History gives you a structured understanding of human society through time — how past events, ideologies, institutions and cultures produced the world you live in. The coursework is interpretation of evidence, source analysis, academic writing and research.
Graduates do not only go into academia. Diplomacy, journalism, education, law, museums, policy research and media all hire history graduates for the same reason: the degree trains you to assess conflicting evidence and build an argument from it.
Who Should Study History Abroad
- Humanities and arts students with strong reading and writing
- Anyone genuinely drawn to research and historical inquiry
- Students aiming at public policy, cultural heritage or global diplomacy
- Future museum, civil service, academic or journalism careers
- Students interested in culture, international affairs and how societies change
Course Overview
Bachelor's Degree
- Duration
- 3–4 years
- Specialisations
- Ancient History, European History, World History
- Career Opportunities
- Entry-level roles in education, civil service, journalism and heritage management
Master's Degree
- Duration
- 1–2 years
- Specialisations
- Modern History, Global History, Cultural History
- Career Opportunities
- Mid-level academic, research, policy or museum roles; PhD eligibility
Diploma / PG Diploma
- Duration
- 6 months – 1 year
- Specialisations
- Public History, Archival Studies
- Career Opportunities
- Fast track into curation, archives, NGOs, media and the public sector
MPhil / PhD
- Duration
- 3–5 years
- Specialisations
- Customised research in your chosen area
- Career Opportunities
- Academic tenure, university posts, think tanks, advanced consultancy
Interdisciplinary Programmes
- Duration
- Varies
- Specialisations
- Historical Sociology, Public Policy, Digital History
- Career Opportunities
- Cross-sector careers in government, international relations and tech-linked fields
What You Will Actually Study
- Ancient Civilisations
- World Wars and Conflict Studies
- Political Theory and Institutions
- Social Movements and Gender History
- Historical Methodology and Historiography
- Archives and Public History
- Colonial and Postcolonial Studies
Skills You Build
- Research and analysis — locating, evaluating and synthesising primary, secondary, digital and oral sources
- Critical interpretation — assessing complex information, identifying bias, building a nuanced argument
- Communication — persuasive writing, clear presentation, articulate argument
- Problem-solving — applying historical frameworks to contemporary problems
- Digital literacy — digital research tools, data management and presentation
Best Countries to Study History
UK
- Key Focus
- British Empire, Medieval Europe, colonialism, the World Wars
- Notable Universities
- Oxford, Cambridge, LSE
- Why It Works
- World-class archives, museums and landmarks on the doorstep
USA
- Key Focus
- American history, the Civil Rights Movement, Native American studies
- Notable Universities
- Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UC Berkeley
- Why It Works
- Interdisciplinary teaching inside a strong research culture
Germany
- Key Focus
- European intellectual history, the World Wars, the Cold War, the Reformation
- Notable Universities
- Humboldt Berlin, LMU Munich, Heidelberg
- Why It Works
- Public universities charge little or no tuition
France
- Key Focus
- The Revolution, the Enlightenment, colonial and postcolonial history
- Notable Universities
- Sorbonne, Sciences Po, École Normale Supérieure
- Why It Works
- Integrates philosophy, literature and theory with historical study
Italy
- Key Focus
- The Roman Empire, the Renaissance, Medieval Europe
- Notable Universities
- Bologna, Sapienza, Padua
- Why It Works
- Direct access to the ruins and sites themselves
Top Universities for History
Harvard University Cambridge, USA
- QS 2025 — History
- #1
University of Oxford Oxford, UK
- QS 2025 — History
- #2
University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK
- QS 2025 — History
- #3
Yale University New Haven, USA
- QS 2025 — History
- #4
Peking University Beijing, China
- QS 2025 — History
- #5
Stanford University Stanford, USA
- QS 2025 — History
- =#6
London School of Economics and Political Science London, UK
- QS 2025 — History
- =#6
University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, USA
- QS 2025 — History
- #8
Columbia University New York, USA
- QS 2025 — History
- =#9
Princeton University Princeton, USA
- QS 2025 — History
- =#9
Eligibility Criteria
Undergraduate
- A-Levels: ABB–AAB including History or another essay-based subject; contextual offers of BBB–ABB may apply
- IB: 32–36 points overall, 5,5,5 to 6,6,5 at Higher Level with History HL
- National boards: 80–90% aggregate
- GCSEs: at least 5 passes, with English Language and Maths at grade C/4 or above
- Written work: rarely required except at the most competitive universities
