If you are enrolled for the 2024/25 academic year, you will be expected to attend your exams on campus. The Panel will only consider applications to sit an exam overseas for students in the following categories:

Incoming or outgoing current students on Erasmus or other exchange programmes who are either: 

• Required to sit an LSE exam after returning to the country of study
• Required to sit an LSE exam after having travelled to the country in which the exchange programme is being taken     

You will need to provide evidence that confirms your need to travel to the country in question during the LSE exam period, for example confirmation of the overseas institution’s term dates. The Panel may refuse your application if it is concluded that travel could have been undertaken after the end of the LSE exam period in question. 

The Panel will not consider applications that are based on: 

• employment or internships
• injury or medical conditions either affecting you or a family member 
• bereavement 
• failure to apply for a visa with sufficient time or evidence
• personal convenience (you are expected to be available until the end of all relevant exam periods, exams can take place at any time during these periods)
• cost of travelling to London

Should your circumstances fall outside of the accepted categories for consideration for this service, you are advised to consider deferral  to the next relevant exam period. For medical conditions you may also consider applying for Central Exam Adjustments. 

Please note: Exams which require specific software (such as Digiexam) can be sat overseas however, these will be delivered as traditional paper-based exams and will not be run using the software.

You will be eligible for overseas exams only if all the following criteria are met:

• You are not an enrolled student (not receiving teaching for the 2024/25 academic year)
• Your permanent residence is outside the UK
• You have only resit or deferred assessments to undertake to either complete or progress your programme of study, in either January 2025 or May/June 2025 or August IRDAP 2025
• You have no further classes to attend or repeat teaching to undertake and are therefore not required to be in London or on campus
• You can demonstrate exceptional circumstances which, in the view of the panel, prevent you from travelling to the UK for your exam. Supporting evidence will be required.

Please note:  Students in this category can only apply to sit overseas exams in their country and town/city of residence, based on the home address information held by LSE. Students may exceptionally sit in a nearby town/city, should the city of residence not have a suitable venue to host the exam. Students should make arrangements in the closest possible venue to their town/city of residence.

Students may not apply for this service to sit at a venue in a holiday location or in a location to which they will be travelling for an internship or other working arrangement.

Students are expected to be available for the entirety of the exam periods.

Exams which require specific software (such as Digiexam) can be sat overseas however, these will be delivered as traditional paper-based exams and will not be run using the software.

You must make every effort to apply by the relevant deadline. Late applications will not be considered.

• January 2025 Exams                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       The Overseas Exams Application form and required evidence must be submitted by Friday 6 December 2024. If your application is approved, you must make the payment  and return the overseas registration form by Wednesday 11 December 2024.                                  
• Spring 2025 Exams                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          The Overseas Exams Application form and required evidence must be submitted by Friday, 4 April 2025. If your application is approved, you must make the payment and return the overseas registration form by Wednesday, 16 April 2025.          
• 2025 Undergraduate Resit/Deferral exams (IRDAP)  - Monday 21 July 2025

• Click on the 'Apply here' button and complete the application form below by the deadline date specified for the exam period by using your LSE email address. We will use only the LSE email address to reach out to you regarding the outcomes.
• As part of your application, you will need to provide official, original evidence in English in support of your request. Applications submitted without supportive evidence will not be considered. 
• You will also need to submit a personal statement setting out the reasons for your request. You should include an explanation of why remaining in, or travelling to, London would be inadvisable. 
• If you are making an early application for the spring exam period (i.e. before the timetable is published), please include an explanation of why you are applying early.
• Your application will be reviewed by the panel. You will normally be notified of the panel's decision within 15 working days. 

