FAQs

What is the Sloan MSc?
The Sloan MSc has been designed to prepare experienced senior managers moving into positions of leadership in their companies or future organisations for the challenges ahead. It is an 12-month, full-time degree programme leading to an MSc in Leadership and Strategy. The curriculum mixes core skills with a choice of electives. It includes an international assignment and an individual project.

The programme is offered by only three world-class business schools: Stanford, London Business School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where the programme has merged with the Management of Technology programme to become the MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership.

The Sloan MSc programme began at the MIT in 1931. It was the idea of Alfred P Sloan Jnr, Chairman of General Motors, who believed that the best kind of leader was one who had a cross-functional understanding of management, and that this understanding was best acquired after some years' experience in organisations.

Should I apply to the Sloan MSc or the full-time MBA?
The full-time MBA is a general management degree aimed at people who are at a relatively early stage in their career. The Sloan MSc focuses on leadership and strategy and has been designed for those who have significant management and strategic experience and would like to study with a group of peers with similar depth and breadth of experience. The programme awards an MSc degree.

What is a typical Sloan Fellow like?
Sloan Fellows have experience of working at strategic levels and, typically, they have more than 12 years management experience. The diversity of their backgrounds means there is no such thing as a typical Sloan Fellow.

• Sloan MSc 2013 class profiles (PDF document, 725kb)

How is the Sloan MSc curriculum structured?
The Sloan MSc is a full-time 12-month programme run over three academic terms. The curriculum is a four-part programme model with a dual focus on personal development and the organisation within the global business environment. Themes of strategy, leadership and change, and globalisation underpin the programme content.

The four-part programme model:

• core knowledge - core courses
• key skills - personal and professional effectiveness workshops
• special interest - electives and individual project
• personal planning and development - cross-disciplinary courses.

When does the programme start?
The Sloan MSc starts once a year in January. We recommend candidates apply early to ensure they allow enough time to make arrangements before commencing the programme.

What is the purpose of the core courses?
Sloan core classes balance the theoretical elements that underpin the behaviour of individuals, firms, markets and economies, and many applied and practical aspects of the various business disciplines. They are designed to give you an update on key aspects of business and equip you with the crucial knowledge that all leaders must possess.

Can I waive core courses if I have already studied relevant subjects?
Sloan Fellows with a masters degree (or equivalent) in finance, plus a significant amount of practical experience, can choose to request a waiver for the core Finance course. Such students are required to sit an exam and those who achieve a high pass will be exempt from the first six sessions of the course.

What are the study groups? How are they put together?
You will be assigned to a group of approximately six people at the beginning of the programme for core course study. The study groups are put together based on a series of psychometric tests undertaken by students as part of pre-programme. We also aim to make each group as diverse as possible in terms of nationality, and educational and professional backgrounds to ensure the learning experience is as enriched as possible.

How do the electives fit in the programme structure?
Sloan Fellows take elective courses during the second and third terms of the programme. Students are required to complete four electives but may take up to eight. Electives are chosen from the School's wide-ranging portfolio of over 70 courses.

Apart from core and elective courses, what else does the programme include?
At the end of the first term, Sloan Fellows go on an international assignment to study a particular regional economy and the factors that contribute to its development and success. Students visit a number of different companies, both national and multinational; meet with local business leaders; and are briefed by government representatives and resident academics.

In the third term, Sloan Fellows complete an individual project, carried out with a company. Students present their findings to their chosen company and are required to submit a thesis as part of their assessment.

The programme also includes a number of skills workshops as part of Sloan personal planning and development, which you can tailor to your individual needs.

How is the programme assessed?
Each course on the Sloan MSc is assessed using some or all of the following tools: individual projects/essays/reports, examinations, class participation, group assignments/reports and class presentations.

What level of work experience do I need to have?
Successful Sloan applicants are executives, professionals and entrepreneurs who can demonstrate significant levels of achievement in their career and experience of decision making at strategic levels. Sloan Fellows typically have a minimum of 12 years managerial experience.

Should I hold an undergraduate degree?
It is very unusual for Sloan Fellows not to have an undergraduate degree, although we do occasionally offer places to people with an exceptional career history and a high GMAT score.

Is GMAT compulsory?
The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is one of the many criteria we use when assessing an applicant's suitability, since it provides useful information about quantitative and verbal reasoning abilities. It also gives us a useful benchmark to judge applicants across degree subject, academic institution and nationality. 

London Business School Sloan GMAT reporting code: Z11-J7-18. 

Candidates may submit their applications pre-GMAT, and in exceptional cases candidates will be considered with equivalent tests that satisfy this assessment need.

What is the minimum GMAT score required?
We do not set a minimum required GMAT score. However, we tend to consider scores of 600 and over and the average score is typically around 650. GMAT is an essential part of the admissions criteria but is only one of the factors we consider when assessing a candidate. A high score does not guarantee admission; equally, a below-average score does not automatically discount your candidacy.

Do I need to take TOEFL/IELTS?
You may be required to take TOEFL/IELTS if English is not your first language and you have not worked or studied in an English-speaking environment. This is judged on a case-by-case basis by the admissions team.

Do I need a visa to study in the UK?
The Sloan programme is a full-time Masters degree. Students who are non-EEA nationals will require a visa to study in the UK.  

