The Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) is a private university that was founded in 1909 by the Swedish industry. SSE is rated as the top business school in the Nordic and Baltic countries and is highly regarded internationally. The business school offers programs of the highest international standards, including Bachelor, Master, PhD, MBA and Executive Education programs. All programs are taught in English. The school also conducts world-class research.

SSE’s programs are developed in close cooperation with the research and business communities, which give their graduates great potential to attain leading positions in companies and other organizations. SSE is accredited by EQUIS, certifying that all of the main activities – teaching as well as research – are of the highest international standards. SSE is also the only Swedish member institution of CEMS and PIM, which are collaborations between top business schools worldwide, contributing to the high quality SSE is known for.

A degree from SSE opens doors to a wide range of careers and advanced studies. SSE’s Bachelor and Master graduates are highly successful in their search for fulfilling jobs. More than 90 percent accepts a job offer within three months of graduation. SSE’s graduates are fully prepared to become the responsible global business leaders of tomorrow, with lifelong access to SSE’s worldwide network of over 20,000 alumni.

The MSc in Finance combines a rigorous, research-based curriculum with extensive real-world applications and operational skill building.

The program is taught by experienced faculty with outstanding expertise across financial topics. Topics covered include modern Capital Markets, Valuation (including options), Fixed Income, and Capital Structure. Electives include Value Investing, Restructuring, Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity and International Finance.

We offer two specializations:

• Corporate Finance
• Investment Management

Every student chooses one of two specializations: Corporate Finance and Investment Management. The choice of specialization is made at the end of the first semester of the program.

SSE’s MSc in Finance has been one of the most popular Master programs in Europe, thanks to a great learning environment and outstanding career opportunities offered after graduation. Finance graduates pursue careers in investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, investment management, consulting, as well as non-finance positions.

The MSc program in Finance is consistently one of the top ranked programs across various rankings. For example, the Financial Times ranking of the world’s best masters programs (2021) have ranked the SSE Finance Masters as no. 22 in the world, the top Nordic school represented.

Do you have questions regarding the academic content of the MSc Program in Finance? Send an e-mail to the Secretary at the Department of Finance Jenny Wahlberg Andersson. 

After Graduation

We are proud of our graduates, and the choices they make with the opportunities afforded them. A degree from SSE opens doors to a wide range of careers and advanced studies. Meet our graduates here.

Class Composition | Intake 2021

MSc in Finance

• 123 students enrolled
• GMAT range: 600 – 780
• GMAT median: 700
• GRE range: 163 – 169
• GRE median: 166
• Swedes: 71
• Other nationalities: 52
• Average age: 24

Students from countries / areas other than Sweden:
Germany, China, Ireland, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Nigeria, the Philippines, Russian Federation, Taiwan, Spain, United Kingdom, Belarus, Åland Islands, Ukraine, Japan, United States, Lithuania and Mongolia.

Program Description

MSc program in Finance (Specialization in Corporate Finance or Investment Management)

Year 1

Semester 1

• Portfolio Choice and Asset Pricing
• Fixed Income and Derivatives Markets
• Corporate Finance
• Responsibility and Sustainability
• International Study Trip

Semester 2

• Electives at SSE (including courses from other SSE Master programs)

In the first semester, the foundations are built for the subsequent specialization. All courses in the first semester are mandatory and common across the two tracks (Corporate Finance and Investment Management).

For students with limited background in accounting, the course Accounting and Financial Statements Analysis is mandatory. This course is, however, not open to students with a BSc specialization in Accounting and Financial Management from SSE, or with equivalent background (minimum 30 ECTS credits in Accounting and Financial Management). These students must instead make a choice from among available MFIN electives for which they fulfill requirements.

Having completed these courses, students choose to specialize in Investment Management or Corporate Finance.

The program includes an international study trip that combines both academic and non-academic components as well as a diverse mix of employer meetings. The one-week trip is a degree requirement, is funded by the program, and takes place at the beginning of the first semester. As part of the trip, students undertake a course in sustainable finance. In 2019, the MFIN students travelled to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 

There are no mandatory courses in the second and third semester. However, students who choose to specialize in Corporate Finance (CF) or Investment Management (IM) must select at least three courses from the list of core electives within each specialization. 

