Mastering Finance: My journey to Oulu Business School

For me, Finland stood out for its high-quality education system, strong financial sector, and internationally recognized universities. Also, my connection to Finland was not solely academic—I grew up watching Moomins, a popular Finnish cartoon that was an important part of my childhood. Perhaps that familiarity helped Finland feel a little more like home.

The application process was a bit of a rollercoaster, but in the best way. It included preparing supporting documentation, writing a motivation letter, submitting my GMAT and IELTS results, and ensuring that everything was in order. But it all paid off when I was awarded a Finland scholarship to study Finance at the University of Oulu—a dream come true!

The idea of studying at one of the northernmost universities in the world really piqued my interest. Moving from a region with hot weather for most of the year to a country with lengthy, dark winters did not scare me. Rather, I saw this as an incredible opportunity to travel and explore new cultures and develop academically as well as personally in this European region.

Upon enrolling in the Finance program, my enthusiasm only grew. I was looking for a curriculum that would challenge me and push me to think critically about the world of finance. As I’ve progressed through the programme, I continue to be both challenged and inspired by the material. From in-depth financial theories to practical applications, each topic has helped shape my perspective on the finance world.

One subject that caught my eye right away was Financial Derivatives and Risk Management. The more I studied it, the more I understood how important this topic is in a society that is changing so quickly. I feel better prepared to make wise judgments in my future profession because the course has allowed me to learn about various risk management techniques and valuation methodologies. I am excited to apply the knowledge and skills I have gained from this course to real-world scenarios and continue to expand my expertise in financial derivatives and risk management.

Additionally, I've been able to improve my R programming skills in the Portfolio Management course, which has added a valuable technical dimension to my financial knowledge. I love how the program gives us a thorough understanding of the financial environment by combining quantitative and qualitative components.

The fact that I had to start over in Finland, where the subarctic temperature and culture were completely different, was one of the most significant aspects of my journey. The most important aspect of my time as a student, aside from the lessons, has been the opportunity to interact and form connections with the instructors, guest lecturers, and students from all over the world.

My confidence in my career path is increasing with every semester, especially in the areas of investment management and risk analysis. My experience at the University of Oulu has been especially useful for my growth because it gave me the best resources, information, and outlook for success. I am now eager to graduate and apply what I have learnt in order to make a constructive contribution to the finance industry.

If you believe finance is more than just numbers, take the leap and join this programme—just like I did.