FAQs

You could consider both the 10-16 month Masters in Finance and the MBA if you intend to pursue a career in finance. The Masters in Finance provides a curriculum of pure finance; the 15-21 month MBA covers all aspects of general management and the opportunity to specialise in finance. London Business School's elective portfolio is open to all London Business School degree programmes, and so if you choose to specialise in finance on the MBA you will study alongside Masters in Finance students.

A key difference between the MBA and Masters in Finance programmes is the work experience requirement: in order to qualify for the Masters in Finance, applicants must have relevant work experience within the finance industry. Those who do not have relevant finance experience will find that the MBA provides the right training and opportunities to move into a finance career.

Find out more about the Masters in Finance.

We host talk and tours on campus, as well as a large range of online events. Please visit our events page to browse all events.

You can also explore a virtual tour of the school here. 

The MBA programme has 15, 18, and 21-month exit points. These time frames capture the amount of study you are expected to undertake. I.e. if you start in August 2025, you may be permitted to take your last class in December 2026.

In order to graduate from the programme at one of our early exit points, you will need to have met all programme requirements: pass your Business Fundamentals, Tailored Core and a minimum of 10 elective courses, and complete experiential programme elements like Leadership Launch and the Global Experience.

Please note that, by choosing an early exit, you may limit your choice of available electives. Those going on International Exchange will not be able to exit the programme at 15 months.  

The programme begins in early August each year with an Orientation week. This includes vital pre-course activities, supporting your transition into the programme, as you learn to work successfully with your study group and begin identifying your goals.

This is following by three study periods: Autumn Term (August to December), Spring Term (January to March), and Summer Term (April to July). Exams take place throughout your first year, and these may be scheduled over weekends.

Core courses run Monday - Friday and you will also spend time throughout the week in a variety of classes, tutorials and personal and professional development sessions. In addition, a number of block weeks, covering various electives, run outside term time. Students are also required to complete a range of exams, assignments and project work over the break periods.

We recommend you see your study at London Business School as a continuous period of education from August through to June each year, with vacations involving consolidation, preparation and project work, as well as completing your summer internship in the main summer break.

Students with a relevant postgraduate or professional qualification, gained within the last 10 years, may be able to obtain a waiver from certain core courses. In addition, students with significant and demonstrable experience in certain professional areas may also be considered for a waiver from the relevant core course through passing a qualifying test or examination.

MBA2025 students were able to apply for waivers from the following subjects:  Data Analytics for Managers, Marketplaces, Macroeconomics for Managers. Please note: all waivers are reviewed annually.

Business Project is an elective course that you can take in your second year of the MBA. It enables you to test your skill set addressing a real-life business problem. This elective allows you to apply the business skills, frameworks, and tools acquired thus far in the programme.

Elective concentrations allow you to focus your studies in a specialism. Each year, faculty defines a small sub-set of courses that form the basis of a concentration. By successfully completing electives from this shortlist, you can achieve a concentration, which will be confirmed in writing on completion of your MBA. Concentrations currently on offer include:

• Change Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Marketing
• Private Capital
• Strategy
• Economics
• Technology and Analytics
• Sustainability

In the first year you will join a study group of five or six people who you work with throughout the Business Fundamentals core. The group is a microcosm of your class, combining a diversity of nationalities and different professional and undergraduate backgrounds.

In the Tailored Core and in Year Two you have the chance to work with other groups, from across all London Business School programmes. Successful group working is at the heart of the London Business School experience. Up to 30% of your marks on a given course can be for group performance. It is therefore very important to make your group work well. There is plenty of emphasis on techniques for successful group work in GLAM and through the various skills courses.

Yes. Faculty consulting and research activities are brought into the class in the form of case studies. Faculty frequently share their latest thinking in electives as well as through additional lectures. A small number of students may also have the opportunity to apply for an elective and work on a research project with guidance from a faculty member.

