By Tim Breuer, MiM2026
Funding My Studies at LBS: Thinking About It as an Investment
When I first started looking more closely at London Business School, I felt a mix of curiosity and hesitation. The more I learned about LBS, its close ties to industry, the people it attracts, and the academic depth that creates such an intense learning environment, the more it stood out as a place I wanted to fully immerse myself in. At the same time, I was aware that studying for a Master’s degree in London would involve a level of financial commitment unlike anything I had taken on before.
Funding my studies has always been something I’ve had to think through carefully. I have largely paid for my education myself, including a semester abroad at the University of St Andrews. That experience showed me how much the right environment can matter – in a very tangible way, shaping my habits, my confidence, and how I approached learning day to day. On a deeper level, it also broadened my horizons and influenced my goals and values. Being exposed to many different worldviews on a daily basis had a much bigger impact on me than I had expected.
That understanding is what ultimately led me to apply to LBS. What appealed to me wasn’t just the academic reputation, but the sense that learning here happens constantly: in class, in group work, and in everyday conversations with people who bring very different perspectives. Still, being convinced of the value of the experience didn’t make the financial question disappear. If anything, it made it more important for me to approach funding in a realistic, structured way.
This post is written for the version of me who was scrolling through the LBS website, trying to understand whether this path was actually feasible. I hope that sharing my approach helps make the process feel a little more manageable for others in a similar position.
Starting with an Honest Assessment
Before diving into funding options, I took a step back and looked at my own situation. What resources did I already have? What risks was I willing, and not willing, to take on? And what would “making it work” realistically look like?
I found it helpful to frame the decision using a simple investment analogy. Not in the sense of chasing the highest salary possible, but in understanding the full picture: the upfront cost, the ongoing expenses, and the longer‑term returns – professional as well as personal.
The tuition fee was easy to identify. Living costs in London were not. To get a clearer sense, I looked at average spending estimates from several London universities, spoke to LBS alumni, and compared notes with current students. Rent, transport, food, books, social life – it all adds up quickly. Putting concrete numbers on these categories helped turn a vague worry into something I could actually plan for.
LBS-Listed Scholarships
Scholarships were the first and most important funding option I explored. LBS offers a wide range of scholarships, and this was one of the aspects that genuinely surprised me. In my year, around 30% of students received some form of scholarship support.
What stood out to me was that scholarships are not only about academic merit or professional background. Many also consider contribution to community and financial need. In practice, these criteria often overlap – and that’s a good thing. The goal is clearly to build a diverse and engaged student body, bringing together people with different perspectives and life experiences.
I was fortunate to receive the LBS Mobility Scholarship, which became the backbone of my funding plan. One practical advantage of LBS scholarships is that, for many of them, you are automatically considered once you are admitted to your programme. That significantly reduces the administrative effort at a time when you’re already juggling applications, interviews, and decisions. For anyone considering LBS, I would strongly recommend spending time on the Scholarships and Funding page. It lists over 150 funding options, many of which cover a substantial portion of tuition fees – sometimes even the full amount.
External Scholarships
In parallel, I researched external funding opportunities. As a German applicant, this meant looking closely at organisations like DAAD and the Begabtenförderungswerke. These are well‑established scholarship providers and can be an excellent source of support, both financially and through access to strong networks.
While I can mainly speak from my own experience, I noticed that many of my international peers are funded through scholarships or sponsorships provided by their home governments. This is something I would encourage everyone to explore, regardless of where you are from. Even if the process seems bureaucratic, the potential upside is significant.
One piece of advice I wish I had followed more consistently is not to hesitate to call or email these organisations directly. Asking about alternative funding lines or upcoming programmes can reveal options that aren’t immediately visible online. In my case, I missed the chance to apply for a substantial scholarship simply because I found out about it too late. For that reason, don’t just reach out to organisation representatives – talk to peers, alumni, and anyone who has already gone through, or is about to go through, the same process.
Student Loans
Even with scholarship support, I knew I would need additional funding. This is where student loans came into play. I decided to take out a loan from a private provider (in my case, Lendwise). The process was relatively straightforward: no guarantor or collateral required, but a UK bank account and address were necessary. Repayment only starts after the programme ends, following a short grace period.
That said, private loans are not cheap. The interest rates are noticeably higher than government‑backed alternatives, so I treated this option carefully and limited it to what I truly needed.
Alongside this, I was eligible for German government‑backed student aid (BAföG). Compared to private loans, this option comes with much more favourable conditions: lower effective costs, longer grace periods, and, in Germany’s case, the fact that part of the funding does not need to be repaid at all. While this system may be relatively generous by international standards, it’s still worth checking whether your home country offers something similar.
Savings and Family Support
The final pieces of my funding plan were personal savings and limited family support. This was the point where the abstract idea of “investment” became very tangible. Seeing my savings account balance go down is never comfortable, but having a clear plan helped put that discomfort into perspective.