Applications to undergraduate courses at LSE must be made via the Universities' and Colleges' Admissions Service (UCAS). The deadline for receipt of all applications is 15 January 2009.

If you have any queries regarding the application process, you will find the latest news, helpful guidelines and answers to frequently asked questions on the LSE website at www.lse.ac.uk/collections/undergraduateAdmissions. Alternatively, you can email the Undergraduate Admissions office at ug-admissions@lse.ac.uk

Step 1 – Applying via UCAS

Applications should be made online via UCAS (www.ucas.com). If you do not have access to the internet you can obtain the UCAS application form and UCAS Directory by contacting UCAS directly:

UCAS Rosehill
New Barn Lane
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire GL52 3LZ
Tel: 0871 4680 468 if you are calling from the UK
+44 870 1122211 if you are calling from outside the UK

When to apply

The UCAS office opening date for the receipt of applications for admission in October 2009 is 1 September 2008.

The last date for the receipt of applications to LSE to qualify for full and equal treatment is 15 January 2009.

Applying from outside the EU

The UCAS application procedure allows students applying from outside the EU to do so at any time between 1 September and 30 June. However, given the competition for places at LSE, ALL applicants are strongly advised to submit their applications to UCAS by 15 January. We will only consider applications submitted to UCAS after 15 January if there are places still available on the relevant degree programme.

Completing the UCAS form

When completing the application form you have a maximum of five choices.

The UCAS code number of this institution is L72 LSE – this should be entered clearly on the application form. There is no campus code for this institution.

It is important that you read our prospectus carefully to make sure you have understood the differences between our degrees, before you enter the course code on your form. If you wish to apply for other related degrees at LSE, you should note that selectors will pay great attention to the interests expressed in your personal statement.

Step 2 – LSE's entry requirements

We welcome applications from all prospective students and want to recruit students with the very best academic potential irrespective of their background. In order to achieve this we encourage applicants from the widest possible range of schools and colleges to take advantage of the opportunities available at LSE. For details of specific opportunities see Widening participation in Learn more about LSE.

In order to help you make the most of your choices, please read the following information carefully as it will help you determine whether you meet the necessary entry requirements.

Applicants should be aware that each application received is carefully considered on an individual basis, taking into account the full range of information presented on the UCAS form including personal statement, academic achievement (including both past and predicted grades) and references, before a final decision is made. For further information on admissions criteria, please see the admissions criteria pages on the Undergraduate Admissions web pages – www.lse.ac.uk/collections/undergraduateAdmissions/AdmissionsCriteria/Default.htm.

Age requirements

Admission to the School is based upon academic merit. As the School has a responsibility for safeguarding children under English Law, appropriate senior staff will be notified of an offer of admission made to anyone who will be younger than 18 years of age at the time of registration.

What qualifications will LSE accept?

We are looking for evidence that you have academic ability and achievement in breadth. For some degrees we require Mathematics or a language at A level, but apart from that we do not expect you to know much in detail about the subjects we teach; you would of course be well advised to read some of the preliminary texts recommended in each of our subject sections.

We expect the vast majority of applicants to offer four AS levels and then proceed to three full A levels, but we recognise that there may be resourcing problems in some schools and colleges which might prevent this exact combination. Applicants in this situation will not be penalised when applying to LSE. However, it is vital that we have knowledge of this situation if it applies to you, so that we can assess your application in the light of these constraints. Therefore, we would strongly advise you to request that your referee indicates, when writing your reference, whether resources are available to teach four or five AS levels in Year 12, and whether timetabling arrangements allow the uptake of a wide range of subjects. We envisage that we will continue to make conditional offers based normally on three full A levels (A2s).

Students are not required to have the Key Skills certificate for admission to LSE.

Finally, we do emphasise that we will continue to consider carefully the whole of each individual application and the circumstances of each applicant.

You will see that we express our standard offer in terms of A levels (by which we mean A2s) and the International Baccalaureate. A2 refers to the full A level taken at the end of the second year of advanced study and is distinct from the AS level (taken after one year of advanced study). Please read the entrance requirements carefully for the programme you are interested in, as standard offers and subject requirements vary between programmes. We are happy to consider many other qualifications, including any of the following, for example:

Scottish Advanced Highers (normally three Advanced Highers or two, plus one A level)
Irish Leaving Certificate
Welsh Baccalaureate
the European Baccalaureate
the French Baccalaureate

Other qualifications are also acceptable. Information is listed in the section Information for overseas students or, for further advice, email the Student Recruitment Office at stu.rec@lse.ac.uk or on the country sections of the Student Recruitment web pages at www.lse.ac.uk/collections/student recruitment/country.

