Frequently Asked Questions

Application

Eligible applicants must hold one of the following:
– a master’s degree (four or five years of study)
– a post-graduate degree
– a bachelor’s degree followed by one to three years of work experience (maximum)
– another degree equivalent to the above (please consult us for more information)
In addition, a fluent level in English level is required and professional experience should not exceed 3 years.
There is no background required for the Innovation and Marketing Advanced Masters. However a strong background in Maths is required for the Advanced Master in Quantitative Finance and basics in Finance and Economics for the Advanced Master in Financial Markets.
The mandatory documents are:

  • your CV
  • a copy of your highest degree
  • a copy of all your academic grades obtained since the end of high school
  • For non-English-native speakers: a scan of a recent English-language test result (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC or Cambridge ESOL) or proof of proficiency in English (certificate of completion of studies given in English for eg.)

In addition, you can add up to 2 recommendation letters and a GMAT or GRE test results.

For the intake of 2019:

  • Non-EU students: 31 May 2019 (recommendation related to visa procedures)
  • EU students: 30 June 2019

Non EU-citizens must be aware that student visa procedures may take up to 3 months, and therefore check the timing and conditions of their nearest Belgian Embassy before considering applying after the deadline above.

Additionally, non-EU applicants must take into consideration that getting a student visa for Belgium implies the obligation to prove their sufficient and regular means of subsistence (631 EUR net/month in 2016-2017) or their sponsor’s. If they can’t, Solvay can support them if the applicant transfers the requested amount covering 12 months on a school deposit account (which will be redistributed on a monthly basis to the student as soon as a Belgian bank account has been created). For more information visit this link or contact the nearest Belgian embassy.

Applications are processed on a rolling basis. Since the number of seats in class is limited, candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Once your application is received, it is reviewed by the staff and the Academic Director.
If the review of your application is positive (meaning admission criteria are met), an interview (at Solvay or via Skype) will be organised with the Academic Director within 2 weeks. The result will be communicated within 5 working days. From the date of receipt of your admission letter, you will then have two weeks to confirm your registration by paying a 2000€ deposit and signing the admission documents.
A proof that you have followed and completed some studies in English or one of the following test results:

  • TOEFL: paper-based 550, computer-based 213, internet-based 79-80
  • IELTS: min. score of 6.5
  • Cambridge First Certificate (FCE): pass at grade C or above
  • Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): pass at grade C or above

No, it is optional for all of our Advanced Masters, apart from the Advanced Master in Political Economy for which it is mandatory (please check here the required documents in order to apply for the Political Economy program).

Yes, we can arrange it on Skype, or alternatively by phone is your Internet connection is not stable.

Sure, in this case, send us your latest degree (Bachelor’s normaly) and all grades obtained up to your application.
We will ask you to provide us with your Master’s degree as soon as completed.

No special preparation is required. The interview is mainly a general conversation with the Academic Director about your motivations, your past academic and professional experiences, for about 30 minutes. Its purpose is to check that you match the programme’s requirements, and also that the programme matches your expectations in terms of content and job opportunities.
Additionally, depending on the Advanced Master, the Academic Director may ask you some questions to verify your knowledge and interest for the related field.

Fee

The tuition fee includes access to the courses and all mandatory course material.
  • Regarding the Advanced Master in Innovation & Entrepreneurship:

    GMAT/GRE BASED REDUCTIONS
    GMAT Score between 590 and 650 or GRE equivalent – €1.500
    GMAT Score above 650 or GRE equivalent – €3.000

For more information, please contact us: advancedmaster@solvay.edu

  • Regarding the Advanced Masters in Financial Markets, Quantitative Finance, Innovation & Strategic Management, Digital Transformation & Business Analytics:

    Financial aid may be granted in exceptional circumstances to applicants (EU or non-EU) in particularly difficult financial situation (need) or with noticeable academic and/or professional excelence (merit), starting from 5% up to, in some particular cases, 50% discount on the program fees.

    Decision on whether the scholarship is granted to the student or not comes from our Academic Committee after acceptation in the program and after evaluation of essays/assignments that the student is asked to deliver as well as after the interview.

  • Regarding the Advanced Master in Political Economy:

    Merit-Based Mobility Scholarships for EU students:
    EU candidates applying before ​April 16th​,​ 2019 can ​apply for ​one of two 2 ​mobility ​scholarships​, worth​ 10.000$ each.
    Decision on whether the scholarship is granted to the student or not comes from our Academic Committee after ​being ​admitted into the program.
    These scholarships will be ​awarded by a jury who will base their decision on (1) your application essay, (2) your academic record and (3) on the date of your application. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.

