high, it’s still an affordable option as the living expenses here combined with the tuition fees would still only account for 50% of expenses required for a study program based in the USA or Canada.

2. UNIVERSITY OF ST. GALLEN

Course: Master in Banking and Finance (MBF)

About: Master in Banking and Finance is a 18 months course offered by the University of St. Gallen. This Master in Banking and Finance course is not only a highly affordable Mfin course but it also offers high-quality education in both theory and practise. Graduates can look forward to a successful career starting with banks, consulting agencies, insurance companies and finance departments of the non-financial corporations, both in Switzerland and abroad. Master in Banking and Finance course at University of St. Gallen offers the following benefits:

• Exceptional Career Prospects
• #14 Masters in Finance Ranking 2022 by global Financial Times
• Combination of Theory and Practise for maximum understanding
• World-wide Alumni Network

Requirements: The Admission Committee receives and assess the applications based on the following criteria: 

• Undergraduate Grades (30%)
• GMAT or GRE Score (30%)
• Extracurricular Activities (15%)
• Letter of Motivation (25%)

Application Deadline: Generally from October to April. The semester starts every autumn and has five admission rounds between October to April.

Fees: The application fees for this course is CHF 250, which is non-refundable. The course fees per semester is CHF 3329. This brings the total tuition expense to CHF 10,237  ≅ INR 914,000, which is as affordable as any Indian Mfin programmes with the added advantage of international exposure to theory and practice and alumni network.

3. WU VIENNA UNIVERSITY

Course: MSc Quantitative Finance

About: This is a full time course spanning over 2 years with 4 semesters and 120 credits to be earned, ranked in the top 9% Master of Finance courses globally in the QS ranking system. This course at the WU Vienna University boasts of 100 % of their graduates being hired within the first 6 months of placement trials. Graduates of the Master Quantitative Finance are qualified to be tomorrow's experts in the increasingly complex world of finance, e.g. in:

• asset management
• credit and market risk management
• treasury and trading
• financial engineering
• research and technical analysis
• corporate finance

Requirements: Students are required to fulfil the following criteria to apply:

• Have a relevant Bachelor’s programme completion certificate
• Statement of Purpose
• Valid GMAT / GRE scores
• Letter of recommendation
• Proficiency in English

Application Deadline: 1 September to March 8. This course starts every winter semester and has 3 priority deadlines between September and March. Students applying from abroad are advised to meet the Ist priority application deadline.

Fees: While there is no tuition fee for EU residents, non-EU resident students must pay EUR 3000 for tuition fees for the entire course of 2 years. Including the application fees, the total tuition expense would be approx. INR 300,000 making it one of the most affordable Masters of Finance courses globally.

4. KOZMINSKI UNIVERSITY

Course: Master in Finance and Accounting

About: Master in Finance and Accounting course offered by Kozminski University is a 2 year full time programme that is ranked as #1 in CEE region and #30 in the world for Masters in Finance courses 2022 by the Financial Times. The program is designed in close cooperation with strategic partner companies and covers the full spectrum of advanced financial topics in order to boost your professional career perspectives.

This course helps students to pursue top international careers in finance as creative and responsible leaders. The candidates can choose between 3 available majors, and also have the choice to opt for a dual degree with this program. They also expect jobs surrounding the following roles: specialist in finance, specialist in international banking topics like FinTech, financial analyst, an accounting specialist or specialist in any department of a company related to finance and accounting.

Requirements: One will have to fulfil following requirements to be eligible for application:

• Pass an Entry Test: An entry test of 50 points for 40 minutes will have to be appeared for and cleared. Students with CFA certification for level - I and above are waived from this test and awarded full 50 points directly.
• Fill application form online
• Attach passport and CV written in English.
• Proof of Proficiency in English language 
• Application fees payment slip

1. Fees: The tuition fee for the entire program if paid in full is EUR 11320, and if paid in instalments it becomes EUR 11500. Including the non-refundable application fees, the total tuition expense sums up to approx. INR 10,30,000.

Conclusion

These are the top four highly affordable Masters in Finance programs across the world that we have searched and listed for you. For more such privileged content to help you study abroad at the University most right for you, you can contact us here.