For information about applying for a UK full-time student visa, please visit the UK Border Agency website. London Business School will issue the relevant document to applicants who have accepted their place on the programme. We encourage you to read the UK visa entry guidelines and have the most up to date information to ensure your visa application goes smoothly and in good time for the January start date.

Can I apply for more than one programme at the School?  
You cannot apply to more than one Masters Programme at London Business School or our partner Schools at the same time or in the same academic year. You cannot re-apply to the same programme within the same academic year.

When should I apply?
We operate a rolling admissions process, with applications reviewed in the order in which we receive them. The admissions process usually takes up to eight weeks: the sooner you submit your application, the sooner you will receive your final decision.

We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible to provide yourself with plenty of time to finalise arrangements with your organisation and colleagues and, if necessary, to arrange relocation to London with your family.

Once the class is full, we operate a wait-list system with priority given according to the order in which applications are received. Many wait-listed candidates are successful in securing a place on the programme. We will do everything we can to help you with the application process.

For further information, contact: sloaninfo@london.edu

How much is the application fee?
The application fee is £160 and should be made payable to London Business School. You can pay the fee by downloading the Application Fee Payment Form (download PDF document 57KB) or you can pay online as part of your online application.

Can I waive the application fee?
Graduates of fellow University of London colleges, Columbia University and the University of Hong Kong can apply for free. You must request a fee waiver when you apply, and provide a copy of your college transcript.

Candidates recommended by London Business School alumni may also be exempt from the application fee. Alumni wishing to recommend a candidate should email sloaninfo@london.edu stating their relationship with the candidate and their reasons for the recommendation. Recommendations must be received before the application is submitted.

Who should my references be from?
All applicants are required to have two references submitted on their behalf. One referee should be a current or previous manager; the other a colleague, someone else who knows you well at work, or someone else who knows you in a professional capacity.

Do I need to submit my academic transcripts?
Candidates are required to submit academic transcripts from their undergraduate and graduate educational institutions. If the original transcripts are not in English, please also provide certified translated copies.

• Transcript request form (PDF document, 19kb)

How should I submit my application?
Candidates should apply online and send their supporting documents, including references and academic transcripts, to the Sloan admissions team.

Before applying, we recommend you read these application instructions:

• Sloan application instructions (PDF document, 31kb)

Once an application is submitted, what happens?
You will receive an initial decision on your application within two to three weeks of submission. If successful, you will be invited to attend an interview with senior admissions staff or Sloan MSc alumni. Following this, you should receive a final decision within two to three weeks with a deadline in which the offer must be accepted. The whole process generally takes six to eight weeks.

What happens if my application is not successful?
If your application is not successful, please review the admissions criteria against your application and ensure that your experience and objectives are aligned with the admissions criteria. Remember that competition for places is high, and consequently we are not able to offer places to a number of entirely suitable candidates.

• Policy for unsuccessful applicants (PDF document, 49kb)

What are the tuition fees for the programme?
The fees for the Sloan programme starting in January 2014 are £51,400 .

What do the fees include?
Fees for the Sloan MSc include:

• tuition
• core course textbooks and reading materials
• elective course reading materials

When do the fees need to be paid?
All candidates are asked to pay a commitment fee of £5,000 when they accept their offer of a place on the programme. Self-sponsored students are required to pay the remainder in three equal payments at the start of each academic term. Companies sponsoring an employee pay the balance in one payment before the first term starts.

What other costs should I budget for?
If you are not based in London, you should budget for living expenses, which will vary according to your circumstances and lifestyle. You will need to budget £28,000-£43,000 for a family and £21,000-£27,000 for a single person if sharing accommodation. There is no accommodation available at London Business School.

Are there any scholarships for the Sloan MSc?
Scholarships available to Sloan Fellows include:

• Sloan Awards
• Sloan Alumni Gift Scholarship
• Sloan Women's Scholarship.

Sloan MSc Women's Scholarship

Read more about Sloan MSc scholarships

Are there other recommended sources of funding?
Key loan options include:

• Federal Stafford Loan Programme
• MBA Private Loans

For more information, see Sloan MSc: fees and financing and Financing your course

I have read the information on the website. How do I find out more about the programme?
Once you have reviewed the website and the Sloan brochure (download PDF document 2.01MB) , we recommend you attend an on-campus information session in London, or visit us at one of the many sessions held by London Business School around the world. Book a place on an information session.

We are also happy to answer any questions you may have, and/or to arrange a visit to the School. Simply email us at sloaninfo@london.edu

I cannot attend an information session, as I am not based in the UK. How can I find out more about the Sloan programme?
It is difficult for some people to attend one of our campus-based information sessions and there are several alternatives for meeting or speaking with London Business School representatives:

• You could attend a global information session. We organise regular events around the world. To see the cities we visit, and to reserve a place at an event, see our Global information sessions pages.
• We can have a telephone conversation with you. Either call us at a convenient time on +44 (0)20 7000 7500 or email us at sloaninfo@london.edu with the number you would like us to call you on. 
• We can put you in touch with current students or alumni. If you would like to speak directly with students or alumni, send your CV to sloaninfo@london.edu so that we can match you with a suitable contact. We are unable to put you in touch without viewing your CV.
• Any other questions? Email us at sloaninfo@london.edu