Applying to the Department

If your enquiry is not covered by the questions below, or you cannot find an answer to your enquiry on other Departmental or School pages then you can contact the Department directly by email: finance.admissionsenquiries@lse.ac.uk

If you have an active application then please include your applicant ID number as a reference in your email.

If you wish to discuss our programmes or relevant aspects of your application over the phone then you can call us on +44 (0)207 955 7160.

Please note that we are unable to give any kind of informal assessment of your suitability for applying to a programme, or speculate on your chances of obtaining an offer. 

The Department of Finance offers a range of MSc programmes. The MSc Programmes Summary Table provides a quick guide to the key features of each programme, who they are aimed at and how they differ. This summary guide will provide the basic information to help you decide on the suitability of our programmes for your aims and academic background.

For more detailed information, see our study page and find details of each programme; entry requirements, aims, student bodies and careers destinations.

If you think that you may want to undertake a related PhD in future then you should apply to the MSc Finance and Economics programme, which provides world-class training by many leading, related PhD programmes.

Please note that our other MSc programmes are not generally regarded as suitable training for most leading, related PhD programmes, including for LSE’s own PhD in Finance.

The individual programme pages provide a complete overview of the individual programme structures and allow you to explore the aims, content, structure and assessment of all of the individual courses as well. See study page.

Additionally, each programme begins with a pre-sessional course – details of these courses are released to offer holders shortly before they arrive, but some basic information is provided on the Programme Structure pages.

Every MSc programme has a tailored pre-sessional course and full attendance is mandatory. The courses share many similar elements, providing extensive job hunting training and careers support and guidance; team building, networking and events, including with programme alumni; an academic preparatory refresher/introductory course, typically covering key quantitative and technical skills required to undertake the programme. The academic preparatory course provides the most variation between the various pre-sessional courses and is tailored to the specific needs of the MSc programme.

Basic information on this course and the rest of the pre-sessional course is provided in the programme structure of each programme. Detailed information is sent to offer holders shortly before joining the programme.

Students are assessed in each of their courses and the final degree classification is calculated depending on the results in each course. Courses are assessed by a final examination, and in some courses by a coursework element as well. Detailed information on the assessment requirements for each course is accessed on the study page.

Each programme also requires the submission of a dissertation. The length and content of the dissertation depends on the programme studied, and further information on each programme’s dissertation requirements is individula programme pages.

The basic requirements for applying to each programme are listed in the MSc Programme Summary Table. When considering whether or not you are suitable to apply for a certain MSc programme you should consult this table in conjunction with your future aims and ambitions;

Do you want to be a risk manager in a hedge fund? Do you want to later study a PhD in Finance? Work for a boutique venture capital firm? Work in consulting, or become a quant in an investment bank? These sorts of questions, added to your current training and background will help determine your suitability to apply for certain programmes.

If you meet the minimum application requirements, have an appropriate background to date, and the programme fits with your interests, aims and ambitions then you should consider applying. Please note that you are allowed to make two application choices. If you are still unsure as to your suitability for a programme, or whether that programme is suitable for you, then you can contact our admissions team for further guidance.

Please note that we are unable to give any kind of informal assessment of your suitability for applying to a programme, or speculate on your chances of obtaining an offer. We can simply check if you meet the minimum entry requirements, if you are unable to ascertain this for yourself. Global equivalents to a 2.1 undergraduate degree in the British university system can be found on our information for international students guide.

There are no fixed deadlines. Instead we operate rolling deadlines, whereby offers are made on a continuous basis and the programmes are closed whenever the requisite number of offers has been made.

Therefore all prospective applicants are advised to apply early. Online applications open in October, we receive the first applications in November and the first offers are released by the Graduate Admissions Office in January. From March onwards most full-time programmes will have made the bulk of their offers and programmes tend to close around June each year.

However, please note that the MSc Finance (Part-time) operates to a different schedule. Due to the unique nature of the programme and applicant body this programme considers applications and makes offers all the way up to September each year. The Department also holds three Information Evenings for the programme each year, typically in March, May and August, at which potential applicants can find out further details about the programme.

