HEC Paris's finance master's programmes are among the most sought-after by students aiming for banking, funds or corporate finance. Selection is based on the application file, then an interview. This article explains how to read the criteria, build a suitable academic CV and prepare the following steps.
A useful note on naming. HEC has no single page called "Master in Finance". The school's finance programmes include the Master in International Finance 🔗 (often abbreviated MiF) and the Master in Economics & Finance 🔗. The conditions detailed here come from their official admissions pages, consulted on the day of writing; they may change, so check them before applying.
What the programme offers and who it is for
The Master in International Finance is a finance specialisation programme for candidates holding a bachelor's or master's degree. The admissions page describes two tracks:
- a Business track for students who have already studied management and have basics in finance and accounting;
- an Accelerated track for those coming from economics, engineering, mathematics or other sciences who do not have these basics.
In other words, the programme is not reserved for business school students: a scientific or engineering profile has its place, provided you can show a clear motivation for finance and a solid quantitative level. The Master in Economics & Finance accepts a bachelor's degree or higher in any discipline and requires prior training in statistics and calculus.
If you hesitate between this kind of master's and a certification such as the CFA, read our comparison of finance certifications.
Selection criteria and profile of admitted students
The official pages do not publish a quantified typical profile. What can be said with certainty, based on the displayed conditions:
- a recognised degree (bachelor's or master's) and official transcripts, including any exchange semester;
- proven English level: the school asks for proof (TOEIC in four parts, TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge), with exemptions for native English speakers and graduates of fully English-taught programmes;
- management test scores: the pages mention the GMAT (including GMAT Focus), the GRE and the TAGE MAGE. They do not clearly state whether one of them is mandatory: check the application portal for your programme;
- two confidential recommendations, one of which must be academic;
- a file screened by an admissibility jury, which decides who is invited to interview, based only on the documents received before the deadline.
Beyond the list, what the jury wants to understand is simple: do your results prove a sufficient quantitative level, and does your path show a project in finance? Internships, student societies, basic certifications and personal projects support that demonstration.
Building a suitable academic CV
The school asks for a CV of one page maximum. It is the same requirement as banks have: see our guide to writing a finance CV.
For an academic application, the structure differs slightly from a job-application CV:
- Education first, with the institution, degree, years, honours and ranking if you know it. Detail relevant courses (capital markets, accounting, statistics, econometrics) and standout grades.
- Experience: internships, student jobs, society roles, in achievement format rather than a list of tasks (see the results-driven bullet format).
- Skills: Excel, programming or data tools, languages with their level and the test taken.
- Commitments and projects: societies, competitions, investment projects.
A few practical tips:
Quantify whatever can be quantified. "Managed the cash of a 120-member society, €15,000 budget" says more than "elected treasurer".
Show your quantitative appetite. A modelling project, an online certification or an advanced probability course can make up for a less direct path.
Align the CV with the rest of the file. The portal essays, the CV and the letter must tell the same story.
Writing a strong motivation letter and handling the interview
The application includes programme-specific essays, available in the portal once you choose the programme. They play the role of the cover letter. A few principles that apply to all:
- Be specific. Explain why this programme and not another: courses, specialisations, network, international outlook. Careful reading of the programme page shows.
- Tell a project, not a slogan. "Passionate about finance since forever" says nothing; a precise episode (a deal you followed, an internship, a project) builds credibility.
- Read it aloud and have someone outside review it.
Admissible candidates have a 30-minute online interview, in English, with programme directors and alumni. The school specifies that the interview may include technical finance questions. Prepare:
- your two-minute introduction (see our method for "Tell me about yourself");
- your motivations for finance and for the programme;
- technical basics: accounting, valuation, markets, the link between rates and bond prices;
- one or two questions to ask your interviewers.
To work on the Q&A part, our guide to preparing an investment banking interview gives examples of technical and behavioural questions.
Calendar and application documents
The admissions pages work in successive rounds, each with a submission deadline, an admissibility decision date and an admission decision date. At the time of writing, the calendar shown on the Master in International Finance page lists four rounds, with a noon deadline: 7 October 2026, 26 November 2026, 17 February 2027 and 28 April 2027. The first round is therefore already closed; the next one is the upcoming deadline. These dates may change: check the official admissions page 🔗.
According to the official pages, the documents requested are:
- the degree, or an enrolment certificate for students still in their programme;
- official transcripts;
- a one-page CV;
- management test scores, where applicable;
- proof of English;
- the programme-specific essays;
- two confidential recommendations;
- a passport-style photo;
- the non-refundable €180 application fee.
Applying early within a round leaves time to fix a missing document, for example a recommendation that is late.
Common mistakes and plan B
Mistakes that cost dearly:
- waiting until the last hour of a round, when recommendations depend on third parties;
- a CV of more than one page, or one that mentions neither tests nor English level;
- generic essays, copy-pasted from one programme to another;
- not preparing the technical part of the interview, assuming it is a mere motivation chat;
- underestimating spoken English preparation.
A realistic plan B. Places are limited and selection is demanding. Apply in parallel to other comparable programmes, for example a university finance master's (see our guide to applying to a finance master's at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) or a parallel-admission route into a school (our article on the CV for parallel admission to HEC Paris details this option). A finance internship during a gap year or after a first rejection is also a serious way to strengthen your file: here is how to get a finance internship.
Finally, take care over the form of your documents. An admissions file is read quickly, and a poorly structured CV makes a bad impression before it is even read. FinanceCV handles the layout: you write the content, and the tool produces a clean one-page CV that is also readable by the ATS screening software you will meet in your internship applications.
Ready to create your finance CV? Use our free generator to get a professional document in a few minutes.