How to Get into London Business School

1. London Business School Program Overview
2. London Business School Curriculum
3. LBS Statistics
4. London Business School Extracurriculars
5. Notable Professors at LBS
6. How to Nail the London Business School 2024−2025 Essay Prompts
7. Application Requirements for London Business School
8. London Business School FAQ

London Business School Program Overview

The London Business School (LBS) MBA program—one of the most prestigious in the world—has undergone a major redesign in recent years. We are hearing less about “the London experience” and finance—and more about “the world’s most flexible MBA” and “the London advantage” to launching your global career. Studying for a two-year MBA in the very center of London puts students in proximity to the resources and opportunities available in Europe’s tech and startup capital.

The LBS MBA program is designed for smart and ambitious people—those who know how to best utilize the school’s wide range of offerings both during and after their studies. The flexible curriculum allows for a tailor-made MBA journey; students can complete the program in 15, 18, or 21 months. LBS core courses are divided into two sections: the Business Fundamentals sequence, which includes 12 courses, and the Tailored Core, where students choose from a menu of 14 courses and can pursue a specific area of interest. It’s not uncommon to see an LBS student changing the exit point halfway through the program if they have an opportunity to take a second internship during the fall term of their second year; in such cases, they can take all electives offered in the intensive weeks to complete the required credits in the shortest time.

As LBS continues to develop its global reputation, nearly half (48%) of the school’s 2021 graduates accepted jobs outside of the UK. The enhanced Global Experience, which LBS describes as a core curriculum highlight, is a week-long, in-market experiential learning opportunity that takes students to such cities as Mumbai, Tel Aviv, Stockholm, and Lima, while its network of 30 exchange partner schools is among the largest of any two-year MBA program in the world. Locally, students can take advantage of the school’s central location in London via the LondonCAP (Core Application Practicum) module, which allows them to work with real companies to apply their new skills.

The MBA program develops students’ leadership skills throughout their studies with Leadership Launch, during which students take skill assessment tests, attend class sessions, and receive Personal Development Plans to further develop what they have learned. The in-class skill sessions cover such topics as “Leadership in Action,” “Best Practice Presentations,” and “Emotional Intelligence.” Students also work on their writing skills during online modules and have an opportunity to learn a new language, with options ranging from German, Portuguese, and Russian to Japanese, Arabic, and Mandarin.

London Business School Curriculum

The LBS first-year curriculum is divided into four terms: the Pre-Term, which is currently held online and features the three introductory courses “Finance,” “Statistics,” and “Accounting”; Term One, which is described on the school’s site as a Business Fundamentals term and encompasses eight courses; Term Two, which includes three further Business Fundamentals courses and also allows students to choose from a menu of ten Tailored Core courses; and Term Three, which offers students additional Tailored Core courses. Students can also start taking some of LBS’s more than 80 electives in Term Three. 

In the second year, students design their own curriculum using a mix of electives, Global Experiences, international exchanges, and internships. Taking advantage of numerous internship opportunities in London, many students choose to gain additional practical experience in the second year by using one term to take on full-time work and completing credits in other blocks of the year.

Flexibility is what sets LBS apart from many other two-year MBA programs: there are options to finish the MBA within 15 or 18 months (with the summer option) or 21 months (six full terms, similar in length to most top-ranked, US-based MBA programs). The shortest 15-month option, where one could graduate in February, still allows for a complete summer option (internship, summer consulting project, or Entrepreneurship Summer School) plus a semester exchange abroad and one or two Global Business Experience modules. Pursuing the 18- or 21-month option enables students to complete an international exchange in the spring term, with additional possibilities for Global Business Experiences/capstone projects and even internships.

The Leadership Launch program, whose sessions are intended to prepare students for post-MBA recruitment and leadership roles, is hosted during three terms of the first year and in the past has featured such topics as “Emotional Intelligence,” “Powerful Pitching,” “Best Practice Presentations,” and “Leading Through Conflict.” The LBS Language Programme and Career Management component run throughout the two years of studies. Language studies are optional, but LBS recommends that students gain competency in at least one language beyond English. Available language courses include German, Italian, Spanish, and Mandarin. Numerous career management resources, including employer presentations, career fairs, and networking, are available at the LBS Career Centre.

LBS Statistics

Class of 2023 Profile

Class Size: 511
Women: 38%
Nationalities: 67

Career Placement (Class of 2023)

• Consulting: 38%
• Finance: 26%
• Technology: 26%
• Diversified Industries (including Health Care, Consumer and Retail, Industrials, Energy, and Other): 10%

Geographical Placement (Class of 2023)

• United Kingdom: 52%
• Europe (excluding UK): 10%
• Asia: 13%
• Latin America (including the Caribbean): 9%
• North America: 9%
• Middle East/Africa: 5%
• Oceania: 2%

London Business School Extracurriculars

LBS offers more than 80 student-run clubs on campus, and more than 1,000 club events take place each year. Clubs range from professional, such as the Tech and Media Club and the Entrepreneurship Club; to regional, including the Middle East Club and the China Club; to general interest, such as the Photography Club, Sailing Club, and Foodie Club. The breadth of clubs means that there are major business conferences happening throughout the year in every relevant discipline, such as the China Business Forum, Africa Business Summit, and EQUALL (formerly the Women in Business Conference). The EQUALL conference took place virtually in March 2022 with the theme “Rising Tides” and featured such speakers as the CEO of Admiral Group, a managing director at Morgan Stanley, and an executive director at Goldman Sachs, and such panel topics as “Turning Tides: Overcoming Systematic Barriers,” “Breaking Boundaries,” and “Lift as you Climb: A Discussion on Resilience.” In addition, various clubs organize professional/leisure treks to global destinations of interest to LBS MBAs.

