Frequently Asked Questions
Master of Science in Finance
1) Undergraduate degree in a quantitative field, with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 (75% or B averageĀ)
2) GMAT minimum of 600 (AWA of 5.0)
3) 2 years of work experience
4) Demonstrated proficiency in English. If your first language is not English, or if you obtained your degree from an institution where the main language of instruction was not English, then you are required to take either the TOEFL or IELTS exam
5) Three letters of reference from supervisors, professors or colleagues
2) GMAT minimum of 600 (AWA of 5.0)
3) 2 years of work experience
4) Demonstrated proficiency in English. If your first language is not English, or if you obtained your degree from an institution where the main language of instruction was not English, then you are required to take either the TOEFL or IELTS exam
5) Three letters of reference from supervisors, professors or colleagues
Not necessarily, but a degree in a quantitative major is preferable (e.g. engineering, commerce, science or math).
Related financial industry work experience will enhance your application; however, work experience is not mandatory. Preference will be given to candidates with two to three years of related work experience.
Tuition is $27,000* per year. This does not include student association fees (approximately $400/semester, including bus pass), books (approximately $700/semester), or living expenses. *Tuition is subject to senate approval.
General
There are a few ways to find out more about a program:
- Read about the program in detail on the program-specific website.
- Attend one of our upcoming information sessions, or visit us at an upcoming fair http://beedie.sfu.ca/info/.
- Fill out an online assessment form http://beedie.sfu.ca/segal/prescreen.php and subsequently request to speak with an advisor.
- Read about the program in detail on the program-specific website.
- Attend one of our upcoming information sessions, or visit us at an upcoming fair http://beedie.sfu.ca/info/.
- Fill out an online assessment form http://beedie.sfu.ca/segal/prescreen.php and subsequently request to speak with an advisor.
To view dates and register for upcoming information sessions, please visit: http://beedie.sfu.ca/info
Each program has different requirements. The main differences are in educational and work backgrounds.
Common requirements for all programs are:
- GMAT (minimum score of 600 for MSc Fin, 550 for MBA, MOT and EMBA. 5.0 in the AWA)
- Note: not required for GDBA
- Undergraduate degree (minimum GPA average of 3.0, a B, or 75%)
- for GDBA the minimum is 2.5
- for EMBA, applicants without an undergraduate degree are considered
- Language proficiency (if your undergraduate degree was not completed in English)
- TOEFL 93+ (IBT), 230+ (CBT), or 570+ (paper)
- IELTS 7.0
- for EMBA and MOT MBA, if you have 7-10 years of work experience in Canada, the language requirement may be waived
- Relevant work experience
All programs are competitive and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance.
The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is a standardized assessment that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management. It consists of 3 parts: quantitative, verbal, and writing. The score is out of 800, with 550 being our minimum requirement. The written score is out of 6.0, with a 5.0 being our requirement.
The test is approximately 3.5 hours long, and can be taken at a testing centre. For more information on the GMAT, study resources and to register for the exam, please visit our GMAT FAQ site or www.mba.com.
The test is approximately 3.5 hours long, and can be taken at a testing centre. For more information on the GMAT, study resources and to register for the exam, please visit our GMAT FAQ site or www.mba.com.
The GMAT is an important part of your application process. It shows that you have the skills to undertake graduate business programs with probable success. Although the minimum score required is a 550, with a writing portion (AWA) of 5.0, the average score of those accepted is 630.
Other factors such as undergraduate grades and work experience are also important, so applicants should look at having very strong backgrounds in at least 2 of the 3 categories, if they are going to be on the lower end in one category.
Other factors such as undergraduate grades and work experience are also important, so applicants should look at having very strong backgrounds in at least 2 of the 3 categories, if they are going to be on the lower end in one category.
SFU will generally look at your highest score; however, many universities take an average of all your scores, so it's important to only write the GMAT once you are properly prepared. In general, you should not take the GMAT more than 3 times.
