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Applicant FAQs

Frequently asked questions for Department of Statistics applicants

Thank you for considering LSE as your place of study! If you have a question and you can’t find the answer below, please get in touch with us via statistics@lse.ac.uk.

Making an application 

Is there a deadline for applications?

There is no official deadline for applications however, we advise that you apply as soon as possible as competition for places is fierce.

The programme I wanted to apply for is closed.

Most of our programmes close earlier than sceuduled due to reaching full capacity. Unfortunately if the Programme is closed, we can no longer accept any applicants. Our waiting list will also have reached full capacity. 

We would advise to apply when admissions re-open in October.

Am I eligible to apply?

You can find basic entry requirements for each programme by clicking on the programme which you are interested in and scrolling down to 'Entry Requirements'.

Regretably due to the amount of enquires, we are unable to advise on individual cases.

Overseas students should consult the section on Equivalence of non-UK qualifications at the graduate prospectus website (please see the Graduate Admissions website).

We also recommend that you consult the course descriptions for the courses on your chosen programme. This will give you a better idea of your suitability for the course as you should be familiar at least with some of the course content prior to starting the course. You can find these under the Programme Regulations. If you click the title of each course, you will be taken directly to the course guide.

Can I transfer to one of your programmes from my current university? 

For MSc students, we do not accept external transfers into our programmes. For Undergraduate students we also do not accept transfers, but students can apply for direct entry into their 2nd or 3rd year of study with relevant study elsewhere. Please email the Undergraduate Programmes Manager for more information if needed. 

I am still waiting to find out if my application has been accepted. Can you advise me? 

For MSc students please visit the Graduate Admissions Office website to check the status of your application or for UG students please check the Undergraduate Admissions Office website

All applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions Office and the Department of Statistics is not involved in the processing of applications and therefore we are unable to answer any questions on this.

Who can I contact with a question about my application? 

The central Graduate Admissions and Undergraduate Admissions deals with all applications to Department of Statistics programmes.

 

Entry Requirements 

Do I require GRE/GMAT scores for acceptance on to your taught postgraduate programmes?

The Department of Statistics does not require GRE/GMAT scores for entry on to our taught postgraduate programmes or for our MPhil/PhD in Statistics.

Do you require references?

Yes. The Department of Statistics requires references to be submitted with your application form for all MSc programmes. Normally, this will be a tutor from your current or previous academic institution. 

Take a look at helpful information regarding references

Are there any language requirements?

If your first language is not English or if the language of instruction of your previous degree is not English, we ask you to provide evidence of your command of English.

English tests must be less than two years old. If you have not yet taken the test, your application can be considered in its absence, but any offer will be conditional on your achieving the required score.

Please see here for more information.

What should I write in my personal statement and how long should it be?

Your personal statement should state why you want to do the programme applied for and why you have chosen LSE. Brief details of your academic background and aspirations are also useful. If your background is outside of mathematics or statistics then you should provide further explanation of how your experience is relevant to the programme applied for; as well as further details of your current studies.

Your personal statement should be concise and need not be more than 500 words.

If you are applying for more than one choice in the Department of Statistics, it is recommended that you submit two separate personal statements. If the two programmes for which you are applying are very similar and you would prefer to combine the information in one statement then you may do so; however, please ensure that your statement clearly addresses your motivations for applying for each separate programme.

 

Our Programmes

Which programmes does the Department of Statistics offer? 

We offer four undergraduate degrees: BSc Actuarial Science, BSc Data Science, BSc Mathematics, Statistics and Business and BSc Financial Mathematics and Statistics. 

You can find out more by visiting our BSc Study webpages. 

We offer four taught MSc programmes: MSc Statistics, LSE-Fudan Double Masters in Financial Statistics and Chinese Economy, MSc Quantitative Methods for Risk Management and MSc Data Science.

You can find out more by visiting our MSc Study webpages. 

