Your Questions Answered

WorldQuant University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). DEAC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Distance Education Accrediting Commission
1101 17th Street NW, Suite 808
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 234-5100

Becoming accredited is a formal recognition that WorldQuant University and its programs have been vetted for quality and consistency. As part of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission’s (DEAC) accreditation process, WQU was evaluated in areas that include academic quality, curriculum requirements, faculty, student services, ethical business practice, academic support services, learning and research resources, administrative capacity, and financial capacity.

Yes, all courses at WQU are provided 100% online. Once you get accepted to any of our programs, you will be able to access your courses via the same login credentials you created to start your application.

WQU is licensed by and receives degree-granting authority from the Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC). The University has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). As an approved NC-SARA institution, WQU enrolls students in 49 US states, the District of Columbia, and US territories. The University also enrolls students in California under a non-profit exemption.

WQU delivers its programs on a purpose-built learning platform, which can be accessed here. 

WQU does not grant student visas. Our programs are delivered 100% online, and our students live in over 150 countries around the world.

No. As an entirely online institution that offers its programs free of cost, WQU does not participate in any financial aid or scholarship programs.

Absolutely! Collaboration is an integral part of WQU's mission and success. While our students live around the world, they are very much connected as they collaborate on group projects, engage in peer reviews, and participate in discussions with each other online. Think of it as joining a vibrant, global community of tenacious lifelong learners where you can build lasting personal and professional connections.

Igor Tulchinsky, the founder and CEO of WorldQuant, LLC, established the WorldQuant Foundation, which sponsors WorldQuant University.

As an entirely online institution, WQU does not have a campus.

Our mailing address is:

WorldQuant University
609 H Street NE, Suite 335,
Washington, D.C. 20002
USA

As a not-for-profit, free of cost online university with students across many different time zones, WQU has limited resources. As such, we are currently unable to take incoming phone calls. Rather, all incoming calls are directed to a voicemail where you will have the opportunity to leave us a voice message. If you would like to leave us a voice message, please call +1 202-556-3402⁩ and provide your name and email address so we can get back to you as quickly as possible.

WorldQuant University is accredited in the United States and must follow US State Department regulations regarding sanctioned nations and regions. At this time we are not able to offer our programs to nationals of the following countries/regions: Crimean Peninsula, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria.

No. Our course materials draw from a variety of open-access / open-source datasets, such as the Alpha Vantage Stock API. In other words, you just need to show up and start learning, with no data needed.

Financial Engineering is a field where mathematical techniques are used to solve financial problems. It is an interdisciplinary specialty that leverages skills and tools from computer science, statistics, economics, and applied mathematics, enabling practitioners to address financial challenges and opportunities, and in some cases, develop new products and services. As more businesses and organizations become data-driven, there are growing opportunities for financial engineers outside of the financial industry, including healthcare, the supply chain, agriculture, and more.

For a more detailed breakdown of how this field emerged, what it takes to become a financial engineer, and what kinds of jobs financial engineering graduates pursue, head over to the WQU blog and check out the Guide to Financial Engineering.

No. While you may be able to take some portions of the courses on a smartphone or tablet, a computer (desktop or laptop) is required to access the entire course content, including assignments.

As part of our mission to bridge the gap between global talent and high quality educational opportunities, all programs at WQU are entirely free.

Applicants are are interested in enrolling in our MSc in Financial Engineering program who have not graduated from an institution where English is the language of instruction are required to submit English proficiency test scores and are responsible to cover the fees associated with these tests. WQU accepts the Duolingo English Test, TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE.

Upon acceptance into the Program, all students are required to submit official transcripts for their highest previously earned college or university degree. The potential cost of obtaining official transcripts is the only other fee students are expected to cover.

To graduate from WQU, students must have earned a total of 39 credit hours. According to our transfer credit policy, students can transfer up to 8 semester credit hours from previously completed coursework. For an overview of this policy and other graduation requirements, please have a look at the Catalog.

