Overview
Introduction
Are you an exceptional student looking to specialise in European studies? The double degree in European studies offered by Sciences Po and LSE is the perfect programme for you.
Delivered by renowned specialists in the study of Europe, many with practical experience of policymaking, this select programme covers a wide range of disciplines and offers the option of bilingual instruction in Paris (French and English).
In this programme you'll study the culture, politics, and economics of Europe, as well as the policies and institutions of the European Union. You'll also have the opportunity to explore the political, economic, and social challenges confronting the continent, and the geopolitical shifts which are influencing Europe and it's broader standing in the world.
You'll study the culture, politics, and economics of Europe, as well as the policies and institutions of the European Union. The programme also focuses on the ideas which underpin the European project, and the political, economic, and social challenges facing Europe.
Courses are multidisciplinary and you'll have the opportunity to choose from a variety of options in political science, political economy, international relations, and philosophy all with a strong European focus.
Join us and become part of a vibrant and dynamic community of students, researchers, and practitioners who are shaping the future of European studies.
Your first year is spent at Sciences Po, in the Master Affaires Européennes (Master of European Affairs); the second year takes place within the European Institute at LSE, where you have the option to focus your studies by taking one of four MSc programme streams: MSc International Migration and Public Policy, MSc Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe, MSc Political Economy of Europe in the World or MSc European and International Politics and Policy.
Preliminary readings
- R Baldwin and C Wyplosz The Economics of European Integration (7th edition, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2022)
- S Hix and B Hoyland The Political System of the European Union (3rd edition, Palgrave, 2011)
- S Glendinning Europe: A Philosophical History (Routledge, 2021)
- A Moravcsik The Choice for Europe: social purpose and state power from Messina to Maastricht (Cornell University Press, European edition with London: Routledge/UCL Press, 1998)
- H Wallace, M Pollack and A R Young (eds.) Policy Making in the European Union (7th edition, Oxford University Press, 2014)
Entry requirements
Candidates must meet the admission requirements of the respective programmes at each school.
LSE requires a high upper second-class honours (2:1) degree or equivalent in any discipline. For details of Sciences Po's entry requirements, please visit their website.
You must also demonstrate competence in English, and for some programmes in French as well. This depends on the policy stream you choose at Sciences Po; please see Sciences Po Admissions webpages for more information on this. If your native language is not English you'll be required to meet LSE's Higher English requirement (see English requirements) or have a recognised university degree taught and examined entirely in English.
Please select your country from the dropdown list below to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.
Overseas
English language requirements
The English language requirement for this programme is Higher. Read more about our English language requirements.
Competition for places at LSE is strong. So, even if you meet the minimum entry requirements, this doesn't guarantee you an offer of a place.
However, please don’t feel deterred from applying – we want to hear from all suitably qualified students. Think carefully about how you can put together the strongest possible application to help you stand out.
Programme content
Year 1
First year, at Sciences Po
The first year is spent at Sciences Po. The academic year runs from early September to the end of May. It's divided into two semesters, each of which is 12 weeks long. Students will join the Master Affaires Européennes, and choose their policy stream where they can follow courses only in English or in English and in French.
Year 2
Second year at LSE
The second year runs from September until September of the following year. It comprises three terms and the summer period for the completion of the 10,000-word dissertation.
At LSE you'll choose to enrol in one of the following programmes, and take the courses as required within that programme.
For the latest list of courses, please go to the relevant School Calendar page.
A few important points you’ll need to know:
We may need to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees due to unforeseen circumstances. We’ll always notify you as early as possible and recommend alternatives where we can.
The School is not liable for changes to published information or for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study, due to developments in teaching practice, regulatory requirements that require us to comply, lack of demand, financial unviability of a course, or due to circumstances beyond our control, such as the loss of a key member of staff or where a location or building becomes unavailable for use.
Places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements so we cannot therefore guarantee you a place.
Changes to programmes and courses may be made after you’ve accepted your offer of a place – normally due to developments in the discipline or as a consequence of student feedback. We may also make changes to course content, teaching formats or assessment methods but these are made to improve the learning experience.
For full details about the availability or content of courses and programmes, please take a look at the School’s Calendar, or contact the relevant academic department.
Some major changes to programmes/courses are posted on our updated graduate course and programme information page.
For further information on how we comply with UK consumer protection law, see your consumer rights as a student.
Why study with us
Discover more about our students and department.
Meet the department
The European Institute is a multidisciplinary centre for the study of European politics, economics and culture.
Founded in 1991, the institute is the UK's leading centre for the study of Europe, offering a range of master’s programmes and an extensive MPhil/PhD programme. Every year, we welcome more than 200 master’s and 30 doctoral students from all regions of the globe.
Our research spans four key themes – political economy, politics and policy, culture and society, and migration. Teaching and research draw on the expertise of staff from many different disciplines across LSE, including politics, economics and sociology.
The institute is outward facing. We run dozens of events each year, with workshops, seminars and presentations, welcoming high-profile speakers, including former presidents, prime ministers, foreign and finance ministers, distinguished scholars and influential commentators.
Internationally, we’ve forged close links with several partner institutions, including Sciences Po (Paris), Bocconi University (Milan), Fudan University (Shanghai), and Columbia University (New York) with whom we run double master’s programmes.