If you have taken GCSE level qualifications, or the equivalent, these will also be taken into account in our admission decision.

Special considerations apply to mature students (see Information for mature students).

A level subjects

The School considers not only the subjects offered by applicants at A level (A2) and AS level, but also the combination of them. The School generally prefers certain subjects because it considers they are more likely to serve as effective preparation for studying at LSE. Admissions Tutors will normally consider one of the subjects listed below only if it is offered in combination with subjects that are not included in the list. For example, Mathematics, French and Economics would be a suitable combination for almost any of our degrees. Mathematics, French and Business would be acceptable, but we would prefer the first example. On the other hand, Mathematics, Accounting and Media Studies would not normally be considered as suitable as this combination includes two subjects on the list. You should also note that we are less concerned with subject combinations at AS level.

Applicants normally offer three A levels (A2s) in our generally preferred subjects, or two generally preferred subjects and one from the following list (this list is indicative of the types of subject that are 'non-preferred.' It is regularly reviewed by Admissions Tutors and is accurate at the time of going to press):

Accounting
Art and Design
Business Studies
Communication Studies
Design and Technology
Drama/Theatre Studies*
Home Economics
Information and Communication Technology
Law
Media Studies
Music Technology
Sports Studies
Travel and Tourism

* A number of departments regard Drama/Theatre Studies as a 'generally preferred subject'. Please check the Admissions Criteria web pages for further information.

Some departments also require specific subjects. Please check the advice on entry requirements for each of the degree programmes you are considering.

If you are taking General Studies or Critical Thinking at A level, your grades in these subjects will not be counted towards the requirements of any conditional offer we might make. Similarly, an A level or equivalent in your first language may not be counted. However, if we make you a conditional offer and you don't quite achieve the grades we have asked for, we might then take a good grade in such a subject into account.

The conditions of individual offers may be varied if the Admissions Tutor considers this appropriate.

VCE A level

Since the technical and vocational subjects currently offered in the VCE A level are not particularly appropriate to the subjects studied at LSE, we would normally expect such candidates to take, in addition, two A levels in traditional academic subjects.

The UCAS tariff

While LSE can appreciate the general usefulness of the UCAS tariff, we do not use it in terms of our own admissions criteria and procedures. We continue to require specific grades in particular subjects in acceptable academic qualifications. If we ask you to achieve grades ABB at A level, that is what we expect: we are not bound to accept you if, for example, you achieve AAC. In those circumstances, we would look at your application again on its individual merits at confirmation stage, once we know how many places are still available.

What kind of student is LSE looking for?

As you will see from the individual course information, there is a great deal of competition for places at the School. In 2007, we received 19,000 applications for 1,200 places. Competition for admission is particularly high in Accounting and Finance, Economics, Law and Management. Predicted or actual grades at the standard offer level will not guarantee an offer of admission. When selecting students, we are looking for the ability and motivation which will enable them to complete the course successfully and derive benefit from it. When we consider your application, we will decide on the basis of your previous and predicted qualifications and any other information that shows whether you have achieved the academic standard, level of knowledge (including proficiency in English) and motivation necessary to complete the course successfully. Your personal statement should indicate the nature and extent of your interest in the subject(s) you wish to study. This is particularly important where you have applied for a range of subjects and/or if you have no background of study in your chosen degree subject(s).

For further course specific information about the kind of students LSE is looking for, please refer to the individual programme listings under 'Entry profiles' which can be found on the UCAS website at www.ucas.com/students/coursesearch.

Each entry profile provides advice as to the type of student LSE looks to admit, including the subject combinations selectors look for and details of what should be included in your personal statement.

Step 3 – Considering your application

Applications are considered by members of academic staff, who will decide whether or not an offer can be made or whether to hold the application to be considered as part of a gathered field of applications.

Gathered field

There is intense competition for many of our courses and you should not therefore be surprised if you are advised that your application is being held as part of a gathered field to be considered along side all 'on-time' applications. This is done so that we may give fair and equal consideration to all the applications which are received by UCAS by the closing date of 15 January. Since we do not receive the final 'on-time' application forms until late January, we hold some earlier applications as part of this process. It means that we wish to look at your application again in the light of the later UCAS forms which we receive. We will contact you if we intend to consider your application as part of the gathered field. You are asked to contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office if the details or circumstances of your application should change in any way, for instance if you decide to change the A level or equivalent subjects you stated on your UCAS form. Similarly, if there are any extenuating circumstances which have an impact on your course of study e.g. illness, family circumstances or disruption to the delivery of your course at school, you should contact the Office. See the Admissions Criteria web pages for departmental requirements:
www.lse.ac.uk/collections/undergraduateAdmissions/AdmissionsCriteria/Default.htm

Entrance examination

We ask some applicants to take our entrance examination; this is held in March of each year and may be taken at LSE or in any approved examination centre in the UK or abroad. The exam lasts for three hours and consists of a précis of an English language text, essays on general discussion topics and tests of mathematical understanding. No special preparation is required and sample papers are available on the Undergraduate Admissions Office web pages from January to March.

