How do I get to LSE from the airport?
If you are coming from abroad it is advisable to check into your accommodation before coming to LSE. Details on how to get to individual halls can be found on the Accommodation Office website.
Heathrow
The cheapest way to get to LSE from Heathrow is by London Underground. The Piccadilly line connects Heathrow airport terminals directly to central London (and beyond). The trains are very regular and this is a popular method of transport. It will also take you straight to Holborn Underground station (about 50 minutes). LSE is less than 5 minutes walk from the station.
Gatwick
There is a direct train to London Victoria station. On arrival change for the Underground and take either the District or Circle line to Temple. LSE is less than 5 minutes walk from the station.
Stansted
Take either the train or bus to London Liverpool Street station, then change for the Underground. Take the Central Line to Holborn. LSE is less than 5 minutes walk from the station.
Luton
Take the train to Kings Cross and change for the Underground, taking the Piccadilly Line to Holborn. LSE is less than 5 minutes’ walk from the station.
Please note that taxis from any of the London airports are extremely expensive and often no quicker than the train or tube.
How do I get to my residence from the airport?
Full directions can be found on the Accommodation Office website for each residence.
What is the average cost of living in London?
Students are recommended to budget for about £20 per day, excluding accommodation cost, though it is possible to get by on less or to spend a lot more.
What sort of things are there to do outside of studying?
London is one of the biggest and most exciting cities in the world, and there is always something to do, from shopping, to sightseeing, to nightlife.
The Summer School also runs a small social programme, including our Public Lectures Series and the ever-popular River Boat Parties. We also run trips to the theatre and day-trips out of London, including to Oxford and Cambridge. See our social programme page for more information.
What will my timetable look like?
Typically you will have a three hour lecture and a 90 minute class each day. Your day may start as early as 9 or 10am, and finish as late as 5 or 6pm. Timetables are only established shortly before the beginning of the course and are therefore not available in advance. Class groups are allocated at random, and you will be notified of your class group only after you have registered on the first day of the programme. It is not possible to change your class time.
A few courses, including Introduction to English Law and English for Business follow a different teaching format and last year's timetable can be used for reference.
When will I get my timetable?
You will be given your timetable on the first day of the programme. A detailed timetable is not usually available prior to the start of the Summer School.
How many people will be in lectures and classes?
In 2016, Summer School course enrolment ranged from 15-230 students per course. Lectures will involve all participants of the course and the classes will be split down into smaller groups, usually of around 15-20 per class, though sometimes the number can be slightly higher.
Can I know the names/email addresses of the other people on my course?
Due to UK data-protection laws, we are forbidden from providing personal or contact details of others on your course. If you wish to get in touch with other students before the start of the course there is a Summer School Facebook group.
Am I able to contact academic staff before the start of the course?
You may contact academic staff before the start of your course, but it is advisable to do so only through the LSE Summer School Office. Email enquiries should be sent to summer.school@lse.ac.uk and where a question cannot be answered by the office staff it will be forwarded to the relevant academic. If the course leader has provided an email address or telephone number on the course outline, you may contact the relevant person directly. Obviously the academic staff are very busy during term time and you will find that the majority of your enquiries will be forwarded to the office to answer anyway.
What is the difference between a lecture and a class?
All course participants attend lectures together as a single group. Lectures are usually presented by an academic (the course leader or leaders), and are, in general, a listening and note-taking exercise as is the norm in the UK university system. Participants on the course will be divided into smaller groups for 90 minute classes of around 15 to 20 students. Classes present an opportunity to work through problem sets or case studies, present seminar papers and discuss them, and to discuss the previous lecture with a Class Teacher and classmates. In other universities these sessions may be known as tutorials or seminars.
Do I need to do any reading before the course starts?
It may not be necessary to undertake a large amount of pre-course reading. Lectures will be the main focus of teaching with the course textbooks used to complement them. However, it may be to your advantage to read the first few chapters of the main text in advance, to familiarise yourself with the lecture material.
In a very small number of courses there are essential preliminary readings. You will be notified of these well in advance of the start of the course. Please see course outlines for details.
Do I need to buy the course textbook?
To obtain the optimum learning experience from the course it is essential to attend all of the lectures and classes. However, it is also important to do all the course reading. Even though many of the books on the reading list are available in the LSE Library it is unlikely that there will be enough copies of the main text(s) available for everyone to use. We therefore advise students to buy the main text(s) and use the LSE Library for supplementary reading. Students may wish to wait until their first lecture to find out which text book (if any) that they are recommended to buy.
Can I have/buy the materials for another course?
No, the copyright rules for course materials mean that only students registered on a particular course can receive the relevant course materials.
Is there a bookshop on site?
The Waterstone's Economists' Bookshop is located on the LSE campus in St Clements opposite Student Services. Waterstone's supply textbooks for LSE students including those attending Summer School. The bookshop is open throughout the year, Monday to Saturday.
There is also a second-hand bookshop, Alpha Books, located near the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre. They often stock Summer School texts at discounted prices.
Will I receive course materials in advance?
Generally, course materials are distributed at the first lecture. If you have any questions please direct these to the Summer School Office.
Are course texts/articles available online?
Most journal articles and some chapters from course texts will be available on Moodle. However you need to be a registered student to log onto these.