The minimum entry requirements for each programme are listed on the MSc Programmes Summary Table.

Please note that we are unable to give any kind of informal assessment of your suitability for applying to a programme, or speculate on your chances of obtaining an offer. We can simply check if you meet the minimum entry requirements, if you are unable to ascertain this for yourself. Global equivalents to a 2.1 undergraduate degree in the British university system can be found on our the information for international students page.

You need to provide a minimum of two references. Which type of references depends on when you have graduated/will graduate:

• If you graduated within the last 5 years and are applying to a full-time MSc: minimum of two academic references required.
• If you graduated 5-10 years ago or are applying to the part-time MSc: minimum of one academic reference and either an academic or professional reference.
• If you graduated 10+ years ago: a minimum of two references, professional or academic.

Submission of a score is mandatory for any applicant without a UK undergraduate degree who is applying to MSc Finance (Full-time), MSc Finance and Private Equity, MSc Finance and Economics, and MSc Risk and Finance. Applicants with UK undergraduate degrees are still recommended to submit a GMAT or GRE score in order to make their application more competitive.

A score is not required or especially recommended for MSc Finance (Part-time) although applicants with weak quantitative backgrounds are encouraged to supply a score if they are able to do so.

There is no minimum score requirement. However competitive applicants will be looking for total scores of high 600s or more, with a quantitative section score of 85% or more.

No applicant needs an English Language test score in order to apply. If you are made an offer and English is not your first language, and the language of your degree is not English then Graduate Admissions Office will require you to submit an English Language test score before you can apply. You will be informed in your offer letter of what exact score you are required to achieve in order to be able to register.

Work experience (either through internships or full employment) is not a requirement for any of our full-time MScs. However, applicants who have some professional experience should include this in their application, as it may strengthen their application. All applications are considered on a number of factors. Work experience can enhance an already academically strong application but is not a replacement for meeting the minimum academic requirement.

For the MSc Finance (Part-time) programme a key part of a successful application relates to an applicant’s work experience. The Selection Committee looks for students who will be working and living in or near London, in or around the financial sector (broadly defined) from the start date of the programme. Applicants who cannot demonstrate they will be in this position when they apply will be at a significant disadvantage. Having 2-5 years of work experience is particularly advantageous; however, we make offers are made to applicants with significantly more work experience as well as to those just starting their career. Each year the Part-time class includes students with a range of different levels of work experience.

There are a number of ways to potentially fund your studies, the main way is through needs-assessed GSS funding. You can apply for this online at the same as completing your online application. Further information is provided by the Financial Support Office.

We also have offer some scholarship programmes.

Please note that no funding is available for students on the MSc Finance (Part-time) programme.

You can find out about recent Department of Finance student destinations in our Employment Report, giving a sample of typical careers sectors. We do not record and publish detailed information on graduate incomes, however graduates from LSE, and especially the Department of Finance, are strongly recruited by the City and global firms. While most students will start their careers in investment banking, other students will start roles in hedge funds, consultancies, boutique finance firms, industry, regulatory bodies and central banking and policy roles. Some students will also continue onto PhDs.

Please note that we are unable to give any kind of informal assessment of your suitability for applying to a programme, or speculate on your chances of obtaining an offer. 

If you wish to discuss our programmes or relevant aspects of your application over the phone then you can call us on +44 (0)207 955 7160.

Unfortunately, due to the very high level of enquiries we receive, faculty members are unable to answer queries from prospective applicants – please contact our admissions team in the first instance if you have any questions. We are also unable to provide contact details for any current students.

However, if you are made an offer you will be assigned a current student ‘buddy’ with whom you can communicate in advance of your arrival.

Although the administrative 'home' department of MSc Finance and Economics is the Department of Finance, the programme is taught jointly with LSE's Department of Economics. This give students the added bonus of studying in two of the most highly rated departments in their subject area in the world, both for research and teaching.

