LSE Springboard: Years 12-13

Applications for Springboard 2024-2025 are now closed.

LSE Springboard provides participants with a taste of university-level teaching and learning at LSE, as well as the information needed to make a competitive application to LSE and other high-tariff universities.

The programme is delivered in a hybrid format. Participants will be invited to LSE Springboard campus days to fully experience the LSE community alongside participating in a full online programme involving academic enrichment and information, advice and guidance.

The programme is free to participate in, with the cost of all activities and travel to and from campus covered by LSE.

Successful participation in and completion of the LSE Springboard programme will enable participants who apply to LSE to be considered for a contextual offer.

See Admissions information for full details and all eligibility criteria.

LSE Springboard will begin on Tuesday 14 January 2025 (when students are in Year 12) and end in Autumn 2025 (when students are in Year 13).

All activities take place online via Zoom, except the three campus visits.

Our campus visits take place on Fridays during school term time and require all participants to arrive at LSE by 10:30am at the latest, and finish at around 4pm. The first campus visit will take place on Friday 11 April 2025, the other two dates will be confirmed once the programme has started.

If your travel is likely to take longer than three hours each way, you will need to make arrangements which would allow you to get to LSE in time for the visits. We will be in touch with you and your parent/carer to confirm suitable travel arrangements can be made before finalising your place on the programme.

To find out more about our campus, please visit our Campus life webpage.

All other activities take place online. If you are offered a place on the programme, we will ask you about your tech set-up and whether you need any extra support from us to access the programme online.

LSE Springboard includes:

Three campus visits to LSE, including an activity to explore student life in London and an end of programme celebration
An online academic programme taught by PhD Tutors and delivered in partnership with The Brilliant Club
Tailored personal statement feedback and support
Information on LSE Accommodation and living in London
Virtual information sessions on applying to university, student finance and budgeting, and student wellbeing.

In our most recent 2023-24 programme survey, 97 per cent of respondents rated LSE Springboard as good or excellent, and 89 per cent of respondents felt that the programme had met or exceeded their expectations.

“The bespoke support across a massive number of areas from finance to personal statement writing has been really helpful for me.”
“The programme has been a great experience, meeting other like-minded people my age and getting the chance to experience learning as if it's university.”
“The programme has provided me with opportunities and experiences that I would not have had if I did not take part. It has also helped with applying to universities and what life in London may be like.”

LSE Springboard is free to participate in. All of the activities, resources and catering are paid for, and we will cover the cost of your travel to and from campus. We will ensure that anyone selected to take part can fully access all activities.

Essential Criteria

To be eligible for LSE Springboard, you must meet all the following criteria:

Personal details – essential criteria

Be in Year 12 / the first year of your A levels or equivalent
Have always attended a UK state school or college (non-fee paying)
Live in a region of England or Wales which is not London or the South East
Be interested in applying to study at LSE
Be able to fully commit to the LSE Springboard programme between January – October 2025
On campus visit days, be able to complete a return journey to LSE from your home; please see the ‘when and where does LSE Springboard take place’ section for more information on campus visit expectations.

Academic achievements and potential – essential criteria

Have achieved at least grade 6 in GCSE English Language and Mathematics
Have achieved a strong set of GCSE grades overall, with the majority at grades 7, 8 and 9
Be on track to achieve at least the contextual offer grades for your chosen degree programme(s) at LSE. This includes studying any required A level subjects for your chosen degree programme. Full details of LSE’s undergraduate degree programmes are available on the programme webpages.

Additional criteria

When reviewing applications for LSE Springboard, the following criteria are prioritised. The following criteria are listed in order of priority.

Students who are care-experienced. LSE defines care-experienced as those who have been in the care of the local authority, with foster carers, in a residential children's home, under a supervision order while 'looked after at home', or living with friends or relatives in kinship care.
Students who live in an area of low Higher Education participation. LSE primarily assesses this by looking at the TUNDRA quintile for your home postcode – quintile 1 or quintile 2 indicate that you live in an area of low Higher Education participation. Quintiles 3, 4 and 5 indicate that you live in an area of medium to high Higher Education participation. You can check if you are in quintile 1 or 2 by entering your home postcode in this TUNDRA postcode checker.
Students who have ever been eligible for Free School Meals during their secondary education.
Students who are estranged from both parents
Students who are the first generation of their family to attend university.

Extenuating circumstances

Extenuating or special circumstances are also considered when reviewing applications for LSE Springboard. In the application form, you will have the opportunity to provide more details about your extenuating circumstances.

Refugee / asylum seeker
Young Carer
Child of armed forces
Disruption to education
Bereavement of a parent/carer
Any other extenuating circumstances.

If you are unsure about any of the eligibility criteria, or whether you can apply to LSE Springboard, please contact Ard.Springboard@lse.ac.uk.

Applications for Springboard 2025-2025 are now closed.

The LSE Springboard team will communicate selection decisions via email by Friday 29 November 2024.

Applicants will be considered for places based on the extent to which they meet our widening participation criteria, which are listed above in order of priority above.

If you have any questions about the programme or applications, please email Ard.Springboard@lse.ac.uk for more information.

If you have any questions, please email Ard.Springboard@lse.ac.uk and the LSE Springboard team will reply as soon as possible.

All staff and students involved in the sessions receive appropriate training before the event. Staff or students working directly and regularly with young people on activities receive specific training on working with children, in line with our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy. They also undergo an appropriate level Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Please note that as a result of circumstances or events outside of our control (known as a Force Majeure event), which includes but is not limited to industrial action, official government advice, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises, we may need to cancel an event at short notice.

In the event of a cancellation, a change of venue or date, we will endeavour to notify attendees wherever possible through the contact details given at the time of booking. For the avoidance of doubt, the School will not be liable for any costs you may incur as a result of any cancellation, change of venue or date.