Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Transcripts for all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted to the UIC Liautaud Graduate School of Business Program Office. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required Standardized tests such as the GMAT or GRE are not required for this application. However, applicants may choose to submit a test score. Applicants with a relatively low undergraduate GPA may strengthen their application—and improve their chances of admission and scholarship consideration—by submitting a competitive test score.

• English Proficiency Additional information on the English proficiency test requirement for international students can be found on the UIC Admissions website. Minimum test scores for this program are:

  • Minimum English Competency Test Scores

    Exam	Score	Reading	Listening	Speaking	Writing
    TOEFL iBT (exams taken on or after January 21, 2026)	4.5	4	4	4.5	4.5
    TOEFL iBT (exams taken prior to January 21, 2026)	80	19	17	20	21
    IELTS Academic	6.5	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0
    PTE Academic	54	51	47	53	56

• Letters of Recommendation Two required.
• Personal Statement Required.
• Resume or CV Required.
• Other Requirements FIN 500, ACTG 500, IDS 570, and ECON 520, or the equivalent coursework. Deficiencies can be addressed by taking these courses at UIC, thus increasing the time to complete the degree.
• Guaranteed Admission to MS in Finance University of Illinois students or alumni (from UIC, UIS, or UIUC) who have graduated from any undergraduate, graduate, or professional program within five years of the start of the MS in Finance program with a cumulative GPA of 3.25/4.00 or higher will have the GMAT and GRE requirements waived and will be guaranteed admission into the program provided all other requirements are met. Complete applications for guaranteed admission must be submitted by the specified deadline to qualify for guaranteed admission. University of Illinois students who do not meet the 3.25/4.00 GPA requirement are still strongly encouraged to apply to the MS in Finance program; these applicants will be considered for admission based on a comprehensive review of their application.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 32.
• Coursework Degree candidates must present a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00/4.00 for 32 hours counting toward the degree. Required courses can be waived by exams or at the discretion of the director of graduate studies, but they have to be replaced by other courses in the program.

• Comprehensive Examination None.
• Thesis, Project, or Coursework-Only Options Coursework only. No other options available.