Ranked 5th in the world for Social Sciences and Management, 7th for Economics and Econometrics, and 45th overall by QS World University Rankings, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a renowned public research university located in London, England. Dedicated solely to the study and research of the social sciences, LSE offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs for students from all over the world.
If you are wondering how to get into the London School of Economics, then this article is for you. We will be looking at
Source: LSE
Located in the London Borough of Camden and Westminster, LSE is the alma mater of students from over a hundred and fifty countries. 18 of LSE’s alumni or staff have won the Nobel Prize in Economics, Literature, or the Peace Prize. Academics at LSE are at the global forefront of developments in their fields and, therefore, are constantly in demand by governments, public policy offices, businesses, and media all over the world. LSE is often compared to Imperial and other top universities, like King’s College London. However, there are many differences between them and you should do your research before deciding on what’s best for you.
How has the School gotten to this point? Where does the story begin? Let us take a look.
Travel back about 130 years. There was a wave of democratic socialism and social democracy that was gripping Britain. The Fabian Society, which was a group of people with a socialist mindset, was working towards their aim of bettering society, focusing on research on issues of poverty, inequality, and related issues. Among its members were socialist economist and reformer Sidney Webb, social investigator Beatrice Webb, the political scientist Graham Wallas, and the writer George Bernard Shaw (think Pygmalion).
In 1894, this quartet decided to open the School to further the aims and goals of the Fabian Society and work towards correcting the gaps caused by inequality. In October 1895, the first batch of 300 students joined the London School of Economics.
In 1900, the School became the Faculty of Economics of the University of London. Since 1902, LSE graduates have had their degrees conferred by the university. Since 2006, the School has obtained the right to confer its own degrees and stands as an autonomous institution of higher education.
Today, LSE stands at the top of its field with about 11,000 students of which more than 60% come from outside of the UK. It is also a member of the Russell Group, Association of Commonwealth Universities, European University Association, CIVICA (The European University of Social Sciences), and the Golden Triangle (a group of top universities in the United Kingdom). In 2021, LSE became the first carbon-neutral verified university in the UK.
Despite being called the School of Economics, LSE has 29 different academic departments ranging from accounting to statistics. It also has 19 research centres and seven academic partnerships with universities across the world.
… to name a few. As a student of the London School of Economics, you will have access to this privileged platform through the alumni association.
As an aspiring Indian student, why must you consider the London School of Economics? What benefits do you get from graduating from there? There are many other great institutions you can aspire to get into as an Indian student, like Cornell, MIT or Oxford. Today, we look at LSE.
1. Academic Excellence: As mentioned earlier, the LSE ranks highly among world universities: 5th in Social Sciences and Management, 7th in Economics and Econometrics, and 45th overall. (Source: QS Rankings).
The school can maintain these world-class higher education standards as it stands true to its founding principle of the Fabien Society, which is for the betterment of society. As a university dedicated to one domain, impacting the greatest level of global impact is what the university is working towards.
The different faculties of the London School of Economics coexist and work together, allowing you, as a student, to choose courses from across faculties, be it data science, international relations, anthropology, or statistics.
LSE also runs a summer school in London offering more than 100 intensive short courses across a range of society-based subjects. The school also has online certificate courses that range anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks. These courses offer expert knowledge, especially to professionals who are looking to up-skill themselves.
2. Research Oriented Institute: LSE emphasises research that has the greatest amount of community or social impact. Their research domains include Care Policy and Evaluation, Climate Change Economics and Policy, Economic Performance, Analysis of Social Exclusion, Women’s Peace and Security, Middle East, Health, International Inequalities, and Human Rights to name a few. Read more about LSE Research here.
Based on the kind of research domains, one thing becomes clear. LSE is working on a path toward understanding the inequalities that exist in humanity and trying to address those gaps. If you see yourself as any kind of a social justice warrior, then research or a degree from LSE (which in itself is a privilege that we acknowledge) will certainly help you to bring in change at a policy level. In 2021, the school was recognised by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) for its outstanding contribution to world-leading and internationally excellent research in social studies.
If all of this does not convince you, then the 18 Nobel laureates definitely should!
3. International Recognition: The name LSE carries so much weight, not just in the UK but across the global edscape. Graduating from LSE is akin to graduating from any of the Ivy Leagues or Stanford. Degrees are recognised across the globe and open up numerous opportunities, either for employment or for further studies/ research.
4. Global Networking Opportunities: About 70% of the students at LSE are from outside the UK. Your batchmates, seniors, and juniors form this incredible pool of professional networks that you can forge during the course of your study.
