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Completing the UCAS form

It is very important that you complete your UCAS application form fully and accurately. This is the main document on which the Admissions Selector bases their admission decision. If you are an overseas applicant your personal details (including your name and qualifications) are also taken directly from the form for your visa application. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the LSE application process and programme-specific criteria before you apply.

Below is a brief overview of each section of the UCAS form. This is not a complete guide and therefore it is important to also refer to guidance from your school and on the UCAS website.

General information

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.

Applicants are expected to ensure that their UCAS application is complete before submitting it to the School. Where the application is being submitted on your behalf, please ensure your representative (referee) has included your predicted grades, unless post-qualified.

Please be aware that we do not authorise the submission of applications without a reference.

Where we receive an application without a reference or notification that you intend to supply a reference, your application will be considered as incomplete and will become unsuccessful as a consequence.

Personal information

You must ensure that you provide accurate information on your UCAS application. Your name should be as it appears on your passport and your contact details up to date, to ensure that we can send you information pertaining to your application.

The Undergraduate Admissions Office will also make a fee assessment based on the information in this section according to the guidance disseminated by UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs). You can find out more about fee status classifications here.

Relevant criminal convictions must be declared on your UCAS form. The School's Admissions Policy states our procedure in this area.

If you have a disability, you should disclose this as early as possible during the application process. This will have no bearing on your admission decision, which is made solely on academic merit/potential. However, early disclosure does allow the School's Disability and Wellbeing Service to make reasonable adjustments, should you be offered a place. It will also allow you to discuss your needs and the support available at LSE early on. Please visit the Disability and Wellbeing webpages for more information for prospective students. 

You may find it useful to list a parent or teacher as your nominated contact on UCAS. This will allow them to speak to us regarding your application on your behalf. LSE cannot provide details to third parties without the permission of the applicant.

Please note, LSE does not take the following information into consideration when reviewing your application:

  • ethnic origin and national identity
  • activities in preparation for higher education
  • parents' experience of Higher Education

Further information regarding how your application is assessed can be found in our Admissions Policy.

Your five choices on the UCAS form

Applicants are allowed a maximum of five choices in each UCAS cycle. LSE can only view the programme(s) you have applied to at this institution.

Your personal statement should be relevant to your chosen programme, therefore we encourage students to research our degrees carefully before applying.

You are welcome to apply to more than one programme at LSE; however you should ensure that they are fairly similar to ensure that you are able to write a relevant and well-focused personal statement. We advise students applying to more than one programme at LSE to be cautious, as they may find it difficult to effectively demonstrate their academic interest in the limited amount of space available in the personal statement. LSE does not accept additional or supplementary personal statements. 

You should also note that applying to more than one programme does not increase the likelihood of your being made an offer. Applicants who make applications to more than one programme at the School within the same cycle will be considered for all programmes applied to, however would only be eligible to receive a maximum of one offer from the School.

Your education history

Applicants are expected to provide a full educational history on their UCAS application by listing previous and current places of study. All qualifications (previous and ongoing/ current) should be declared completely and accurately to ensure our Selectors are able to fully assess your application. Students who have completed GCSEs or the Middle Years Programme should ensure these are listed, as well as any international qualifications which are the equivalent of GCSEs.

If you are re-taking any part of a qualification, such as an individual unit or module, in order to improve your overall final grade, you should include those details as well. Please be aware that competition for places at the School is intense, so it is important that you achieve consistently high grades throughout both years of your A-level studies. Whilst grades can be improved by re-sitting modules, we prefer applicants who have achieved high grades in their examinations at their first attempt.

Post-qualified applicants

If you have already completed your qualifications (eg, A-levels) and are no longer in education you should outline what you have been doing since you left school or college. Brief details of your gap year, travel, voluntary work, placements, employment or other experiences should be included in your personal statement.

If you are in full or part-time education, for example enrolled at another university or college, please remember to include the relevant dates in your education history on UCAS and state the programmes or courses that you have taken or will be taking in the qualification section. You must also supply the Undergraduate Admissions Office with a copy of your most recent transcript as soon as possible after submitting your application to UCAS. If you have already completed a first undergraduate degree, you should supply a copy of your final transcript, as above.

Please be aware that the majority of offers for undergraduate places are made to applicants who have not yet experienced university education; thus there are no guarantees that applicants who have already completed or who are nearing completion of a first undergraduate degree will be made an offer of a place on one of our undergraduate degree programmes. LSE does offer a wide range of taught graduate programmes which may provide a suitable alternative.