MBA in London: Top Colleges, Courses, Fees

Studying MBA in London is an effort-driven dream for many Indian students as making it to a city that boasts some of the world’s high-ranking higher education institutes is quite a victory. Although one of the most expensive study-abroad destinations, a large number of students from India and other countries target London to pursue a management degree or an MBA. The contributing factors to this include its cosmopolitan lifestyle, intriguing history, world-class educational institutes and student safety.

The UK has been a favourite among overseas students to pursue an MBA with London being among the best cities for Master of Business Administration. According to QS Global MBA Rankings, 2022, a total of 24 of the top business schools in the world are UK institutes. These also include business schools in London. The courses offered in London business schools help students gain skills and ideas about the business world and emphasis is also given to its application in the real world. Multiple MBA specialisations are offered by universities in London such as Accounting, Economics, HR, International Management, Business Analytics, Operations Management, etc.

MBA in London Highlights

MBA Duration	Full-Time: 1 year | Part-Time: 2 or 3 years
Average MBA Fee	£48,000 to £75,000
Average Salary Post-MBA	£31,708 per year (Glassdoor)
Post-Study Work Permit	2 years
Eligibility Exams Required	GMAT/GRE
Language Proficiency Tests	IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo English Test, PTE Academic
Specialisations	International Business, Operations Management, Investment Management, Economics,  Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Careers	Business Development Manager, Investment Banker, Marketing Manager, HR Manager, Financial Analyst, Management Consultant, Chief Executive Officer

Why Study MBA in London?

London tops the chart for the best student cities as per QS Best Student Cities, 2023, rankings. Being an expensive higher education destination, it offers a wide range of scholarships that one can apply for if pursuing an MBA. Also, what lets the UK earn a plus point when it comes to offering master's education is that the degree can be completed in a year, unlike some other countries where a master’s degree takes two years of a student’s time. So if you’re planning to pursue an MBA in London, be ready to obtain your degree a year earlier, i.e., in a year. A multicultural city, over 100,000 students from abroad are studying in business schools in London at present.

Some of the reasons that make MBA in London for Indian Students attractive are listed below:

World’s Best Institutes: As mentioned earlier, many of the top-ranking colleges and schools make London a sought-after destination for an MBA degree. Institutes such as London Business School, Warwick Business School, and Imperial College London are well-renowned across the world and have been yielding excellent student outcomes for years. The business schools in London offer a wide range of programs and have a strong reputation for academic excellence. Maintaining their fame for academic merit these schools offer multiple specialisations and MBA programmes.

Socializing and Networking: You’ll be studying in England’s capital where students from all across the world, belonging to different regions, races, religions, nationalities, and socio-economic backgrounds will share the same class with you. You may develop long-lasting friendships or ties with many of them who would also turn out to be useful connections in the future. You would also be part of various guest lectures, workshops, and internships where you can strengthen your corporate network.

Enhancing English Skills: Overseas students will also be able to hone their English language skills as almost all of the MBA courses in London are taught in English. Also, you will also get an opportunity to improve your English outside of the classroom as it is the primary language spoken in the city and you will have to communicate with the locals in it only. You can also ask your classmates, who are locals, for any assistance related to English learning.

Ease of Commuting: London’s public transport is decently connected with other parts of the city, making it convenient for the students to commute. One can travel via trains, buses, taxis, or the Tube (London Underground) and explore different areas of the city easily. Moreover, if you’re a student you can use an Oyster card or a 16-25 Railcard (student card) to avail 30% discount on travel.

Active Cultural Activities: The city offers many fun activities for students who would like to rejuvenate after a heavy weekend or boring classes. There’s always something up on the streets enthralling foreigners and allowing them to get a glimpse of the local culture. You may visit the many museums, parks, theatres and other public attractions with your friends and enjoy your day out.

Please keep in mind that although there are benefits of pursuing MBA in the UK, London maintains a high tuition fee as well as the cost of living for international students. It is therefore recommended to do your homework well and do your budgeting well before applying for an MBA course in the city. You may apply for various financial aid such as scholarships and other funding if you find the cost of studying towards the heavier side.

Types of MBA Courses in London 

Students wishing to pursue an MBA in London can find a variety of programmes which cater to their needs and future objectives. Some of the MBA formats that are available for students in London as discussed below:

Full-Time MBA: The most common of all the MBA programmes, this is a regular course which will last one year. You will get familiar with a wide curriculum covering the basics and in-depth features of business and management domains. This MBA format is suitable for you if you wish to temporarily quit your job or wish to enhance your area of expertise and want to study full-time.