In addition to the three core elective courses, students have the freedom to choose the remaining five courses according to their preferences. Some students may want to specialize further by taking more CF or IM core electives, others may prefer to broaden their perspectives by taking courses outside of finance. 

Please note that the course offering is subject to change.

Year 2

Semester 3 – 4

Thesis in Finance and choose between:

• Electives at SSE (including courses from other SSE Master programs)
• Electives at Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship (SSES)
• Electives within the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM)
• Data Analytics Track
• XTM: Executive Trainee Module
• CEMS MiM
• Exchange Program
• MSc – PhD Parallel Enrollment

The second year of the Master program in Finance is devoted to Thesis writing (30 ECTS), to be combined with either taking elective courses (30 ECTS) or going on a student exchange to one of our partner schools.

The Master’s Thesis is an opportunity for students to delve deeper into a question of particular interest, often with significant analytical challenges, and to work independently on a challenging task, developing project management and other career-relevant skills. The thesis can either be written as an research paper or as a case study or report that addresses a real-world financial problem faced by a firm or financial institution. The thesis work is done with advice and oversight from a faculty advisor, and is usually undertaken jointly by a pair of students.

Sample of elective courses in semester 2 – 4

• International Financial Management
• Value Investing I: Listed Equities
• Value Investing II: Frontiers
• Applied Financial Econometrics
• Behavioral Finance and Trading
• Household Finances and Wealth Management
• Macroeconomics and Finance
• Private Equity
• Advanced Methods in Finance
• M&A: Value, Corporate Structure and Control
• Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital
• Real Estate Finance
• Sustainable Finance

Application & Admission

MSc program in Finance (Specialization in Corporate Finance or Investment Management)

APPLICATION TIMELINE

October 1 – application opens

November 15 – early application deadline. You may apply by this deadline if you have all the complete documents and test results ready by that date. We will start assessing the applications and if your candidacy is selected you will receive the decision from us by the end of December. 

January 15 – application deadline at midnight GMT+1. Your complete application should be submitted by this date. 

March 15 – notification regarding the results of the selection.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor degree with at least 60 ECTS in Social Sciences (including but not limited to Finance, Business Administration and/or Economics) and with a minimum of 30 ECTS in quantitative fields, including but not limited to Finance, Accounting and Financial Management and Economics. The quantitative fields may be outside Social Sciences. 

Students in their last year of the Bachelor program are welcome to apply and must upload a document in the application with the remaining courses in their degree.

2. GMAT or GRE test result

• GMAT or GMAT Online: minimum total score of 600 is required for the application to be considered.
  
• GRE General Test or GRE General Test at Home: minimum quant score of 155 is required for the application to be considered. No min requirement for the verbal score, but the higher the score the better it is for your application. 

Applicants with a Bachelor of Science degree from a Swedish university are not required to submit GMAT/GRE test scores.

3. Proof of proficiency in English
We accept the following options as proof of your proficiency in English:

• IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator: score at least 7 
  
• TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition: total score at least 100
  
• English as native language
  
• Bachelor’s degree from a program conducted completely in English
  
• Qualifications “English B/6” from Swedish upper secondary school
  
• Upper Secondary School under the curriculum of International Baccalaureate

4. Motivation & supporting attachments

• Letter of motivation answering a question why you are interested in the program and why you are a suitable candidate (500 words max).
• Brief CV with your recent achievements (one page, no other special requirements for the format).
• Relevant work experience and extracurricular activities may be considered
• References are not required, but we give a possibility to submit them. Only contact details of your referees are needed from your side. You can submit your application even if you are still expecting the answer from your referees.

HOW TO APPLY IN 5 EASY STEPS

Step 1: Find the program you are interested in

SSE offers five MSc programs, a full list of them is available here. All MSc programs are 2 year programs and are conducted in English. Studying is full-time, and it is not recommended to combine the studying with other demanding activities. You can apply to several programs, however we would not recommend it. In order for your application to appear credible and well researched, it is preferable that you choose one program to apply for at a time. If you are having difficulty deciding which program suits you best, reach out to us and we would be happy to discuss this with you. You can be only admitted to one program. If you apply for several programs, we will use the list of your preferred programs submitted with the application as guidelines regarding your choice.