You will usually take four courses at any one time. Typically these will involve a weekly three-hour class. You should expect to spend about two and a half hours in private study, group meetings and group work for every hour in the classroom. You will also participate in Career Centre sessions, workshops and activities throughout the term. 

The programme is taught by members of London Business School faculty, with language teaching conducted by specialists from the Modern Language Centre at King's College, London. King's College, like LBS, is part of the University of London. For some skills teaching, LBS faculty are assisted by external specialists in management skills development. 

As well as pursuing research in their own fields of interest, members of faculty often act as consultants and advisers to industry and government. Many hold directorships in a range of organisations or in some cases run their own businesses.

These activities help to maintain the practical relevance of the School's teaching and research. Much of the School's research is supported in some form by donor organisations with whom the School maintains especially close relationships. For example, in the finance and accounting area these include BAA, Bank of England, Barclays, Citibank, Credit Suisse, Solomon Brothers International, Tokai Bank and SG Warburg Group.

We do recommend competency in at least one language other than English by graduation, particularly if you want to work in a specific region or country.

Language classes are offered based on demand; please note, some restrictions may apply.

Core courses are split into two distinct sections – Business Fundamentals and our flexible Tailored Core.

Core courses are usually taught in three-hour periods (including a short intermission) once a week for between five and ten weeks. Business Fundamentals run across the first two terms, starting with a leadership module which introduces you to issues and concerns in global general management.

Other courses cover business functions and disciplines, with care taken to help you make the link between the different perspectives covered. Our flexible Tailored Core begins in the second term, and allows you to deepen your existing expertise in areas such as economics and finance, investigate new subjects like digital business, or leverage our strong London network on the highly practical LondonCAP (London Core Application Practicum).

The courses are sequenced so that there is a logical progression between subjects. This prepares you for summer internship interviews, especially those in finance and consulting commencing in January, ahead of other internship interviews.

We have a duty to you, our alumni and future students to maintain the integrity and standard of the degrees we award through a rigorous assessment system. The purpose of the various assignments and examinations we ask you to complete is not simply for assessment: these are also intended to help you to structure your learning to help you gauge your progress through the programme.

The assessment system makes use of elements like course assignments, projects, group work, class participation, examinations and simulations. You will be expected to prepare for and attend class and participate actively in discussion both in class and in your group. The precise assessment model for each course - for example, whether class participation and oral report presentations count towards your final grade - will be set out clearly from the outset.

You must successfully pass all core courses. Your grades will be adjusted to a grade curve from A+ to C, with a maximum of 10% of the class achieving A+. The decision to Pass or Fail is a matter of academic judgement, and there is no obligation to fail any students.

To earn your degree, you must complete all requirements of your programme. This includes both courses and programme elements. You must pass all Business Fundamentals and Tailored Core courses, and successfully pass a minimum of ten elective courses, but you may carry one elective fail. You must also successfully complete Leadership Launch and the Global Experience.

Electives are courses that help you fine-tune your skill set, following on from Business Fundamentals and Tailored Core courses. The School’s elective portfolio lists more than 100 electives, drawn from across a variety of subject areas. In order to graduate, you must have completed a minimum of ten electives.

Electives are usually taught in three-hour lessons once a week, over 10 weeks. There are also a number of intensive week-long block electives that are taught outside term time as well as evening and 5-week courses.

In your first year, you are not required to take any electives, but you may choose to take up to five electives from a smaller selection of courses. The majority of your elective courses will become available in your second year.

The elective portfolio is open to all London Business School degree students so you will be studying alongside students from the Masters in Finance, Masters in Management, Executive MBA, EMBA-Global and Sloan programmes, as well as students from more than 30 exchange schools and our partner institutions Columbia University and Hong Kong University.

Elective courses and the spaces on them are subject to availability. Initially, you will use the School’s elective bidding system to express your elective preferences. Then you will be able to amend these preferences continuously during your studies, and tailor it to your interests and career goals.

