CH · Master's
University of Zurich (joint with ETH Zurich)
MSc UZH ETH in Quantitative Finance
University of Zurich (joint with ETH Zurich)
Course Overview
The MSc UZH ETH in Quantitative Finance is a joint Master's offered by the University of Zurich (UZH) and ETH Zurich — Switzerland's two top-ranked universities (ETH consistently top 10 globally, UZH top 100). UZH's Department of Banking and Finance and ETH Zurich's Department of Mathematics co-deliver the programme — the highest-rated quantitative finance Master's in continental Europe and a direct competitor to Oxford MCF, Imperial MSc Mathematics and Finance, and CMU MSc Computational Finance. The 1.5-year programme covers stochastic calculus, financial econometrics, derivative pricing, risk management, machine learning in finance, and a major Master's thesis — typically completed at UBS Investment Bank, Credit Suisse legacy units (now UBS), Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Swiss Re, Swiss Life, or quant hedge funds in Geneva and Zug.
Sri Lankan applicants from BSc Mathematics, BSc Engineering (Mechanical / Electrical / Computer Science with Mathematics minor), BSc Statistics, or BSc Financial Mathematics (UoC, UoP, Kelaniya, KDU, SLIIT) target this programme for the rare combination: Swiss public-university pricing (CHF 1,450/semester — under LKR 1.1M/year total), top-tier global quant finance reputation, and direct access to Zurich's banking cluster (UBS HQ, Swiss Re, Swiss Life, ZKB, Julius Bär, Vontobel). Switzerland offers 6 months post-study residence for job search; quant finance roles routinely meet the federal work-permit threshold (CHF 100,000+ for non-EU graduates in financial services).
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Sri Lankan BSc (Hons) in Mathematics, Statistics, Financial Mathematics, Engineering with strong Maths, Physics, or Quantitative Economics — First Class strongly preferred (Second Upper minimum).
- check_circle Sri Lankan local degrees from UoC (Mathematics, Statistics, FoS), UoP (Mathematics, Engineering Maths), Kelaniya (Mathematics, FBSF), UoM (Engineering with quantitative honours track), KDU, SLIIT all accepted at First Class / High GPA.
- check_circle Strong background in calculus, linear algebra, probability theory, and ideally measure theory / stochastic processes.
- check_circle GRE General (Quantitative 165+) recommended; not always mandatory but strongly strengthens applications.
- check_circle Programming experience in Python, R, or MATLAB strongly preferred.
- check_circle Motivation Letter (1-2 pages) and updated CV.
- check_circle Two academic references.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 7.0 Overall (min 6.5 in each section).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 100 Overall.
- check_circle Cambridge English C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: 185.
- check_circle Waived if your Bachelor's was taught and assessed entirely in English at a recognised institution (most Sri Lankan applicants from UoC FoS, UoP Engineering, Kelaniya FBSF, UoM, KDU, SLIIT qualify with an MOI letter).
- check_circle German not required for academic admission; recommended for Swiss banking employment outside Geneva.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (CHF) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year, Swiss public university) | CHF 2,900 | Rs. 1,073,000 |
| Living Expenses in Zurich (per year) | CHF 24,000 | Rs. 8,880,000 |
| Health Insurance (mandatory, per year) | CHF 2,500 | Rs. 925,000 |
| Student Visa, Residence Permit & Application Fees | CHF 900 | Rs. 333,000 |
| Books, Software Licences & Travel | CHF 1,800 | Rs. 666,000 |
| Total Programme Investment (1.5 years) | CHF 47,250 | Rs. 17,482,500 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
Eligible for Switzerland's 6-month post-study residence permit for job search. Quant finance roles routinely meet federal work-permit salary thresholds (CHF 100,000+ for non-EU graduates in financial services). UZH-ETH Quantitative Finance graduates route into UBS Investment Bank Global Banking Quant Group (Zurich, London, NY), Swiss Re (Zurich HQ — catastrophe and life reinsurance quant), Swiss Life (Zurich HQ — life ALM and ESG quant), Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Julius Bär, Vontobel, Pictet (Geneva), Lombard Odier (Geneva), plus international quant hedge funds (DRW Zurich, Optiver Zug, IMC Trading Zug), management consultancy (McKinsey Risk Practice, BCG GAMMA, Oliver Wyman Financial Services), Big Four (PwC, Deloitte, EY, KPMG financial services advisory). Median Swiss starting salary CHF 100,000-130,000 (LKR 37M-48M/yr) plus bonus; senior quant directors CHF 200,000-350,000+ all-in. Sri Lankan returnees route into senior posts at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (Risk Management, Treasury Operations), Commercial Bank of Ceylon Treasury, Sampath Bank Treasury, HSBC Sri Lanka Markets, Standard Chartered Sri Lanka Markets, plus fintech founder/leadership roles in the growing Sri Lankan financial-services-tech scene.
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