When we process your application we add it to our database and send you an email acknowledgement with your application number and details of any missing documents, if applicable. Please do not contact us to request your application number prior to receiving your email acknowledgement. Once all the required documents have been processed, a further acknowledgement is sent to you. At this point the file is passed to the selectors for your first choice. Your application will only be considered for your second choice if your first choice application is unsuccessful or if the first choice programme has already closed. For a more comprehensive overview of the decision making process, please see www.lse.ac.uk/collections/graduateAdmissions/decisionMaking

Timetable

For the timetable for processing master's and diploma applications, please see www.lse.ac.uk/collections/graduateAdmissions. The earlier we receive your application, the sooner a decision can be made. The first offers will be released from January 2009 onwards. If you apply after January the decision time increases. Please check the LSE website before asking us for information. For further information including news about events affecting decision times, as well as a link allowing you to track your application, please see www.lse.ac.uk/collections/graduateAdmissions/breakingNews
For research programmes, the decisions are made by panels of selectors at meetings throughout the year – you should apply at least six months before the start of the term in which you wish to commence your study. Please be aware that the allocation of a suitable supervisor may take some time. We rarely hold interviews: the department will contact you if an interview is necessary.

The decision

A decision is authoritative and official only if it has been sent in writing from the Graduate Admissions Office. Decisions on admissions are made on the basis of academic merit and available places on specific programmes.

The decision sent to you will be one of these:

An unconditional offer. You satisfy all of the academic conditions required before entry and we are offering you a place. You may still need to supply originals or certified copies of some documents.
A conditional offer. You do not yet satisfy the academic conditions required before entry but you propose to do so. The conditions are given in the offer letter and may include tests such as English language as well as degree results, or pre-sessional or summer school courses.
You are on a waiting list. In this case we need more time before making a full decision. We shall make that decision by the end of April 2009. At that stage we may be able to offer you admission, a place on the reserve list, or, depending on the level of competition, we may be unable to offer you a place. Final confirmation of the reserve list will take place by 31 July 2009.
We are unable to offer you a place. This decision is final and not open to appeal. It may be that the programme is already full – in this case, you may request that your application is considered for an alternative choice(s) or reinstate your application for the following year.

Applying for financial support

You will be sent a link to the online application form for the Graduate Support Scheme when we acknowledge your application. You should complete this as soon as possible – see Financial help from LSE for more details.

There is considerable additional financial support available. Please see www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentServicesCentre/financialSupportOffice for information on how to apply.

Further action

If your offer is conditional you need to provide proof that you satisfy the stated conditions as soon as you can. The latest date for this is registration at the start of your study.

We will publish full information about costs, fees, accommodation and registration at www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentServicesCentre/newArrivals and in the booklet accompanying your offer letter. Registration will be withheld if you cannot satisfy us, by reference to original documentation, that you have obtained the qualifications required.

Applicants from overseas may require a visa to study in the UK. Please see www.ukvisas.gov.uk for full information. Visas may take some time to arrange and early applications are recommended. If you wish to receive a reading list etc for your programme, you should contact your department after receiving your offer.

Deferring your offer

If you are unable to take up a 2009/10 offer of a place, you may wish to defer your offer to 2010/11. To apply to do this you must complete the online deferral request form at www.lse.ac.uk/collections/graduateAdmissions/howDoI/deferralForm.htm by 31 October 2009. If the request is granted you must submit a deposit of £500 by 31 January 2010. Failure to pay the deposit will result in your offer being withdrawn. Deferral of your offer is not guaranteed; if your request is denied, you may still take up your offer for the current year or reinstate your application. It may take up to four weeks to make a decision regarding your deferral request.

Reinstating your application

If you are unable to take up your offer of a place and the department is not willing to defer your offer, or if your application is not successful, you may wish to reinstate your application from 2009/10 to 2010/11. You must complete the online reinstate request form at www.lse.ac.uk/collections/graduateAdmissions/howDoI/reinstateForm.htm by 13 November 2009. You will have to submit a new application assessment fee. After 13 November 2009 all unsuccessful 2009/10 application files will be destroyed.

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