For Financial Markets, Quantitative Finance, Innovation & Strategic Management and Digital Transformation & Business Analytics:

Early-Bird discounts, amounting to €1.000, will be recognized to candidates who will send their applications by April 29th, 2019 (valid only for registrations confirmed within 2 weeks from receipt of the admission documents).

For Innovation & Entrepreneurship :

Early-Bird discounts, amounting to €1.000, will be recognized to candidates who will send their applications by January 31st, 2019 (valid only for registrations confirmed within 2 weeks from receipt of the admission documents).

For Political Economy :

There is no early-bird discount.

Programme structure

The year is organised around 5 terms of 7 weeks each. Only term 0 (the first two introductory weeks of the year) lasts 2 weeks.
Each term is usually focused on to 4 to 5 subjects. The 5 first weeks are dedicated to the classes, and the 2 last weeks to exams and/or final presentations.

All Advanced Masters are full-time programmes and represent about 20 hours of class per week.
In Financial Markets, these classes take place everyday from Monday to Friday 6-9pm and most Saturdays 10am-1pm.
In all other Advanced Masters, the schedule is more varied and tends to have no regular pattern from a week to another; but overall, most classes take place between Monday and Friday, 9am-12pm and/or 2pm-5pm.
There is an exception for the Advanced Master in Quantitative Finance that shares a term with Financial Markets and therefore has some courses in the evening.

Usual Belgian days-offs, Christmas and Easter holidays.
Most exams take place on weeks 6 and 7 of each term. So all in all there are exams every 7 weeks.

Only the Advanced Master in Financial Markets is compatible with a full-time job as classes are given in the evening as off 6pm and on Saturdays. It is demanding but feasible.

For all other Advanced Masters, a part-time student job may be compatible if your work schedule is flexible as the class schedule doesn’t have a regular pattern from a week to another.

No, the only intake is in September.

No, it’s not required. It is though an option if you are interested in writing one instead of the internship (Quantitative Finance and Financial Markets only).

Career and jobs

Over the year, additionally to the Career Advancement course mandatory in each Advanced Master, you can benefit from personal coaching delivered by our HR expert who will help you define your career plan, prepare for interviews, improve your CV and Linkedin profile…

Also, you benefit from all Solvay Recruitment Events and job fairs, welcoming the most important Belgian companies.

Finally, many opportunities are given to you to network as the School hosts many Alumni events (and Solvay has over 20,000 of them!) and top notch conferences.

The 2 Advanced Masters in Finance reach 90% of job placement 3 months after graduation; this rate is 80% for Innovation and Marketing.

Yes: 95% of the students find the internship through the School’network and partners, to which CV books are sent.

Miscellanous

An Advanced Master is a postgraduate degree.
The difference with a master’s programme (120ECTS, 2 years) is that our programme covers 60 ECTS in one year so it confers you an Advanced Master degree, not a Master’s degree in the Bologna (EU education treaty) sense of the term.
It is though recognised by EQUIS, the ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles, our University, the most important public one in Belgium) and signed by the Dean.

In practice, it means that (unless you already have a Master’s degree), in Europe, some government or international institutional positions requiring a regular Master’s degree may not be accessible to you.
That’s the only difference. It’s a postgraduate programme, which litterally means a programme that should come after a Master’s degree.

In addition, “Advanced” refers to the practical skills and perspective given in our courses, in opposition to the theoritical aspect of a traditional Master’s degree.

Services and student life

Unfortunately not, as University residences are reserved in priority for undergraduate students. However, we will send you plenty of tips to find an accommodation in Brussels.

Estimation of a student’s monthly budget in Brussels:

Accommodation (bills included) 450-650 €
Food 200 €
Public Transportation 50 €
Health insurance for non-EU citizens 30€
Telecommunications 50€
Miscellaneous: Parties 70€

TOTAL around 850-1050 € a month.

As part of the Université libre de Bruxelles hosting nearly 24,000 students every year, Solvay Brussels School is located in one of the biggest campuses in Belgium. It offers numerous facilities and events accessible to all Advanced Masters students: sports halls, libraries, medical services, language classes, a bank, press and book stores, restaurants, concerts, conferences and many other cultural events throughout the year.

Our campus is located in the lively neighbourhood of Ixelles, just a few steps away from one of the biggest parks of Brussels: the Bois de la Cambre.

Contact details

  • advancedmaster@solvay.edu
  • 0032 2 650 3915
  • Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 42, 1050 Brussels

CV Review

Send us your CV in order to have your profile assessed and receive relevant feedback from our recruitment coordinator regarding your eligibility to our programs.

SEND US YOUR CV


Upcoming events

Keep me posted

* indicates required