Why Study Business in the UK?

If you’re looking for a career in the business world, you’ll give yourself a head start by studying in the UK.

The UK’s location between the American and Asian time zones has helped it to become a global hub for industries including finance, trading, management consultancy, marketing and accountancy. Many international financial institutions have their European or global headquarters here, so the opportunities for students and employees to build their experience are unparalleled.

As a student in the UK, you’ll be exposed to these industries first-hand, learning from leading minds and making connections with influential people.

The UK is home to some of the world’s top business schools. You’ll find courses in subjects such as accounting, business administration, human resources, marketing and financial management at universities and colleges across the country, plus there are more than 100 dedicated business schools.

Many courses give you the chance to gain practical experience, with work placements lasting up to a year (check that your visa status allows you to do a work placement at the UK Visas and Immigration website). There’s a growing emphasis on entrepreneurship too – many universities and colleges have entrepreneurship programmes and enterprise centres to help you.

What can I study?

UK schools, colleges and universities offer internationally recognised qualifications in a wide range of subjects, including business, economics, finance, accountancy, management, office skills and public service. You can choose a general course or a specialist programme for your chosen career, such as sports management or hotel management.

• In the UK, you can start to study business at secondary school (usually from the age of 14). GCSEs, International Baccalaureate, A-levels and Scottish Highers are available in subjects such as Applied Business, Business and Communications, Business Studies and Economics. For students aged 16 and under, read more about UK schools and qualifications here.
• For students aged 16 and over, there are lots of further education qualifications on offer in business and finance. For example, BTEC Nationals in Business give you the option of specialising in Finance, Human Resources or Marketing. You will also find courses for specific industry areas, for example, you could start by taking a BTEC National Diploma in Hospitality Supervision and progress to an HND in Hospitality Management.
• Many further education colleges and specialist business schools offer courses accredited by professional bodies such as the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The Institute of Financial Services’ Certificate in Financial Studies (CeFS) appears on the UCAS Tariff and is accepted as entry to higher education. Find out more about further education in this section.
• At higher education level, a typical business course is likely to cover marketing, accounting, information management, tax and business law, and computing.
• Foundation Degrees and BTEC HNDs are available in Business Management alone, or there are courses that specialise in culinary management, events management, hospitality or leisure management, and more. These are likely to include work placements. Some courses are approved by professional bodies such as CIM.
• There is just as much choice in management undergraduate courses. You can choose from Management Science, Financial Management, Management and Entrepreneurship, Industry Enterprise Management and more. All will provide you with the knowledge you need for a career in business.
• If you study for a three-year business management degree, for example, you might spend your first year being introduced to accounting, finance, economics and organisational behaviour, with optional modules in business law, modern languages or computer science. In the second and third years, you would probably be encouraged to find a subject to specialise in, and perhaps take a work placement too.
• Courses may be assessed through exams, essays, case studies and group work. Most courses lead to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) qualification, although you can also gain a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or an undergraduate Master of Management Science (MManSci).
• Read more about the different levels and modes of study in Higher education – Courses and qualifications and Universities and colleges.

For more information on studying in the UK, visit the Education UK website.