Advanced Technology for Financial Computing MSc

The MSc in Advanced Technology for Financial Computing provides a unique interdisciplinary education that propels you to the forefront of the fintech industry. By integrating expertise from the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh Business School, and the School of Mathematics, you gain both technical prowess and business acumen crucial for success in this evolving field.

In the first seven months, you will attend classes and engage in individual and group projects to master advanced data, computing, and artificial intelligence methods.

You will also take at least 30 credits of courses from the Business School, ensuring a solid grounding in financial systems, management, and digital transformation.

The final four months will be dedicated to a research project, where you will apply your knowledge to address real-world challenges.

Courses

Our programme features essential core courses in data science, AI, and financial research methods, complemented by a multidisciplinary range of electives that let you tailor your studies to your career ambitions. This blend of structured learning and flexible options ensures you build a strong foundation while pursuing your specific interests.

Discover more about the programme’s dynamic structure and courses:

• Programme Structure 2024/25

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Delivery

This is an in-person programme, and we expect you to be in Edinburgh.

Courses are taught on campus during teaching hours (currently 9am-7pm) Monday – Friday. To succeed, you will need to maintain a consistent level of study each week.

Students are expected to stay in Edinburgh for the duration of their degree programme. This includes during the writing of the dissertation until the submission deadline.

Our facilities

You will be based in the School of Informatics’ main teaching building, Appleton Tower. The building provides purpose-built facilities and dedicated learning and teaching spaces, all located in the University's Central Area.

IT facilities include computer labs with more than 250 high-spec machines and comprehensive support provided by dedicated computing staff.

In the project phase you will also have access to Appleton Tower's floor 9 (accessed only by master's students at this time) which has computing labs, private study spaces and beautiful panoramic views across Edinburgh.

If you take courses from other Schools, these might be delivered in the Nucleus building, on the University's Kings Buildings Campus.

Take a virtual tour

Take a closer look at all our facilities on the University’s Virtual Visit site:

• Virtual Visit

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

The MSc in Advanced Technology for Financial Computing opens doors to outstanding career opportunities.

Our graduates secure exciting roles such as quant developer, tech specialist, financial modelling expert, fintech manager, and wealth management analyst, and end up working at world-leading financial institutions including UBS, NatWest Bank, Financial Network Analytics Ltd, Central Bank of Indonesia, and Huatai Securities.

Career paths tailored to you

Personalise your studies with the help of our curriculum paths, engineered by experts to prepare you for specific careers, including:

• Financial Computing Engineer: Ideal for those who aim to develop and optimise high-performance computing systems for the finance sector. This path focuses on leveraging advanced computational techniques to enhance system performance and efficiency, preparing you to tackle complex challenges in financial technology.

• Fintech Strategist: Perfect for those eager to drive digital transformation within the financial sector. This path combines technical expertise with strategic vision, empowering you to lead innovative initiatives and shape the future of financial technology.

• Quant Developer: For those with a strong programming background looking to excel in quantitative finance. This path merges advanced programming skills with specialised financial computing knowledge, positioning you at the forefront of fintech development.

Extensive career support

Our commitment is to help you realise your full potential.

Benefit from our extensive career support services designed to maximize your success:

• Personalised career guidance: Receive tailored advice from our dedicated career services team to navigate your career path effectively.

• Start-up incubator: Transform your innovative ideas into successful ventures with our Venture Builder Incubator.

• Networking opportunities: Connect with top employers and industry professionals through exclusive networking events.

• Entrepreneurship events: Gain insights and inspiration from accomplished entrepreneurs and business leaders.

• Innovative ecosystem: Engage with a dynamic ecosystem of multi-billion-pound institutes, fostering collaboration across industry, public sector, and academia. Partner with leading institutions such as the Bayes Centre, the Edinburgh Futures Institute, FinTech Scotland, and the DataLab to drive technology innovation in finance.

Our comprehensive support ensures you will be well-prepared for success in the financial industry.

• Careers Service
• Venture Builder Incubator
• Bayes Centre
• Edinburgh Futures Institute
• FinTech Scotland
• The DataLab

• Alumnus Experience Video

For anyone serious about excelling in finance through the latest technologies, this world-class programme offers an unparalleled opportunity to gain the skills and connections needed to thrive in the industry. The programme connected me with a vibrant network of professionals, enthusiasts, and academics, all while equipping me with practical skills directly applicable to my career.

Teofebano Kristo, Data Scientist at FNA (the world-leading financial network analytics company), Graduated 2024

The courses in this programme provided me with the knowledge and skills that led to my current role as a risk modelling analyst at NatWest Bank Group. The opportunity to take business-related courses from the Business School was invaluable, especially given my background in statistics and my initial lack of finance knowledge. In my job, I apply traditional statistical models alongside cutting-edge machine learning tools, graph theory, and game theory to develop data-driven solutions. I’m grateful that this programme introduced me to these essential concepts.

Linxinyi Wang, Risk Modelling Analyst - NatWest Group, Graduated 2023

I decided to go to the University of Edinburgh because I love this beautiful city, it’s one of the nicest places you can find in the UK. There are many great opportunities in the University to network with people sharing the same interests. The programme offers a variety of courses, with a high level of freedom and flexibility. I was able to learn from both computing and mathematical sides of finance, this eventually leading me towards starting a PhD in statistics.

William Wu, PhD Statistics (Financial Market Prediction) at the University of Edinburgh, Graduated 2024

I learnt so much through this programme! The diverse set of courses enriched my theoretical understanding and practical skills, while my dissertation provided me with an opportunity to engage in research and take a deep dive into blockchain technology — an area I knew little about before. This newfound interest ultimately led me to pursue a PhD in the field, making this MSc a pivotal step in my academic and professional journey.

Christina Ovezik, PhD Blockchain Technologies at the University of Edinburgh, Graduated 2021

I would recommend the MSc as it has a good mix of programming knowledge and understanding of how that is directly applied in the financial industry. The programme gives access to leading researchers in their fields and can be tailored to meet your exact interests within the financial technology space.

Vlad Matei, Quantative Developer at UBS, Graduated 2022

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in informatics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer science, electrical engineering, linguistics, mathematics, physics, or other numerate degree.

Competence in programming is essential. During your degree you must have completed a programming course in at least one of the following: C/C++, Java, Python, R, Matlab, Haskell, ML.

During your degree you must have completed the equivalent of 60 SCQF credits or 30 ECTS credits of mathematics that have typically covered the following subjects/topics: calculus (differentiation and integration), linear algebra (vectors and multi-dimensional matrices), discrete mathematics and mathematical reasoning (e.g. induction and reasoning, graph theoretic models, proofs), and probability (concepts in discrete and continuous probabilities, Markov chains etc.)

Students from China

This degree is Band B.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Deposit

If you receive an offer of admission you will need to pay a deposit to secure your place.

• £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits:

• Tuition fee deposits

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Scholarships and student funding

You can find funding opportunities, tuition fees and costs of living for prospective UK and international postgraduate students on the University website.

• Postgraduate scholarships and student funding

You are also encouraged to undertake your own research into the range of potential scholarships and other funding outside the University for which you may be eligible.

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding