What type of interview questions does NUS MFin usually ask—are they technical or more about goals and fit?

Question

S Raghav · Accepted Answer

NUS MFin interview questions are usually more about career goals, motivation, and fit than heavy technicals. Expect questions like &ldquo;Why finance and why NUS?&rdquo;, &ldquo;Where do you see yourself in five years?&rdquo;, and &ldquo;How does MFin help you reach those goals?&rdquo;.
Basic technicals may still appear, especially if the background isn&rsquo;t directly in finance. Candidates have been asked to explain valuation concepts or share views on recent market news. Interviews typically last 20&ndash;30 minutes and feel conversational.
What matters most is connecting past experience with future goals. For example, someone from an economics background could say: &ldquo;Studying econometrics gave me strong data skills, and I want to apply those to asset management. NUS MFin will give me the technical training and Singapore exposure to make that shift.&rdquo; Clear links like this show admissions you&rsquo;ve thought through your career path.

B.K Sharma · Answer

The NUS MFin interview isn&rsquo;t about catching applicants off guard but checking if their story holds together.

Questions often include &ldquo;Why NUS over other finance programs?&rdquo; or &ldquo;What role do you want after graduation?&rdquo;. The best way to answer is with a simple structure: background, trigger for pursuing finance, and how NUS fits.
Market-based questions appear too, like discussing how rising rates affect bonds. Pick a recent headline and explain it in plain terms.
Applicants from non-finance fields, like accounting or IT, sometimes get light technicals such as bond pricing or DCF basics.
Teamwork and personal challenge questions are common, so prepare one clear example.

Keeping answers short, specific, and realistic about post-MFin roles in Singapore usually leaves a strong impression.
For more details you can read this blog  on "NUS MFin "

T Ronak · Answer

The NUS MFin interview usually leans more toward goals and fit than deep technical grilling, though a few technical checks do come up. They want to see if you can clearly explain why you want to shift into finance, how your background supports that, and why NUS is the right place. Expect questions like &ldquo;Why finance and not consulting or tech?&rdquo; or &ldquo;What are your career plans in Singapore after graduation?&rdquo;
That said, basic technicals may appear, especially if your background isn&rsquo;t finance-heavy. Examples past candidates mention include calculating WACC, explaining CAPM, or walking through a DCF at a high level. They aren&rsquo;t testing you like an IB job interview, but they do want to see you&rsquo;ve done some prep and understand fundamentals. Confidence, clarity, and alignment with your essays matter more than technical depth.

Divakshi Arora · Answer

The style of NUS MFin interviews is closer to a career-fit conversation with light technicals rather than a hardcore finance test. Interviews are usually conducted online with one faculty member or admissions staff, and occasionally it&rsquo;s a small panel.
&bull; Most of the focus is on motivation: why finance, why Singapore, and why NUS specifically. &bull; They ask about career goals &mdash; for example, &ldquo;Where do you see yourself after graduation?&rdquo; or &ldquo;What role in finance are you targeting?&rdquo; &bull; Background questions come up, like how your past work ties into finance or what transferable skills you bring. &bull; Technicals are usually limited to basics: financial ratios, difference between equity and debt, or a simple diversification example.
So the emphasis is on clarity of goals and showing awareness of the industry. Knowing the format helps &mdash; it&rsquo;s conversational, but structured enough to test if you&rsquo;re serious.