Part-Time MBA: Now there are people who do not wish to leave their job or take a break but wish to acquire a degree along with studying. MBA classes for such students are conducted during the weekends or evenings generally so that their work is not affected.

Online MBA: This MBA format is best for you if you do not want to move to a different location for studying and wish to save your travel as well as living costs in another place. Please remember that London also offers some cheap accommodation options. Classes for this are organized online and all the resources related to your programme are passed on to you via mail or web classes.

Global MBA: A Global MBA programme helps one gain an international business outlook, with the curriculum including global economics, international business strategies, etc. Global MBA students are taken for overseas tours and visits, projects and internships that need them to move to a foreign country for a short period.

EMBA: EMBA or Executive MBA in London is meant for those individuals who already hold some good work experience and are in leadership roles. This kind of format helps them enhance their managerial and leadership skills for a stronger corporate role and profile.

Selecting the Best MBA College in London

There are various factors that one should consider while finalizing business schools in London. This is due to the fact that your future institute will also influence your career prospects, goals, and knowledge gained. Keep the below-mentioned points in mind while filtering MBA colleges in London:

• Global Ranking: You can refer to QS Global MBA Rankings or Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings by subject to get an idea about where your selected institute stands in the international market. Although it is not mandatory to study in the top 10 or top 20 institutions, rankings help you to get an idea about how a particular institute’s programme is performing worldwide.
• Graduate Outcome: Every good MBA school will have a published MBA graduate outcome report on their official website. Refer to those reports and find details related to student placements. You may also find the list of companies or organisations that have absorbed students from the past and recently graduated MBA batches.
• Student-to-Faculty Ratio: Try to opt for colleges that have smaller class sizes. The smaller the student population stands, the greater the chances of you having a better interaction with the faculty.              
• Alumni: Try finding out about the ex-students or alumni of the university or college you’re planning to apply for admission. You may find the names of some popular public figures or celebrities in the alumni list of these institutes.
• MBA Eligibility: Check the individual eligibility criteria for the MBA programme at your selected institutions. Some schools or colleges may have set more lenient admission requirements than others.

MBA in London Fees

How much would you have to shell out while pursuing an MBA in London depends upon the university you’re studying in, its reputation, and programme duration. So a full-time MBA course in London may cost you anywhere around £48,000 (INR 50,43,182) to £75,000 (INR 78,73,608) a year. Some institutes may charge you even higher than this.

It is therefore a good idea to visit the official universities of these universities individually so as to get an idea about the tuition fee breakage. Also, the fee amount may keep getting updated from time to time so frequently visiting the university fee page would help you stay aware of the latest fee being charged.

MBA in London Colleges

There are many good colleges in London that offer different MBA programmes to international students, but some of them hold a better reputation and are among the city's best. Given below is the list of the top MBA colleges in London along with their programme duration and MBA tuition fee.

Institute	Programme Duration	Tuition Fees
London Business School	15-21 months	£1,09,700 (INR 1,15,25,773) Full Course Fee
Imperial College Business School	1 year	to be confirmed
Bayes Business School	1 year	£48,000 (INR 50,43,182) Full Course Fee
Brunel Business School	1 year	£27,500 (INR 28,89,323) Full Course Fee
Hult International Business School	1 year	£64,000 (INR 66,87,914) Full Course Fee
Warwick Business School (London)	2 years (part-time)	£59,900 (INR 62,93,471) Full Course Fee
University of East London	1 year	£16,740 (INR 17,58,809) Full Course Fee
London Metropolitan University	1 year	£16,500 (INR 17,33,593) Full Course Fee
University of Greenwich	1 year 2-3 years (part-time)	£19,975 (INR 20,98,699) Per Year
London South Bank University	1 year	£16,900 (INR 17,75,620) Per Year

MBA in London Eligibility Criteria

Students need to make sure that they fulfil all the set requirements which are needed for admission into an MBA programme. Different institutes may have different set criteria for admission and you may or may not meet all of them. It is therefore very crucial to match your achievements and qualifications with those required by the MBA colleges in London. Some of the general eligibility criteria that you may have to meet are as follows:

• UK second-class honours (minimum) or international equivalent/ professional qualification (atleast 6 years) which the institute may accept. 
• A GMAT/GRE score
• Language Proficiency Certificate: TOEFL/IELTS/DET/PTE Academic, Cambridge CPE, CAE
• Average work experience of 3-5 years. In case your experience is less than three years you may still be considered provided you possess an excellent academic record and career growth

Check: MBA in UK without Work Experience: Is it Worth it?

While conducting research related to the MBA format and colleges that best suit your interest keep in mind your future goals and favoured learning style so that it aligns with your requirements well.