UK · Bachelor's
King's College London (Department of War Studies)
BA International Relations
King's College London (Department of War Studies)
Course Overview
King's College London's BA International Relations is taught out of the world-renowned Department of War Studies — ranked #2 globally for Politics & International Studies (QS by Subject) — and based on the Strand campus on the Thames, a 10-minute walk from Westminster, the Foreign Office, and the policy think-tank corridor of central London. The 3-year programme runs across core modules in international politics, security studies, diplomacy and global history, with optional pathways into European Studies, US Foreign Policy, Asian Security, and Conflict, Security and Development. Students can intercalate a year abroad at partner universities (Sciences Po, Georgetown, NUS).
Sri Lankan applicants choose KCL War Studies because the department's faculty (Lawrence Freedman, Mervyn Frost, Funmi Olonisakin) have directly advised UK governments, NATO, and the UN — and graduates run an unusually direct pipeline into the FCDO Diplomatic Service, MI6, the UN system, NATO HQ, the European External Action Service, and think tanks (IISS, Chatham House, RUSI). Graduates qualify for the 2-year UK Graduate Route and the department's Master's pathway is itself top-ranked globally.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Sri Lankan GCE A/L: 3 passes with strong grades (typically A, A, B or better) in any stream; Sri Lankan applicants are usually competitive with Z-scores above 1.7.
- check_circle Cambridge / Edexcel A Levels: AAA minimum, with at least two essay-based subjects (History, English Literature, Politics, Economics, Geography preferred).
- check_circle IB Diploma: 35 points minimum (665 at HL).
- check_circle Strong personal statement (UCAS) showing demonstrated engagement with international affairs (Model UN, debate, current-affairs writing, internship at an NGO or media outlet).
- check_circle UCAS application by 14 January 2026.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 7.0 Overall (min 6.5 in each section).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 100 Overall (min 25 in Writing, 23 in Reading and Listening, 23 in Speaking).
- check_circle PTE Academic: 69 Overall (min 62 in each section).
- check_circle Waived if your school qualification was taught and assessed entirely in English (most Sri Lankan applicants from Edexcel / Cambridge International streams qualify).
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (£) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year) | £34,000 | Rs. 13,600,000 |
| Living Expenses (per year, London) | £16,000 | Rs. 6,400,000 |
| Student Visa & IHS Fee (3 years) | £2,500 | Rs. 1,000,000 |
| Total Programme Investment (3 years) | £152,500 | Rs. 61,000,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
Eligible for the 2-year UK Graduate Route on completion. KCL War Studies IR grads place into the FCDO, UK Civil Service Fast Stream, the European External Action Service, NATO HQ Brussels, the UN system, the World Bank, McKinsey Public Sector, BCG, Deloitte Geopolitical Risk, Control Risks, and into political journalism at the Economist, FT and Reuters. Sri Lankan returnees route into the Foreign Service of Sri Lanka (Foreign Service Examination), the Department of Strategic Initiatives, the President's Office, and IFI / NGO country offices. Median starting salary: £35,000–45,000 (LKR 14M–18M/yr).
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