Another notable aspect of LBS is the tight integration of the school’s substantial London-based alumni community. The Alumni Career Centre, as well as many professional student clubs, engage alumni as career mentors/coaches for current MBA students. On-campus sessions, which take place throughout the year, immediately open the door to tremendous learning and networking opportunities with alumni, enhancing “the London Experience.”

The LBS Social Impact Club, along with the school’s Wheeler Institute for Business and Development, the LBS Student Association, and other sponsors, hosts an annual Social Impact Week. The 2021 Social Impact Week took place in March with the theme “Reinventing the Mainstream” and welcomed industry professionals, students, faculty, and alumni to take part in the two-day event. Featured speakers included the cofounder of B Lab UK and the founder of Grameen Bank, and sessions covered such topics as “Lessons from Female Micro-Entrepreneurs” and “Social Entrepreneurship Inspiring the Mainstream.” At the 2020 event, panels and presentations included such topics as “Challenge Your Status Quo: Lessons from the Art World, “Social Enterprise,” and “Mental Health Huddle: Anyone Can Be a Leader of Change,” and attendees were also able to take part in workshops, a career fair, and alumni roundtables.

Notable Professors at LBS

Lynda Gratton

Lynda Gratton, a Professor of Management Practice in Organisational Behaviour, is a recipient of the LBS Excellence in Teaching Award. Professor Gratton teaches the “Future of Work” elective course, which is reportedly one of the most popular at the school, and has hosted the Future of Work Consortium for more than a decade. She also leads the LBS executive education program Human Resource Strategy in Transforming Organisations, which takes place over the course of five days each spring and is aimed at “ambitious senior professionals who want to develop their key area, fulfil their own potential and enhance their HR skills to have a greater impact on their organisation,” the school’s website states.

Herminia Ibarra

Herminia Ibarra serves as a professor of organizational behavior and the Charles Handy Chair in Organisational Behaviour at LBS, where she has taught since 2017. Professor Ibarra has been ranked as one of the world’s top management thinkers by Thinkers50. She is also a bestselling author of such books as Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader (Harvard Business Review Press, 2015).

Alex Edmans

Alex Edmans joined LBS in 2013 after a six-year tenure at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he won 14 teaching awards. He is now a professor of finance and has won numerous awards at LBS as well, including Best Teacher six times. In 2021, Poets&Quants named Edmans Professor of the Year. In addition to teaching, Professor Edmans serves as a research fellow for the Centre for Economic Policy Research and as a fellow for the European Corporate Governance Institute.

Tips for Your London Business School 2024–2025 Application Essays

According to the London Business School (LBS), what makes its program so unique and valuable is its continued business impact, global growth, and world-class people. LBS is particularly proud of its multinational students who hail from a variety of professional and personal backgrounds. The school’s application has just one mandatory essay and one optional essay. On the one hand, this is good because you do not have to write an overly long submission or respond to multiple different queries, but on the other hand, you might feel extra stress at the prospect of having only “one shot” with which to impress the admissions committee. Hopefully, our tips can help relieve that pressure a bit and get you ready to compose a great LBS essay (or two!).

Question 1

• What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these? (500 words)

Question 2 (Optional)

• Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (500 words)

Click here to read our advice on London Business School’s essay questions.

Application Requirements for London Business School

Undergraduate degree OR career record

LBS accepts applicants with undergraduate degrees, but a degree is not a requirement. “We are happy to consider non-graduates who have an excellent career record,” the school states on its website.

Resume

All LBS applicants must submit a one-page resume with their application. “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,” the LBS website states.

Recommendations

LBS requires one recommendation letter from each applicant. In business school applications, obtaining a recommendation from a direct supervisor or a manager is usually the best option. If you do not have a current direct supervisor or manager, consider past supervisors, colleagues, or clients, based on your work situation. Family members, friends, and professors are typically not suitable recommenders. 

Test scores

LBS accepts the GMAT and the GRE to fulfill the test score requirement. “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 600,” the LBS website reads. For the Class of 2023 the average GMAT score was 708. International applicants are also required to provide a TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge CPE, CAE, or PTE Academic score.

Anything else?

An interview and two essays are also required of LBS applicants. Interviews are conducted on an invitation-only basis by alumni or senior admissions officers in the applicant’s region. These are some of the questions that are commonly asked during LBS interviews:

• Take me through your resume.
• What has led you to work at your current company/role?
• Why an MBA? Why LBS?
• When have you taken responsibilities beyond your current role? How successful was the result?
• What research have you done to know that your post-MBA career is the one you’d like to pursue?

London Business School FAQ

What is LBS best known for?

The London Business School name carries prestige worldwide and invites applicants to its flexible program in a buzzing metropolis. The school sends graduates to a wide range of roles and takes pride in its diverse, global alumni pool.

How much does tuition cost?

Estimated cost of attendance for the LBS full-time MBA program is £109,700. This includes program charges for the full length of the program, regardless of whether the program is completed within 15 or 21 months.

Although London Business School does not release application or acceptance rates, the school is known to have a very selective acceptance policy.

London Business School is known as an international powerhouse that attracts applicants from around the world due to its customizable, global MBA program. However, do not let a school’s reputation steer you elsewhere if it doesn’t seem like a perfect match right away! Visiting campus and speaking with alumni and current students can give you a better idea of whether a school is right for you.

Are you considering applying to LBS? Whether you are looking for comprehensive MBA admissions consulting, hourly help, or perhaps interview prep, we at Stratus Admissions Counseling can help you! Sign up for a free consultation today!