FAQ

As a Forward student, you will have the opportunity to pursue a UK degree designed by the London School of Economics or King’s College London across three European countries: Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin. Because our world needs smart people with the skills to turn ideas into reality, our students combine their academic Bachelor’s with a leadership program that includes real-life projects and personal development. Additionally, our classes are taught in small groups with an average of 15 students, applying the most contemporary and research-proven teaching and learning practices, such as flipped classrooms and active learning pedagogy.

Climate change, artificial intelligence, growing inequalities, wavering democracies and rising citizen engagement pose urgent challenges as much as they open new opportunities. In order to tackle such important challenges, we need to arm the next generation of students with new skills, new knowledge, and a new mindset, empowering them so they can shape these transitions in a positive way. In times of change, we need talents able to understand such complex challenges but also to reach out and engage people across different fields of expertise, organisations, cultures, and social barriers for a shared purpose. Forward College was conceived from the desire to develop a model for higher education that is more holistic and fit for the future of work and the challenges the 21st century will bring.

The leadership team at Forward has worked in various positions in government, higher education, and the tech industry. Meet Boris, Céline, and Jeffrey here.

Forward College operates as a social enterprise and is registered in France. As a social enterprise in France, we have dual accountability, both financially (aiming to generate sustainable profits) and in terms of our mission impact. Our Head of quality enhancement and sustainability is responsible for evaluating these aspects and provides annual reports to the senior team and an independent academic council, as mandated by our bylaws. This process has been in effect since the academic year 2022/2023. It ensures transparency and accountability within our ecosystem and beyond, preventing any business decisions that could compromise teaching or recruitment quality. This approach enables us to strike a balance between our growth ambitions, financial sustainability, and our commitment to continuously enhance the student experience.

Yes, Forward College is a Recognised Teaching Centre of the University of London. As such, our students are also students of the University of London and will graduate from the University of London under the academic direction of the LSE or King’s College London. This means that they study the LSE or KCL curricula and that their exams are assessed by these institutions.

Students will spend the three years of their Bachelor’s Degree in Lisbon (1st Year), Paris (2nd Year) and Berlin (3rd Year). 

The Lisbon Learning Centre is located in the Chiado area of the city centre. The student residence is located in Benfica, a 20-minute Metro ride from the Learning Centre. Read more here.

The Paris Learning Centre and student residences are located at Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (CUIP) in the South of Paris. Read more here.

The Berlin Learning Centre is located at the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), while students live in different residences situated within a 20 to 40-minute bus ride from the Learning Centre. Read more here.

This is a unique opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and engage with local communities and cultures. Our program is designed to nurture your curiosity, enrich your understanding, and help you build bridges across different contexts. These skills will be valuable as you navigate today’s globalised living, socialising, and working environments. Through dedicated intercultural classes, learning expeditions, cultural activities with a local focus, conferences, and real-world projects, you will be encouraged to immerse yourself in the contexts of each city where you will reside for a year.

Many of Forward College’s professors have previously been associated with Russell Group universities, either as PhD students and/or as teaching/research fellows. The majority of them are now employed full-time at Forward. You can find more information about our faculty here.

Contemporary academic research has proven that the flipped-classroom approach increases exam success and develops life-long learning skills, particularly when combined with clear guidelines and aims, within a structured peer-learning environment. This is related to the active approach to learning in which students first make an individual effort to learn by themselves. The approach is recognised to be all the more effective when combined with individualised teaching through one-on-one tutoring and small-group teaching that allow for high quality interactions. Also, the teaching and learning methodologies we’ve combined enhance the development of multiple intelligences: cognitive, social, emotional, and practical, whereas traditional classroom teaching and learning only develop cognitive intelligence. Through our bespoke activities and project-based learning, Forward students develop skills such as autonomy, self-regulation, time management, creativity, communication, and critical thinking. 

Applications to Forward College are done online, directly with Forward College. See more details here.

Forward College is an international college that is not related to any national application system (such as the British UCAS system or the French Parcoursup).  This means that you can apply to Forward College on top of your other applications.

