Masters in Financial Management

Our Masters in Financial Management programme runs full-time from early September until the end of June, entailing 60 ECTS credits. Classes take place from 9am to 5.30pm and are a dynamic mix of working on real-life business cases, class interaction, company visits and group exercises. 

Our active learning approach involves many assignments in small teams and thus requires mandatory attendance, 100% motivation, and the willingness to work hard. This programme offers the only CFA Institute University Affiliation programme in Belgium. 

As well as finance trips to London and Amsterdam, students can complete an international exchange during the programme at one of our partner business schools. Furthermore, after obtaining your Vlerick degree in Belgium, you also get the opportunity to obtain a Masters degree of International Business from the Darla Moore School of Business – University of South Carolina in the United States. Alternatively, you can pursue a Master's degree in MSc in Financial Engineering or MSc in Corporate Finance and Banking from EDHEC Business School in Nice, France. Find out more about our double degree here. 

By following our optional Career Acceleration Track you can add an internship of up to 6 months allowing you to gain relevant industry experience and stand out from competition.

Get a full overview of all the different courses here

At Vlerick, our unique approach blends action learning and personal development.  

Action learning

From theory to practice: 

• Interactive classes 
• Pragmatic, multidisciplinary approach 
• Insightful business simulations 
• Real-life cases and challenges 

Highlights of the programme include:

• Amsterdam Finance Trip: This one-day trip gives you a taste of what Amsterdam has to offer. Take part in company visits, tackle a corporate finance case, learn about jobs and internships for finance profiles and build your network.
• London Finance Trip: This week-long trip immerses you in the vibrant atmosphere of the City through a mix of visits to top-tier companies and financial institutions, fascinating career and business talks, networking and sightseeing.  
• Investment Research Challenge (IRC): As part of the challenge, you’ll write a sell-side analyst report for an assigned company and present your findings to an expert jury. You’ll also participate in guest lectures covering both buying and selling perspectives as well as a company presentation by the company’s CFO. 
• IMEx Business Simulation: Work as a team to manage a fictitious company and compete against other teams on economic, social and environmental metrics – the triple bottom line. 
• Banking Game: This simulation allows you to make a range of financial management decisions – including the scale of your deposit taking and lending activities, marketing expenditures and investments in various financial markets (eg, stocks and derivatives). There is also a competitive element – you compete against rival banks on price, quality and brand image.
• In-Company project: Over two months, you’ll apply everything you’ve learned to a real finance challenge in a consultancy project for a company of your choice.

Personal development 

Make the leap from student to professional with: 

• Continuous feedback and coaching 
• Targeted skill development 
• Comprehensive career services 
• Multiple networking opportunities 
• Personal development portfolio 

Highlights of the programme include:

• My Vlerick Development Portfolio: Gain insight into your own strengths and weaknesses, be challenged to reflect and take actions to improve.
• Management Skills Seminar: During three days you will focus on leadership development and the management skills you need for the digital age.
• Diversity and inclusion: Understand your own assumptions, biases and preconceived ideas about how the world works – or should work. Discover which behaviours are acceptable, open your mind – and begin to develop a broader world view.
• Career Coaching: Stay aligned to the current global job market as you gain the skills, insights and instincts to make a difference and explore your true potential. 

Exchange opportunities

At the beginning of the academic year, students can apply for an international exchange that typically takes place between January and March. Our exchange partner business schools with opportunities for students taking this programme include EDHEC Business School (Nice or Lille, France), Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (Frankfurt, Germany), Nova School of Business and Economics (Lisbon, Portugal), Polimi Graduate School of Management (Milan, Italy), Skema Business School (Paris or Sophia Antipolis, France) and Stockholm School of Economics (Stockholm, Sweden). Vlerick offers a partial refund of the accommodation cost to allow as many students as possible to apply.

