Master of Quantitative Finance Admissions

For international applicants ONLY:  http://grad.ucsd.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants/records-transcripts.html — All international transcripts require an official translation into English by a certified translator. International applicants must submit a certified copy of their diploma indicating the degree received.

Upon Provisional Admission to UC San Diego

All admitted, international applicants are required to complete and submit a WES Course-by-Course evaluation. Please go to wes.org to create your account. You will be prompted to input your academic history, and will then be provided with a list of documents required for the completion of your evaluation. Applicants with academic work in progress who expect to complete a degree program before the intended date of enrollment at UCSD must provide evidence of degree conferral and a final academic transcript as soon as they are available.

Please do not send official documents to the Graduate Admissions Office. As an international applicant, you must submit a WES Course-by-Course evaluation via WES once you have been admitted for your admission to UC San Diego to be finalized.

The UC San Diego Rady MQF program is a rigorous, STEM-designated degree requiring a strong quantitative background. Applicants should demonstrate proficiency in linear algebra (including matrix manipulation) and differential calculus. A high quantitative score on the GRE or GMAT is expected. Coursework in Calculus (required) and Linear Algebra (highly recommended) with grades of “B” or higher will make applicants most competitive.

To address knowledge gaps prior to applying, applicants may complete online courses (e.g., EdX, Coursera, DataCamp) or community college/extended education courses. MOOC certificates should be uploaded with the application. For community college or extended education coursework, applicants should choose courses with letter grades, earn a “B” or higher, and submit transcripts with their application.

Your Statement of Purpose should be no longer than 500 words, double-spaced, 12-point font. Tell us why you think that you are a good candidate for the Master of Quantitative Finance program and how you expect the specific features of the program at Rady to benefit your future career.  

Please also include any other information, academic or personal, that you feel is important for the Admissions Committee to consider.

• The code for the GMAT is 3NS-ZK-27
• The code for the GRE is 4836

The Rady Admissions Office encourages all applicants to prepare appropriately for these examinations. Study can be done individually, in classroom environments, or online. Though the Rady School does not endorse any particular test prep organization, the following are organizations that have been utilized successfully by previous applicants:

• GMAT Mini-Quiz
• UC San Diego Extension
• Kaplan Test Prep
• Manhattan Prep
• Princeton Review

GRE/GMAT Waiver Consideration:

Master of Quantitative Finance applicants may submit a request for GRE/GMAT waiver consideration. Applicants must meet all of the waiver criteria to be considered:

GRE/GMAT Waiver Criteria:​

• Have obtained or are on track to complete a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. university physically located in the United States.​
• Undergraduate degree is in a quantitative major, in areas such as Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Finance.
• Completion—at the time of the waiver request —of college-level Calculus coursework, with grades of “A” or “B.”​ “P” (Pass) grades do not qualify.
• Possess a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale (or the international equivalent).​
• Waiver requests from candidates with a GPA below 3.00 will be considered on an exceptional basis only.​

Waivers are granted if all above criteria are successfully met. You may send the written request, along with your most recent transcripts and resume, to MQF@rady.ucsd.edu . Your request will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee who will confirm if your background qualifies for a waiver.​

Meeting eligibility requirements for a GRE/GMAT waiver does not guarantee admission.  Applicants not approved for a GRE/GMAT waiver still have the potential to be a competitive applicant and are encouraged to apply to the program with a valid GRE or GMAT score. Submitting a strong test score remains a valuable way to demonstrate academic and quantitative readiness, particularly if such strengths are not clearly reflected in transcripts.​

Demonstrated proficiency in the English language is required for all international applicants.  International applicants may be exempt from this requirement if they have earned or will be earning a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree with grades of B (3.0) or better from either:

• A regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction, or
• A foreign college or university which provides instruction solely in English. You may verify whether your institution meets this requirement by looking up your institution in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). If English is not the sole language of instruction listed, if no language is listed at all, or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, you are required to submit English proficiency exam scores. No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) may be used in place of WHED as a means to obtain an exemption from the English proficiency requirement. 

UC San Diego accepts the following English language proficiency exams listed below.   UC San Diego has no preference on the English language proficiency exam that is taken and submitted. 

Duolingo English Test (DET)

 UC San Diego accepts the Duolingo English Test (DET) as one of the approved options to meet the English language proficiency requirement for graduate admission.

• Minimum Total Score: 120 (out of 160)
• Score Validity: Scores are valid for two years from the test date
• Official Score Submission: Scores must be sent electronically to UC San Diego Rady School of Management directly from Duolingo.

To send your Duolingo English Test scores to UC San Diego Rady School of Management, follow these steps:

1. Log in at englishtest.duolingo.com
2. Go to "My Tests" and click "Share Score" on your certified result
3. Select "university" and search for "University of California – San Diego – Rady School of Management”
4. Check the box next to "University of California – San Diego – Rady School of Management” in the dropdown menu

For more information or to register, visit the Duolingo English Test website.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

• Minimum Total Score: The university-wide minimum TOEFL score required for consideration for graduate admission is 85 for the internet-based test (iBT). Competitive scores for the Rady School of Management will be above 100.
• Score Validity: Scores are valid for two years from the test date
• Official Score Submission:  When ordering your TOEFL score reports, use UCSD's institution code 4836. TOEFL score reports are sent to the university four to six weeks after the test is administered. 

At this time, UC San Diego does not accept TOEFL MyBest Scores offered through ETS. Consult the TOEFL website for further information.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

• Minimum Total Score: The university-wide minimum IELTS Academic Training exam score required for consideration for graduate admission is Band Score 7.
• Score Validity: Scores are valid for two years from the test date
• Official Score Submission:  To submit official test scores to UC San Diego Rady School of Management, applicants must contact the IELTS test center where they took the test to request their official test results to Rady/UC San Diego. UC San Diego does not accept unofficial copies of IELTS Test Report Forms from students. An institution code is not required.

IELTS is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. Arrangements for taking the IELTS Academic Training exam may be made through the website.

The Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)

• Minimum Total Score:  The minimum PTE Academic score required for graduate admission is Overall Score: 65.
• Official Score Submission:  PTE test takers must select the University of California, San Diego as a score recipient, then submit a copy of your scores directly to our Graduate Admissions office at: Rady School of Management, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0553, La Jolla, CA 92093-0553. Include your registration ID number and exam date on your application. Official scores will be verified online.

PTE Academic is a computer-based academic English language test benchmarked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF). For registration and test information consult the PTE website.