Offer Holders

As the Dean, I am very pleased to congratulate you on your offer to study with us at LSE’s School of Public Policy.

The world, more than ever, needs professionals with the skills and tools to respond to new and unprecedented challenges. The ability to understand and analyse information, to predict political and public behaviour, and the know-how to communicate policy are all fundamental to this global challenge, just as they will be to the next.

By joining the LSE, you will benefit from the School´s long-standing tradition of excellence in economics, political science and quantitative methods, allied with options in development, public management, political philosophy, and many other subjects.

In the School of Public Policy we place emphasis on a well-balanced approach, training students in foundational methods alongside practical application and frontier research in specialised areas of policy. As a result, graduates are endowed with a global outlook, a deep understanding of policy-making, and the ability to identify policy challenges and find solutions to them.

We look forward to hearing back from you and to answering any questions you might have. And, especially, we look forward to meeting you in September!

Professor Andrés Velasco

Dean of LSE School of Public Policy

Please read the details in your offer letter carefully. You will have been sent your offer letter by email from LSE Graduate Admissions. 

Whether you have a conditional or unconditional offer, there will be things that you will need to do including:

• Responding to your offer
• Meeting conditions and providing documents to confirm your offer
• Completing your financial undertaking form
• Finding out about accommodation and visas 

Find out more about the next steps to accept your offer here. 

Online Events

Spring and Summer

• Offer holder events, including taster lectures and information sessions
• Optional readings and online learning materials available (see indivdiual programme sections below for further information)

August

• Online pre-enrolment - TBC. Details will be sent by central LSE teams.
• SPP Welcome information will be sent to offer holders
• Late August 2024 (MPP only) - MPP 5-week online pre-arrival course begins (see MPP programme section below)

In person (LSE Campus)

• 2 September 2024 - MPA Data Science for Public Policy (MPA-DSPP) students first day, including campus enrolment and start of the programming bootcamp
• 16 September 2024 - MPA and MPA Double Degree students first day, including campus enrolment
• 17 September 2024 - MPP students first day including campus enrolment
• 16-27 September 2024 - SPP Welcome sessions, introductions and compulsory introductory courses
• 23 September 2024 - LSE Welcome begins

After the welcome period, the MPA, MPP, MPA DSPP and MPA Double Degree programmes follow the LSE term dates.

LSE Fees and Funding

LSE offers a number of needs-based awards, including the Graduate Support Scheme, Master's Awards, and Anniversary Scholarships. 

Selection for any funding opportunity is based on receipt of an offer for a place and submitting a Graduate Financial Support application, before the funding deadline. Funding deadline for needs-based awards from LSE is 25 April 2024.

Find out more about financial support.

SPP specific awards

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas. The School of Public Policy (SPP) offers programme and country specific scholarship awards which have an application deadline of 12 January 2024. Find out more about SPP specific awards and how to apply. 

The Graduate Offer Pack is essential reading for all offer holders, and contains information on every step of the admission process. 

Our Graduate Admissions team also send monthy newsletters to offer holders to keep them up to date and answer any FAQs. We will update information below as and when they are circulated.

You can view the newsletter overview here.

Find answers to your FAQs about admissions timelines and next steps on our FAQs page 

If you have further admissions queries you can refer to the Graduate Admissions Knowledge Base or book a zoom call with our Premium Admissions Service Manager.

You will find answers to lots of questions on our SPP FAQs page or the Graduate Admissions Knowledge Base.

Offer Holders ‘How do I…?’: https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Graduate/Offer-holders/How-do-I/Secure

Offer Holders ‘Next Steps’: https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Graduate/Offer-holders/What-next

Confirming Your Offer: https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Graduate/Offer-holders/What-next/Confirming-your-offer-of-admission 

Graduate Admissions processing times: https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Graduate/News/Current-processing-times

English Language Requirements: https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Graduate/Prospective-students/Entry-requirements/English-language-requirements

Student Advice and Engagement Team (visas): https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/student-services/Student-Advice-and-Engagement 

Fees and Funding: https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Graduate/fees-and-funding

First day and campus enrolment: 16 September 2024

Detailed curriculum information: Master of Public Administration

Pre-arrival preparation

Prior to your arrival at LSE, you will receive details about optional readings and online learning materials which are designed to help you to prepare for the programme. These materials can be found below:

Pre-reading list for 2024-25

Mathematics and Statistics Self-Directed Learning Module

These self-directed pre-arrival modules will introduce some of the key skills, techniques and terminology required for your programme. There are seven pre-arrival modules in total, which are grouped into two parts.

