This is an interesting question as it is also impacted by whether you are an international student paying international fees or not. Working on the basis you are not an international student, universities are looking for the best students and that usually includes more than having good grades but being a person that has external activities that will enhance their involvement in the program. If you haven’t done economics at undergraduate level or a transition degree into economics you are unlikely to get into postgrad economics. Having maths or finance will help you get in but having those subjects without economics is unlikely to get you into any top program. It you are an international fee paying student, and UK universities particularly want you for their future funding then there may be more flexibility, in particular in terms of grades. Regardless without a base of economics you will in my view not get in. My suggestion is you talk to Crimson, have yourself assessed for postgrad entry and look at a program of development that can enhance your success of getting in. To get into the top schools you need to be a top student academically but also have a ‘package’ of activity around you that shows you are a stand out student who is more than just purely academic.

Our resident finance guru (past intern at Goldman Sachs) and CFO of Crimson, Fangzhou Jiang, has this to say:

• Top masters program in the U.K. for economics and finance are highly competitive
• An honours year with good research project is highly recommended
• An applicants previous background should be economics, finance, applied math, statistics, computer science or other quantitative focused courses
• Internship experience at big investment banks or trading firms is also hugely favourable
• Fangzhou suggests look at MFE program at Oxford - each year about 80 or so people enroll in the program

Hope that helps!