MSc in Trade FInance
Courbevoie, France
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
EUR 9,690 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* 9950 EUR for 1-year fast track
Key Summary
About: ESCE's MSc in Trade Finance prepares you to secure cross‑border transactions and manage international risk. Based in Paris with a campus in Lyon, the multidisciplinary programme teaches structuring complex financing, export finance, letters of credit, guarantees and digital tools like AI and blockchain so you can operate in banking, corporates and fintech.
Career Outcomes: Trade Finance Analyst, Trade Finance Officer/Manager, Trade Finance Sales, Trade Finance Expert (L/C, guarantee, SBL/C), Structured Trade Finance Officer, Export Finance Officer/Manager, Export Sales Administration Manager, Compliance Officer, Trade Finance Consultant, International Trade Auditor You could work in banks, corporates, export houses, fintech and consultancy.
In an unstable context worldwide affected by disruptions, economic crisis, and political tensions, financial institutions as well as corporates, regardless of their sizes, sectors, or locations, endeavour to better secure their transactions completed with their foreign partners.
Become an expert in trade finance and international risk management with this Master’s degree (RNCP Level 7, equivalent to a 5-year postgraduate qualification). This program is 100% taught in English. It is designed for graduates with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) who have strong English proficiency and the motivation to thrive in an international business environment.
Combining academic excellence with a hands-on approach, it prepares future professionals for strategic roles in trade finance, compliance, and risk management.
Students gain expertise in securing cross-border transactions, structuring complex financing solutions, and leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI, blockchain, and digital tools to address the challenges of a rapidly evolving global trade ecosystem.
- International Trade: Opportunities and challenges in complex environments.
- Trade Finance: Definition, role, and key concepts
- Open account transactions vs Trade Finance instruments: Documentary Credits, Standby, International Guarantees, Tailor-made / Structured trade finance solutions for international engineering)
- Main trade-related risks (Operational, Anti-Money Laundering & Sanctions, Terrorism financing, Bribery, Fraud, etc.)
- Compliance due diligence, TBML, Sanctions & Embargos, Terrorism Financing, KYC concerns, how to detect true hits, OFAC, ACPR, FATF, etc. provisions.
- Digital Trade Finance: Acceleration through greater MLETR adoption, digital platforms, AI, blockchain
- Logistics essentials: Incoterms, customs regulations, and related practices.
Provide participants with the knowledge and professional skills necessary to develop a successful international Trade Finance strategy, complying with the highest commercial standards and requirements of regulators, all over the world.
- Understand the organization, mechanisms, and impacts of international trade policies and regulations, and the importance of Trade Finance (TF) instruments in mitigating the risks arising from the global economy
- Detect opportunities, identify operational risks relating to cross-border flows, including those related to money laundering and terrorism financing
- Manage the right strategy from a financial standpoint, in accordance with the best international practices and standards, particularly those promoted by ICC, the International Chamber of Commerce.
- Negotiate and manage all TF instruments, from letters of credit to international guarantees, structured loans to buyer’s credit, factoring, forfaiting, and tailor-made solutions, at every step supporting international contracts.
- Assess the role of export credit agencies, supranational institutions, and risk mitigants in structured and sustainable financing.
- Analyse the impacts of digital innovations (blockchain, AI, smart contracts and crypto) on TF efficiency, including money laundering, terrorism financing and sanctions breaches
- Master the principles of international regulatory frameworks (i.e., Basel IV, MLETR, etc.) and their impact on the TF ecosystem
Apprenticeship at ESCE is available from the 3rd year (1, 2, or 3-year contract)
As part of the Grande École Program, or the International Bachelor program, students who wish to combine the acquisition of academic knowledge and professional experience, the apprenticeship contract is made for them. It is also a path that promotes professional integration. Studying on a work-study basis offers students many advantages, such as:
- Total tuition fee waiver
- Acquire long-term professional experience.
- 1, 2, or 3-year apprenticeship contract signed with the company (if the apprenticeship begins in the 3rd year, a 3-year contract with the company).
- Minimum remuneration between 41% and 100% of the SMIC, depending on the age of the apprentice and their year of apprenticeship.
State scholarships
As part of the Grande École Program, students can apply for a State Higher Education Scholarship. To benefit from it, you must meet certain conditions of nationality, age, and resources, and make your request no later than May.
The International Bachelor Program does not allow you to receive State Scholarships. However, you can benefit from an annual discount on tuition fees if you are eligible for Crous (€500 per year).
- Trade Finance Analyst / Officer / Manager
- Trade Finance Sales
- Trade Finance Expert (L/C, Guarantee, SBL/C specialist in Back Office or Front Office)
- Structured Trade Finance Officer
- Export Sales Administration Officer / Manager
- Export Finance Officer / Manager
- Compliance Officer
- Trade Finance consultant
- Corporate Trade Finance Operations
- International Auditor Trade Finance Expert
- Etc.