Processing your form

LSE reserves the right to ask applicants to provide further information relating to any aspect of their application – information concerning entry qualifications, fee status or criminal convictions, for example. If additional information is not provided when requested there may be a delay in the consideration of your application.

Interviews

We do not normally interview applicants. Usually, interviews before decision are for mature students or those with unusual qualifications, or where the School needs more information to help in making a decision. Interviews may be more widely used for some degrees with smaller numbers of applicants.

Step 4 – Offers of admission

UCAS will inform you of our decision on your application.

You should reply through UCAS to any offer of admission. By accepting an offer of admission, you are agreeing to abide by the rules and regulations of the School, and accept that your relationship with the School is governed by English law, and that the English courts have sole jurisdiction. Copies of the regulations are available on request.

Your offer of admission and acceptance of a place applies to a named degree. Only in exceptional circumstances will the School permit a student to transfer from one programme to another within the School at/or after registration.

If you accept our offer and then find that you have problems or are ill around the time of your examinations, you, or preferably your school/college, should write to the Undergraduate Admissions Office by the date stated in the offer pack which you will receive with your offer letter from LSE. This means that if you marginally fail to meet the conditions of your offer, details of the reasons why this might have happened will already be on your file for the Admissions Tutor to see when s/he decides whether or not your offer can still be confirmed.

If we make you an offer, we will send you information about accommodation and financial matters at the same time.

LSE Visit Day

If you are made an offer of admission we will invite you to visit the School to find out more about your programme of study and life at LSE. Further details will be included in your offer pack.

Registration and induction information

Later in the year you will receive a welcome pack for accepted students. The welcome pack contains details of the arrangements for registration and induction, and all the information you will need before your arrival at LSE.

Appeals against academic decisions

With over 19,000 applications for just 1,200 places, competition for places at the School is intense. If your application is unsuccessful, you should be aware that applications can only be reconsidered in exceptional cases, for instance where a candidate's application or study has been affected by personal circumstances, which the School was not aware of at the time the decision was made. Please note that even in such circumstances, although our full attention will be given to appeals, there can be no guarantee that a place can be offered.

Information for overseas students

Students from all over the world have been welcomed at LSE since the foundation of the School in 1895. At present there are over 150 countries represented on campus, making LSE a uniquely international and cosmopolitan university in the centre of an equally cosmopolitan world city, London. In an increasingly globalised world, LSE provides you with an opportunity to study the social sciences in a truly international way, surrounded by an entirely international community.

If we offer you admission we will ensure that you are adequately prepared for the costs associated with studying in the UK. Up to date information will be sent to you so that you can plan on how much coming to London will actually cost. As an overseas student, you will also be guaranteed accommodation in either an LSE or a University of London Hall of Residence, provided you apply by the deadline once you have received your offer information.

The British Council provides information for overseas students to help them make an informed choice about studying in the UK. For further information on the benefits and opportunities of higher education in the UK you should look at the website for Education UK at www.educationuk.org and also on the UK Council for International Student Affairs website at www.ukcisa.org.uk

Overseas qualifications

LSE accepts a range of international qualifications, such as those listed below.

Australian state school leaving qualifications
Austrian Reifeprüfung/Matura
Belgian Diploma van Hoger Secundair Onderwijs/Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur
Canadian province school leaving qualifications
Dutch Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)
European Baccalaureate
French Baccalaureate
Finnish Ylioppilastutkinto/studentexamen
German Abitur
Hong Kong A levels
Malaysian Sijil Tinggi Persekolohan Malaysia (STPM)
Mauritius Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate
Singapore A levels and the Integrated Programme
US Advanced Placement Tests

Other qualifications are also acceptable. For further advice, email stu.rec@lse.ac.uk or access the country specific information at www.lse.ac.uk/collections/studentRecruitment.

We must stress that although many overseas qualifications meet the minimum requirements for eligibility, this does not guarantee admission. In the prospectus entries for each individual programme you will find figures for the number of applications and available places which will give you some idea of the competition for admission.

