We understand that the application process can be an anxious time. Please read carefully the information in this section and follow the instructions given; this will help to ensure that everything runs quickly and smoothly. You will be able to track the progress of your application on the web.
You must apply early, as competition for programmes at LSE is intense. Applications open on 15 October 2007.

Please see Graduate Admissions for up to date and comprehensive information about graduate programmes. The site contains links to other sources of information regarding all aspects of the application process, including the online enquiries system. If you have any questions that are not answered on the site before you apply, you should email the Recruitment and Admissions team (please see Admissions Enquiries).

To be considered for admission, all applicants must supply the documents A to E below, and F to H where applicable. Programmes administered jointly by LSE and other institutions may have specific requirements; please consult individual programme entries. All documents are treated as confidential and are non-returnable.

A. Application form

There are two ways to apply:

Online via a link on the LSE website (please see online application). This service includes online reference requests and transcript uploading. We recommend this option as it is cheaper than applying by post and guarantees secure delivery.
By post using the LSE application pack. You can download the application pack (which consists of an application form, academic reference forms, transcript request forms and payments of application form (in pdf format). See the apply by post page on the graduate admissions web site.

Alternatively, you can request a paper copy of the forms by telephoning the Graduate Admissions Office: +44 (0)20 7955 7160

If you choose to complete the paper form please ensure that you write clearly.

B. Application assessment fee

Please note that the application assessment fee is not refundable. You must check that the programmes you are applying for have places available before submitting your application.

Online: You must pay by credit card only when you submit your application. Full details can be found on the website. The fee is £30 – half the cost of a paper application. Last year 90 per cent of applicants chose to apply online.

By post: We accept a cheque made payable to LSE, drawing on a UK bank; travellers' cheques; bank draft; GB£ sterling money order; GB postal order; or Visa, MasterCard or Maestro, by completing the section on the supplementary application form. We cannot consider applications until payment is received. The fee is £60 for a paper application.

Via the British Council: Applications submitted on your behalf by a British Council Office or the British Education Counselling Service do not require a fee.

C. Two academic references

Online: When applying online you can supply your academic references (from tutors who have taught you at university) as part of the online process. This is a secure and confidential service for referees and helps speed up the decision making process. If you are offered a place at LSE your referee may be asked to supply an original reference on headed university notepaper, and you will be informed in your offer letter if this is the case. If you or your referees prefer, you may submit your references by post as listed below.

By post: References must be signed documents on headed university/institution notepaper (not the supplementary form), and should be typed in English. We discourage the submission of handwritten and photocopied references. If your application is successful, we must receive original or certified signed documents prior to registration. For further guidance, please see Admissions Enquiries. We will accept a translation, but only if it has an official stamp from your university or a translation service and if the original document is also supplied. We will not accept an unofficial translation.

Current students and applicants who graduated after January 2003 must supply two academic references. References should be from a teaching member of your current (or, if you have graduated, from your most recent) university department.
Applicants who graduated before January 2003 may supply one non-academic reference in place of one of your academic references. This should normally be a reference from your most recent employer (in standard professional reference format). If you graduated from your most recent academic study before January 1998 and no academic references are available, you may supply two professional references. It is in your interests to supply academic references wherever possible.
Applicants for Law programmes should ask at least one referee to indicate their overall ranking in class either for the final year or, preferably, for the whole degree. If an exact ranking is not possible the referee should be asked to give an approximation, for example, 'top ten per cent'.
Applicants for MSc Statistics and MSc Risk and Stochastics are not required to submit references with the application, however you must submit the name and email address of one referee.
Applicants currently registered at LSE need only supply a single reference if they intend to remain within the same department, and two references if they wish to be admitted to a different department.

D. Transcripts/ mark sheets and proof of existing qualifications

Online: You may submit scanned versions of your transcripts with your online application, in English or officially translated as described below. If your application is successful, we must receive original or certified signed documents prior to registration. From the outset you may also choose to supply these documents by post.

By post: We require original or certified copies of all documents in English. We will accept a translation, but only if it has an official stamp from your university or a translation service and if the original document is also supplied. We will not accept an unofficial translation. If you cannot supply original documents at the time you submit your application, we will accept photocopies at that stage, but original documents are preferred. If your application is successful, we must receive original or certified signed documents prior to registration.