We offer a PhD in Statistics too and you can find out more via our PhD pages

Can I study part time?

Please see our part-time student FAQs for further information on part-time study.

Please note that there is no part time mode of study at Undergraduate level. 

How many contact hours will I have if I study part time?

For master's degrees, the usual arrangement is to undertake half of the programme in one year and half in the following year. You will be subject to the same timetable as a full-time student, albeit with a reduced number of hours per week.

As the School timetable changes on an annual basis and is not finalised until August, we are unable to confirm this information in advance. Part-time students are strongly advised to wait until the timetable is available before finalising their other commitments. Contact time per week will vary according to the course so please check the timetable carefully.

You should be aware that part-time study alone is insufficient to obtain entry clearance to the UK on a student visa. See www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/student-visas for more details.

 

Fees and Financial Support 

What are the fees for my chosen programme?

Please visit the programme page of your chosen programme for confirmation of the tuition fees.

Are any scholarships or other financial support available for Master's students? 

Yes. Each year LSE offers over £12.7 million in scholarships to its graduate students. There are also funding opportunities from external organisations, research councils and governments around the world.

See Applying for an LSE scholarship.

Approximately 19% of taught master's offer holders are successful in obtaining some form of financial support from the School.

The value of support ranges in value from 10% of the tuition fee to a full fees and maintenance award.

Although the terms of the UK's exit agreement from the EU have not yet been finalised, LSE will continue to make funding available to all students regardless of fee status.

Needs-based awards

We offer a range of needs-based awards for taught master's programmes. This includes:

Country based and programme related awards for MSc or PhD study

The School also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific programmes or subject areas.

External funding opportunities

UK Government loans

postgraduate master's loan of up to £10,906 from the UK government is available for new students studying a first master's programme, to help with fees and living costs.

postgraduate doctoral loan of up to £25,700 from the UK government is available for new students studying a doctoral degree programme, to help with fees and living costs.

Disabled Student's Allowance

Disabled Student's Allowance (DSA) for UK students is expected to be available to help with costs incurred during a programme as a result of a disability.

Loan schemes from other countries

Loan schemes to help fund graduate study at LSE are also available from some other countries. Student loan information

Please note that the Financial Support Office does not process these and is unable to offer any advice or information regarding them. 

Co-funded awards

The School works with funding and scholarship agencies around the world to co-fund a number of awards.

Other external funding opportunities

External organisations offering funding are listed on the country pages for taught master's study and research study. Please contact these organisations rather than LSE for further information.

How should I pay my fees?

Please visit the LSE Fees Office website for full details on how to pay your fees, payment plans, rewards/discounts for early payment, and any other payment queries.

What financial support can I get from LSE?

The LSE does provide some financial support for the Taught Masters programmes and Research programmes. Details can be found on the Financial Support website.

Finding out more

How do I...?

The How do I...? section provides guidance on carrying out the most common tasks for applicants. You can check the status of your application, amend or add course choices, submit new information, change from full-time to part-time and pay administration fees. If you have already received an offer of a place on our course you are able to request offer certificates, decline your offer or request to defer your offer, amongst other things.

I have a question about my chosen programme/about the Department of Statistics, who can I speak to?

Please note that due to the high volume of enquiries that we receive, we are regrettably unable to advise on individual suitability for any of our programmes.

You can email the Department in the first instance and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have about our programmes and the department.

You can also take a look at our Professional Services Staff details on the People tab too. 

How do I find out more about visa requirements?

The Department of Statistics is unable to advise on visa queries.

Please contact the specilaist visa advice team. 

Can I visit the department to discuss my application?

No, we are unable to take visitors in the Department of Statistics, however LSE has many ways in which you can virtually visit campus and ask questions!

You can attend an LSE Discovery Session which will introduce prospective students to the range of study options at LSE, student life and the application process via Zoom! You can also speak to the Student Marketing and Recruitment team via a Live Chat! There are many ways to discover LSE from the comfort of your own home