Financial Engineering is a field where mathematical techniques are used to solve financial problems. It is an interdisciplinary specialty that leverages skills and tools from computer science, statistics, economics, and applied mathematics, enabling practitioners to address financial challenges and opportunities, and in some cases, develop new products and services. As more businesses and organizations become data-driven, there are growing opportunities for financial engineers outside of the financial industry, including healthcare, the supply chain, agriculture, and more.

For a more detailed breakdown of how this field emerged, what it takes to become a financial engineer, and what kinds of jobs financial engineering graduates pursue, head over to the WQU blog and check out the Guide to Financial Engineering.

Traditionally, individuals with graduate degrees in Financial Engineering have worked in roles in the financial industry including:

• Portfolio Manager: These individuals help companies and traders optimally allocate capital among different investment strategies developed by investment managers.
• Trading Strategist: In this role, individuals create the models, software and strategies that drive trading at their organization.
• Risk Manager: Risk managers review strategies created by the trading strategist and develop risk management policies to comply with regulation.

With more and more businesses becoming increasingly data-driven, greater opportunities exist outside of traditional finance that lend themselves to the skills financial engineers have. Some of these fields include:

• Research: Whether through an academic institution or a technology company, more data in the world means we need more tools and products to make sense of it.
• Supply Chain: Assembly lines, and the supply chains that they connect to, create a wealth of data that needs to be modeled to keep distribution running smoothly.
• Healthcare: From genomics to drug discovery, healthcare is increasingly requiring individuals with machine learning experience to improve diagnosis and expedite discoveries.
• Agriculture: Feeding the growing population of the world will require data-driven financial planning, and the development of industry-specific financial products like crop insurance, and other risk management tools.

For more information, check out the full Guide to Financial Engineering on the WQU blog.

In order to graduate from WQU and be awarded a Master of Science in Financial Engineering Degree, students must:

✅ Successfully complete all required courses, including the Capstone course

✅ Earn a total of 39 semester credit hours

✅ Be in Good Standing: Maintain a cumulative average score of at least 80%, and complete the MScFE Program within the Maximum Time Frame (MTF) of three (3) years

Once graduation requirements have been verified, the student will be notified via email and the diploma will be awarded.

Applicants who are required to submit English proficiency test scores are responsible to cover the fees associated with these tests. WQU accepts the Duolingo English Test, TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE.

Upon acceptance into the Program, all students are required to submit official transcripts for their highest previously earned college or university degree. The potential cost of obtaining official transcripts is the only other fee students are expected to cover.

Your application and all required supporting documents are submitted online. You can find more information about the application process here.

As an online institution, WorldQuant University issues digital diplomas and transcripts to students who have met all graduation requirements. Once the graduation requirements have been verified, the student will be notified via email and the diploma will be made available.

WQU accepts new students into the MSc in Financial Engineering Program four times a year - in January, April, July, and October. Students can begin their studies on the closest academic session start date following the acceptance of their application. We recommend completing an application at least 3 weeks prior to the desired start date. For an overview of our academic calendar, please visit our Apply page.

For administrative or technical questions about the Master of Science in Financial Engineering at WorldQuant University, please visit our Help Center, where you can search for help articles covering a vast variety of topics. You can also use our chatbot by clicking on the icon in the bottom right corner of our Help Center.

Yes. A completed bachelor’s degree is the minimum academic requirement for admission into the MSc in Financial Engineering Program. If you do not have a bachelor’s degree but believe your credential/degree/certification would be considered equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, you can get it evaluated by a member of NACES such as the Foundation for International Services (FIS) or World Education Services (WES). If the evaluation determines that your qualifications are equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, provide WQU with your evaluation results and your application can be considered for acceptance.

Higher National Diplomas (HND) are not considered equivalent to a four-year bachelor’s degree, which is the minimum academic requirement for admission into the MSc in Financial Engineering Program at WQU.