Our application process begins with an online Application Form to fill in, and documents to provide. Once this is submitted, you will be invited for an informal conversation with a current Forward College student. During this time, our Admissions team will assess your application. You will be contacted shortly after and, if your application is promising, you will be invited for an interview. We invite you to visit our How to apply Page to learn more.

No, there are no application fees associated with applying to Forward College.

For our eligibility criteria and admission requirements, we invite you to visit our Entry requirements page. If you are selected after you send your application, you will be invited for an interview where we will ask you further about your motivations, and assess your personality type, how you think, and how you communicate.

Unfortunately,  you will be required to complete a Foundation Year programme before being eligible to apply to Forward College. You can read more about the University of London’s Foundation programme here.

No, but you will need to register with the University of London after enrolling at Forward College and before the start of the academic year. The fee to register with the University of London is around 60 GBP (around 70 euros) for the year of 2024/2025. The Admissions team will guide you through that process.

Yes, you can apply for more than one programme. As the process unfolds, we can assist you in refining your choice.

Yes, you can apply at Forward College after a gap year.

Yes, deferral is an option for your admission offer once you have accepted your offer. In this case, the tuition fees of the year in which you start studying will apply.

To be considered for direct entry to the second year, you will need to provide transcripts for all the courses you have completed at your previous university, along with the curriculum details for those courses. Additionally, your final high school transcript should be submitted. The admission team will evaluate this information in consultation with our faculty and the University of London to determine if a direct transfer is feasible.

Please note that transferring into the Psychology BSc programme or transferring credits for specific modules is not permissible according to University of London regulations.

You are not restricted to a single application attempt and may reapply in subsequent years if needed.

We accept the following English language qualifications:

– IELTS with minimum 6.5 overall

– TOEFL with minimum 95 overall

– Pearson PTE with minimum 67 overall

– Duolinguo with minimum 110 to 120

– CAE with minimum 180 overall

The qualifications need to be less than 2 years old. If you have done a different qualification or wish to ask any question about the qualifications above, please get in touch with the Admissions team.

Please send us your GCSE certificates and request your school to provide a statement containing your predicted A-level grades, which you can then send to us.

Please send your documents ideally as PDF files. If that’s not possible, then in JPEG format with good resolution or readability.

Our admissions team and student ambassadors are available to have chats with prospective students. Please reach out by email to admissions@forward-college.eu. Or book a conversation with one of our students here.

Students have a four-week period to accept their offer if they receive it by February 29, 2025. After this period, the deadline to respond is 2 weeks from receiving your offer.

With our commitment to small class sizes and ensuring the high academic level of our candidates, Forward College offers 1 place for every 11 applications.

Yes, we do want to know where you come from as we understand that equal opportunities depend on individual contextual backgrounds, be they social, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, or economic. Equal opportunity is a key value at Forward College.

Forward College accommodates students with disabilities through a formal process outlined in the Learning Support Agreement (LSA). Dr. Gemma Gordon, the LSA Officer, collaborates with individual students to understand their needs and draft the LSA. This document outlines approved educational or campus accommodations tailored to disabilities, neurodiversity, and long-term medical conditions or impairments. Examples of accommodations include assistive reading technology and tailored transport arrangements for field trips. This document is implemented at Forward College and reviewed periodically to ensure ongoing support. Accommodations specified in the LSA can involve extra exam time for formative exams and other necessary adjustments. Additionally, while Forward College manages its accommodations, Dr. Gemma Gordon also supports students in their direct application to the University of London (UoL) for exam accommodations.

Decisions are typically sent out three weeks from the day of the interview. You will also be informed throughout the different steps of the admission process via email.

It’s not possible to switch programmes after the start of the academic year. If you change your mind during the application process or before the start of the year, you can start a new application and apply for another programme.

Applicants have the option to appeal for a second review, although it’s important to note that such appeals do not guarantee acceptance. To enhance the chances of a successful appeal, it is advisable for the student to provide specific and compelling reasons for their appeal. For instance, if the candidate’s grades were lower than desired, they should highlight any personal circumstances that may have had an impact during the examination periods.

The typical age range for Forward College students is between 18 and 23 years old. To enrol at Forward College, applicants must be at least 17 years old by November of the entry year.