- Admissions tests: the HAT at Oxford and the History Admissions Assessment at Cambridge. Most other UK universities set no subject test
- English: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (5.5–6.0 per component) or TOEFL iBT 90 (17–20+ per section)
Postgraduate
- Academic: a strong undergraduate degree — UK 2:1 or above — in History or a related field. A 2:2 may be considered with strong experience and a convincing statement
- Documents: Statement of Purpose (500–1,000 words), writing sample (2,000–4,000 words), two academic references, academic CV
- English: IELTS Academic 6.5–7.0 (6.0–6.5 per component) or TOEFL iBT 90–100 (20–22+ per section)
Doctorate
- Academic: a master's at Merit or Distinction in History or a related field, on top of a strong undergraduate degree
- Documents: research proposal (1,500–3,000 words), academic CV, writing sample (4,000–8,000 words, often a master's thesis extract), three academic references
- English: IELTS Academic 7.0–7.5 (6.5–7.0 per component) or TOEFL iBT 100–110 (22–25+ per section)
Tuition Fees and Living Costs
UK
- UG Tuition (annual)
- £9,535 – £22,000
- PG Tuition (annual)
- £10,000 – £35,000
- Living Costs for Visa
- London: £14,130 over 9 months
- Outside London: £10,827 over 9 months
USA
- UG Tuition (annual)
- Public: US $25,000 – $45,000
- Private: US $50,000 – $75,000+
- PG Tuition (annual)
- Public: US $25,000 – $45,000
- Private: US $50,000 – $75,000+
- Living Costs for Visa
- US $12,000 – $24,000 a year, varying by institution and location
Germany
- UG Tuition (annual)
- Public: €300 – €500 semester fee
- Private: €10,000 – €20,000+
- PG Tuition (annual)
- Public: €300 – €500 semester fee
- Private: €10,000 – €20,000+
- Living Costs for Visa
- €11,904 a year blocked account
France
- UG Tuition (annual)
- Public: €2,770 – €3,770
- Private: €8,000 – €20,000+
- PG Tuition (annual)
- Public: €3,770 – €4,000
- Private: €8,000 – €20,000+
- Living Costs for Visa
- Paris: €9,600 – €12,000 a year
- Outside Paris: €7,200 – €9,600 a year
Italy
- UG Tuition (annual)
- Public: €900 – €4,000
- Private: €6,000 – €20,000+
- PG Tuition (annual)
- Public: €900 – €4,000
- Private: €6,000 – €20,000+
- Living Costs for Visa
- €6,079 a year, about €515 a month
Living cost figures are the minimum immigration requires you to evidence. Actual spending is usually higher, and depends heavily on the city.
Italy and Germany cost a fraction of the UK
Bologna and Heidelberg are serious history departments at under €4,000 a year. Worth comparing properly before defaulting to the UK.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Chevening Scholarships UK
- Award
- Fully funded
- Eligibility
- Postgraduate applicants with a leadership record and at least two years of relevant work experience
Fulbright Programme USA
- Award
- Tuition plus living expenses
- Eligibility
- Highly competitive; for scholars, artists and recent graduates, usually before a master's or PhD
DAAD Scholarships Germany
- Award
- Monthly stipend plus travel costs
- Eligibility
- Postgraduate students, particularly in research or development-related fields
Erasmus+ EU
- Award
- Monthly financial support
- Eligibility
- Master's students on eligible European joint programmes
University-specific awards are often larger — the Oxford-Weidenfeld Scholarship, Harvard GSAS Fellowships and the Cambridge Trust among them. Check deadlines individually.
Careers and Salaries
In the United States, historians earn a median of US $76,750 as of May 2025, with employment projected to grow around 3% — about average. In the UK, where most international history graduates end up working, the ranges look like this.
Research Historian
- Annual Salary (UK)
- £25,000 – £55,000
- Sector
- Academia and research
Archivist
- Annual Salary (UK)
- £24,000 – £39,000
- Sector
- Museums, libraries, public and private archives
Policy Analyst
- Annual Salary (UK)
- £30,000 – £65,000
- Sector
- Think tanks, government bodies, NGOs
Museum Curator
- Annual Salary (UK)
- £25,000 – £50,000
- Sector
- Museums and heritage institutions
University Lecturer or Professor
- Annual Salary (UK)
- £35,000 – £100,000+
- Sector
- Universities
Approximate ranges that move with experience and location.
Related Reads
Only for Oxford (the HAT) and Cambridge (the History Admissions Assessment). Most other UK universities set no subject-specific test, though the most competitive may ask for written work.
Archives, museums and academia are the obvious routes, but policy analysis pays best of the common paths at £30,000–£65,000 in the UK. The research and argument skills also transfer into journalism, law and the civil service.
Germany and Italy. German public universities charge only a €300–€500 semester fee; Italian public universities run €900–€4,000 a year, with direct access to the sites themselves.
For UK undergraduate entry, ABB–AAB at A-Level including History or another essay subject, IB 32–36, or 80–90% on national boards. Postgraduate entry wants a UK 2:1 or equivalent plus a writing sample.