See a full overview of all the courses here

• Study in Brussels, a top European financial hub and home to the European headquarters of some of the world’s most influential companies. It’s the perfect place to meet people and organisations – and establish a worldwide network.
• Deepen your knowledge of all areas of financial management and learn to apply it as a well-rounded financial manager. 
• Learn from dynamic, internationally-renowned faculty who combine academic excellence with wide-ranging industry experience. 
• Be part of a highly international student body and grab the opportunity to network with alumni in fields such as banking and consulting. 
• Expand your horizons on international trips to London and Amsterdam with visits to top financial institutions such as Bloomberg, JP Morgan, ABN Amro and Standard & Poor’s during these international trips.  
• Enhance your learning journey by going on a short-term exchange abroad during your programme to one of our partner business schools (EDHEC Business School, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Nova School of Business and Economics, Polimi Graduate School of Management, Skema Business School and Stockholm School of Economics).
• Stand out and kick-start your global career by taking a double degree in the United States at our renowned partner school Darla Moore School of Business or in France at EDHEC Business School.
• Give your career an extra boost by choosing to complete a Vlerick Certificate in Strategy Consulting.

Curious to find out what it means to study at Vlerick? Discover what it’s like to study in Belgium – and get practical information on how to organise your stay.

Here’s a snapshot of our MFM alumni success in the job market:

Take a look at the career prospects for our Masters in Financial Management graduates:

• Banking, investment banking and financial services in London, Brussels or Amsterdam
• A broad range of companies as a controller, finance manager, business developer and future CFO
• Venture capital and private equity firms
• Strategy consulting firms
• Audit and financial advisory firms
• Mergers and acquisitions

Take a look at where our Masters in Financial Management graduates are working:

Define your career goals and how to match them with the jobs market with the help of: 

• Practical workshops and assessment centre training 
• Career clubs and competitions 
• One-to-one coaching 
• Career and networking events  

Take a look at our full career services offer 

Are you

• A recent university graduate with limited to no work experience? 
• A believer in the power of finance as a key driver of business success? 
• Ready to make a positive impact on the fast-moving world of finance? 

Then you’re a perfect fit for a Masters in Financial Management at Vlerick. Even though many of our students already have a background in finance or economics, it’s certainly not mandatory. In fact, you’ll find that at Vlerick, your passion and enthusiasm will take you far within a diverse group of like-minded students from around the world. 

Student profile of our recent cohort Masters Financial Management: 

Education background

Start date: 1 September 2025 
Duration: 10 months (from September until June) 
Location: Brussels 
Application deadline non-EU citizens: 30 April 2025

The tuition fee for this Masters programme is €22,500.

This includes:  

• London trip (accommodation and company visits) 
• Amsterdam trip (travel and company visits)
• Company visits 
• Travel between different campuses for mandatory programme events 
• One year of full online access to the Financial Times and The New York Times
• Textbooks 

The fee does not include the cost of travelling abroad for the London trip, any visa costs, living expenses or costs related to any optional modules abroad you may take as part of your programme. 

Financing your Masters 

Joining a Vlerick programme can be a significant financial investment. But there are many financing options available to help towards your tuition fees – and we’re here to help you explore what types of support you might be eligible for. We process applications for our Masters programmes on a rolling basis as of October, for the September intake. If you want to be considered for one of our full scholarships, make sure to submit your scholarship application together with your programme application before February.

Academic Excellence Scholarships

Academic Merit Scholarship

• Purpose: Reward students with an excellent academic track record
• Requirements:
  • Belgian degrees: Study results equal to great or greatest distinction at Bachelor’s level.
  • Non-Belgian degrees: Study results within the top 20% of the class at Bachelor’s level.
  • Outstanding GMAT/GMAT Focus (> 700/> 655) or GRE (> 164 quantitative and > 163 verbal) scores (for specialized programs only).
• Scholarship: Up to 50% of the tuition fee.
  

Diversity & Equality Scholarships

Women in Finance

• Purpose: Encourage women to enter fields in which they are underrepresented.
• Requirements: Outstanding academic record, leadership potential, and passion for specific fields.
• Scholarship: Up to 50% of the tuition fee.

Science Talent Scholarship (Exact sciences, Technology, Engineering):

• Purpose: Promote diversity in educational backgrounds, especially in STEM fields.
• Requirements: Outstanding academic record in STEM, leadership potential.
• Scholarship: Up to 50% of the tuition fee, with a chance to be awarded one of the two full scholarships sponsored by the Martine & Philippe Van den Poel-Haspeslagh Fund and the Marion Debruyne Fund.

