Georgia Tech's Master of Science in Quantitative and Computational Finance (MS QCF) is a 36-credit degree in Atlanta that takes 1.5 years from a fall start, including a summer internship, and it asks for a GRE or GMAT score unless you hold a four-year US degree with a GPA of 3.7 or higher. For Fall 2027 the Early Round closed October 15, 2026, so your next deadline is December 5, 2026, followed by a final round on March 15, 2027 for international applicants outside the US or May 1, 2027 for US citizens, permanent residents and international students already in the US.
I'm Fiona Taft, founder and CEO of QuantMinds, former Executive Director of UC Berkeley's MFE program and former Associate Director at Stanford University. Program details come from Georgia Tech's official pages, checked October 2026. For the advice that applies to every program, see my guide on how to choose a quant master's program.
Georgia Tech QCF at a glance
| Item | Georgia Tech MS QCF |
|---|---|
| Degree | 36 credit hours, no thesis, run jointly by the Scheller College of Business, the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the School of Mathematics |
| Length and format | 1.5 years from a fall start, or 1 to 2 years from a spring start. Full-time or part-time, in Atlanta |
| Fall 2025 entering class | 65 students, 56% international |
| Fall 2027 deadlines | December 5, 2026, then March 15, 2027 (international applicants outside the US) or May 1, 2027 (US citizens, permanent residents and international students in the US) |
| Tests | GRE or GMAT, waived for a four-year US degree with a 3.7 GPA or higher, or a PhD |
| Tuition, 2026-27 | From $9,103 a semester for Georgia residents to $21,935 for students from outside the US |
| Application fee | $95 domestic, $105 international, no waivers |
Admission requirements
You need a US four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent. The application requirements page asks for a working knowledge of single and multivariable calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, and probability and statistics. Programming is strongly preferred, in Python, R, C++, SAS or similar. If you're missing any of the math, start with the math you actually need to break into quant finance.
The admissions FAQ describes a holistic review with extra weight on your GRE or GMAT quant score and your quantitative coursework. Work experience isn't required, though Georgia Tech strongly prefers some internship experience, in any industry.
What you submit
- Unofficial transcripts and a resume
- An essay of up to 750 words on why you're applying and how you see your career progressing after the degree
- Short answers on a meaningful project (up to 750 words) and your programming experience (up to 500), plus an optional 250-word answer on weaknesses or gaps
- Three letters of recommendation, academic, professional or any mix. Your application goes to the program once at least two are in
- A GRE or GMAT score unless you're waived, and TOEFL or IELTS if you're an international applicant who needs it
Tests
Scores are valid for five years, and if you send several, Georgia Tech uses the one with the higher quant score. If you're using the GMAT, apply through the College of Business, the only one of the program's three home units that takes it. Georgia Tech can review your file on unofficial scores, but it needs official ones before it makes an offer, and they can take up to three weeks to arrive, so send them as soon as you test.
For English, Georgia Tech's minimum scores are 4.5 overall on the new 1 to 6 TOEFL iBT scale or 7.0 overall on IELTS Academic, with a floor for each section.
Interview and decisions
Competitive applicants are invited to a 30-minute behavioral interview over Zoom with the program's Associate Director, covering your resume, projects and academic history. Fall decisions usually come 8 to 12 weeks after your deadline. The program's home page says it reviews applications on a rolling basis, and the Fall 2027 application closes on May 15, 2027.
What's distinctive
Curriculum
The curriculum has six core courses, Finance and Investments, Stochastic Processes in Finance I, Design and Implementation of Systems in Computational Finance, Derivative Securities, Fixed Income Securities and Numerical Methods in Finance. You pick two of three electives open only to QCF students, AI for Finance, Financial Optimization, and Data Mining and Statistical Learning, and add 9 credits of free electives from across Georgia Tech. It ends with a project-based capstone, The Practice of QCF.
Tracks
Georgia Tech admits twice a year, and Spring 2027 entry has closed.
- Fall, traditional. 1.5 years, with your internship the summer after your second semester.
