Application
Applications for Master's degree programmes for the academic year 2025/2026 are open from 22 January 2025. The application deadline for non-EU students VISA applicants is 30 April 2025. The application deadline for EU students is 30 June 2025.
The application must be submitted online, through the “Admission application” button (on the bottom of this page). Before that, you have to login into the system, by following the instructions provided at this page.
- Submit required documents:
- Standard documentation: (i) degree certificate - if already graduated - and (ii) transcripts attesting exams taken, grades and credits (ECTS/CFU);
- Passport/ID card;
- A short CV;
- English language certification (if any; please check the list of accepted certificates here);
- Pay the application fee. The payment form is available at the end of the application procedure. Online electronic payments from major circuits are accepted.
Please note: incomplete or multiple submissions will not be considered.
- Applicants will be asked to take a compulsory online background knowledge test to verify personal competencies and skills. To learn more about the test, please check the "Background knowledge test" section here below. Candidates who do not sit or reach the minimum level required by the Admission Board in the admission test will not be further evaluated and cannot sit further tests;
- The Admission Board will verify the entry requirements in terms of credits (CFU/ECTS) for candidates who successfully pass the test (these credits must be possessed by the date of effective submission of the application for admission);
- Once the entry requirements verified, the Admission Board will decide whether to admit or reject or ask the candidate for an interview (via MS Teams or other electronic means). In the meanwhile, applicants must take and pass an English test with SLAM, unless they already provided a valid English certificate;
- The candidate will receive the letter of admission/rejection, through the students’ application portal, to the e-mail address provided in your online application submission; at this step of the procedure, the International Students' Office will also verify the compliance of provided documents from international applicants;
- In case of admission, the applicant will be able to proceed with enrolment and pay the annual fees. As soon as the procedure opens, we kindly suggest proceeding with the enrollment.
All applicants who regularly apply for MEF and paid the application fee will be invited via e-mail to take a compulsory online background knowledge test about the following areas: Mathematics and Statistics; Economics and Business/Finance (please see the "Suggested Bibliography" section here below).
Time available: 60 minutes. Threshold for passing the test: at least 20 correct answers out of 40.
The background knowledge test can be taken once only.
Instructions on how and when to take the test are usually sent about one week prior to the test date.
Please check your e-mail spam folder as well.
Tests are scheduled as follows:
9 April 2025 - for those who applied by 26 March 2025
15 May 2025 - for those who applied by 30 April 2025 - last test session available for visa applicants
12 June 2025 - for those who applied by 31 May 2025
8 July 2025 - for those who applied by 30 June 2025
Candidates must take the online background knowledge test at the test session they are invited to.
Candidates missing the test session they are invited to will not be allowed to sit another test session.
Here is a suggested bibliography to prepare yourself for the online background knowledge test. This is not intended to be mandatory, as each applicant may feel free to choose different materials.
Applicants may also be invited to an oral interview held in English language and exclusively done via electronic devices (e.g.: via MS Teams). The interview is aimed at examining in more depth the applicants' background knowledge.
For an idea of the appropriate level of knowledge and skills, candidates may consult the following textbooks:
Mathematics
Topics: Calculus, Linear Algebra
Suggested reference:
- Sydsæter, K., Hammond, P. (2008) Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis, (3 edition), Pearson. Chap: 1-10 (Calculus I), 15-16 (Vector and Matrices)
- Simon, C.P., Blume, L. (2010) Mathematics for Economists, W. W. Norton & Company
Economics
Microeconomics
Either one of these books:
- Mankiw N.G. and M.P. Taylor (2020) Economics, Cenage (fifth edition or any preceding edition), Parts 1-2-3-4-5
- Krugman P. and R. Wells (2018) Microeconomics, Worth Publishers, Chapters 1-17
Equivalent textbooks are also as good.
Macroeconomics
Suggested reference:
- Blanchard O. (2010) Macroeconomics, 5th edition, Pearson Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J.
Statistics
Topics: Elementary Probability and Random Variables; Descriptive Statistics; Statistical inference.
Suggested references (any of those):
- Trosset M.W. (2009) An introduction to statistical inference and its applications with R, CRC Press. Chapters: 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14.
- Ross S. (2010) Introductory Statistics, 3d Edition, Elsevier
- Moore D., McCabe G.P., Craig B. (2012) An Introduction to the Practice of Statistics, 7th edition, W.H. Freeman & Company
Econometrics
Topics: Linear Regression Model With One or More Regressors: Estimation and Testing, Instrumental Variables.
Suggested reference:
- Stock J., Watson M. (2010) Introduction to Econometrics, 3rd Edition, Addison-Wesley.
Admission
Application for admission: from 22/01/2025 to 30/06/2025
Application for matriculation: from 02/04/2025 to 15/01/2026
Attachments and documents
Admission to the Master programme in Finance and Economics requires:
1. Curricular requirements
A) Students with an Italian degree (ex. DM 270/04 and DM 509/99) of the following classes:
L-18 Scienze dell'economia e della gestione aziendale
L-33 Scienze economiche
L-41 Statistica
can apply.
B) Candidates can also enroll in the programme from undergraduate classes other than those listed above after positive evaluation of the Collegio Didattico or its delegates (an Admission Committee or the President of the Collegio Didattico) if they substantively satisfy the access requirements as shown below.