We also mention requirements specific to each degree. Those we most commonly mention are:

GCSE grade C or better in Mathematics or the equivalent: students would be expected to understand basic techniques in arithmetic, algebra and geometry and to be able to apply them.

For most LSE degrees, we do not require students to have A level or equivalent qualifications in specific subjects; the chief exception to this is where students are required to have A level Mathematics (eg, for degrees in mathematical and statistical subjects). Such students are expected to have basic skills in calculus, including integration, differentiation, trigonometric and exponential functions.

In considering applicants with overseas qualifications, we shall be looking for achievement at a similar level. For students with the Baccalauréat from France, we would normally expect a 'mention bien', and may ask for a grade of 14 or above in specific subjects. For students with the Abitur from Germany, we would normally expect an overall grade of at least 1.5.

Some students may be asked to take the LSE entrance examination – for example, students with the following qualifications:

Israeli Bagrut
Italian Diploma di Maturità
Norwegian Vitnemal – videregaende opplaering
Polish Matura
Portugese Certificado do Decimo Segundo Ano, with grade 'Bom'
Spainish COU or Titulo de Bachillerato- LOGSE
Swedish Fullständigt Slutbetyg från Gymnasieskolan
Swiss Maturité or equivalent

For the following countries the normal school leaving qualification is not accepted in place of A levels:

Bahrain
Bangladesh
China
Cyprus
Greece
India
Indonesia
Kenya
Nigeria
Pakistan
Russia
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Thailand
UAE

We would not expect to consider students with these qualifications unless they were also taking A levels, had studied for at least one year in a university in their home country, had successfully completed a foundation programme in the UK, or, in some cases, obtained a first degree from a university in their home country. These candidates, too, may be asked to take our entrance examination.

English language requirements

Students whose first language is not English may be required to provide evidence of proficiency in the English language.

The following qualifications are acceptable to LSE:

GCSE English Language with grade B or better
International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) academic test with a score of 7.0 in all four subjects
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) English as a First language with a grade B or better plus grade 2 in the optional speaking test.
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English with grade B or better
Cambridge Advanced Certificate of English (CACE) with a grade A
Cambridge English Language (1119) conducted overseas by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate: B4 or better
Hong Kong Examinations Authority Advanced Use of English with grade C or better
Hong Kong Certificate of Education English Language (Syllabus B) with grade C or better
London Test of English with a distinction at level 5 in both the written test and oral test
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 627 in the paper test including 5.5 in writing and 50 in TSE, 263 in the computer based test including 50 in TSE or 107 in the internet based test with a minimum of 25 out of 30 in each of the four skills.

Fee status

On receipt of your UCAS form the School carries out an assessment of your fee status determining the amount you are likely to pay at Registration. This decision is based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education: Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997.

The Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997 state that to be considered for 'Home/EU' fee status, a student must demonstrate:

that s/he was settled in the UK/EU within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971 on the first date of the academic year – 1 September of the year the applicant wishes to apply for (settled, meaning ordinarily resident in the UK/EU without any restriction); AND
that s/he has been ordinarily resident in the EEA/Switzerland for a specified three years preceding the commencement of their course (ordinarily resident, meaning habitually resident in the EEA/Switzerland); AND
that no part of this period of residence in (b) above was wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.

You may be asked to provide documentary evidence of your status/residence.

Once a student has registered at LSE, the student can only appeal against his/her fee status assessment in highly exceptional circumstances (either a change in law or if a student becomes an EU national or child of an EU national or if an asylum seeking student is granted refugee status, Exceptional Leave, Humanitarian Protection or Discretionary Leave).

If you would like guidance on your status for fees, independent advice is available from UKCISA. Please visit www.ukcisa.org.uk for more information.

Information for mature students

Going to university later in life offers the prospect of even greater challenges than for the student applying from school or college. You need to consider how you would adapt to new patterns of work, and major changes in your lifestyle. You will need to think carefully about financial, social and family commitments before starting a course – though, of course, the advantages of a degree ultimately outweigh any temporary difficulties.

What qualifications would you need?

We are looking for evidence of recent study (ie during the last two to three years) and both the ability and the motivation to study at a fairly demanding level. Some mature students will have done A/AS levels, after a break from study. Relevant study can consist of two subjects from the generally preferred list of A levels. Others will have various technical or vocational qualifications, or Open University credits.

Some, without traditional qualifications, will have taken an Access or Return to Study course. In considering an application based on such a course, we will need to look at the number of contact hours a week between teachers and students, how much written work the course requires of students, and whether the course ends in a formal written examination.

