MSFA FAQ

• Do I need an undergraduate degree in business or finance?

  • No. The Lucas Graduate School MSFA program is open to students from all disciplines.

    There are two prerequisite courses required: Fundamentals of Finance and Statistics, completed with a minimum grade of B.

    For any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

• GMAT or GRE information

  • The GMAT or GRE are not required but strongly recommended for applicants with GPAs less than 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. Scores at the 50th percentile in both the quantitative and verbal sections of either exam are considered competitive.

• Is there a minimum GPA required for admission?
  • A preferred GPA of 3.2 - 4.0 or above is competitive for admission to MSFA Program. An absolute minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for graduate admission at SJSU.
• What do I need to do if I earned my degree outside the USA?
  • Graduate Admissions requires a World Education Services document-by-document evaluation for all transcripts and degrees earned outside the United States, (Basic or ICAP). This applies to all applicants with international credentials, both domestic and foreign, with the exception of Canada. WES is a non-profit organization that conducts research on international education and trends and provides expert credential evaluation services. You can find an application and directions on the WES website.
• When do I select which track I intend to follow (part-time or full-time)?
  • Once you are admitted to the MSFA program, we will send you a form in which you can select the track you intend to follow. 
• How long will it take to receive an admission decision?
  • This depends on how quickly you complete your application. You must submit all the required documents and the test scores required by Graduate Admissions and the Lucas Graduate School. Once complete, your application will be reviewed typically within 1 week. 
• What is the Graduate Business Professional Fee?

  • Without the graduate business professional fee, the college would not be able to continue to maintain its current AACSB accredited business programs (i.e. Early Career MBA, MSAA, MSFA). As part of the College of Business, the Lucas Graduate School of Business is one of approximately 560 institutions worldwide - less than 6% of all business schools - accredited by the prestigious AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). In addition, the school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the California State Board of Education.
    
    Who made the decision to implement the graduate business profession fee?

    The decision to implement the graduate business professional fee was made by the California State University Board of Trustees on May 13, 2009. All CSU business schools that are either AACSB accredited or in the accreditation process will be impacted.

    Which degree programs at SJSU College of Business are affected?

          Early Career MBA

          MS in Accounting & Analytics

          MS in Financial Analytics

    How much is the graduate business professional fee?

    $285 per unit (which equals a semester hour) in addition to the current registration fees. For example, a 3-unit course would result in $855 of GBPF fees. This fee changes in correlation to SJSU student fees. All courses that apply to the completion of the degree program will be subject to the fee.

    When will this fee take effect?

    The Graduate Business Professional Fee took effect beginning with the Fall 2009 semester.

    Does the fee apply to international and out-of-state students?

    Yes, all students including international, in-state and out-of-state residents are subject to the Graduate Business Professional Fee.

    How will the revenues generated from this fee be used?

    Some of the ways the fee may be used include: To maintain AACSB accreditation. To attract and retain much-needed tenure-track faculty members to teach in the graduate program. To support diversity recruitment. To provide financial assistance to eligible students. To offer graduate assistantships.

    How will the fee benefit the students?

    Students will receive: Continued access to the business programs which meet the quality standard of AACSB with respect to the curriculum, faculty, and services. Increased availability in financial assistance and student assistantships. Additional support in student services. 

    What if I can't afford this fee?

    Apply online with the ‘Free Application for Federal Student Aid’ or FAFSA:  https://fafsa.ed.gov/SJSU Financial Aid Office will determine eligibility for each student, giving the professional fee increase full and significant consideration. How quickly the office is able to determine your eligibility is based in large part on the completeness and accuracy of the information you provide in FAFSA. All students determined to be eligible:

    (a) Can apply for State University Grant, Stafford Student Loans, and other scholarships;
    (b) Between 25-33 percent of the fee revenue will be set aside for financial aid. FEE DEFERRALS - students who have completed the financial aid application process are given registration fee deferrals in coordination with the Bursar's Office. A fee deferral is temporarily assigned to each student account to hold classes and delay the payment of registration fees beyond the scheduled payment due dates pending disbursement of the financial aid funds. This will prevent your enrollment from being cancelled. 

• Does the Lucas Graduate School offer scholarships for MSFA students?
  • Once you’re enrolled, the Lucas Graduate School’s MSFA program coordinator will alert you about scholarship opportunities as they arise. You may also visit the Financial Aid and Scholarship section of our website more information on SJSU scholarship opportunities as well as the types of financial aid available to graduate students. To be considered for financial aid students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Please refer to their website for important filing dates.