Candidates lacking one or more of the following minimum entry requirements will not be assessed by the Admission Committee:
a) at least 6 ECTS in the area of mathematics (MAT/01 - MAT/05; MAT/07 - MAT/09; SECS-S/06).
b) at least 6 ECTS in the statistical area (MAT/06; SECS-S/01 - SECS-S/05; SECS-P/05).
c) at least 12 ECTS in the economic area (SECS-P/01 - SECS-P/03; SECS-P/06).
The requirements must be met by the date of effective submission of the application for admission.
2. Proficiency in English
Proficiency in English at a B2 level or higher per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required for admission.
The B2-level requirement will be ascertained by the University Language Centre (SLAM) upon admission as follows:
- Language certificate of B2 or higher level issued no more than three years before the date of admission application. You will find the list of language certificates recognized by the University at: https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322. The certificate must be uploaded when submitting the online application;
- English level achieved during a University of Milan degree programme and certified by the University Language Centre (SLAM) no more than four years before the date of admission application, including levels based on language certificates submitted by the applicant during their Bachelor's degree at the University of Milan. In this case the process is automatic, the applicant does not have to attach any certificates to the application;
- Entry test administrated by the University Language Centre (SLAM) according to the calendar published on the website: (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39267/)
All those who fail to submit a valid certificate or do not meet the required proficiency level will be instructed during the admission procedure to take the Entry test.
Applicants who do not take or pass the Entry test will be required to obtain a language proficiency certificate recognized by the University (see https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322) and deliver it to the SLAM via the InformaStudenti service by the deadline fixed for the master's programme (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39267/).
Applicants who do not meet the requirement by said deadline will not be admitted to the master's degree programme and may not sit any further tests.
3. Personal competencies and skills: assessment criteria
Minimum curricular requirements are necessary yet not sufficient conditions for admission. Candidates will be also evaluated on the basis of personal competencies and skills by an Admission Board appointed by the Faculty Board (Collegio Didattico).
Assessment of personal competencies and skills will be ascertained in two subsequent stages. First, candidates will take a written online admission test, held in English language. Detailed description of the test content, dates and organization will be provided on the website of the master program ''Application'' section. Candidates who do not sit or reach the minimum level required by the Admission Board in the admission test will not be further evaluated and cannot sit further tests.
Candidates holding an Italian bachelor degree with a final score of 105 or higher out of 110 are exempt from taking the written admission test.
Non EU visa applicants must necessarily take the compulsory online admission test by the first available test session immediately following the deadline for visa seekers' applications at the very latest, under penalty of exclusion.
For candidates who reach the minimum level in the admission test and meet the compulsory curricular requirements, the Admission Board will further evaluate their personal competencies and skills based on academic merit and choice coherence. Academic merit relates to the quality of the previous degree as well as the average grade obtained in the bachelor program. Grades obtained in Bachelor mathematics, statistics and economics courses could also be evaluated to assess candidates' academic merit. Choice coherence relates to coherence between the academic and professional curriculum of the candidates and the learning objectives of the Finance and Economics degree programme.
To allow the Admission Board to assess academic merit and choice coherence, each applicant must submit at time of application:
- a detailed curriculum vitae (it refers to study and work experience and any relevant achievements);
- a detailed study plan of the bachelor program, with the list of exams taken and relative grade, as well as average grade obtained and final degree.
Failing to provide the compulsory documentation will result in the exclusion from the selection procedure.
The Admission Board reserves the possibility to request the applicant an oral interview for admission, held in English language and exclusively done via electronic devices (eg.: via skype or other platforms). The interview is aimed at further verifying the skills as mentioned above.
Applicants must obtain the bachelor degree by 31st December 2025.
For students enrolled on bachelor’s, master’s and single cycle degree programmes are divided into two instalments of different amounts and with different payment deadlines:
- the first, corresponding to the minimum amount, is the same for all students
- the second - technically referred to as an ‘all-inclusive fee’- that is variable.
The University provides:
- A no tax area for students on track with exams and not on track with exams for one year with ISEE certification until 30.000 €.
- Fees exemption on account of merit, income or disability, or if they meet other specific requirements;
- Concessions for students meeting high merit requirements;
- Diversified tuition fees according to the student's home country for international students with assets/income abroad;
The University also provides:
- Part-time study
- Financial aid, refectory service, accommodation,
- Awards and scholarships
Guidance:
Admission, ranking and enrolment
- Registrar office - contacts
- Online information desk InformaStudenti
- International students: welcome desk
- Students with disabilities
- Students with SLD
Programme tutoring and contacts
Students who decide to study in Italy often find themselves thrown into a system and a culture which are very different from those of their own countries; they must also deal with unfamiliar and, at times, complex bureaucratic procedures.
At our University they can now count on the Welcome Desk, a service designed for students, doctoral students and interns who have come to Milan for the first time, but also to those who already live in the city and need to verify the validity of academic qualifications obtained abroad in order to enrol on one of our courses.
The Welcome Desk aims at being the international students’ point of reference for all the initial necessities of your new adventure in Milan and at Unimi.
Welcome Desk
via S. Sofia, 9/1 – 20122 Milan
The office only receives by appointment. Book through the Informastudenti service by selecting the "INTERNATIONAL" category once logged in. Applicants who have not enrolled yet should register here as external users first.
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