The London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) is a university located in the heart of the Holborn district, close to the City of London. Founded in 1895, the LSE is recognized as one of the world’s leading universities in the field of social and political sciences.

In fact, it was ranked as the world’s 2nd leading university in the social sciences in the QS World University Ranking in 2018.

The London School of Economics (LSE) in a nutshell

The LSE is renowned for training many leaders in business and politics, as well as in law, history, economics, philosophy and the media. 19 of its alumni and professors have been awarded the Nobel Prize (including 13 in Economics, 3 Nobel Peace Prizes and 2 in Literature), and 52 have become heads of state.

The university also boasts the world’s largest library of economic and social sciences.

It is also part of the “Golden Triangle” of English universities, along with Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial College et King’s College, la LSE.

Similar in many respects to Sciences Po Paris, it offers the opportunity to study a wide range of disciplines related to social and political sciences, law, economics, finance, management, international relations, history and philosophy.

What is the selection process at the London School of Economics (LSE)?

The LSE selection process is divided into several stages, which we describe below:

APPLICATION FORM ON UCAS

First of all, you’ll need to submit your application on the UCAS platform, the equivalent of Parcoursup in the UK. This includes a personal statement and a letter of recommendation from one of your teachers.

A STANDARDIZED ENGLISH EXAM

You’ll also be required to demonstrate an excellent command of the English language, so you’ll usually need to pass a standardized English exam such as IELTS.

CONDITIONAL OFFER OF ADMISSION

Finally, if your application is accepted at the end of the selection process, you will receive a “conditional” offer of admission. This means that you will only be definitively admitted if you achieve a minimum score on your Baccalauréat (usually a “Bien” on the French Baccalauréat) and a standardized English exam (usually between 6.5 and 7.5 on the IELTS).

When should you start preparing for the London School of Economics (LSE)?

The deadline for applying to the London School of Economics (LSE) is January 15 of your final year.

What is the profile of students at the London School of Economics (LSE)?

The LSE is a highly selective university. We recommend that you apply to this university if you can demonstrate excellent academic results and are confident of obtaining a “Bien” or “Très Bien” in your Baccalauréat.

Founded in 1829, King’s College London is one of the most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, and part of the ‘Golden Triangle’ of research-intensive universities, along with Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, and LSE.

King’s was ranked 42nd worldwide for reputation in the Times World Reputation Rankings 2018, and 7th in the UK by the QS University Ranking 2019, and 4th in the UK for employability after graduation according to the >Times Graduate Employability Rankings 2018. It has many illustrious alumni, including Desmond Tutu, Virginia Woolf, the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, as well as twelve Nobel Laureates, including  Frederick Hopkins (the discoverer of vitamins), and numerous politicians.

King’s has five campuses: its historic campus on the Strand, which is situated on the banks of the river Thames, is located close to the iconic Trafalgar Square, many respected think tanks such as the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Adam Smith Institute and the Royal United Services Institute, and is a short walk from the Houses of Parliament.

Student Life

King’s College London’s prime location in the heart of London makes it a fantastic (albeit rather expensive) place to be. Although there are five campuses, each maintains an inviting environment. Indeed, King’s is reputed to be a friendly university with a thriving student union, the KCLSU, and student ambassadors to help students if they have questions or concerns. There are also 2 student bars that host regular social events.

Within the University, there are frequent public lectures, including the King’s Think Tank, Europe’s largest student policy institute. There is a large selection of clubs and societies to join: from 3 gyms and over 60 competitive sports clubs, to student media (including photography, film, journalism), to volunteering opportunities.

If that’s not enough, King’s hosts many events to help students make the most of their time in London through initiatives such as the ‘Unlocking London’ programme, which organises group tours and visits to cultural venues and historic sites.

How do I apply?

As with all British universities, applications are submitted online through the platform UCAS.

Undergraduate candidates apply via the British online platform UCAS, and upload a letter of motivation (Personal Statement), predicted grades for the Baccalaureate in each subject, and a letter of recommendation from one of their teachers. For help and advice on how to complete a successful UCAS application please see here.

Note that students send only 1 Personal Statement for all the universities they apply to (maximum of 5 choices).

