Is it possible to do a Masters in Finance in Europe without GMAT or GRE?

Question

Supriya J · Accepted Answer

Yes, it&rsquo;s possible to get into a Master&rsquo;s in Finance program in Europe without GMAT or GRE, especially if the rest of the profile shows strong academic and professional readiness.
For example, ESCP and ESSEC allow applicants to skip GMAT if they&rsquo;ve completed a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in business or economics with a GPA above 3.5/4.0 and at least one internship in finance, audit, or consulting. IE Business School has a test-optional policy but favors those with quant coursework in areas like statistics, financial accounting, or data analysis.
Frankfurt School offers its own admissions test instead of GMAT and may waive it if the candidate has 1+ years of full-time work experience in finance or analytics roles.
To increase chances, applicants should highlight relevant tools (Excel, Python, Bloomberg), CFA Level 1, and strong undergrad grades in finance-related courses. It&rsquo;s not just about skipping GMAT &mdash; it&rsquo;s about proving you&rsquo;re ready for a technical program.

Jayant M · Answer

Yes, it&rsquo;s absolutely possible to do a Master&rsquo;s in Finance in Europe without the GMAT or GRE,  several top schools don&rsquo;t require it, especially if you have a strong academic background.
Programs like ESCP, EDHEC, IESEG, and EADA consider applicants holistically and often waive test requirements if your undergrad grades are solid (usually 7.5+ CGPA). ESSEC also waives GMAT for certain candidates with strong quantitative coursework or relevant internships.
Most of these schools focus more on your SOP, resume, and interview performance. If you&rsquo;ve done a finance-related project or internship (even short-term), that often carries more weight than a test score. Also, many European schools are on rolling admissions ,  so applying early without GMAT can still keep you in the game for scholarships.
If your profile is well-rounded, skipping the GMAT won&rsquo;t hold you back at a lot of top-tier European MFin programs.

K S Saini · Answer

Surprisingly, a lot of top finance programs in Europe don&rsquo;t make GMAT/GRE mandatory, and many Indian applicants still get in without it.
&bull; IE Business School, University of St. Gallen, and Skema have test-optional policies for certain intakes, especially if your undergrad shows strong quant skills. &bull; Some schools will ask for a test only if your academics are borderline , so if you&rsquo;ve got decent grades (like 7.5/10 or above) and a finance internship, you can skip it. &bull; European schools value diversity ,  they look at motivation letters, interviews, and clarity of post-degree goals just as much. &bull; To strengthen your app without GMAT, try adding a short course in financial modeling, Excel, or Python. &bull; You&rsquo;ll still need to prove quant readiness in some way, especially for MFin ,  either through coursework, projects, or online certifications.
Bottom line is you don&rsquo;t need the GMAT to apply , just a clear story and proof that you can handle the math.
For more details you can read this blog on "Top Masters in Finance Colleges in Europe"

Is it possible to do a Master's in Finance in Europe without GMAT or GRE?