Academic Degrees will be awarded by the University of London under the academic direction of the member institutions that have designed the degrees. These are for now the London School of Economics and Kings College London’s. 

The Open Bachelor’s will be awarded by Forward College

Forward College offers academic programmes in Economics, Politics & International Relations, Economics & Politics, Psychology, Data Science & Business Analytics, Economics & Management and Business and Management. These programmes are designed by the LSE or King’s College and awarded by the University of London. 

Additionally, Forward College offers an Open Bachelor’s programme, which is awarded by Forward College

We invite you to learn more about them here

The weekly examinations are set by Forward College, but the final exams are supervised and graded by the London School of Economics and King’s College London, who designed the academic degrees.

As for the Open Bachelor’s programme, the final examinations are set and graded by Forward College. 

Our BSc in Psychology is not accredited by the British Psychological Society. The UoL BSc Psychology aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of Psychology as a science, covering the core areas of Psychology and their application. The curriculum has been designed by King’s College London academics to meet the requirements for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (Graduate Basis Registration (GBR)) of the British Psychological Society (BPS). This programme was launched in 2020 and is not currently accredited by the BPS.

For those considering postgraduate courses in the UK or becoming a chartered psychologist in the UK, holding a BPS accredited undergraduate degree may be a prerequisite for applications to UK postgraduate programmes on these tracks. BPS-approved conversion courses provide an opportunity for graduates to build on their first-degree qualification to become eligible for the British Psychological Society’s Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. More information can be found on the BPS website. 

Forward College follows the curriculum of LSE and King’s College London, which are in line with three-year degree programs following the Bologna education reform. While some education systems globally offer four-year degrees, in Europe, the standard duration is primarily three years.

Forward College does not offer a Master programme at the moment. Our Master programmes are currently under development.

Our Bachelor’s programme (180 ECTS) includes limited leadership development modules in addition to the academic curriculum. Students will benefit from annual coaching sessions to help them assess their skills, prioritise their development and determine their future career, as well as an internship. 

Our Bachelor’s+ programme (220 ECTS) offers students a wide range of modules in addition to their academic Bachelor’s. Students select one Entrepreneurship Certificate and complete half the Personal Development programme. Coaching and internship are also available as part of the degree.

Our Double Bachelor Programme (260 ECTS) offers students a full Bachelor’s in Business & Leadership in conjunction with their academic Bachelor’s. The Bachelor’s in Business & Leadership includes three Entrepreneurship Certificates. Students will also have to complete the full Personal Development programme. Coaching, internship and consulting work are also available as part of the degree.

At the moment, the Double Bachelor’s programme grants one bachelor’s degree designed by the LSE or King’s College London and awarded by the University of London and one Business & Leadership Bachelor’s awarded by Forward College. 

Forward College has been authorised to operate by the French Rectorate of Paris in May 2021. The Bachelor’s in Business & Leadership is currently in the process of seeking accreditation from the French Ministry of Higher Education.

The bachelor’s in Business and Leadership gives you the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice and equip you with the mindset and skills that fit your career aspirations. This degree equips our students for highly competitive master’s programmes and provides opportunities for diverse career paths, as well as positions in leadership and management within various industries, sectors, and organisational contexts.

The Bachelor’s in Business and Management designed by the London School of Economics (LSE) and awarded by the University of London (UoL) emphasize the principles and practices of managing business operations and resources efficiently. It focuses on developing skills in areas such as organisational structure, project management, decision-making, and strategy implementation.

The Bachelor’s in Business and Leadership, offered exclusively as part of the Double Bachelor’s programme and awarded by Forward College, places a significant emphasis on cultivating leadership skills. This program is designed to equip students with the ability to inspire and motivate teams, make ethical decisions, and drive organizational change. Its primary goal is to develop students into effective and ethical leaders, well-prepared to lead in diverse business contexts.

The Forward Business & Leadership degree will help you develop a broad range of leadership skills across five intelligence types. You will gain strong project management skills and acquire a set of core business techniques essential to your future career, including problem-solving, negotiation, time management, decision-making, financial mananegement, market research, digital marketing, strategic communication, and more.