Economics faculty teach the entirety of the core course EC411 Microeconomics for MSc Students (EC487 Advanced Microeconomics for Research students) and also teach the first half of the core FM437 Financial Econometrics course.

As the MSc Finance and Economics Programme is administratively homed in the Department of Finance, all enquiries should be directed to us rather than the Department of Economics.

The MSc Finance (Full-time) and the MSc Finance and Private Equity are identical programmes with the exception of one exclusive, mandatory course in Private Equity available only to MSc Finance and Private Equity students, in which those students must do their dissertation.

Therefore applicants should not select one of these programmes as their 1st course choice and the other as their 2nd course choice. Instead applicants should select their preferred programme only. If the MSc Finance and Private Equity is the preferred option applicants should demonstrate why they are particularly suitable for, and want to study, private equity.

The full-unit core course on the programme, Management and Regulation of Risk, is jointly taught by all of these Departments, as well as the Department of Finance. This reflects and demonstrates the multi-disciplinary and holistic view of risk that has informed the aims and approach of the programme since its creation. The programme structure then requires that students take at least one further quarter of their MSc in a course or courses offered by these Departments, and relevant to the programme.

The MSc Risk and Finance programme was initiated with the generous support of Deutsche Bank. With their cooperation, it includes a series of high-level practitioner seminars and student internships.

These seminars are designed to highlight the experiences of major institutions dealing with large-scale risk. Practitioners from other fields may also participate in this aspect of the programme. Therefore the programme is not only innovative in conceptual training in this developing discipline, but will be very practical in its application.

One of the most exciting features of the MSc Risk and Finance programme is the opportunity for students to apply for an internship with Deutsche Bank. Students must go through Deutsche Bank's competitive and intensive recruitment process to apply for a place on the Risk & Capital Management: Credit Risk Internship Programme, but those who succeed in securing a place will gain valuable skills and resources for their dissertation and their future career.

Although we cannot guarantee that the internship will lead to future employment with Deutsche Bank, the experience would give any student a competitive edge in the employment marketplace.

The content, teaching, faculty, assessment and exams of the two programmes, and the final degree certificate, are exactly the same.

The main differences between the programmes are the structure (the part-time programme is taught in the evenings, over two years) and the student cohorts (full-time students are often straight from university, while part-time students are professionals, often with several years of experience).

Yes. Students on both programmes are awarded the same degree (‘MSc Finance’) upon successful completion of the programme.

Teaching for the Part-time programme takes place on weekday evenings during term-time. In Year 1 of the programme, lectures take place on two nights per week (generally Tuesdays and Thursdays), with additional (optional) help sessions on Saturdays. In Year 2, the exact timetable depends on a student’s individual portfolio of course choices, but teaching for dedicated MSc Finance courses again takes place on weekday evenings in term-time. Detailed information on the timetable for MSc Finance will be available on the Timetables webpage during the summer each year and is updated as required throughout the year.

Yes. As a registered student at LSE you will have full access to the School's services and facilities, including the famous LSE Library and the Careers Service. You will also have the opportunity to attend LSE's excellent programme of public lectures and events, given by some of the world's foremost academics, politicians and business leaders.

We understand that students may have to miss some lectures or classes because of work commitments. We have developed a strong 'off-campus' element to the programme to support the busy lives of our students. These tailored facilities include extensive online learning resources and teaching support via Moodle and dedicated Course Support Managers (CSMs) to answer questions and assist your learning.

There is currently no formal attendance requirement for Masters programmes at LSE. However given the level and nature of the taught material, and the benefits of interaction with faculty, it is highly recommended that you miss as little of the lecture and class time as possible.

You will be attending the School for a minimum of six hours a week over two nights of lectures and classes. On top of this we estimate that four to five hours of home study should be set aside for each course.

LSE has a Careers Service which can provide guidance on career development and runs events which give you the chance to network with potential employers and other working professionals. Within the Department, students also have access to a Programme adviser who can advise on career issues.

There is no distance learning programme for MSc Finance. It is a part-time programme designed for those in full-time employment who want to combine work and study. As such it is necessary that students live and work within, or close, to London.