They are made of people, professionals with varied experiences and cultures from all over the world. In today’s globalised world, this makes for an incredible learning opportunity, be it in terms of global job opportunities or sensitivity to other cultures. LSE also has a Study Abroad program where you can also live abroad for a year as part of your undergraduate program.
5. Financial Aid: As an Indian student, another biggest advantage of studying at the LSE is the financial aid that you are eligible to apply for. As part of the Commonwealth, a number of scholarships exist, awarded by the British government, external organisations, the University of London, and by the school itself. The school allocates about 15 million pounds for scholarships each year. Keep reading for a more detailed section on scholarships for Indian students.
6. Diverse Competitive Crowd: The kind of people that you will be working with during your stint at LSE are those who will keep you on your toes and expose you to international viewpoints on the subject or a problem-solving technique or culture of life in general. The average acceptance rate is anywhere between 8 and 12%. So, you can imagine the kind of competition that you will be facing. This competition is what will drive you to academic excellence.
7. World Class Library: For the bookworm in you, the library at LSE called the British Library of Political and Economic Science can be heavenly. Conceived as a laboratory for the social sciences, it is the best library for the discipline in the UK and one of the top libraries worldwide. As an Indian student, it gives you access to an immense amount of resources that will allow you to gain much more out of your stint at LSE.
8. Notable Alumni: As listed in the earlier sections, the achievements of the more renowned alumni of the school have created a pedigree that you will also largely benefit from. It raises the global standing of the institution, making your degree more valuable. Secondly, through the school, you can access their expertise, their working processes, and even their time through the alumni association.
9. Student Support: In addition to academic rigour, there is more to student life at LSE. There is a whole load of extracurricular activities that you can participate in and over 200 societies that you can be a part of.
Particularly, for an Indian student, there is the South Asia Society, India Society, and the Indian National Student Association that will keep you connected to the homeland. In addition, to mental health support, international student advisory committees also exist for any kind of support.
10. Life in London: Certainly not the least, being a student at LSE means you get to live in London for a period of 3-4 years. Located in central London, you can experience life in one of the artistic, cultural, and economic capitals of the world.
Having established its premier status, the next logical question is how much will it cost. As a student from India, when conversion rates are applied, the numbers do get inflated. But, do not let that stop you from pursuing your dreams at LSE. Consider it a worthwhile investment that brings about profitable returns. Moreover, the financial aid provided by the school can also help you ease the burden.
That said, here is a ballpark figure of the fees in pounds for students beginning in 2024 – 25.
Note: Part-time fees are comparatively lower.
You can access course-specific fee details from lse.ac.uk. Remember that these figures denote only tuition fees. They do not account for accommodation, insurance, or the general cost of living. The university suggests a monthly amount of £1,400 cover living expenses. This amount is bound to change depending on lifestyle choices.
Disclaimer: This video reflects details and rankings from 2023
While the numbers do seem intimidating, there are multiple scholarship options that are provided by the university, the government, or private trust funds. Some of these scholarships cover the cost of living and travel, in addition to tuition.
Here is a list of scholarships that are offered by the School of Economics. For more details on international scholarships, read our article on Scholarships for Indian Students.
Most scholarships awarded at this level are primarily based on financial need followed by an academic process. That said, Indian undergraduate students are eligible for
1. LSE Undergraduate Support Scheme: Once you have an offer of admission, you can email your completed scholarship application form, one academic reference, and supporting documents to financial-support@lse.ac.uk. The scholarship amount ranges from £6,000 – £15,000 per year.
2. Uggla Family Scholars Programme: Every year, 10 students are awarded the Uggla Family Scholarship amounting to £28,366 per year for fees and living costs. This is immense support for students from underrepresented backgrounds, providing financial support and mentorship. Read more about how to apply, here.
1. Inlaks Foundation Scholarship: Since 1976, Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships have been granted to Indian students to read at top-rated American, UK, and European institutions in full-time Master’s, MPhil, or Doctoral programmes. A maximum amount of $100,000 is awarded.
2. JN Tata Endowment Scholarship: Set up by Jamsetji Tata, this scholarship is to encourage more Indian students to pursue their education in world-class institutions.
3. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP): Funded by the government of Japan, this scholarship is open to citizens of 90 different developing nations. This scholarship will cover your tuition fee plus living expenses.
4. Lady Meherbai Tata Education Trust: The trust awards scholarships to Indian women graduates of recognised universities to pursue higher education abroad.
5. Marchant Foundation LLM Scholarship: Awarded to a full-time LLM (Master of Laws) student, a sum of £10,000 is given on the basis of financial need.
