Just Completed an MSc in Finance at UCL –*ask me anything!

I've recently graduated with an MSc in Finance from UCL, and while there’s plenty of general information out there, I’ve noticed that the nuances and real student experiences aren’t widely discussed. I think sharing a detailed, honest account of the course could really help those considering it.

While there are some classes and professors I loved and would recommend, my overall experience was not very positive. The course is extremely demanding and heavily focused on academics, completely at the expense of other activities (social and sports). Group coursework starts bi-weekly, even before you've fully grasped the material, and the program's organisation leaves a lot to be desired. The management staff isn’t very helpful and is quite distant (by this I mean the organisers of the course, not the teaching staff), and UCL tends to be extremely frugal in terms of events and offerings (you will see all other major London universities having end of term social events/balls, while UCL basically offers none, and if offered, they are paid and the weekend right before your exams).

Regarding the weekly speaker events that are advertised, we only had two, and by the second one, no one wanted to go anymore—partly due to the overwhelming workload and partly because the events were not helpful at all. Additionally, there isn't much career support, and the promise of great networking opportunities simply because you’re in Canary Wharf is one of the biggest misconceptions.

As explored in other posts I have read about this course, you share the 2 floors at Canary Wharf with around 4 or 5 other degree cohorts. Study rooms are therefore generally quite full (especially individual/group study rooms), and both floors are very noisy as the other degree students tend to have a lot more free time.

It’s a highly mathematical course, especially in the first term, which is particularly tough. I’d be happy to provide tips and insights to help you manage the challenges better from the start.

Feel free to ask any questions!

(edited 3 weeks ago)