Our students are career-driven, computer-savvy quantitative thinkers. They come from a wide range of countries and have diverse backgrounds. They want to advance their career and seek life-changing, quality education. They are persistent, resilient, and committed to meeting the demands of our rigorous program and to mastering advanced concepts. They understand the value of collaborative work and value sharing knowledge as much as acquiring it.

If you have a background in one or more of the following areas, our MScFE program could be a great fit for you:

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field, e.g. physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, or economics
• Experience in algorithm development and/or at least one programming language such as Python or R
• Experience in analyzing datasets
• Relevant work experience

Lastly, students are expected to commit 25 hours per week between lecture videos, assignments, group projects, and individual study.

Once you are ready, visit https://learn.wqu.edu/signup to create an account, take the Quiz, and complete a profile about your educational and professional background.

For more information, check out the full Guide to Financial Engineering on the WQU blog.

The Quantitative Proficiency Test consists of 60 questions covering advanced algebra, linear algebra, differential calculus, integral calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics, probability, and statistics. A portion of the test is dedicated to measuring fundamental knowledge of Python programming and Python data structures. Make sure you prepare thoroughly for the test and for the successful completion of the Program.

Before you attempt the test, we highly recommend that you review this document with sample questions. Additionally, we have curated this list of (free!) online resources to strengthen your mathematical, statistical, and programming skills.

The minimum passing grade for the test is 75%. It must be completed in one sitting with up to a total of two (2) hours to finish. You have a maximum of two (2) attempts to complete the test.

If English is not your first language and you have not* graduated from a college or university where English is the language of instruction, you must submit English proficiency test scores as part of your application for our MSc in Financial Engineering program. WQU accepts the Duolingo English Test, The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE). For more details on pricing and minimum test scores, visit https://www.wqu.edu/apply/.

*If you have graduated from a college or university where English is the language of instruction, this requirement is waived and you are not expected to submit English proficiency test scores.

If you are applying for admission to our MScFE program, you must provide the following documents as part of your online application:

• Transcripts for highest previously earned degree (bachelor’s degree required)*
• Scanned copy of a government-issued photo ID
• English language proficiency test scores (if applicable)**

* As part of your MScFE application, you may submit a scanned copy of your transcript for the highest college or university degree you have earned. Upon acceptance into the Program, you are required to submit official transcripts, which are sent directly from your former college or university to WQU via postal mail or email. Official transcripts that are not in English will need to be evaluated by a member of NACES and submitted to the University for review. Please refer to the policy in the University Catalog.

** The English proficiency requirement applies to MScFE applicants who have not attended a college or university where English is the language of instruction. WQU accepts the The Duolingo English Test, The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE).

Students take one course at a time in a prescribed sequence. Each course runs for 7 or 8 weeks with a 2-week break between each course session (one week for the grading process and one week for subsequent course registration). There is an additional 2-week break at the end of the year. Each course is organized into week-long modules. The learning week begins on Tuesday when the content module is released and ends on the following Monday.

Upon successful completion of a course, you are required to self-register in the next course. If you do not earn a passing grade for a course, you may retake that course. Each course is a prerequisite to the following course. You can see the complete list of courses in the prescribed sequence here. For more details on the grading and attendance policies, please refer to the Catalog.

WorldQuant University awards semester credit hours. A 4-semester credit hour course requires students to spend approximately 180 hours engaged in coursework over seven or eight weeks (20-25 hours/week). Coursework includes 60 hours of academic engagement (i.e., instructor-led activities such as watching video lectures, participating in interactive discussions via online or in live sessions) and 120 hours of preparation (i.e., completing reading assignments, preparing to take weekly quizzes, developing and executing code, conducting research, completing group work projects).

Applicants may be enrolled into the MSc Program upon submission of unofficial transcripts (scanned copies of your transcript) as long as the transcripts demonstrate the graduation date and the cumulative GPA from the previously completed degree program.

