Coronavirus FAQs for prospective applicants

LSE does not usually participate in Clearing or Adjustment processes. Details of any course vacancies remaining after the UCAS deadline will be listed on our website.

We are taking advice from exam boards and anticipate that they will take this disruption into account when awarding grades. We will also refer to the information supplied in your UCAS Reference to gain a greater understanding of the disruption caused to the teaching provision at your school/college.

UCAS have extended the equal consideration deadline from 15 January 2021 to 29 January 2021 (18:00 UK time). This applies to candidates applying for September 2021 entry or deferred September 2022 entry. More information is available on the UCAS website. 

The LNAT is classified as 'testing for essential purposes' and therefore Pearson VUE-owned and operated Pearson Professional Centers test centres in many countries remain open.

LLB Bachelor of Laws applicants are therefore expected to sit the LNAT before the 29 January 2021. The deadline has been extended from 20 January 2021 as a result of the UCAS application deadline extension.  

Country specific testing information and safety measures can be accessed on the LNAT website.

If you have received an email from your test centre advising that your test has been cancelled, testing has been suspended, or if you are unable to sit the test because you are self-isolating, you should try to reschedule your appointment so that you can sit the test before 29 January. You can do this online - please visit the Pearson VUE website for instructions. 

If you are unable to sit the test before 29 January, please contact Undergraduate Admissions to discuss your circumstances. 

You can contact LNAT Customer Services at:  
E-mail: LNATcustomerservice@pearson.com
Telephone: +44 (0)161 855 7448

You will be aware that the UCAS on-time application deadline was pushed back to 29 January. This extension, together with the ongoing impact of COVID-19, means that it may take us longer than usual to process your application this year. Please rest assured that we are making our admissions decisions with the same rigour and care as we always do but you may need to wait slightly longer than usual for the final decision on your application. We are now aiming to make the majority of this year’s offers by 16 April 2021.

We appreciate that this is an anxious time for applicants and appreciate your continued patience. We are working hard to give fair and equal consideration to all on time applicants.

The UCAS decision deadline for all applicants who applied by the 29 January deadline is 20 May 2021.

Applicants must reply to all offers received by 20 May by 10 June 2021.

LSE requires students studying certain qualifications to complete the Undergraduate Admissions Assessment (UGAA) before a final decision can be made on their application. 

The assessment is usually held in the first week of March. However, as a result of delays caused by COVID-19, the UGAA is now due to be held on Tuesday 30 March. The assessment will be conducted online. Applicants who are required to sit the UGAA will be contacted with more information as soon as the details have been finalised. Please see our Undergraduate Admissions Assessment (UGAA) page for information about the assessment. 

Following the cancellation of this year’s summer exams, Ofqual and the Department for Education have announced that grades will be based on teacher assessment, with teachers supported in making decisions with guidance and training from exam boards. We will continue to assess candidates based on predicted grades supplied by the school/college, and will use teacher assessed grades as the basis for our confirmation decisions. We continue to work with UCAS, exam boards, schools and the rest of the university sector to make the necessary arrangements for our applicants.

We are also closely monitoring the situation with schools overseas and their exam boards. 

The Department for Education has advised that private candidates or candidates studying a qualification independently, will need to work with a school, college or exam centre in order to receive a centre assessed grade. Candidates will be required to provide a range of evidence, such as exam board provided assessment materials, existing work or mock exam results, to enable teachers to determine a grade. Private candidates should receive their grades at the same time as other candidates. Please refer to the information here for more detailed information on how qualifications will be awarded in 2021. 

Whilst LSE does consider applications from private or independent candidates, please note that applicants who are unable to provide predicted grades may be disadvantaged in the selection process. In the absence of predicted grades provided by an individual who is familiar with your academic performance, it will be more difficult for LSE to make a judgement on the suitability of your academic profile and the likelihood of you meeting our usual standard offer requirements. Where predicted grades are not available, applicants will be assessed on their existing education profile (such as GCSEs or equivalent), their Personal Statement and UCAS Reference. 

If you are still at school/college but studying one or more subjects independently, in some cases private tutors may be able to provide predicted grades. 

LSE will consider applications received before the UCAS deadline of 29 January 2021 on the basis of your academic record; the grades your teachers predict you will receive in your final exams; your teacher’s reference, and your personal statement.

If you are made a conditional offer based on pending final grades, you will have until 6 September 2021 to send verification of your academic results to the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Applicants should still be predicted to meet the entry requirements stated on our programme pages. 
As we anticipate that exam boards will take disruption caused by COVID-19 into account when awarding grades, therefore would expect that you attain a 6 in English Language and a 6 in Mathematics (this requirement may be higher for some programmes).

It is not necessary to provide proof of English language proficiency at the time of application. This does not form part of our assessment process. If you are made an offer for one of our programmes and we require an English language qualification, we will request this as part of your offer conditions. Please see our English Language webpages for details of acceptable qualifications and the required scores:
Undergraduate English Language requirements
Graduate English Language requirements

Visit our accommodation COVID-19 pages to find out more about the current measures in place to ensure the safety of our students. 

If you are a new undergraduate or General Course student and book by the deadline, we guarantee that you will be able to book a place. The booking guarantee deadline for 2021/22 is Monday 31 May 2021. You will be able to book accommodation once you have accepted your offer to study at LSE. Please see our step-by-step guide to booking LSE accommodation. 

Propsective applicants and offer holders are advised to consult our International Student Visa Advice Team's COVID-19 advice page.

There are a number of enhanced health and safety measures in place on campus and in halls of residence to help make LSE COVID-secure. This includes social distancing, mandatory wearing of face coverings in School buildings and designated campus areas (unless exempt) and our LSE Track and Trace system. For the remainder of the 2020/21 academic year, all compulsory teaching, learning and assessments will be delivered online.

Please visit our COVID-19 FAQ page for current LSE students for more detailed information. 

Prospective students and applicants with long-term conditions who have questions or concerns about their wellbeing whilst studying at LSE are welcome to contact the Disability and Wellbeing Service.

LSE is committed to delivering face-to-face teaching in 2021-22 and we are closely monitoring government guidance on the easing of lockdown, travel arrangements and the UK vaccination programme to help inform our planning.

Whilst the evolving situation means that it is not currently possible to confirm the teaching arrangements for programmes due to start in September 2021, we are preparing to welcome students to campus for in-person teaching, offering a flexible model of both in-person on-campus and online teaching and learning.

If there are going to be any changes to the delivery of the programme we will update our programme pages to reflect the amendments and all offer holders will be notified.

For more information about LSE's teaching plans for the current 2020/21 academic year please refer to our undergraduate offer holders' page here or our information for graduate students here. Our FAQ page for current LSE students may also be helpful.  

Yes! We are running a number of online events for prospective students and offer holders. Visit our Virtual Undergraduate Open Day, Virtual Undergraduate Offer Holders' Day, Virtual Graduate Open Day, join a Discovery Session, listen to a webinar or talk to us on Live Chat. Use our events finder to view upcoming events.