Societies and businesses alike are evolving from hierarchical structures where leadership was primarily about attaining positions of power, to embracing communities and networks where leadership involves engaging people for a shared purpose across various areas of expertise, cultures, social backgrounds, and organisations. This new engagement-based leadership reflects the changing aspirations of younger generations who are eager to make immediate change happen, employees who seek engagement rather than mere “management,” and citizens who are increasingly interested in actively participating in decision-making processes. The Forward College Business and Leadership Bachelor’s curriculum has been carefully designed to align with these changes and to support students as they engage, question, and envision new and future ways of working, building collaborative and inclusive environments, and making a meaningful impact.

Students will build up their skills in finance, marketing, project management, communication, strategy, negotiation, communication, and data analysis and learn how to leverage them for their projects.

The annual tuition fees at Forward College are as follow:

University of London bachelors: 

• Bachelor’s: €18,500  for EU/EEA/UK/Swiss students | €22,500 for for other international students
• Bachelor’s+ :  €22,050 for EU/EEA/UK/Swiss students | €26,350 for other international students
• Double Bachelor’s: €26,250 for EU/EEA/UK/Swiss students | €29,550 for other international students

Open Bachelor’s:

• Bachelor’s: €16,000  for EU/EEA/UK/Swiss students | €20,300 for for other international students
• Bachelor’s+: €19,500  for EU/EEA/UK/Swiss students | €23,800 for for other international students
• Double Bachelor’s: €23,000 for EU/EEA/UK/Swiss students | €27,300 for other international students

There are no application fees when applying to Forward College. Scholarships and zero-interest trust loans are available to support students from less advantaged backgrounds. Learn more here.

Learn more about costs of living here. 

No, fees are only paid to Forward College, which includes the University of London Bachelor’s fees.

The fees are paid as follows:
– 20% enrolment deposit at the moment a student enrolls.
– 60% first instalment paid by 31st of July. The enrolment deposit is deducted from this payment.
– 20% second instalment by 15th of December.
– 20% third instalment by 15th of March.

Once you are accepted at Forward, you will need to fill out the Financial Support Application form, in which you will provide details of your household income, family situation, and any other relevant documents. Learn more at our Diversity, Equal Opportunity and Financial Support page.

There is no official limit when it comes to annual household income. We take a case-by-case basis.

You would be able to apply for a loan from student finance. The amount of the loan is decided by them.

Depending on your financial background, you may be granted some financial support amounting up to the full tuition fees. The support is made of a loan and a scholarship. You can read more here.

At the moment, the financial aid is only towards tuition fees.

You should proceed with your application as a University of London student. The acceptance letter from Forward College, along with our accreditation documentation, will suffice for this purpose. However, it’s important to note that this documentation should be requested by a successfully admitted student.

At the moment, Forward College does not have a FAFSA number.

For external scholarships, it depends on how it is phrased. The destination/country of study is the three countries (Portugal, France, Germany). The country of the awarding body would be the United Kingdom. It will most likely be the country of study that is relevant.

The essential living costs in each city can be found here. We also have information on additional, non essential, or one-off costs such as visa purchases, etc.

Yes, you will need a student visa to study in Europe. The cost is usually around 90€. The Forward team will assist you in the process after you have enrolled.

Your enrollment deposit at Forward will be refunded. A deduction of 180€  will be applied due to administrative costs.

This will largely depend on the type of visa you will currently hold. Any further arrangements in this regard will be coordinated with the respective Campus Manager when the time comes for you to relocate.

The academic year at Forward College begins mid-September with a two-week induction programme. 

The academic year starts in September for all students. Those pursuing LSE degrees (Economics, Business, Politics & International Relations, and Data Science) take the UoL annual exams in May, and classes conclude in June. For Psychology students, classes begin in September and continue until March, followed by the first round of exams. The second term commences in March, extending until June, with final exams held in early September. Students enjoy a well-deserved break in July.

Students should spend 10 hours on average per week for their seminars.

As long as the sport does not conflict with your classes or obligations, then you can participate professionally. We encourage our students to seek activities and learning opportunities beyond class. In this case, it is recommended that the student follows the Bachelor’s programme, to allow for as much free time as possible. Please note that attendance to all sessions at Forward College is mandatory, so the student will need to arrange their practice sessions and competitions accordingly.

