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International Relations

International Relations

International relations studies how power, government, conflict and cooperation shape relations within and between countries. Political theory, global history and global political economy are among the core areas of the program.

Law and social sciences

Example courses

Introduction to international relationsPolitical theoryGlobal historyGlobal political economyRising powers and a changing world

What do graduates do?

  • Diplomat
  • Policy specialist
  • Political risk analyst
  • Intelligence analyst
  • International aid and development specialist
  • Public affairs consultant
  • Public social research specialist
  • Journalist
IN HIGH SCHOOL

Which subjects matter?

LSE sets no specific subject requirement for International Relations (BSc); it prefers at least two traditional academic subjects. Typical choices are history, English, economics, Government and Politics and sociology. It considers a combination of mathematics, further mathematics and just one other subject less competitive.

Example: University College London, first-year courses

  1. International Conflict and Cooperation
  2. Foundations of Political Thought
  3. Democracy & Authoritarianism
  4. Policy Making
  5. Public Sector Economics
  6. Science, Scientific Discovery and Statistics

Length by country

United Kingdom
UCL Politics and International Relations BSc, 3 years.
USA
A bachelor's degree is usually completed in 4 years of full-time study.
Netherlands
A bachelor's at a research university (WO) takes 3 years, 180 ECTS. At a university of applied sciences (HBO) it takes 4 years, 240 ECTS.
Germany
At a university, a bachelor's degree takes 3 years, 180 ECTS. At a Fachhochschule it usually takes 3 or 3.5 years, 180 or 210 ECTS.

Exams required for this field

College assessment United Kingdom

At Cambridge, international relations is studied within Human, Social, and Political Sciences; there is a college assessment, and no pre-registration is needed.

SCHOOL EXAMPLES

Examples of schools where you can study this subject

25 schools in 16 countries. Programmes were checked on the schools’ own websites. These are only examples; every country has many more options. We choose the schools that fit your budget, documents and goals together.

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United Kingdom

King's College LondonWar Studies & International Relations · London
University of EdinburghInternational Relations MA (Hons) · Edinburgh
University of GlasgowInternational Relations · Glasgow
University of SheffieldPolitics and International Relations · Sheffield

Ireland

Dublin City UniversityInternational Relations · Dublin
University College DublinGlobal Studies · Dublin
University College DublinPolitics & International Relations · Dublin

Australia

University of QueenslandBachelor of International Studies · Brisbane
University of SydneyBachelor of Arts (Politics and International Relations) · Sydney
University of SydneyInternational Relations · Sydney

USA

Boston UniversityInternational Relations · Boston
Penn State UniversityGlobal and International Studies

Spain

IE UniversityBachelor in International Relations · Madrid and Segovia
Universidad Europea de MadridGlobal Bachelor's Degree in International Relations · Madrid

Hungary

Corvinus University of BudapestInternational Relations · Budapest
University of PécsBA in International Relations · Pécs

Japan

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific UniversityInternational Relations · Beppu
Sophia UniversityGlobal Studies · Tokyo

Netherlands

University of GroningenInternational relations and international organization · Groningen

Germany

Constructor UniversityInternational Relations: Politics and History · Bremen

Austria

Modul University ViennaBA in International Relations and Sustainability · Vienna

Switzerland

Franklin University SwitzerlandInternational Relations · Lugano

Italy

University of BolognaInternational Studies · Bologna

Poland

Vistula UniversityInternational Relations · Warsaw

Czechia

Masaryk UniversityInternational Relations and European Politics · Brno

Denmark

Copenhagen Business SchoolBSc in International Business and Politics · Copenhagen

New Zealand

University of AucklandBachelor of Global Studies · Auckland
BY COUNTRY

What to know, country by country

For each country where you can study this subject: an example tuition fee and the next step in the timeline. You can find the details in our country guides.

United Kingdom4 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's, international student, fields other than medicine and dentistry£27,650 to £34,670per year · 2027/28The University of Sheffield
  • 26 October to 21 December 2026

    Booking period for the January 2027 session of the ESAT, TMUA and TARA exams (for universities other than Oxford and Cambridge).

USA2 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's tuition$66.720per year · 2026/27Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • 7 November 2026

    SAT exam (next date 5 December 2026). Whether a school asks for a test varies by school

Ireland2 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's, Business, Economic and Social Studies (BESS)€23.250per year · 2027/28Trinity College Dublin
  • October to November 2026

    For Trinity, ask study@tcd.ie whether your high school is on the direct entry list.

