UCL HPE vs. Economics at German target universities for London IB
How would you rate a BA in History, Politics & Economics (HPE) at UCL for breaking into London investment banking?
Would UCL HPE, given the UCL brand and being based in London, be considered a similar or potentially stronger signal than a traditional BSc Economics at Mannheim, Frankfurt School (FS), WHU, or Goethe University?
I’m particularly interested in how London IB recruiters perceive these degrees. Would the less quantitative nature of HPE be a significant disadvantage compared with studying Economics at one of the German target/semi-target universities?
If anyone has experience recruiting for London IB or has gone through the process with a similar degree, I’d really appreciate your perspective.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's how your options stack up for breaking into London IB:
UCL HPE:
German Target Universities (Mannheim, WHU, FS, Goethe):
Quantitative vs. Brand:
Recommendation:
Sources: European Master in Finance programmes (pre-experience), Investment Banking in the UK - An Overview, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/investment-banking-in-the-uk-an-overview?customgpt=1, LBS vs UCL vs Imperial for IB, Q&A: London BB IBD to top 3 PE
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Ucl, for London no question. We're brand whores in IB. In dach only St gallen opens doors in London.
However I think living in another country, having interesting internships there, learning a new language, building a strong academic base for the future has value in itself, so don't discount that.
Would suggest using the Canary Wharfian website, most advice here is US-focussed. Lots of UK/London specific content
If your only criterion is the likelihood of breaking into London IB straight out of undergrad, then yes, UCL has the edge. However, once you factor in tuition fees, living expenses, and internship opportunities, I'd rank the German targets higher than UCL HPE. As an international student, you'd be paying hefty tuition fees at UCL on top of London's high living costs, while public universities like Mannheim are practically free, and even WHU (most expensive German route) is considerably cheaper. Assuming you speak German, it's also generally easier to secure relevant finance internships in continental Europe during your bachelor's than in the UK. You could always pursue a master's at LSE or LBS afterwards and recruit for London IB from there. Besides, UCL HPE isn't quite as established in finance recruiting as UCL Economics or Warwick Economics.
Thanks for your valuable insights. I’ve also been considering pursuing a master’s degree at a leading target university such as HEC Paris, LBS, Oxford, Cambridge or LSE. However, one thing I’ve noticed is that many Germans who successfully secure summer internships and full-time offers at EBs/BBs tend to follow one of two paths:
While I’m certainly considering an MSc, I’m struggling to see how I could structure my internships throughout the degree to position myself for an analyst start immediately after graduation, whether in the summer or winter.
*Just to clarify, I didn’t mean a single one-year internship, but rather them filling that gap year with multiple internships.
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