• You will be emailed with the Panel's decision, a copy of the Overseas Exam Registration Form and details of how to make payment.
• You will need to find an overseas centre that is willing to accommodate your exam(s). 
• The Overseas Exam Registration Form will need to be completed by you and your chosen centre.
• The completed form should then be returned to LSE as quickly as possible and at least 10 days prior to your first overseas exam. 
• You should make payment of £150 following the process outlined in the email. Pleae be aware that this administration charge is non-refundable.
• If you are using a centre that is not a British Council Office or that has been pre-approved the Panel will assess the suitability of the centre. The Panel will contact you by email if the centre is unsuitable. LSE will contact your centre to confirm arrangements.
• All materials will be electronically sent to your centre in good time for your exams. This pack will include details of any Central Exam Adjustments that should be put in place. 
• You will need to cover any costs that are levied by the centre administering your exam. If needed, this includes the cost of sending completed scripts and spare materials back to LSE by courier (scripts sent by regular mail will not be marked because we cannot guarantee they are secure).
• If you are unable to find a suitable venue to host the exams or a venue which is unable to host the exam within a 24hr period from the UK start time of the exam, the overseas exam will not be able to take place. You will be expected to take the exam in London, or alternatively you should consider deferral. Any fees paid to LSE will not be refunded. You will also be responsible for any fees the venue charges.

• For Spring 2025 exam applications, click on the 'Appeal here' button and complete the application form below by the 16th of April 2025. 
• You will be notified by email of the Panel's decision. 
• In some circumstances the Panel may request additional evidence, you are advised to return this as soon as possible. 
• If you believe that your request to sit an exam overseas has been rejected unfairly, you have a right of appeal.
• Appeals must be based on either new evidence relating to the circumstances that led to your request for an overseas exam sitting; or alleged procedural defect in the original decision (i.e. that the decision taken was not in line with the criteria set out under Guidelines - see above)
• If your appeal is based on evidence you must attach the evidence to the appeal form. If it is new evidence you should also explain why the new evidence was not submitted with the original application
• The Appeals Panel will consider all of the information presented to it and decide whether the original decision was appropriate or whether an overseas exam may now be approved. When the panel has made its decision it will contact you by email. If an appeal is rejected there is no further right to resubmit it or to ask for a further review of the decision.

It is entirely the candidate's responsibility to find a centre that is both acceptable to LSE and willing to host their exam. 

British Council Offices
LSE's preference is that British Council Offices should be used for overseas exams wherever possible. Please note however that the British Council does not run exams in the USA.

Pre-approved Centres
If it is not possible for you to use a British Council Office then you should aim to use a centre on the pre-approved list. If you use one of these centres you can be assured that your registration will be approved without issue. Please do bear in mind though that this list is not exhaustive - it is simply a list of centres that have successfully hosted LSE exams in the past. 

Other Centres
If it is not possible for you to use a British Council Offices or a centre from the pre-approved list then you should find a centre that is willing to host your exam. Please bear in mind the following when searching for a centre:

• higher education institutions (universities) are likely to be acceptable
• further education institutions (colleges) may be acceptable but will be judged individually
• public libraries are not acceptable
• private companies are not acceptable (even if they are hosting internships or run other exams)

You should include all the details of the centre on the Overseas Exam Registration Form and it will be assessed by the Panel for suitability. The Panel need to be wholly satisfied that it meets the LSE standards of exam service provision and the integrity of the invigilation process. The Panel may require you to choose a different centre if they feel the one you have suggested is unacceptable. The Panel's decision on suitability of centres is final and cannot be appealed. 

LSE Charges

There is a charge of £150 for overseas exams. This is payable per centre so, if you sit two exams in one centre you would pay £150. If you sit two exams in two different centres you would need to pay £300.

This charge covers the additional administration and outgoing courier costs (if needed) associated with overseas arrangements.

Please be aware that this administration charge is non-refundable. 

Charges levied by the overseas centre

You are responsible for any charges levied by the centre and in some cases, if required, the cost of having your scripts couriered back to LSE.

We recommend that students apply for Overseas Exams Application as soon as possible and look for an accredited test centre due to the restricted timeline and logistical requirements for coordinating the exams with overseas test centres.

We have created a process flowchart providing an overview of the entire overseas exam arrangement process. This will help you manage your time effectively and follow all the necessary steps for a smooth arrangement.