1. What are the usual standard offer requirements?
A*AA – AAB at A level / 37 – 38 IB points with 666 or 766 at HL. Visit our entry requirements and international students pages for details of alternative accepted qualifications.
2. How do you use contextual information?
For Home/UK applicants, we also use contextual information to gain a more complete picture of the educational and individual context of an applicant.
The selector may use this information in the following ways:
- to make an applicant a standard offer where the applicant’s academic record (eg, GCSEs/AS levels or equivalent) or personal statement may be marginally less competitive than the cohort overall
- to make an applicant a standard offer where the applicant is predicted marginally below the usual entry requirements
- when making confirmation decisions for offer holders that have marginally failed to meet the entry criteria (usually this means one grade below the standard entry requirements)
- to make a contextual offer, where the contextual offer is one or two grades lower than the standard offer for the programme. Any mathematics requirement must still be met.
Visit our Admissions Information page for more detailed information.
3. Are there any interviews or admissions tests?
LSE does not interview for any of our degree programmes. All LLB Laws applicants are required to take the LNAT (National Admissions Test for Law), and the TMUA (Test of Mathematics for University Admission) is required for programmes in the Department of Economics and recommended (but not mandatory) for programmes in the Department of Mathematics and Department of Statistics. Please see our Applying to LSE page for more information.
4. How competitive is it to get a place at LSE?
Overall applications to places ratio = 13:1
Economics 17:1
Government/Philosophy 16:1
Law 15:1
Each of our programme pages list the application/offer/registration data for the previous application cycle.
5. Can students apply to more than one programme at LSE?
Students can apply to more than one degree at LSE, however they will only be able to submit one personal statement. The programmes will therefore need to be closely related to enable the applicant to show sufficient interest and enthusiasm for their chosen discipline. Applicants are only eligible to receive one offer in the same admissions cycle, so are advised to think carefully about whether applying to multiple courses at one institution is the most effective use of their UCAS application.
6. Is a student more likely to be made an offer if they apply early on in the application cycle?
No. All applications received by the UCAS January deadline are treated equally. Applications received early on in the cycle may therefore be held as part of a ‘gathered field’ to ensure that the students we make offers to are the best fit for their chosen programme, rather than simply the first to apply.
7. Do you consider deferred entry?
LSE is happy to consider applications from students who are taking a gap year. We would encourage them to briefly outline how they intend to spend the year in their personal statement. If the student is applying for a quantitative course, providing an indication of how they intend to maintain or refresh their mathematical knowledge during their gap year is helpful. Students can also request a deferral after they have been made an offer. Whilst the Undergraduate Admissions team will try to accommodate these requests, it is not guaranteed.
8. Is there an age requirement?
We can consider applications from students who will be under 18 at the time of registration. Details of successful candidates under the age of 18 at the time of registration will be communicated to the relevant academic departments and the senior adviser to students. This enables the School to consider putting in place reasonable adjustments or conditions of study to protect the interests of one or more parties, including those of the applicant. Notification of the School’s policy for under 18s is included as part of the standard offer letter. Halls of residence will also be notified.
9. What is LSE doing to widen participation?
Our Widening Participation Team run a number of projects for students attending non-selective state schools and colleges, designed to raise aspirations and encourage progression to higher education. Our Access and Participation Plan details our commitment to improving access to, and success within, the School for those groups currently underrepresented at LSE and in the wider HE sector.
10. Can a student drop a subject after they’ve been made an offer?
Please ask the student to contact the Undergraduate Admissions team before they drop any subject – even if it has not been included in their offer conditions. Offers are made based on the information supplied on the UCAS form, therefore any changes in study circumstances will need to be re-assessed. An admissions selector will consider the request and we aim to provide a final decision within two weeks.
11. Is there a quota for international students?
The number of student places at the School is determined through the School’s capacity to teach them. The School meets this requirement by setting caps on the number of UK and overseas students on each programme of study. This system therefore involves two selection processes for each programme (i.e. one for home students, and another for overseas students). LSE receives many more applications from highly qualified candidates than there are places available. The level of competition for places is intense, and therefore, the School is unable to make offers to many of these highly qualified candidates.
12. Is there a limit to how many students you can accept from one school?
No. Each applicant is assessed based on their individual academic merit, personal statement and UCAS reference. We do not have a set limit of places per school or college.
13. How do I communicate extenuating circumstances to LSE?
Please complete the online Extenuating Circumstances form.