Equal Opportunity Scholarship: 

• Purpose: Encourage social diversity and individual commitment.
• Requirements: Represent diversity (e.g., minority group, underprivileged community) or actively promote diversity and inclusion by engaging in long-term initiatives that have a clear social impact.
• Scholarship: Up to 50% of the tuition fee, with a chance to receive one full scholarship sponsored by alumnus Jan Toye. Applicants who fit the criteria will be automatically considered for this full scholarship.
   

Need-based Scholarship

Financial need scholarship: 

• Purpose: Support students with financial need.
• Requirements:
  • A realistic financial plan.
  • Proof of financial need (e.g. previous scholarships or grants).
  • This scholarship can be combined with any other scholarships
• Scholarship: Amount and allocation decided on a case-by-case basis. Full scholarships sponsored by MGM1973, MGM1990, MGM1999 alumni (three full scholarships), and 3d Investors (three full scholarships). Applicants who fit the criteria will be automatically considered for this full scholarship.

 If you're planning to apply for a scholarship, make sure you apply early and submit your scholarship applications alongside your application file. Please check the application form for full conditions.

Loans 

You may consider getting a loan to cover your programme fees. 

• Regular loans: A loan from your bank could cover your tuition fees – get in touch with them for more information.  
• Prodigy Finance loans: Our partner Prodigy Finance offer loans to international students at the world’s top business schools. These loans could cover your living expenses and 100% of your tuition fees, minus any scholarship you may be awarded. Learn more

Paying in instalments  

You can choose to pay your tuition fees in three separate instalments in November, February and April.

If you want to pay by instalments, you need to sign a contract and pay an admin fee of €250. 

There are four steps to start your Vlerick journey: 

1. Check your eligibility 

What you need: 

• Candidates studying in Belgium need a Masters degree from a recognised institution  
• Candidates from outside Belgium can apply with a Masters degree or a 3 to 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised institution (there may be additional requirements too)

Our Masters programmes are designed for young graduates, with an average age of 23 and little-to-no professional experience. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact our admissions team. 

2. Submit your application 

We process applications on a rolling basis from October, for the following September intake. If you need a visa to study in Belgium, we expect your application by 30 April at the latest for the following September intake.

Complete your personal details and upload all necessary documents to our application tool. If you don’t need a visa to study in Belgium, you have until June to apply. However, we advise early application as we allocate places on a first come, first served basis.   

3. Take your admissions test 

There are three elements in your admissions test:  

1. Online Test  – we accept our own in-house online test: numerical reasoning (and abstract reasoning if applicable), GMAT (minimum 555) or GRE (157 verbal and 158 quantitative). You can also apply with a CFA for our Masters in Financial Management programme.
2. Motivational interview – Using a standard set of questions, we assess the match between you, Vlerick and our programme. This interview takes place online and lasts about 20 minutes.
3. Knowledge interview  – Vlerick faculty will ask you about your interest and insights into the field of studies you are applying for. This interview also takes place online and lasts about 20 minutes.

Want to prepare for your admissions test? – discover our tips and tricks.   

4. Register for the programme 

The Masters in Financial Management programme both has capped seats and has a selective admissions process organised in rounds. We therefore strongly advise applying as early as possible:

First admission round
Applications submitted:                   11 September 2024 until 2 December 2024
Decisions issued:                             31 January 2025* at the latest

Second admission round
Applications submitted:                   3 December 2024 until 3 March 2025
Decisions issued:                             11 April 2025* at the latest

Third admission round (last round for non-EU applicants!)
Applications submitted:                   4 March 2025 until 30 April 2025
Decisions issued:                             2 June 2025* at the latest _{(to apply for visas on time)}

Fourth admission round (if seats are still available)
Applications submitted:                   1 May 2025 until 15 July 2025
Decisions issued:                             On a rolling basis (maximum 3 weeks after final interview)

_{*Admissions results are communicated on a rolling basis, but at the latest by the deadline mentioned. If you need a decision sooner, please send an email to admissions@vlerick.com with a detailed motivation.}

Once you’ve been admitted, you can go ahead and register.

Discover what it’s like to study in Belgium – as well as practical information on how to organise your stay.