Your GMAT score is valid for 5 years. If you know that you will be applying for a graduate-level business program in the next 5 years, write the GMAT as soon as possible.
GPA stands for Grade Point Average. There may be a semester Grade Point Average on your transcript, an Upper Grade Point Average (UGPA - usually 3rd and 4th year), and a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA - all 4 years) on your transcript.
The Admissions Committee will look at your CGPA, but will also pay attention to your UGPA (3rd and 4th year). It is important to have maintained or improved your grades in your final years of study.
Many universities don't include a GPA. In this case, you should manually average your grades, and refer to the following charts to find out if you meet the minimum:
Canadian universities: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/facstaff/grading/gpaconversion/
International universities: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/prosp_students/international_students/
Canadian universities: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/facstaff/grading/gpaconversion/
International universities: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/prosp_students/international_students/
Yes, if you have addressed the concerns which the Admissions Committee had.
For example, some applicants re-write the GMAT and significantly improve their score, making their application successful the second time around. For others, the Committee may have been concerned that they did not have enough work experience. Therefore a year or two later, their application will be much stronger simply because they have been in the workplace longer.
It is recommended that you speak with an admissions advisor before applying again to better assess your situation.
For example, some applicants re-write the GMAT and significantly improve their score, making their application successful the second time around. For others, the Committee may have been concerned that they did not have enough work experience. Therefore a year or two later, their application will be much stronger simply because they have been in the workplace longer.
It is recommended that you speak with an admissions advisor before applying again to better assess your situation.
As our programs are a cohort model (the entire class starts and ends together), it is generally not possible to transfer credits from another program to one of ours.
The only exception is our Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, which can transfer credits into our MBA program, or our Management of Technology MBA program.
The only exception is our Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, which can transfer credits into our MBA program, or our Management of Technology MBA program.
No. There are occasional exceptions such as students in their final term of another degree, who are accepted pending grades in their final semester, but in general, there are no conditional acceptances. There are no conditional acceptances pending the GMAT exam.
Some entrance scholarships are available, as well as academic awards. Please review the specific program for more information:
MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/mba/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
FRM - http://beedie.sfu.ca/mfrm/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
MOT - http://beedie.sfu.ca/mot/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
EMBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/emba/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/mba/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
FRM - http://beedie.sfu.ca/mfrm/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
MOT - http://beedie.sfu.ca/mot/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
EMBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/emba/at-a-glance/scholarships.php
The MBA and Master of Science in Finance programs do, as they are full-time. You can find more information at: https://students.sfu.ca/financialaid/gradloans.html
The EMBA, MOT and GDBA do not qualify for government student loans.
The EMBA, MOT and GDBA do not qualify for government student loans.
You can look at a student line of credit from your bank. They are generally more competitive than a regular line of credit, and most Canadian students with a good credit history are able to qualify for up to $50,000. All of our programs (except the GDBA) should qualify.
For International students, look at financing options from your home country. Many organizations offer scholarships and loans for students studying graduate level programs abroad.
For International students, look at financing options from your home country. Many organizations offer scholarships and loans for students studying graduate level programs abroad.
Students who have taken undergraduate business courses may be eligible for teaching assistantship positions or marker positions. Qualified master's students may be hired to do various tasks such as conduct weekly tutorials, mark assignments and exams, hold office hours, respond to student emails and assist the professor of a given undergraduate course. Students are paid based on the number of hours worked weekly. The average time commitment per week is eight to ten hours. For more information, visit http://beedie.sfu.ca/current-students/ta/.
It is highly recommended! You will be working on projects in class which will require you to have computer access in class and in study groups. There is wireless internet available throughout the building. You will also want to have high speed internet access at home.
It will depend on what type of accommodation you are looking for, and where.
You can choose to live in homestay (a room in a family home, with meals), which will be approximately $850/month. You can choose to live in residence (located at SFU's main campus in Burnaby) which is 45 minutes by bus, from the downtown campus, where our classes are held. Or you can choose to rent an apartment or basement suite in a home.