Step 2: Take the tests and meet the entry requirements

We require GMAT or GRE, as well as the language tests, unless you are exempted. Make sure to take/sit the tests by the application deadline (Nov 15 or Jan 15). Your application will not be considered, if GMAT/GRE is required for you and you do not attach the proof that you have taken the test. You can upload your preliminary result that you get from the test center, if your official result is due after the deadline. Do not forget, however, to report the official result to SSE. We recommend to use the same e-mail address for your online application and reporting the scores, it makes the matching much easier. Check here which tests we accept and how to send the results to us.

Step 3: Fill in the online application and upload documents

The application to SSE is only submitted via our website and is free of charge. If you want to apply for more than one program, you must submit an application for each of them. Make sure the list of your preferred programs is consequent in each application – we need to know which program you prefer if you apply for several of them. You can save your application anytime and come back to it when you have the required information. Submit your application only when you feel that you have provided all the required information (including the documents that must be uploaded), no changes can be made after you submitted your application. Make sure to make it before the deadline, late applications are not accepted. 

Step 4: Possible interview

Sometimes we need to get in touch with you if we have any questions about your application. We will then invite you to a short interview via phone or video and ask a couple of questions. Such an interview also offers, naturally, an occasion for you to ask questions about the program and how it could match your career goals.

Step 5: Acceptance, conditional acceptance or rejection

We do an overall assessment of all the complete applications that we receive. We look at your Bachelor university, the courses you have taken and the grades, GMAT/GRE scores, your English language skills, CV and motivation. Please note that even though you fulfil all the application requirements, it does not mean that you are automatically admitted to the MSc program, as the number of places is limited and the competition is therefore intense.

A limited amount of outstanding applications are selected after the early deadline. If your application is complete and submitted by the early deadline, you might expect the positive decision by the end of December. In case you are not selected in this round, your application will be automatically considered during the second round. The results will be available in mid-March and all the applicants will be notified via e-mail.

Accepted students in their last year of the Bachelor program will receive a conditional acceptance – they must be done with the Bachelor degree by the start of the MSc program (send all the completing documents by August 20).

Due to the confidentiality of Admissions Committee deliberations, we regret that feedback on rejected applications is not given.

Welcome to SSE MBA Executive Format

This is an Executive MBA from Sweden, one of the most innovative countries in the world. A program for people with a passion for business development and an aim to lead in international organizations.

Challenge yourself with our 18 month long Executive MBA, delivered part-time, with sustainability integrated throughout the whole program! The program is given in English on three continents and you build a diverse and international network of business leaders to leverage for future opportunities and challenges. The program prepares you for your next step and to build, lead and develop organizations in the global arena. If you are motivated and ready to commit yourself – do it!

This is our MBA

When it comes to choosing an Executive MBA, there is a lot to be taken into consideration. The content of the program, its reputation, the potential network you’ll gain, but also the location and setting of the school. Here we are proud to offer you Stockholm, a city in motion filled with opportunities, and a leading innovation and tech hub.“With the arsenal of skills that I have learnt through the SSE MBA program I now feel fully equipped for the types of challenges that arise in my new role in a way I wasn’t prior to undertaking the MBA. The theoretical learnings applied in real time in live projects proved to be a great combination that both accelerated and crystallised my learnings and applications. I never expected to be doing what I am doing now, nor did I expect the SSE MBA to prove so valuable.”Jonathan Leishman, AustraliaInvestment Manager at Leishman Trusts and Family Office, Director at Bridj Technology, Co-Founder at Barns Lane Farm

Sweden is the birthplace of well-established global companies like IKEA, Ericsson, Volvo and H&M, with its capital being home to more recent global giants born from the digital revolution, such as Skype, Spotify, Mojang and King. These companies didn’t reach greatness by mimicking giants from the past, but by being informal and fast, by imagining the future and turning the courage to be different into products that truly changed the world.