For those of you who may not have had much prior exposure to quantitative subjects, you are highly recommended to complete these modules - for some of you this has been recommended in your offer letter. For others, the modules are optional, but we do encourage you to work through them as a useful opportunity to refresh your quantitative skills before you start your studies. 

• Introduction & Part 1 Maths & Statistics Modules 1 - 4
• Part 2 Maths & Statistics Modules 5 -7
• Answer Key to Practice Questions  

Welcome from MPA Programme Director - Dr Lloyd Gruber:

Congratulations! We are delighted that you have received your offer to join the LSE Master of Public Administration (MPA) programme commencing in September. Although September is still a little way off, my colleagues and I are already – yes, already – looking forward to having you join us here in London. You will absolutely love it here, of that I am certain.  And we in turn will love teaching – and learning from – you.

Studying on the LSE MPA will give you the opportunity join a staggeringly diverse student community at one of the world’s leading social science universities.  As you pursue your studies, living in the heart of London and enjoying all that this global city has to offer, you will be developing a whole host of new public policy skills, drawing on big ideas – and learning cutting-edge methods – from economics, political science, statistics, management, and other disciplines. You’ll also get plenty of opportunities to hone those skills and put them to good practical use, all culminating in a real-world policy challenge our second-year MPA students undertake as part of a consultancy project with an external client.   

I can’t wait to bring this dynamic class together, hear about your plans for the future, and help to make your experience with us as intellectually stimulating, and fun, as it can possibly be.  We look forward to getting to know you and we very much hope to see you here in September!

First day and campus enrolment: 17 September 2024

Detailed programme and curriculum info: Master of Public Policy

Pre-arrival preparation

Prior to your arrival at LSE, you will receive details about optional readings and online learning materials which are designed to help you to prepare for the programme. These materials can be found below:

Pre-reading list for 2024-25

Introduction to basic maths and stats for public policy (5-week online course)

We will offer a 5-week online course as an introduction to basic maths and stats for public policy. While we will not be monitoring attendance of the pre-arrival course, it is absolutely expected that all students with little or no experience of quantitative methods and statistics engage with this course and complete it to the best of their ability. The course will be crucial in providing you with the foundational knowledge required for the MPP core course PP402. Students with greater amounts of experience in quantitative subjects are nonetheless still encouraged to attend the course, as it will prove a useful refresher of the knowledge required for PP402. 

The course will begin on Tuesday 27 August and run for five weeks online. The first three weeks will be online and the final two week in-person and ‘hybrid’ at the LSE. There will be an ‘live’ 90-minute teaching session each weekday, led by a member of SPP faculty. You will also receive pre-recorded videos to watch in preparation for the live session, and practice exercises.

The live sessions will run from 1.30pm to 3pm each weekday (London time). We would encourage you to join these live sessions at the time they take place. If, however, you are unable attend a session, a recording will be made available, allowing you to catch up with what you have missed. 

We will send out further details of the curriculum for this course in the coming weeks. You will also be able to register online prior to the course to access digital teaching materials.

Mathematics and Statistics Self-Directed Learning Module

These self-directed pre-arrival modules will introduce some of the key skills, techniques and terminology required for your programme. 

There are seven pre-arrival modules in total, which are grouped into two parts.

• Introduction & Part 1 Maths & Statistics Modules 1 - 4
• Part 2 Maths & Statistics Modules 5 -7
• Answer Key to Practice Questions

MPP Linkedin group: a place where offer holders can connect to current students and alumni.

Welcome from MPP Programme Director - Dr Simon Bastow

Congratulations! I am delighted that you have received your offer to join the LSE Master of Public Policy programme in September.

The MPP is a highly competitive programme at a world-leading social science university. It is a great achievement to receive an offer and I hope that you are feeling excited and proud that you have secured your place with us.

The MPP will challenge you to become more equipped, astute, and confident in the understanding and practicing the ‘craft of government’. You will learn transferable skills and have space to apply them in tackling the big public policy problems of today and tomorrow.

This will also be an opportunity to develop your transferable skills as a policy professional. We will help you reflect on your career path to date, boost your current trajectory, explore possible new horizons, and prepare you for practical next steps.

I look forward to getting to know you and we hope to see you in September!

