How to get into London Business School

For Masters, MiM, MBA, Executive MBA programs

 
London Business School (LBS) takes pride in being “incredibly international” far beyond its competitors. Its student body consists of over 60 nationalities most years, making for a rich and culturally diverse classroom. True to the school’s slogan “London experience, world impact,” the main take away for LBS graduates is an in-depth understanding of how business is conducted internationally, across the world.

The school offers a major benefit to its MBA students through flexible programs of durations of 15 months, 18 months, and 21 months, which include a diverse range of electives, exchange programs, and internships.

LBS runs other master’s programs in management, such as Master’s in Management, Global Master’s in Management, and Master’s in Analytics and Management. It also conducts an Executive MBA, EMBA-Global, and LBS Sloan Master’s in Leadership and Strategy. Among other programs are Master’s in Finance and Master’s in Financial Analysis. A brief look at these courses before we move on to the MBA program, which features as one of the best MBA in the United Kingdom (UK) and the world..
 

Master’s in Management (MiM)

Program profile: Duration – 12-16 months; Location – London; Format – Full-time; Work experience – Less than two years; Fees – £31,400 (fee for optional fourth term – £7,200).

Benefits: LBS reputation (consistently ranked among the top ten b-schools in the world); access to global recruiters with LBS guidance; jobs for 96 percent of the 2017 batch within three months after the course; diversity in class and global business perspectives; optional fourth term with additional electives/international exchange.

What you need: Completed online application form; application essays; GMAT/GRE equivalent score (a minimum of 600 is suggested); one-page CV; names and details of two referees, one academic and one professional; IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge CPE, CAE, or PTE academic scores may be required to prove English language ability; transcripts (completed courses, grades, class of degree, and if possible, class ranking); and application fee of £95.

Interview: If you are in the UK, you will be interviewed at LBS, or if you are in Europe, you can choose three cities for interviews with alumni, or a Skype interview may be arranged. Candidates other than those coming to London may be interviewed by alumni.
 

Global Master’s in Management (Global MiM)

Program profile: Duration – 24 months; Location – London and Shanghai; Format – Full-time; Work experience – Less than two years; Fees – £31,400 + RMB 100,000.

Benefits: Delivered by LBS and School of Management, Fudan University, Shanghai. Students earn two internationally recognized degrees—Master’s in Management and Master’s in Science in International Business, with year one in London and year two in Shanghai.

What you need: Same as the requirements for MiM, but additionally, an application video with answers to video questions.

Interview: Same format as for MiM.
 

Master’s in Analytics and Management (MAM)

Program profile: Duration – 12-16 months; Location – London; Fees: £33,500.

Benefits: The new program for 2019 blends the applied data analytics skills that recruiters look for with world-class teaching in general management.

What you need: Same as the requirements for MiM, but along with GMAT/GRE, CFA Level 1 is accepted. The application fee is £90.

Interview: Same format as for MiM, but candidates with outstanding questions about their application may have to attend a follow-up interview.
 

Other master’s courses at LBS

Executive MBA (EMBA): Duration – 20 months; Locations – London, Dubai; Fees – £84,500 (London), £119,500 (Dubai).

EMBA-Global Americas and Europe: Duration – 20 months (two MBA degrees, from LBS and Columbia Business School); core courses are taught in five-day residential blocks once a month, alternating between London and New York; Fees – $194,340.

EMBA-Global Asia: Duration – 20 months (16 months if some electives are chosen); core courses take place in three learning hubs of London, New York, and Hong Kong (program delivered by LBS, Columbia Business School, and the University of Hong Kong); Fees – $182,160.

What you need (EMBA Global): International experience, passion for global business; ascending career path; experience of managing people, budgets, and projects; leadership qualities; strong academic record; and fluency in English. Most application requirements are generally the same as for the other courses except the requirement for a signed statement of employer support. The application fee is $250 for both the EMBA Global courses.

LBS Sloan Master’s in Leadership and Strategy: Duration – 20 months, full time, for senior professionals; Fees – £65,900.

What you need: Completed online application; application essays; organization chart showing candidate’s position; one-page CV/resume; references; transcripts; Executive Assessment, GMAT, or GRE scores; proof of English language ability; application fee £160.

Master’s in Financial Analysis: Duration – 12-16 months; Location – London; Format: Full-time; Work experience – Less than two years; Fees – £34,200.

What you need: The application requirements as generally the same as for the other courses. The decision to interview is based on the initial application review. Interviews may be conducted in London for candidates based in the city and by alumni or through Skype in other regions.

Master’s in Finance (full-time, part-time): Duration – 10-16 months (full-time), 22 months (part-time); Location – London; Work experience – 3-8 years; Fees – £45,250.

What you need: Application requirements are the same as for the other courses. But full-time students need three to six years’ relevant finance experience. Undergraduate degree required, but strong career trajectory and professional qualifications are accepted. International outlook and ability to work in multicultural teams. Part-time students usually have a little more than the minimum work experience of two years.
 

LBS MBA

Program profile: Duration – 15, 18, or 21 months. Location: London; Format: Full-time; Work experience – 3-15 years; Fees – £78,500.

Benefits: Flexible duration; reputation; career impact (93 percent of students accepted job offers within three months of graduation); highly respected faculty; global perspective with a diverse class; and the London advantage.

What you need: Undergraduate degree/equivalent; minimum two years’ work experience (candidates with exceptional academics and outstanding performance may be considered); international outlook; ability to work in multicultural teams. The application fee is £200. Application requirements are the same as for MiM.

Interview: According to the LBS website, alumni conduct candidate interviews in the latter’s respective region.
Read Facts about London Business School MBA
 

MBA admission tips

What do you need to get into the LBS MBA program? LBS looks for candidates from good academic institutions with proven academic credentials to ascertain that you have the required intellectual ability for the course. While being able to make the best use of the facilities, your likely future contribution to your class will also be estimated.

You need professional work experience of at least two years. You also need to be ambitious and to have made a positive impact at the companies where you have worked. You should be able to work in a team and also lead a team, and possess international exposure and want to widen it.

Here, we take a quick look at a few aspects of the LBS application: the application itself, essays, CV, and referees.

Application: The online application form is designed to be completed not in one sitting but in several sessions. Take your time, and save your application as you go on.

Essays: Essays are a crucial part of your application, and you should take your time to write them. The essay questions for the MBA program are (1) What are your MBA goals, and how will your LBS experience contribute to them (500 words)? (2) Is there any other information that you believe the Admissions Commissions should know about you and your application (optional, 500 words).

CV: In your one-page CV, you should express what you excel in and what differentiates you from others. Mention your achievements, and your relevant skills (12-15 bullet points). Use impact verbs, such as “accomplished,” “achieved,” “completed,” “negotiated,” and “transformed.” You need to provide reasons for significant gaps in your employment history in a separate sheet.

Referees: You need two referees. One can be your current employer. If you don’t want to ask your employer, a colleague will do. The second referee can be a former employer or client who knows you well from work.
Read What London Business School Looks for in MBA Applicants
 

Is the LBS MBA right for you?

Do you have between three and 13 years’ work experience?

If you have less than two years’ experience, would the LBS’ Master’s in Management program be more suitable for you?

You have more than 10 years’ experience. Would the LBS’ Executive MBA, EMBA-Global, or LBS Sloan Master’s program be your best way forward?

If you have three years’ experience in the finance sector and are not looking for a sector change, why don’t you consider LBS’ Master’s in Finance program?
 

 
References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13