Unless you have recently taken a course which was formally examined, we would not normally make an offer of admission without asking you to take our entrance examination and attend an interview. If you have had a break from study after taking a course which was formally examined, we would not normally make an offer of admission without interviewing you. Even for a degree which may not appear to be in a quantitative subject, you may need to be able to deal with statistics. Our entrance examination will test relevant mathematical understanding.

Would you fit in?

We welcome older students for their maturity and the varied experience they have had before coming to university; and we wish to maintain our varied mix of students. LSE also has a large proportion of postgraduate students. This means that the student population at LSE is rather older on average than at many other universities; older undergraduates should not feel out of place.

Would LSE's academic style suit you?

You will find information on our teaching and examination methods in Choosing a course and Academic guidance, as well as in the sections on each subject. At LSE, teaching and learning depend very much on your own study and contributions to class discussions and debates: you have to be a self-starter, willing and able to take initiatives in your own studies. You will see that assessment is very much more based on traditional unseen examinations than in some other universities. You will also see in the section on Academic guidance that we offer several sources of advice and guidance to support you in your study and in preparation for examinations.

What support services does LSE offer?

You have a personal tutor who is there to advise on your academic progress and help you address any other questions you may have to the appropriate person or office.

The LSE campus has a Health Service offering care under the NHS for most health problems. The Students' Union deals with welfare and housing difficulties. For those with young children between six months and five years there is an early years centre.

How should you apply?

You should apply through UCAS, like other applicants (see 'Step 1 – Applying via UCAS'). It is essential that your reference is provided by someone who knows your studies and/or employment record well.

You and your referee may also wish to send extra information about your work, your experience and your plans and aspirations for university study. If you start an Access or other course in October, your referee will be unable to say much about your progress in time for the UCAS deadline for applications. In that case, you should apply in the normal way, ie by 15 January, and your referee should send a further, more detailed report in February. Please remember to quote your UCAS number on additional correspondence so that we can match it to your UCAS form.

Deferred entry

We welcome applications from people who plan to gain some work or service experience or to travel extensively between leaving school and starting a degree. You can apply a year in advance, so as to secure your place on a course.

If you are offered a place at LSE and subsequently decide to defer your entry to the next year, you should write to the Undergraduate Admissions Office stating your UCAS number, name and course, and also your reasons for deferring. The academic department will consider your request appropriately and UCAS will be informed of any arrangement that is agreed between you and the School. Two year requests for deferral due to compulsory National Service will not be considered. Such candidates should apply nearer their intended start date.

Direct entry to second year

Some students may have completed one or two years at a university, or have already obtained a first degree. On an exceptional basis, such students may be considered for admission direct into the second year of an LSE course. If you wish to apply you should do so in the usual way through UCAS and state on the application form that you are seeking admission to the second year. You should also send direct to the Undergraduate Admissions Office full details of the university studies you have undertaken.

Direct entry to the second year of the LLB is not permitted. For a full list of departments which will not consider direct entry to the second year please refer to the Admissions Criteria web page at www.lse.ac.uk/collections/undergraduateAdmissions/AdmissionsCriteria/Default.htm

The School does not permit direct entry into the third year of any LSE course.

Admissions policy

A copy of the School's admissions policy is available online on the undergraduate Admissions web pages at www.lse.ac.uk/undergraduateAdmissions

Data protection

Any information provided by you may be held by UCAS and by the School on computer in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. Among other purposes, this information will form the basis of records of registered students supplied to the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA), which is owned and managed by the universities to provide statistics for the Higher Education Funding Councils and universities.

All information supplied to HESA is subject to strict confidentiality safeguards, and is published only as statistical tables. In addition to the HESA requirements described above, LSE, like all UK universities, collects and processes information on its students for various essential administrative, academic and health and safety reasons, in order to pursue its legitimate interests as an institute of higher education.

Details of the type of information held on computer by any organisation, the purposes for which it is held, its sources and those to whom it may be disclosed are listed in the national Data Protection Register. This is a public register which is available in most public libraries in the UK. The School's entry describing its staff and student records (which would include your records as an applicant) is registered under number K4325564, and a copy of the entry is available on request, or can be accessed at the website of the Office of the Information Commissioner, at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

You have the right of access to your personal records held on computer and/or in relevant paper files; you may obtain a copy of information held about you on computer and/or in relevant paper files at the School. A fee of £10 is payable for each enquiry, which should be addressed to the Data Protection Officer at the School (please contact: r.e.maguire@lse.ac.uk).

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