Yes, our students are in constant contact with other students. For instance, in Paris, at CIUP, they have the chance to interact with students from different universities and sign up at different clubs. In Berlin, they become part of the CIC community, allowing them to participate in events hosted there. Additionally, in all the cities where they reside, our students live in student residences that house international students from around the world.

Yes, students are able to work during their studies. International students may have to apply for a special permission to work along with their visa application.

At Forward, we believe real-life experiences such as internships are essential to developing the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in future careers. Every Forward student should complete at least one mandatory internship at the end of their third year at Forward. The internship should have an average duration of 6 to 8 weeks.

Given our yearly growth, the cohort sizes vary from year to year. Currently, our first cohort consists of more than 20 students, our second cohort includes over 60 students, and our third cohort has around 100 students.

Certainly. While you may not share the physical campus space with students from different year groups, you can establish connections through social media platforms and, in some instances, in person during the induction week.

Yes, your spot is reserved in each student residence. After you enrol at Forward College, it’s your decision whether to confirm this reservation and live in the student residence or to individually look for private accommodation in another location.

We are committed to supporting our students settling into life in each city in the best way we can. This support is provided by each city’s campus manager who are thoroughly experienced in the personal and bureaucratic processes that come with an international move. Our campus managers are: Eduardo Guerreiro for the Lisbon campus, Catherine Ellis for the Paris campus and Spencer Utt for the Berlin campus.

When you book your accommodation, you will be able to choose the type of room you would like to have. Typically, the rooms are individual rooms; however, in Berlin you may choose to live in a shared apartment, where you will be able to choose your roommates. In any case, rest assured you will never be far away from the other Forward College students living on campus.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to do the three years of Bachelor’s in one country as our programme is specifically designed to be spread out across three countries.

We highly recommend that our students live in the accommodation provided by Forward College to foster a sense of community with their cohort, especially in their first year.

Forward College highly recommends students to live on campus for many reasons, one of them being the difficulty of finding accommodation on your own, as well as to foment the Forward Community.

Depending on the residence, you may have a private bathroom or kitchen. You can read more about the Lisbon residence here, the Paris residence here, and the Berlin residence here.

As the school year starts in September and finishes in June, you will have to move to the next country before the term starts.

EU citizens should request the European Health Insurance card (EHIC), with that card, students will have free access to public healthcare in Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin. Non-EU citizens will require private health insurance, which will allow them to access healthcare at an affordable cost. EU citizens that plan to access private healthcare may also apply for private health insurance.

The conditions of your current phone plan should allow you to use your phone in Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin at no extra cost. This should happen if you have an European phone number, as the European Commission put in place “roaming” legislation that has recently been extended for at least 10 more years. For non-European phone numbers this may not be the case. Speak to your telephone network to see if they will help you with this. If not, you will be able to get a fairly cheap phone plan when you move to Lisbon.

Yes, English is widely spoken throughout Europe and Forward College’s destinations are international destinations where English is spoken. Specifically in Berlin, 80% of the Germans speak English.

According to European statistics and their latest price level comparison these countries are not the cheapest European destinations, but neither are they the most expensive. The price comparison depends on where you are based, but generally, Lisbon is considered one of the cheapest European destinations for students, while Paris and Berlin will be more expensive.

Since our founding cohort is currently enrolled and will graduate in May 2024, we do not have information available regarding the average starting salary or employment outcomes at the moment. 

Most of our graduates can apply to Master’s around the world either following the academic field they have invested in with a natural path to Master programme at LSE or King’s College London or by switching to top European business schools. 70% of the students who decided to pursue master’s degree were admitted in a top 10 European university or Business School. A few examples of Master’s our students have been accepted to are International Security at Sciences Po, Political Communication at LSE, Decision Analysis at Minerva University, and Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence at the University of Utrecht.

When you register for one of our webinars, you will receive a confirmation email with the link to the webinar.

We host open days at our Paris campus, and we will announce the dates soon. Additionally, you can schedule a visit to any of our campuses here.