Students are required to submit their official transcript of their highest degree earned prior to enrolling in the second MScFE course. WQU highly recommends that students request official transcripts from their previously attended institution(s) immediately upon acceptance.

Official transcripts must be sent directly from the previously attended institution via email (preferred) or via postal mail.

Institutions that issue digital official transcripts may submit them via email to admissions@wqu.edu along with relevant details on the digital transcript validation process.

Institutions that issue paper copies only must send them via postal mail in a sealed envelope to the following address:

WorldQuant University
609 H Street NE, Suite 335,
Washington, D.C. 20002
USA

In both cases, the official transcripts must be signed by the appropriate university official and must include the University stamp or logo, as well as the grading scale used by the institution.

If your transcript is in a language other than English, you are required to obtain an official equivalency from an organization recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), such as World Education Services (WES).

Failure to provide an official transcript by the end of the second course in the Program will result in immediate suspension from the MScFE degree Program. Once the official transcript is received, the student may return to the University and resume their Program at the next available course start.

If you have any questions on official transcripts, please do not hesitate to contact us at admissions@wqu.edu.

Students can receive transfer credit for a maximum of 8 semester credit hours in the MSc in Financial Engineering Program (20.5% of the credit hours required to graduate). If you have previously completed similar graduate-level coursework, you might be eligible for transfer credit. We recommend that you apply for transfer credit before enrolling at WQU. Your request will be evaluated by the Academic Dean and you will be notified of the decision. For more details on the transfer of credit policy at WQU, please refer to our Catalog.

The transferability of credits earned at WQU is at the discretion of the receiving institution to which students seek to transfer. WQU does not in any way imply or guarantee the transferability of credits to other institutions.

For more details about the University's transfer of credit policy, please refer to the Catalog.

You will need access to a computer and a high-speed internet connection in order to participate in the online courses. For proctored quizzes, you will also need a webcam.

You can access MScFE Program content from any web-enabled computer. There are no necessary plug-ins. You do not have to use the same computer to log into the Program every time. We recommend that you have installed the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

Our Labs are flexible, and you can take them in any order based on your prior knowledge and goals.

That said, we recommend starting with the Applied Data Science Lab to build a strong foundation in working with data, learning how to clean, analyze, and model it to solve real-world problems. From there, the Deep Learning Fundamentals Lab helps you move beyond traditional machine learning and understand how neural networks uncover more complex patterns automatically. The Computer Vision Lab is best approached as a final step, where you apply those deep learning techniques to image and video data in more advanced, real-world scenarios.

While each Lab can be taken on its own, following this sequence offers a clearer and more cohesive progression from core data skills to more advanced AI applications.

For administrative or technical questions about our Labs, please visit our Help Center, where you can search for help articles covering a vast variety of topics. You can also use our chatbot by clicking on the messenger icon in the bottom right corner of the Help Center.

All of WQU’s Labs are 100% free, online, and self-paced, allowing you to set your own study schedule. You can move through the existing projects at your own pace and set your own deadlines. We generally recommend setting aside about 10-15h per week to ensure your continued progress, but you may take as much time to complete the Lab as you need. As you successfully complete each project you will gain access to the next project. 

Important Reminder: If your schedule becomes busy, you don't need to officially defer the start date or withdraw from the Lab. Just continue your progress when you're ready! After 90 days of inactivity, your status in the Lab will automatically change to Inactive. To become Active again, simply complete a new task in your current project. If your status remains Inactive for more than 30 days, you will be automatically withdrawn from the Lab.

If you fail the Admissions Assessment for a Lab program, you have a second attempt after a 7-day waiting period. Applicants who do not pass the test on their 2nd attempt are able to reapply to the Lab following a waiting period of 6 months from the date of their 2nd attempt.