Most teaching takes the form of structured lectures and case studies. The style is participatory and classes frequently include case analysis and discussions. There are also many projects and group work, field investigations and visits, as well as individual research and simulations.

Teaching faculty are there to support you through your MBA journey and are available outside class times to discuss academic issues. Students will also have an opportunity to interact more closely with faculty through their involvement in LondonCAP, Global Experiences and the optional Business Project.

The LBS MBA is aimed at people who have gained some high-quality work experience, but who are at a relatively early stage in their career. It is suitable for people who want to increase their knowledge of business and management to:

• enhance their existing career and accelerate their promotion prospects

• change career by changing function, or industry

• start their own business.

The highly international nature of our programme will appeal if you are looking for a career with international mobility. Above all, the MBA prepares you for general management with a global outlook rather than US-centric or Euro-centric one.

A key feature of the MBA is the stimulating and varied international participant mix. Each year approximately 10% of the class come from the UK, with the remaining 90% made up of participants from 60-70 different countries. Many of our participants come to London Business School with their partners and family.

There is no particular preference. We welcome applications from arts, languages and philosophy graduates as well as those from the pure sciences, engineering, maths and the social sciences, including business and economics.

Yes. We are happy to consider non-graduates who have an excellent career record.

The average amount of work experience is 5.5 years (participants from some countries usually have less work experience than the average since their undergraduate study may be longer than others and/or national service has meant they started work later than others). Admission may be granted to candidates with less than three years work experience if they can demonstrate superior academic credentials and truly outstanding evidence of leadership through professional and personal experiences.

We will consider you, but the strength of your case will depend on the quality as well as the length of your work experience.

No, your work experience does not necessarily need to include experience as a manager. The programme is suitable for people who come from technical backgrounds (for example, engineering or IT), as well as for people who have worked in finance or consultancy or run their own business. We also welcome applications from people who have worked in the public sector/government. Some of our students have less typical backgrounds - we have had doctors, vets, an opera singer, a theatre director and even an NFL football player.

For admission requirements, please see our how to apply page.

You must ensure that you have a valid GMAT / GRE score by the application deadline of the round you apply in. Our average GMAT score for the MBA class is around 645, with a typical class range of 555 to 805.

We will look at all elements of your score and although a good score is preferable, the GMAT is just one of several admissions criteria. Just as a high score does not guarantee admission, a below average score does not always eliminate a candidate. You should however note that the minimum score we will accept is usually around 555.

We have no preference between GMAT and GRE.

For GRE, we prefer scores of over 160 for both verbal and quantitative sections.

We are happy to accept the GRE; however, you should be aware that some employers may ask for a GMAT score.

If you feel that you could improve your score, you are advised to retake the test to help make you a more competitive candidate. If you plan to retake your test after the application deadline you should liaise directly with the MBA admissions team at apply.mba@london.edu for further advice.

Please note, you may be asked by the Admissions Committee to retake the GMAT or GRE before receiving an offer if they feel that your current score is too low. Practice the GMAT test with London Business School's GMAT simulator and prepare yourself for the test.

No. You’ll need to select which programme you’re applying to at the beginning of your application. If you are unsure which is best for you, please contact our recruitment team on mba@london.edu.

The School does not have any arrangements for students to transfer between its programmes or to/from a programme at another institution.

We also offer a military scholarship of up to £30,000 to all successful MBA applicants who have been employed in a full time military role.

Application to the MBA is free to London Business School alumni and current active military candidates.

Please view the deadline information on the how to apply page.

The use of any AI tools on your essays and application is permitted for checking and editing, but must be fully disclosed within the application.

Candidates are not permitted to use AI during the Alumni/Staff interview, or the video submission. They must complete the interview independently, and the use of AI tools, external resources, or assistance from any other individual is strictly prohibited at this stage.

Yes. You will have the option to pay your tuition fees in instalments, one at the beginning of each term.