6. Margaret Basu Scholarship: An amount of £4,000 is awarded to Indian nationals.
7. Taught Masters Scholarships for International Students: Available to a majority of the postgraduate programmes except those offered by the Department of Economics of LSE, the Taught Masters Scholarship is for £41,666 towards the tuition fees and living costs of an international student.
This list is merely a sampler of the kind of scholarships and bursaries that exist for Indian students. Way more options exist such as funding for research or private trust funds that sponsor Indian students at LSE. You can find them on your own research or ask the experts at TC Global to help you.
Application for scholarships is a separate procedure with its own sets of documentation. Some are applied for, along with your undergraduate application or master’s application while many of them can be accessed only when your enrolment has been finalised. It is a lot of research and even more paperwork but it is a worthwhile effort to ease the financial burden of global education.
If you are considering applying for scholarships, you will have to rework your timeline. Scholarship agencies and offices are particular about deadlines and carefully filled out application forms. Considering the stress of application that you might be going through, it is easier to have an international education consultant who is far more experienced in the planning and documentation side of things.
The statistics of applications and acceptance can get intimidating, no doubt. But you can’t entirely depend on it since the profiles of applicants change every year. However, if LSE is your goal, then you need to start working forward well in advance. Your academic preparedness, for instance, is not something that can be put together at the last minute.
You ensure that the application is filled out diligently, all transcripts are uploaded before the deadline and all the criteria are met. Each application is individually scrutinised by the LSE admissions committee and valued for its individual merit. LSE does not do interviews to determine admissions. Every single detail that you upload in the UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) form is what will determine your admission status. So you need to put across the best version of yourself in your application.
What are the eligibility criteria and admission requirements? Let us take a look.
Incidentally, the UK is also a great place to pursue an engineering degree, if that’s something you’d like to look at as well.
The application process in itself can be long and arduous. It needs a lot of planning and a great deal of diligence to ensure all the ‘i’s are dotted and all the ‘t’s crossed. Each step carries a specific deadline.
The UCAS application procedure allows international students to apply anytime between September and June. However, considering the huge volume of applications that LSE receives, the college advises submitting your application before 25 January.
There should be no discrepancy between the common application and any of the supporting documents. Once your application is submitted, it will be considered by the admissions committee as it stands. You will not be able to add any further documents or update versions of existing documents. So, you have to ensure that you have the final versions ready for uploading. In addition, if you are in need of financial aid, those applications must also be submitted at the time of applying. The process can get a little overwhelming.
So, you choose the easier path and get on board with TC Global functions as a one-stop shop for all your international education application needs. From counselling sessions to choose your course and test prep all the way to your immigration and investments in your life abroad, TCG stands with you every step of the way. Let us take a look at what the application process looks like, through TC Global.
The first step in this entire process is to ensure you choose the right course, as there are many Management courses in the UK apart from the ones if LSE, and you need to make sure you pick the one that aligns with your interests. You can look for courses through tcglobal.in or jump directly into the university website.
Go through all the programs and their curricula. Ensure that you find the specialisation that you are looking for.
Step 1: Choosing the right programme
Choosing your perfect programme is key – you need to figure out what it is you want to do and what
would be right for you. It also wouldn’t hurt to look for similar programs in backup schools such as UCL or King’s College.
Choosing your perfect program is pretty much half the battle won. It also wouldn’t hurt to look for similar programs in backup schools such as UCL or King’s College.
Step 2: Research thoroughly
Have a clear picture of what you would like your professional career path to be. It is not enough to just evaluate the syllabus. Ensure you have the data for financial planning, career options, scope of work, life abroad and so on. Our Insights page has up-to-date information about colleges, courses, scholarships, career trends and so on.
Go to tcglobal.in and sign in. It opens the world of universities for you, for free. All you have to do is sign up.
Complete your profile. Ensure you have everything filled up, especially about your previous academic accomplishments and work experience. Let us know if the London School of Economics is what you are looking for.
Then simply set up a visit Calendly.com/tcglobal to pick a Relationships Team closest to you and choose a slot to meet with a Relationship Member.
The relationship member will be with you to get the UCAS application in time, along with all the supporting documents. The LSE checklist has about 13 different items that you can check here. Applying through TC Global just means that you will have experienced hands and minds by your side, ensuring that every aspect of your application is in place.
Either way, read through the application submission guide to ensure you have everything you need, along with the assessment fee of £80 (paid by credit/ debit card) before submitting the final version.
Your admission at LSE will depend entirely on the documents you submit. There is no applicant interview, except under special circumstances. So, get prepared, with TC Global.
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