The Personal Statement, maximum 4,000 characters, should explain why students want to study a chosen course, what aspects particularly interest them, what steps they have already taken to engage with the subject (reading, conferences, internships etc), and, if possible, what aspects they are looking forward to studying.

Different courses may request different grades. For those studying the International Baccalaureate (IB), the general required score is 34-35/45.

For French students: King’s webpage has a chart demonstrating the equivalent of A-Levels, which can be used to determine the grades needed on the French Baccalaureate (or other international equivalent) in order to meet the eligibility requirements. An A* is 16, A is 14, B is 13

For general advice and information on the application process for international students, please click here.

International students from non-English speaking backgrounds or countries will be required to provide proof of knowledge of the English language through a certificate of a recognised standardised English proficiency test. The score is dependent on the course but generally ranges between 6.0 and 7.0 on the IELTS.

King’s College London also runs pre-sessional English-language programmes lasting between 6 and 15 weeks to help candidates improve their proficiency in English.

Can I visit King’s College London ?

There are several specialised open days, depending on the campus and area of study.

King’s have been running a series of online events to allow everyone to visit from your computer. To watch the series click here.

Fees

Students from the European Union will no longer be eligible for home fee status and student loans in England from the 2021-22 academic year, the government has confirmed.

For more informations see this page.

University College London (UCL) is ‘London’s Global University.’ Located in the heart of London, but with over 18,000 students from outside of the UK (out of around 39,000 in total), the University is one of the most international in the UK. Founded in 1826, UCL  was the first university in the United Kingdom to be secular, accepting candidates regardless of religion, and awarded the first 4 bachelor’s degrees to British women in 1880.

Famous alumni include Mahatma Gandhi, Kwame Nkrumah (the founder of modern Ghana), and members of the band Coldplay. Today, it is one of the top universities in the UK, and hovers near the top 10 # worldwide (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019, QS World University Rankings 2019). It is the third-largest university in the UK, part of the ‘Russell Group’ of elite British universities, and part of the Golden Triangle (including Oxford and Cambridge) of research-intensive universities.

Life at UCL

On campus, students can enjoy a brand new student center, the or find a quiet corner in the beautiful law library. There are several green areas in this bustling part of London including the charming Gordon Square and the larger Russell Square, both popular for picnicking. The much larger Regent’s Park is about 10 minutes away. To help create a community feel each department has its own common room, where students from the same course, or different ones, can meet, relax, or study together.

Academic Matters

Increasingly well known and consistently highly ranked internationally as noted above, UCL offers a constantly evolving range of courses. Recently added, the BASc Arts & Sciences course allows students to discover a broader range of subjects, while Law, Biomedical Science, Economics and Computer Science continue to be the most popular (and most selective!) courses. See the full of list of bachelor’s and master’s courses on UCL’s website.

Considered highly selective, UCL is one of a few universities in the UK not to offer courses in Clearing as reported by THE.

Master’s degrees can be either taught or research programs and include a wide range of programs including architecture, economics, education and philosophy. Find out more about all courses on offer here.

When should students start preparing?

It is strongly recommended that students begin preparing in from the end of Year 11 or beginning of Year 12. If possible, start any reading and thinking about what to write about in a Personal Statement as early as possible.

It is recommended that you try to find aspects of your chosen course that genuinely interest you and to think deeply about why you wish to study this subject – after all, you are applying to study this subject full time for at least 3 years.

The deadline for application to UCL is 15th January of Year 13.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, all UCL open days will now take place online.  

UCL’s Undergraduate June Virtual Open Days are live. For more informations, please see this page.

When do you have to start preparing for IE Madrid?

The deadline to apply for a Bachelor’s at IE University is at the end of your final year.

Always bear in mind the preparation work needed for admission to IE University, it is therefore strongly recommended that you start preparing your application at the start of your final year to maximize your chances of success.

A year of tuition at IE University ranges from just over €20,000 to €24,000 depending on the course. The University offers some Financial aid opportunities, which may cover up to 100% of enrollment fees. Students may apply for IE Loans, IE Scholarships or outside funding and should do so by completing their Financial Aid application.