Spain2 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's (grado), student from outside the EU without residence status, Nivel 3 (e.g. Law, Psychology, History); 60 ECTS€6.822,60per year · 2026/27Universidad Complutense de Madrid
  • 15 January 2027

    Deadline for IE University bachelor's round 2 applications. Decisions by 19 February 2027 at the latest

Hungary2 schoolsCountry guide
Medicine (English-taught medicine), 12 semesters€7.900per semester · 2027/2028University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School
  • 1 December 2026

    International applications for 2027/28 open at the University of Szeged Faculty of Medicine.

Japan2 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's, yearly tuition¥535.800yearly · 2025/26 (as of April 2025)Kyoto University (public)
  • 21 October to 2 December 2026

    Keio PEARL Period I application period. The application fee is 35,000 yen.

Australia2 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's, Business field (guide fee, 48 credits a year)A$59.100per year · 2027The University of Sydney
  • November 2026

    Clarifying the diploma route. The Turkish high school diploma is not on the Melbourne and Sydney lists. Looking at foundation, IB, or a US diploma with SAT/ACT

Netherlands1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's, Faculty of Economics and Business (non-EU institutional fee)€15.730per year · 2027/28University of Amsterdam
  • 1 December 2026

    Early round deadline for University Colleges (AUC, LUC, UCU)

Germany1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's tuition fee, new student from outside the EU€2,300 or 3,400per semester · from winter semester 2027/28Technical University of Munich (TUM)
  • November 2026

    For direct entry you need to score above 180 in YKS and be placed in a program. If not, plan the Studienkolleg route.

Austria1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's, non-EU student fee (Studienbeitrag)€726,72per semester · 2026/27 (current amount)Public universities (example: TU Wien)
  • November 2026

    For a direct application you need at least 180 points in the YKS and a document showing placement in a program; plan your YKS (Türkiye's university entrance exam) with this in mind.

Switzerland1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's, foreign student tuition (tripled since autumn 2025)CHF 2,190per semester · 2026/27 (in effect since autumn 2025)ETH Zürich
  • November to December 2026

    Prepare for a language certificate. At ETH the main language of the bachelor's is German, and a German certificate may be asked

Italy1 schoolCountry guide
Laurea (bachelor's), standard plan of 46 to 74 ECTS, highest amount by income€3.943,04per year · 2026/27Politecnico di Milano
  • October 2026 to March 2027

    Prepare a B2 English or Italian language certificate

Poland1 schoolCountry guide
Economics bachelor's (ekonomia, pierwszego stopnia), Polish, full-time, foreign student, single payment€2.600per year · 2026/2027University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences
  • November 2026

    Check from the university's list which documents show that your high school diploma gives the right to apply to university in Türkiye, and whether you need a Polish sworn translation.

Czechia1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's and master's, non-EU student€7.100per year · 2026/27Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
  • November 2026

    Choose a route for the recognition of your high school diploma: nostrification at the regional office (krajský úřad) or the university's own recognition. The legal processing time is 30 days.

Denmark1 schoolCountry guide
New Zealand1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor of Commerce, one full-time year (120 points), estimateNZ$51,020.40per year · 2027The University of Auckland
  • 15 November 2026

    For those considering February/March 2027 (Semester One) entry: the last day to apply from abroad at Otago. At Canterbury the international closing date is 1 December, and at Auckland it is 8 December 2026 for most bachelor's programs.

YOUR OWN LIST

Let’s build your school list for International Relations together

  • We choose schools from 26 countries that fit your grades, budget and documents.
  • We gather every school’s application timeline, required documents and exam scores in one list.
  • We put tuition fees and living costs side by side.
  • We prepare your application file and personal statement together.
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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to study international relations in English in Europe?

Yes. Leiden University's International Relations and Organisations bachelor's is fully in English, takes 3 years and is taught in The Hague. The University of Groningen's International Relations and International Organization program is also in English and 180 EC; the school recommends studying abroad for about 16 weeks on average.

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Do these programs in the Netherlands have a limit on places?

It depends on the program. Leiden's International Relations and Organisations program has a numerus fixus, that is, a limit on places. Applications are accepted between 1 October and 15 January, and places are given by selection. Groningen's program only has a non-binding 'program choice check'.

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LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Other fields of study in this category

ElsewhereCampus ElsewhereNext
LawPsychologyPoliticsSociologyCommunication and Media StudiesHistoryPhilosophyEducationLinguistics and Modern Languages

Last checked: October 2026.

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