Why LSE
University of the Year 2025 and 1st in the UK in 2025 and 2026
Times and The Sunday Times - Good University Guide 2025 and 20261st in London for the 14th year running
The Complete University Guide - University League Tables 20265th in the world for the study of social sciences and management
QS World University Rankings by Subject 20266th in the world for leading the way in social and environmental sustainability
QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026Your application
Overview
We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students and want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.
Applications are administered by a joint admissions board of representatives consisting of both LSE and Sciences Po. Successful applicants will be notified by email.
Data sharing
Double degrees and certain other degrees and scholarships require that LSE shares personal data with another university or partner. In our agreements we will use the School’s standard data sharing template for universities and partners in the EU and EEA and in an adequate country. Standard contract clauses will be used for any other country. If you have any questions about this or how your personal data will be treated by LSE, please contact the Data Protection Officer via glpd.info.rights@lse.ac.uk or check our Student Privacy Notice.
Fees and funding
The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.
You're charged a fee for your programme. At LSE, your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.
Home
Year 1 (at Sciences Po, 2026/27):
Home students: visit Sciences Po website
Year 2 (at LSE, 2027/28):
Home students: £30,400 (provisional)
Overseas
Year 1 (at Sciences Po, 2026/27):
Overseas students: visit Sciences Po website
Year 2 (at LSE, 2027/28):
Overseas students: £32,000 (provisional)
At LSE, your tuition fees, and eligibility for any financial support, will depend on whether you’re classified as a home or overseas student (known as your fee status). We assess your fee status using The Higher education (Fee Limit Condition) (England) Regulations 2017.
Fee reduction
Students who have completed and passed an undergraduate degree at LSE and are beginning taught graduate study at the School are eligible for a 10 per cent tuition fee reduction.
Students who have completed and passed two or more Summer School courses are eligible for a five per cent reduction.
If you meet the eligibility criteria for both discounts, the higher 10 per cent discount rate will apply.
Find out more about the LSE alumni discount.
Scholarships and other funding
We recognise that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town/city or country and we provide generous scholarships to help both home and overseas students.
The first year of this programme, spent at Sciences Po, may be eligible for financial aid from Sciences Po.
At LSE, we offer some needs-based awards for this programme, including the Graduate Support Scheme. Competition for these awards and scholarships is strong. To apply for an award, you must have an offer of a place and submit a Graduate Financial Support application before the funding deadline during your first year at Sciences Po.
In addition to our needs-based awards, we offer scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for certain subjects.
You can’t apply for a Graduate Support Scheme or LSE scholarship once you’ve joined the School.
Please note: we do expect students who register for a programme to have sufficient funds for the duration.
Government tuition fee loans and external funding
The UK Government offers a postgraduate loan for eligible students studying for a first master’s programme. This is designed to help with fees and living costs. Some other governments and organisations also offer tuition fee loan schemes.
Find out more about tuition fee loans.
French and British nationals may also be eligible for the Entente Cordiale scholarships.
Further information
Learn more about fees and funding opportunities.
Learning and assessment
How you learn
At LSE you'll take a number of courses, often including half unit courses and full unit courses. In half unit courses, on average, you can expect 20-30 contact hours in total and for full unit courses, on average, you can expect 40-60 contact hours in total. This includes sessions such as lectures, classes, seminars or workshops. Hours vary according to courses and you can view indicative details in the Calendar within the Teaching section of each course guide.
You're also expected to complete independent study outside of class time. This varies depending on the programme, but requires you to manage the majority of your study time yourself, by engaging in activities such as reading, note-taking, thinking and research.
LSE is internationally recognised for its teaching and research, and therefore employs a rich variety of academic staff with a range of experience and status. You can view indicative details for the teacher responsible for each course in the relevant course guide.
Academic mentor: you’ll meet with your academic mentor regularly to discuss your work. Your mentor can provide advice and guidance on academic issues and, where appropriate, personal concerns.
Other academic support: at LSE, we offer lots of opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom.
The Learning Lab is the place to discover and develop the skills you’ll need to reach your academic goals at LSE.
Through the Learning Lab, you can:
- attend practical workshops and one-to-one sessions on essay writing, conducting research, and on managing your reading lists, workloads, and deadlines
- develop your academic writing, reading, and critical-thinking skills to meet degree-level expectations
- work in study groups to strengthen collaboration, cross-cultural communication, and teamwork skills in a supportive environment.
Disability and Mental Health Service: we want all LSE students to achieve their full potential. Students can access free, confidential advice through our Disability and Mental Health Service. This is the first point of contact for students.
How you're assessed
All taught courses are required to include formative coursework, which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for your summative assessments, which count towards the course mark, and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative and summative assessments, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, exams, online assessments, and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course. An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant course guide.
Graduate destinations
Overview
Graduates of the programme pursue successful careers in politics, journalism, diplomacy, business, academia and consultancy, in the EU institutions, national administrations and the international institutions.
Further information on graduate destinations for this programme
Median salary of our graduate taught students 15 months after graduating:
Top 5 sectors our students work in:
Career support
From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.
Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.
See LSE Careers for further details.
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