Bendheim Center for Finance

About the school

Established in 1997, Princeton University’s Bendheim Center for Finance (BCF) has consistently bagged the number one spot across several global academic rankings for its two-year academically innovative and supportive Master in Finance programme.

The programme trains students in financial economics, financial engineering, data analysis and technology, and computational methods, helping them earn competitive positions in the public and private sectors.

Princeton University Bendheim Center for Finance has produced several distinguished graduates, some of them being Dennis Walsh (top executive, Goldman Sachs Asset Management), Natalia Bucci (co-portfolio manager, Global Convertible Bonds Strategies), Dario Villani (CEO and co-founder, Duality Group), and Stella Zhang (data science and analytics manager, Verkada).

Nestled in Princeton City, New Jersey, the University enjoys an advantageous location that offers students easy access to cultural, professional, and recreational opportunities. With easy proximity to major cities such as New York and Philadelphia, students can engage in several internships, cultural events, and networking ventures.

Location of the School

Life at the Bendheim Center for Finance

With a diverse student body and numerous cultural organisations, international students find a supportive community to connect with on campus. Engaging in campus events, academic discussions, and extracurricular activities allows them to make meaningful friendships and broaden their horizons.

The university's on-campus housing for graduate students offers dormitories, including historic and modern rooms, and rooms in converted homes called annexes. The apartment communities also offer many unit sizes in high-rise and garden configurations. Amenities include athletic courts, barbecue areas, computing and study spaces, garden plots, exercise rooms, an over-21 private club (the D-Bar), playground areas, pool tables, and parking.

The university maintains a website of off-campus housing options within commutable distance of the campus. The website includes listings for houses, apartments, rooms, shares, and sublets in nearby localities for students.

With an award-winning dining team, the campus celebrates a diversity of ingredients and global cuisines, whilst also using locally sourced and sustainable products. Graduate students can avail of various meal plans at the cafes, residence dining halls, and other eateries across campus.

The university also caters to its students' recreational and wellness needs by enabling group fitness sessions, personal training, recreational swimming, and intramural sports.

The campus has ample parking space on a permit basis for students. Transportation facilities include bike rentals, taxis, local buses, and trains, all readily available. Princeton’s TigerTransit shuttles connect graduate student housing to the campus and local shopping centres.

Additional Benefits of Studying at the Bendheim Center for Finance

Bendheim Center has many award-winning faculty whose research has significantly contributed to finance. Regarding finance and economics topics, the school hosts frequent finance seminars, career speaker series, student research workshops, and webinars featuring acclaimed academics and economists. Princeton's Bendheim Center boasts a strong alumni network and connections with well-known corporate partners, allowing graduates to make vital connections and build robust relationships in finance.

Admissions criteria

Princeton University BCF looks for candidates with exceptional test scores and grades, excellent personal statements and recommendations, and top-notch language skills.

The strongest among candidates should possess a passion for finance, strong communication skills, and in many cases, finance-industry work experience. Other helpful experiences may include internships in finance or work experience in engineering and technology.

The college keeps the programme small and selective. The average yearly acceptance rate over the last five years at Bendheim Center has been about five percent.

Additional supporting materials required from international students, post-completion of the personal detail form, are:

Personal statement/Statement of Purpose (SOP)

Three letters of recommendation

Undergraduate transcripts (translated into English)

A graduate admissions test result (GMAT, GRE, LSAT)

Proof of proficiency in English (e.g. TOEFL/IELTS) for non-English speakers

Note: The University has no minimum score requirement for English proficiency tests, but some departments may have such requirements.

Resume/CV

Application fee

Please refer to the graduate admission page for detailed information.

For more information on fees and tuition, visit the university website.

Job placements

Princeton BCF ensures all a wealth of resources for career development with one-on-one career coaching, a Master’s in Finance Career Boot Camp, and a Career Speaker Series featuring presentations by leading voices in the field, workshops, and career and networking events. One significant career fair at the University is the HireTigers Career Fair. BCF is ranked number one for starting salaries and sign-on bonuses of $199,000. They tied for first position in employment rate at graduation, and three months thereafter they were both at 100% (QuantNet’s 2023 ranking).

Top employers: Citi, Citadel, Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Jp Morgan, E Fund, Pimco, Jane Street, SMBC, Fidelity, IMC