The price for renting an apartment will depend on the location, size, and age of building. A 1 bedroom apartment, close to downtown, will be $900 to $1500 per month. Please refer to the SFU International student handbook for more useful tips on where to look for accommodations: http://students.sfu.ca/content/sfu/students/isap/handbook.html.
Included in your student fees is a monthly transit pass and extended medical insurance. You will need to ensure that you have basic medical insurance from your home province. If you are an international student, you will want to purchase travel medical insurance prior to arriving in Vancouver.
You can choose to live in homestay (a room in a family home, with meals), which will be approximately $850/month. You can choose to live in residence (located at SFU's main campus in Burnaby) which is 45 minutes by bus, from the downtown campus, where our classes are held. Or you can choose to rent an apartment or basement suite in a home.
The price for renting an apartment will depend on the location, size, and age of building. A 1 bedroom apartment, close to downtown, will be $900 to $1500 per month. Please refer to the SFU International student handbook for more useful tips on where to look for accommodations: http://students.sfu.ca/content/sfu/students/isap/handbook.html.
Included in your student fees is a monthly transit pass and extended medical insurance. You will need to ensure that you have basic medical insurance from your home province. If you are an international student, you will want to purchase travel medical insurance prior to arriving in Vancouver.
You can look for resources at the SFU site: http://students.sfu.ca/content/sfu/students/isap/handbook.html. This handbook is also a comprehensive online guide to life as an international student at SFU and in Canada. Topics include immigration, employment, managing finances, health, wellness and safety, as well as life outside the classroom.
Many students also look online at Craigslist to find listings of apartments for rent. Many apartments in the downtown area have a sign outside the building stating if they have vacancy, and who to contact. This can be an efficient way to find a neighbourhood and building suitable to your needs.
Many students also look online at Craigslist to find listings of apartments for rent. Many apartments in the downtown area have a sign outside the building stating if they have vacancy, and who to contact. This can be an efficient way to find a neighbourhood and building suitable to your needs.
No, it is the same price for International and Canadian students.
There isn't a form, but in general, Admissions Committees are looking for the following information from your references:
-in what capacity they know you
-length of time they have known you
-examples of work they have seen you do
-examples of outcomes of work, and characteristics you've exhibited, which would make you a suitable candidate for an MBA program
There is a guide you can provide to your referees. The "Guide for Appraisers of Applicants" provides information on what the admissions committee finds useful in its evaluation. Please refer to the website of the program you are applying to for the guide:
MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-MBA.pdf
Executive MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-EMBA.pdf
Management of Technology MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-MOT.pdf
Master of Science in Finance - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-MScFin.pdf
Graduate Diploma in Business Administration - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-GDBA.pdf
-in what capacity they know you
-length of time they have known you
-examples of work they have seen you do
-examples of outcomes of work, and characteristics you've exhibited, which would make you a suitable candidate for an MBA program
There is a guide you can provide to your referees. The "Guide for Appraisers of Applicants" provides information on what the admissions committee finds useful in its evaluation. Please refer to the website of the program you are applying to for the guide:
MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-MBA.pdf
Executive MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-EMBA.pdf
Management of Technology MBA - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-MOT.pdf
Master of Science in Finance - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-MScFin.pdf
Graduate Diploma in Business Administration - http://beedie.sfu.ca/files/PDF/applications/AppraiserForm-GDBA.pdf
You should provide 3 references (2 for GDBA), ideally at least one from a professor and one from an employer. If you have been out of school for a long time (e.g. applicants for the EMBA or MOT programs), then primarily employment references are required.
Find Out More:
At-a-Glance
- Cost: $27,000* + up to $4,500** for preparatory courses
- * Subject to senate approval
- ** $1,500 per preparatory courses (maximum of 3 courses)









