How long is the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control?

Three years full-time, with part-time and accelerated online routes. The BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control schedules cohort calls across UK and APAC time zones.

Can the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control be studied online?

Yes. The BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control runs fully online, on-campus in London and by distance learning, all assessed against the same live FP&A brief and dissertation.

Is the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control recognised by UK employers?

Yes. The BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control is a UK honours degree with curriculum reviewed against CIMA Management, ACCA Applied Skills and CGMA competencies.

What are the entry requirements for the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control?

BBC at A-level (or IB 28, BTEC DMM), GCSE English at grade 5 and Maths at grade 5, plus IELTS 6.5 for international applicants. Numeracy is expected.

What does the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control cost?

Tuition varies by route and domicile. Contact LSIBM admissions for the current fee schedule and bursary eligibility for the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control.

BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control | LSIBM London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control at the London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a three-year UK honours degree for students aiming at an FP&A career inside a UK PLC, mid-market or PE-backed operating group. Sitting in the Accounting, Finance & Economics faculty, the degree combines core business and accounting modules with a deep budgeting, capex and cost-strategy specialism from year one.

The programme is designed around CIMA Management, ACCA Applied Skills and CGMA competencies. You will take a live FP&A brief in year two — a UK operating company or a City-headquartered group — an optional placement year, and a final-year dissertation defended in front of a working practitioner. The degree is available on-campus in central London, fully online with UK / APAC cohort calls, and by distance learning. The sections below detail modules, audience and progression.

Key Features

Curriculum reviewed against CIMA Management, ACCA Applied Skills and CGMA competencies.
Three study modes — central London campus, fully online with UK / APAC cohort calls, or distance learning.
Live FP&A brief in year two from a UK operating company or City-headquartered group.
Optional placement year with a UK mid-market employer or Big Four practice.
Final-year dissertation and capstone modelling project.
Assessment blend of exams, case work, an Excel modelling portfolio and a defended dissertation.

What You Will Learn

The degree sequences budgeting and cost control from foundation to strategic FP&A leadership, anchored to real UK PLC and mid-market case material.

Financial and management accounting fundamentals.
Driver-based operating budgets and rolling forecasts.
Standard costing, variance analysis and activity-based costing.
Capex committee governance and investment appraisal.
Strategic cost management — target costing, lean finance, zero-based budgeting.
Cash budgeting, working capital and treasury basics.
Financial modelling standards and workbook review discipline.
Corporate finance and business economics.
Corporate governance under the UK Corporate Governance Code.

Who This Course Is For

A-level leavers targeting UK graduate schemes in finance and audit.
International students seeking a UK honours degree in finance.
Higher Diploma holders topping up with confirmed credit transfer.
Mature applicants with finance work experience on portfolio route.
Career switchers from operations or commercial roles moving into finance.

Career Pathways

Graduates typically progress into FP&A analyst, audit trainee and management accounting roles across UK PLC, mid-market and PE-backed employers. Consistent City demand exists for graduates who can model and defend the plan. Typical destinations include:

FP&A Analyst
Management Accountant (junior)
Audit Trainee
Commercial Finance Analyst
Cost Accountant
Budget Analyst

The BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control is the natural step onto an MSc in Corporate Finance or the MSc in Risk and Financial Control, and provides credit toward CIMA Management-level and ACCA Applied Skills exams.

Entry Requirements

Three A-levels at BBC or above, or equivalent UK / international qualification (IB 28+, BTEC DMM, Access to HE, Foundation Year pass, or a relevant Higher Diploma with confirmed credit transfer). Mathematics or an equivalent numerate subject at A-level is preferred.
GCSE English Language at grade 5/C and Mathematics at grade 5/C (or equivalent) — comfort with numeracy is expected.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
A personal statement showing genuine curiosity about finance (relevant work, professional-body engagement) — mature applicants (21+) may enter with a portfolio and a short interview.

Why Study at LSIBM

The London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a specialist business-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. Undergraduate cohorts sit in small groups so every student is visible to their tutor, run a single intake schedule students can rely on, and every degree route is reviewed against UK professional-body competencies — ACCA, CIMA, CIM, CIPD, CMI, CIPS, CFA UK and IOE&IT — so graduates carry a credential that City recruiters engage with.

London puts the City, Canary Wharf, Whitehall, Companies House, the FCA, the Bank of England and the West End within a short tube ride of every classroom. Undergraduate students access a fortnightly practitioner clinic, at least one industry-careers day per academic year, a structured placement route and one-to-one application coaching in the final year.

Apply for the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control

Launch your UK career with the BSc in Budgeting & Cost Control. Click Enrol Now and admissions will reply within one working day with UCAS guidance, intake dates and the current fee schedule. LSIBM undergraduates receive structured placement and application coaching in every final year.