First day and campus enrolment: 2 September 2024 (start of programming bootcamp)

Detailed programme and curriculum info: MPA in Data Science for Public Policy

Pre-arrival preparation

Prior to your arrival at LSE, you will receive details about optional readings and online learning materials which are designed to help you to prepare for the programme. These materials can be found below:

Pre-reading list for 2024-25

Mathematics and Statistics Self-Directed Learning Module

These self-directed pre-arrival modules will introduce some of the key skills, techniques and terminology required for your programme. There are seven pre-arrival modules in total, which are grouped into two parts.

For those of you who may not have had much prior exposure to quantitative subjects, you are highly recommended to complete these modules - for some of you this has been recommended in your offer letter. For others, the modules are optional, but we do encourage you to work through them as a useful opportunity to refresh your quantitative skills before you start your studies. 

• Introduction & Part 1 Maths & Statistics Modules 1 - 4
• Part 2 Maths & Statistics Modules 5 -7
• Answer Key to Practice Questions  

Welcome from MPA in Data Science for Public Policy Programme Director - Professor Alexander Evans

Congratulations! We are delighted that you have received your offer to join the LSE Master of Public Administration in Data Science for Public Policy (MPA-DSPP) programme. This highly competitive degree programme explores how we can utilise our increasingly vast data footprint to improve public services, decision-making and governance.

We are looking forward to welcoming you here at the LSE in London in early September as we begin our journey together at your Introduction and Programming Bootcamp. Here you will have the opportunity to connect with your new classmates and develop the key foundational programming skills to be able to view public policy through a data science lens and tackle core course material throughout the following two years.

Studying on the LSE MPA-DSPP will give you the opportunity join a staggeringly diverse student community at one of the world’s leading social science universities. In this unique MPA programme, you will have the opportunity for deep study of data science and technology policy issues combined with development of a host of new public policy, quantitative and coding skills. These will be put to practical use as part of the Capstone Project with an external client, providing a rich blend to support your personal and professional development.

I can’t wait to bring this dynamic cohort together as we work together to analyse and address pressing policy challenges in an increasingly complex and data-driven world. We look forward to getting to know you and we very much hope to see you here in September!

First day and campus enrolment: 16 September 2024

Detailed programme and curriculum info: Master of Public Administration (Toronto DD)

Pre-arrival preparation

Prior to your arrival at LSE, you will receive details about optional readings and online learning materials which are designed to help you to prepare for the programme. These materials can be found below:

Pre-reading list for 2024-25

Mathematics and Statistics Self-Directed Learning Module

These self-directed pre-arrival modules will introduce some of the key skills, techniques and terminology required for your programme. There are seven pre-arrival modules in total, which are grouped into two parts.

For those of you who may not have had much prior exposure to quantitative subjects, you are highly recommended to complete these modules - for some of you this has been recommended in your offer letter. For others, the modules are optional, but we do encourage you to work through them as a useful opportunity to refresh your quantitative skills before you start your studies. 

• Introduction & Part 1 Maths & Statistics Modules 1 - 4
• Part 2 Maths & Statistics Modules 5 -7
• Answer Key to Practice Questions  

Welcome from MPA Double Degree Programme Director - Professor Vanessa Rubio-Márquez

Congratulations! As the Associate Dean for the LSE School of Public Policy, I am delighted that you have received your offer to join our MPA double degree programme commencing in September.

This achievement gives you the opportunity to be part of a truly special cohort of public policy students at two of the world’s most highly regarded public policy schools. The double degree will allow you to explore and develop your passion for public policy whilst you benefit from the resources and opportunities that both universities have to offer. 

First day and campus enrolment: 16 September 2024

Detailed programme and curriculum info: Master of Public Administration (Columbia DD)

Pre-arrival preparation

Prior to your arrival at LSE, you will receive details about optional readings and online learning materials which are designed to help you to prepare for the programme. These materials can be found below:

Pre-reading list for 2024-25

Mathematics and Statistics Self-Directed Learning Module

These self-directed pre-arrival modules will introduce some of the key skills, techniques and terminology required for your programme. There are seven pre-arrival modules in total, which are grouped into two parts.

For those of you who may not have had much prior exposure to quantitative subjects, you are highly recommended to complete these modules - for some of you this has been recommended in your offer letter. For others, the modules are optional, but we do encourage you to work through them as a useful opportunity to refresh your quantitative skills before you start your studies. 