Important Warning: Creating multiple accounts to attempt the Admissions Assessment  is a violation of the University’s Academic Integrity policy. Any user identified for doing so will be immediately terminated and will not have the opportunity to be considered for enrollment in the Lab program.

Before you can start your Lab, you will need to take an Admissions Assessment. We want to make sure you have a solid foundation on which you can build the skills we teach in our program. Information on the number of questions in the Assessment, the time to completion, and the passing grade will be provided within the Admissions Assessment page.

We ask that you not use supplementary materials to ensure you are measuring your actual individual skills. You will need to close your textbooks and any other browser windows. We recommend that you have a pencil and paper ready in case you want to write out a problem.

To prepare for the Admissions Assessment, and/or to build your skills and knowledge to successfully complete the lab you chose, use the study materials suggested below:

Data Science Lab Admissions Assessment Study materials
Deep Learning Fundamentals Lab Admissions Assessment Study materials
Computer Vision Lab Admissions Assessment Study materials

Great work! You're just a few steps away from diving into your first project in the Lab:

• Complete your Student Profile;
• Sign the User Agreement;
• Take the mandatory Orientation Course;
• Register for Project 1.

Once you have completed your profile and signed the User Agreement, you will be automatically enrolled in a mandatory Orientation Course, which can be accessed via My Courses in the top navigation of the WQU Learning Platform.

From walking you through the Lab’s structure to helping you navigate our Learning Platform and virtual machines, the Orientation Course takes about 1 hour to complete and covers everything you need to know to set you up for success.

Upon successful completion of the Orientation Course, course registration will NOT occur automatically. Instead, you are responsible to register for each of your Projects by navigating to My Courses and "Register".

Congratulations! You are ready to dive into your first Lab Project. To get started, log into the WQU Learning Platform, navigate to My Courses via the top navigation, and click on "Register".

From here, you'll be able to enroll in Project 1. After completing your first Project, you'll follow this same process to register for each subsequent Project.

The Lab projects build on one another and were designed to be completed one project at a time in a prescribed sequence. Once you reach the passing threshold the “Complete Course” button will be enabled in the left navigation of your course. You can either select “Complete Course” and move on to the next project, or continue completing more tasks until you are ready to move on or reach 100% completion.

Upon successful Project completion, you will be eligible to register for the following Project in the sequence.
Registration does not occur automatically. Rather, you are expected to navigate to My Courses > Register after each successful project completion.

While it is possible to take more than one Lab at the same time, it is not generally recommended.

Our Labs are designed as a flexible, project-based pathway that supports learners at different stages of technical maturity. For most learners, it is more effective to focus on one Lab at a time, starting with the one that best aligns with their current skills and professional goals before moving on to the next.

Many learners begin with the Applied Data Science Lab, where they build a strong foundation in working with structured data, learning how to access, clean, and analyze datasets, develop machine learning models, and communicate insights that drive real-world decisions. From there, the Deep Learning Fundamentals Lab helps learners move beyond traditional machine learning into neural networks, where models automatically learn complex patterns from data. The Computer Vision Lab is typically the most advanced step, applying deep learning techniques to image and video data in more sophisticated, real-world scenarios.

Students are automatically withdrawn from their Lab if they are inactive for 120 consecutive days.

If you have been withdrawn from the Lab, you can reactivate your enrollment by navigating to your My Courses page and clicking "REACTIVATE YOUR ENROLLMENT".

Once reactivated, you'll be able to continue from where you had left off. 
 

No, our Labs are hands-on continuing education opportunities that do not require a prior degree.

No, our Labs are not-for-credit, but you will receive shareable Credly badges and certificates upon successful completion.

Financial engineers pursue professional roles such as quantitative researchers, quantitative developers, quantitative traders, algorithmic traders, and portfolio managers for financial institutions. Some focus on public policy, working for governments developing state and federal financial policies, or conducting research at think tanks. There is a tremendous amount of fluidity between different financial-engineering careers, as well as transferable skills that allow professionals to easily move between these opportunities.