Qualifications pending: The transcript or mark sheet is a list of subjects studied and the grades obtained to date. If you are at a university that does not supply transcripts or mark sheets, please ask your academic referees to comment in detail on your progress, including your marks obtained in all years of study. You may apply if you are awaiting any examination results. You must have fully graduated by October 2008.
Qualifications held: The transcript should include the information above, plus your final overall grade and the date on which your qualification was awarded. You should supply this information for all university level study. If your transcript does not include your final mark and date of award, you should send a certified copy of your degree certificate as well. Do not send your original degree certificate, as documents cannot be returned.
Applicants currently or formerly registered at LSE do not need to supply transcripts of their LSE qualifications as these are generated internally.

E. Personal Statement

You must submit a personal statement with your application form. This should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words. It should describe your academic interests and your purpose and objectives in undertaking graduate study. If you are applying for two programmes please ensure that your personal statement addresses why you are applying for each programme.

F. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test and Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)

If GRE or GMAT scores are required by your chosen programme(s) it is essential that you supply them at the time you apply. You should include your test scores in the relevant section of the application form, stating the percentile and marks obtained for all three sections of the test. Your application cannot be processed until this is received as the GRE/GMAT is often a vital deciding factor. If you receive an offer of admission, you will have to submit proof of your score. See Entry Requirements for more information.

G. Research proposal

MPhil/PhD

You should state your research topic as accurately as possible on a separate sheet. Your research proposal should address the following questions:

What is your general topic?
What questions do you want to answer?
What is the key literature and its limitations?
What are the main hypotheses of the work?
What methodology do you intend to use?
What are your case studies, if any, and what are your case selection criteria?

MPhil/PhD applications that are received without a research proposal that addresses these questions will not be considered. Your proposal should be approximately 1,500 words in length (outline proposals for MRes programmes can be shorter).

You should also indicate if you have discussed your proposed research with any member of the LSE academic staff and the name of that person.

ESRC 1+3/2+2 or MRes/PhD

You must include an outline research proposal with your application – see above.

H. English test scores

If you have already taken the TOEFL or IELTS at the time you apply, you should include your most recent test scores and score report form number in the relevant section of the application form.

I. Miscellaneous supporting documents

If you are applying for a programme in a different field from that of your principal/ major degree subject, you may wish to supply additional material supporting your application; for example if you hold a degree in engineering and are applying for MSc Human Rights on the basis of your current employment, a supplementary professional reference would be helpful. Do not send non-documentary materials such as video tapes, CDs or large publications, as we do not have the facilities to include these with your application file and they will be discarded.

Address and conditions

Paper application forms and documentation should be sent to:

Graduate Admissions Office
PO Box 13420
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AR

If you are sending your application package by courier service, omit PO Box 13420 from the above address. All post is received by our central post room. We do not accept application forms sent by fax.

Please do not send supporting documents directly to the academic department as this will delay your application.

Wherever possible, please send all supporting documents in a single package (with your application form if you are not applying online). If this is not possible (for example where your referee is sending a reference to us directly) please ensure that all documents bear your full name as it appears on the application form and your date of birth or programme choice(s). Please note that we will acknowledge documents when they are processed rather than when they are received. Current processing dates will be available on the Graduate Admissions webpage please check the current processing date before contacting us regarding your documents.

Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that your application is complete, including all references, the transcript and the fee, and where applicable GRE/GMAT and research proposal. You should also be aware that all documents are non-returnable.

Programme selectors will not consider incomplete applications. If you apply without the full supporting documentation your application form will not be passed to the academic selector until we receive the outstanding documentation.

Duplicate forms

Do not submit more than one application form. If you are applying via a British Council Office or the British Education Counselling Service do not send a separate application to the School.

Likewise, if you are applying online, do not send a separate application to the School.

You may only apply for two programmes, which will be considered sequentially in the order of preference. If you send a second form with further choices, this will delay your application.

It is not possible to hold more than one offer of a place at LSE.

Joint programmes

LSE has developed a number of programmes which are administered jointly with other institutions such as Peking University in Beijing and University of Southern California in California. Any particular requirements for these programmes will be listed under their individual entries in the prospectus. Your application will be considered by selectors from both institutions, and this means that it may take much longer for a decision to be made on these programmes than the single centre programmes. We will advise you of the decision as soon as possible.

^ Back to top