Our MBA will help you grow into broader responsibilities more efficiently, sharpen your analytical skills, increase your financial understanding and prepare you for the global business world. You will create new skillsets, gain a stronger confidence and build valuable networks without putting your career on hold. But above all, you will grow and develop as a person and as a leader.

In the latest FT ranking of Executive MBA programs we are now ranked as number 64 in the world! We are at rank 39 for CSR and Sustainability, and at number 26 in the world for work experience, which refers to the seniority and type of positions held by participants before starting the MBA program. It also shows that our alumni have had an average salary increase of 57 % after the program. Furthermore, our courses in Accounting and Finance are both at rank 8 among over 100 Executive MBA programs in the world, when ranked by alumni.Program DescriptionThe program consists of theme modules with a collection of courses connected to each theme. Through our many alternative elective courses you also have the possibility to personalize your learning…

Application & Admission

SSE MBA Executive Format targets talented and ambitious leaders, executives and high potentials. Most participants are 10-15 years into their careers and have significant international experience. They are highly motivated to learn, willing to share their knowledge and experience and open to learn from others. When enrolled in the program, you will embark on a learning journey together with your fellow classmates, faculty and staff. It’s challenging, rewarding, a lot of hard work and fun. We think you will enjoy it!

APPLICATION DEADLINES

The next start for the SSE MBA Executive Format program is on December 6, 2021. There are two admission rounds, and to be considered for the program, you will need to submit your application by one of the dates below:

• May 15
• September 15

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

To be eligible to the SSE MBA program, you must have the following:

1. A Bachelor’s degree or higher.
2. A minimum of five years’ relevant professional experience.
3. A high level of proficiency in spoken and written English. A TOEFL or IELTS certificate is required unless English is your native language or you have studied for at least one academic year at university level on a full-time accredited program conducted in English.​​

We are accepting both the TOEFL iBT Home Edition and the TOEFL ITP Plus for China.

To check your Eligibility click the Eligibility check button, and fill in the form, upload your CV and submit.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Eligibility

Fill in and submit the Eligibility form together with your uploaded CV to know whether you are qualified or not to apply to the SSE MBA Executive Format. We will evaluate your Eligibility form as soon as possible and inform you via email if you are qualified or unqualified to apply.

To reach the Eligibility form click here or on the “eligibility check” button.

Application

When qualified to apply to the program, you will have access to the application portal. You use the same email address and password as you did when submitting the Eligibility form to access the online application. 

When filling in the online application all information is automatically saved and you can log in and continue your ​application at any time until you are ready to submit.

The Admissions Board will consider the applicants’ experience, qualifications, essays, test results and motivation and reason for studying.

The following documents must be uploaded as part of the application:

1. ​CV in English
2. Grade transcripts and/or copy of degree
3. High resolution digital photo​
4. TOEFL/IELTS score, ​when applicable. Register for TOEFL with our code 6799. At the moment we are accepting both the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the TOEFL ITP Plus for China.

We recommend that you put some effort in answering the essay questions in the application. Part of the application is also a video assessment which will be sent out to you upon submittance of your application.

Pre-set reference requests are sent through the application. Two references are required, one of which from your closest manager or the HR-department (or senior manager) to consent to your commitment to the SSE MBA. The other to a person who knows you well in your professional capacity.

If you are self-employed or are applying on a more individual basis, you send both reference requests to persons who know you well in your professional capacity.

Please note that references from relatives are not recommended.

If short-listed on the basis of your application, you will be invited for tests and an interview. Candidates are interviewed about their current position and situation along with their motivation for studying, and they are asked to reflect on future plans. Admissions decisions are taken by the Admissions Board. The Admissions Board meets about one month after each application deadline and their decisions are communicated to applicants shortly thereafter.​

If you need any help or advice please contact the MBA team.

International rankings

SSE is one of Europe’s leading business schools and is internationally recognized in The Financial Times (FT) Business Education Rankings.

FT Global Rankings

European Business School: 21 (of 90)
Master in Management (the MSc Program in International Business): 8 (of 100)
Master in Finance: 22 (of 55)
Executive Open Programs: 17 (of 75)
Executive Customised Programs: 30 (of 85)
Executive MBA: 64 (of 100)