• Introduction & Part 1 Maths & Statistics Modules 1 - 4
• Part 2 Maths & Statistics Modules 5 -7
• Answer Key to Practice Questions  

Welcome from MPA Double Degree Programme Director - Professor Vanessa Rubio-Márquez

Congratulations! As the Associate Dean for the LSE School of Public Policy, I am delighted that you have received your offer to join our MPA double degree programme commencing in September.

This achievement gives you the opportunity to be part of a truly special cohort of public policy students at two of the world’s most highly regarded public policy schools. The double degree will allow you to explore and develop your passion for public policy whilst you benefit from the resources and opportunities that both universities have to offer.

Additional fee information (Columbia SIPA)

Please note you will need to take some actions for SIPA once you have enrolled on the programme and your Columbia student account becomes active. This includes paying some fees including a Health Services and document fee directly to Columbia University while you are at LSE.

Columbia University charges all full-time students a Health Services Fee, which in 2024/25 will be $702 per semester, including semesters spent abroad. In addition, if you have never been enrolled at Columbia previously, you will be charged a one-time Document Fee, which in 2024/25 will be $105. These fees can be subject to increase in future academic years, so please ensure that you check the SIPA website for more information. You will not be charged for tuition (you will only pay tuition to SIPA during the second year of the programme in 2024/25).

Columbia University will also require that you submit official transcripts to Columbia SIPA (for each post-secondary institution attended) before your arrival at Columbia. Columbia will follow up with specifics next year if they have not already received your official electronic transcript (paper transcripts will not be accepted). Please note that you may be required to pay a fee to send your official transcripts directly to SIPA.

Upcoming Offer Holder Events

There are no upcoming offer holder events.

Previous Offer Holder Events

MPA Double Degree with LSE and Columbia University Information Session for Offer Holders - 11 June

Zoom recording
Passcode: 1dum??21

MPA/MGA Double Degree with LSE and University of Toronto Information Session for Offer Holders - 6 June

Zoom recording
Passcode: zNJXgJ*1

MPA in Data Science for Public Policy (MPA-DSPP) Offer Holder Session - 21 May

Zoom recording
Passcode: BCQ#9A5w

Master of Public Policy (MPP) Offer Holder Session - 15 May

Zoom recording
Passcode: 6p6@Uie=

Master of Public Administration (MPA) Offer Holder Session - 8 May 2024

Zoom recording
Passcode: P1@4+!PP

'Good policy in a world of polarisation and populism' - taster lecture with Professor Vanessa Rubio-Márquez

Zoom recording
Passcode: J1n4QG!c

Admissions drop-in sessions

Our Graduate Admissions Premium Service Manager, Kathryn Ward, will be hosting individual online drop-in sessions for our offer holders to help to answer your specific admissions queries. Appointments are available to book up to 14 days in advance and more dates will be released each week. Sign up here.

SPP recruitment events

To see our upcoming and previous events, please see our webpage.

Check out the online Destination LSE events for all LSE offer holders, which will cover topics such as career planning, part-time jobs, halls of residence and private accommodation advice.

Find out more about our amazing campus and how you can visit us, including how you can register for campus tours hosted by LSE students (every Wednesday during term time), on this website.

You can also take a self-guided tour using the information here.

The Student Buddy Scheme connects the new cohort of MPA, MPA-DSPP, MPP and Double Degree students with 2nd-year MPA students and alums who offer guidance and support to start your new experience at the SPP, LSE, and London!

It is an opportunity to connect with SPP students or alums with similar interests that will make you feel welcomed and a part of our SPP community. Buddies will meet (virtually or in person) with the incoming students and share their experience and advice, as well as tips to make the best of your experience. Many of the buddies will become your fellow classmates or even friends! 

Stay tuned for more information about the SPP buddy scheme later in the year.

Find out more about what is happening in the SPP community by following us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X. 

Connect with your fellow offer holders on our LinkedIn group.

MPP students can connect with current students and alumni: MPP LinkedIn group 

You can also check out our Student Community page to see everything going on at the SPP.

LSE student bloggers and student vloggers share some helpful advice on student life at LSE.

• Blogs about accommodation
• Blogs about living in London
• Blogs about studying a Master's
• Other student blog categories

Beyond your studies you will always remain a part of the School of Public Policy and our community of over 2000+ alumni around the world. You will have opportunities to connect at alumni network events and receive regular updates from the community. 

Find out more about life as an SPP alum