- Spring, fast track. One year, no internship, for people with several years of directly relevant experience.
- Spring, traditional or extended. 1.5 or 2 years, with the internship in your first or second summer. International students can opt into a first-summer internship that fits the rules for CPT (Curricular Practical Training, the F-1 work authorization for internships).
Through a Shared Credit Agreement with Georgia Tech's MS in Computational Science and Engineering, you can also earn both degrees with 54 credits in two years. The 2026-27 catalog says you apply after your first semester, with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
Career services
A Corporate Relations Manager works with you one-on-one from admission to graduation. Per the career FAQ, you attend a virtual bootcamp and orientation week before classes and a 16-hour Career Development Workshop in your first fall. The recruiting calendar shows internship recruiting for the following summer starting in August. Your campus base is CODA in Tech Square, with a graduate lounge, interview rooms and study space.
Costs and funding
Georgia Tech's Bursar lists 2026-27 QCF tuition for a semester of 12 or more credit hours at $9,103 for Georgia residents, $21,316 for out-of-state students and $21,935 for students from outside the US, plus $758 in mandatory fees, and F and J visa holders pay a $100 International Student Fee each term. The program's own tuition and funding page still shows 2023-24 rates, so budget from the Bursar's.
That page says graduate teaching assistantships (a tuition waiver plus a monthly salary) and hourly assistantships go to select students, and more than half typically have some funding opportunity during the program. Only US citizens and permanent residents can qualify for federal loans.
Outcomes
Georgia Tech's employment statistics for the Fall 2025 graduating class report 85% placed three months after graduation, average first-year total compensation of $139,262 and an average base salary of $113,732. Hiring companies include Millennium Management, Maven Securities, Belvedere, All Options Trading, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Intercontinental Exchange and Travelers, in cities including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Charlotte.
How I'd approach Georgia Tech
It's a really good program, and the application gives you room to show who you are, so use all of it.
Start with the essay's second question, how your career progresses after the degree. It's the first thing I ask anyone applying. Where do you want to be in two years, five and ten? Name the role and the kind of firm, then tie the QCF courses to it. If you're torn between research, trading and development, read our guide to choosing your quant path first.
In the programming answer, say plainly whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced in each language, and back each level with something you built. If there's a weak grade or a gap, answer the optional question. I'd always rather you raise it yourself, with what you've done since, than leave the committee to guess. And if you qualify for the GRE waiver but have a strong quant score, I'd still send it, because this committee leans on quant scores.
The interview is behavioral, so practice walking through your resume and your reasons for QCF out loud. Have your resume ready before you arrive, because internship recruiting starts in August.
Stay open on location too. Quant hiring keeps spreading beyond New York, Chicago and San Francisco into Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, and every market you'll work in is another shot at a first role.
Aim for December 5 if your file is complete. I wouldn't plan on the final round by default, because by then a lot of the places have usually gone, so move to March or May only if the extra time makes your application clearly stronger.
Frequently asked questions
Is Georgia Tech's MS QCF a STEM degree?
Georgia Tech says so. Its recruiter guide describes it as a nationally designated STEM program and says F-1 graduates are eligible for 36 months of OPT (Optional Practical Training, work authorization after a degree). That guide isn't dated, so confirm it with Georgia Tech's international office before you plan around it.
What GRE score do I need for Georgia Tech QCF?
There's no minimum. The Fall 2025 class averaged 169 out of 170 on GRE quant, with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.68.
Can I do the Georgia Tech QCF part-time?
Yes, but there's no evening or weekend schedule. Part-time students sit in the same classes as full-time students, many during the day, so you'll need flexibility from your employer.
Does Georgia Tech QCF accept the Duolingo English Test?
No. Its international students page lists only TOEFL or IELTS, and the admissions FAQ rules out Duolingo. You may not need a test if your degree is from a country on Georgia Tech's approved list or a school where English is the language of instruction.
Get a second opinion
If you'd like another set of eyes on your Georgia Tech application, from your career essay to the round you're aiming for, request a free Discovery Session, a Zoom session with one of our coaches, and we'll work through it together.