All Undergraduate applications are dealt with by Undergraduate Admissions and not by individual academic departments. Applications must be made via UCAS as the School does not accept applications directly. For full details of how to apply for undergraduate courses please refer to the following section on the LSE website for Undergraduate| study.

Is there a deadline for applications?

There is no official deadline for applications for any of our Postgraduate courses. We advise that you apply as soon as possible as competition for places is very strong. Also, due to the Department's limited budget you will have a higher chance of receiving financial support if you apply early.

Am I eligible to apply?

The basic Entry Requirements for each Postgraduate programme are clearly stated on our website.

The normal entry requirement to the MSc in Statistics is an upper second class honours degree, or equivalent, with a significant mathematical content. Suitable applicants tend to hold a degree in mathematics, statistics, or mathematics & economics. Well-qualified applicants who do not meet this requirement will be considered on merit.

Entry requirements to the MSc in Risk and Stochastics are a good BSc degree (at least upper second class honours) in actuarial science, statistics, mathematical economics or mathematics. It should include training in analysis and linear algebra, with rigorous proofs, and probability theory at the level of our third year undergraduate course ST302 Please see description in the Calendar at: ST302|

Overseas students should consult the section on Equivalence of non-UK qualifications at the graduate prospectus website (please see the Graduate Admissions| website).

The entry requirement for the MPhil/PhD in Statistics is that all applicants should have completed a taught MSc containing a substantial statistical component.

For our Taught Masters programmes we also recommend that you consult the course descriptions on our website|. This will give you a better idea of your suitability for the course as you should be familiar at least with some of the course content prior to starting the course.

Do I require GRE/GMAT scores for acceptance on to your taught postgraduate programmes?

The Department of Statistics does not normally require GRE/GMAT scores for entry on to our taught postgraduate programmes or for our MPhil/PhD in Statistics.

Are there any language requirements?

If your first language is not English or if the language of instruction of your previous degree is not English, we ask you to provide evidence of your command of English.

Both the British Council's International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are accepted qualifications. Applicants should already have or expect to gain a minimum score of 603 in the paper test or 263 in the computer based test in the TOEFL or 6.5 in the IELTS.

English tests must be less than two years old at the time of application. If you have not yet taken the test, your application can be considered in its absence, but any offer will be conditional on your achieving the required score.

Do you require references?

The Department of Statistics does not require references to be submitted with your application form for our MSc in Statistics and MSc in Risk and Stochastics. However, you should include contact details of one person who is familiar with your academic achievements. Normally, this will be a tutor from your current or previous academic institution. The Department may contact this referee if it is deemed useful when considering your application.

Please note: If your application is held because 'no references have been received' this will be a temporary situation and will last for a maximum of 7 days. We apologise for this delay, but checks on applications only take place once a week in Graduate Admissions.

We do require references for our MPhil/PhD programme as detailed in the Graduate Prospectus|.

Can I do the course part-time?

All of our Postgraduate programmes are available with a part-time Mode of Attendance. The course duration would therefore be:

MSc in Statistics: full-time 9 months; part-time 21 months; with Summer Project: full-time 12 months; part-time 24 months
MSc in Risk & Stochastics: full-time 12 months; part-time 24 months
MPhil/PhD in Statistics: full-time 3 years; part-time 6 years

For our Taught Masters courses this means that you will still need to attend lectures and classes on a weekly basis, approximately two or three days a week, depending on module options. For our MPhil/PhD programme, attendance at LSE may be required during your first year of study in order to attend courses suggested to you by your supervisor.

Lectures and classes are only taught during the day between 9am and 6pm, with no evening classes being available for any of these programmes. The Department of Statistics does not offer a distance learning option.

A detailed timetable for lectures is available just before the start of the academic session.

If you wish to be a part-time research student, you must discuss with us the nature and hours of your employment. Work commitments should amount to at least 15 hours a week and be in the London area and during conventional working hours.

Government regulations do not normally admit students from outside the EU to study part-time.

Can I do the course in the evening?

Unfortunately the Department of Statistics does not run any evening classes for any of our postgraduate courses.

What should I write in my personal statement?

Your personal statement should clearly state why you want to do the programme applied for. Brief details of your academic background and aspirations are also useful. Applicants coming from a background other than mathematics or statistics should give further explanation of how their background is relevant to the programme applied for and further details of their current studies is necessary. Personal statements for the Taught Masters programmes should be concise and should not exceed 200 words.

For students applying to the MPhil/PhD in Statistics programme a Research Proposal should be included with your application. For further guidance please see Research Proposal|

How much will it cost?

For full details of fees for all courses please refer to LSE's Table of Fees|

What financial support can I get from LSE?

The Department of Statistics and the London School of Economics and Political Science do provide financial support for both Taught Masters programmes and Research programmes. Details can be found at:

What about my application? Can the Department of Statistics advise me?

The easiest way to check on your application is through the Graduate Admissions Office. You can contact them in different ways:

Email: Follow these instructions|
Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 7160 (select option 3 to speak to the team)
Fax: +44 (0)20 7955 6137

How do I........?

Easy methods of carrying out the most common tasks for applicants. You can check the status of your application, amend or add course choices, submit new information, change from full-time to part-time and pay administration fees. If you have already received an offer of a place on our course you are able to request offer certificates, decline your offer or request to defer your offer. Plus much more.

Simply visit the Graduate Admissions 'How Do I..' page|.

Can I send supporting documents or acceptance/refusal confirmation to the Department of Statistics?

Please do not send any documents or offer confirmation details to the Department of Statistics. Please send all information directly to Graduate Admissions:

Graduate Admissions,
The London School of Economics,
Houghton Street,
London
WC2A 2AE

Where can I find out about accommodation?

For up to date information and advice about accommodation in LSE halls of residence and private rented accommodation in London please refer to the Accommodation for Students website at www.lse.ac.uk/accommodation/|. You will also find useful information about travel, hotels and hostels in London, insurance and more.

Who can I contact if my question is not answered here?

Our postgraduate Student Handbooks| contain answers to most questions concerning the MSc in Statistics, the MSc in Risk & Stochastics and the MPhil/PhD in Statistics. Please do refer to these as they contain information on all aspects of our courses including induction, registration, course descriptions and regulations, plus details about LSE in general, facilities, and living in London. Please note that the Handbooks are in the process of being updated for the next academic session and may be subject to minor alterations.

Please read all the information referred to above very carefully. If, and only if, you are sure that your question remains unanswered, please email us at statistics@lse.ac.uk|. Whilst we try to deal with enquiries as quickly as possible, please understand that we receive a lot of emails and there may be a short delay before we respond to your query.