Selecting Courses

stage two of the process

Once you've researched your course options the next stage is to select them using LSE for You

Please read the course selection overview for information about stages one and three. 

Undergraduate

The Undergraduate Course Selection Student Guide can be accessed here.

Autumn Term 

Please note that the following information applies to Autumn Term course selection only:

To select a course that is part of your programme regulations:

1. Log into LSE for You using your LSE username and password.

2. Navigate to "Selection of Courses" option in the left hand menu.

3. Choose the paper you want to select courses for and click 'change selected course'.

4. Select the course you'd like to take for that paper and click 'click here to choose selected courses' at the bottom of the page.

5. Repeat this process until you have made all of your course selections for all papers.

6. When you have finished click 'Click here to make this your new Selection of Courses'.

All course selections are subject to approval from your Academic Mentor, availability and timetabling constraints.

To select an unlisted course that is not part of your programme regulations (outside options):

1. Complete steps 1-3 as above.

2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click 'Request unlisted course' button.

3. Select whether you wish to take 1 whole unit course or 2 half unit courses and click 'continue'.

4. Type the code of the course you wish to take into the text box and click 'Fetch'.

5. Click 'continue' to apply to take the retrieved course.

6. Read the terms and conditions carefully and click 'I agree' to continue.

7. Write an explanation of the academic reasons for applying to take an unlisted course and click 'submit request'.

8. Wait for your request to take an unlisted course to be approved by your Academic Mentor and then your Departmental Tutor.

Outside options are subject to approval, availability and timetabling constraints.


 Winter Term (Course Change)

You will be able to make changes to Winter Term half units in January 2024. 

1. Complete the UG Winter Term Course Change form (Form to be uploaded before January 2025).

2. Collect the relevant approvals on the back of the form.

3. Attach the completed form to this enquiry form - see deadline under Course Selection Dates below. Any forms received after the deadline will be returned unprocessed. 

General Course and GO LSE

You can find information about General Course and GO LSE course selection in the Undergraduate Course Selection Student Guide here.

Autumn Term 

Please note that the following information applies to Autumn Term course selection only:

To select a course that is part of your programme:

1. Log into LSE for You using your LSE username and password.

2. Navigate to "Selection of Courses" option in the left hand menu.

3. Choose the paper you want to select courses for and click 'change selected course'.

4. Select the course you'd like to take for that paper and click 'click here to choose selected courses' at the bottom of the page.

5. Repeat this process until you have made all of your course selections for all papers.

6. When you have finished click 'Click here to make this your new Selection of Courses'.

All course selections are subject to approval from your Academic Mentor, availability and timetabling constraints.

To select an unlisted course that is outside of the listed options:

1. Complete steps 1-3 as above. 

2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click 'Request unlisted course' button.

3. Select whether you wish to take 1 whole unit course or 2 half unit courses and click 'continue'.

4. Type the code of the course you wish to take into the text box and click 'Fetch'.

5. Click 'continue' to apply to take the retrieved course.

6. Read the terms and conditions carefully and click 'I agree' to continue.

7. Write an explanation of the academic reasons for applying to take an unlisted course and click 'submit request'.

8. You then need to complete and return a 'Course with Permission' form to the Dean of the General Course and Global Mobility. The form is available to download on the Courses with Permission webpage.  

9. Follow the advice on the Courses with Permission webpage carefully to ensure that the form is completed correctly. 

10. If your request is approved, the course will be added to your LFY course selections and timetable within five working days. 

Outside options are subject to approval, availability and timetabling constraints.


 Winter Term (Course Change)

1. Complete the Winter Term Course Change Form.

2. Collect the relevant approvals on the back of the form.

3. Return the completed form to the Dean by the deadline listed under 'Course Selection Dates' below. Any forms received after the deadline will be returned unprocessed.

Taught Postgraduate

The Postgraduate Course Selection Student Guide can be accessed here.

To select a course:

1. Log into LSE for You using your LSE username and password.

2. Expand the 'Graduate Course Choice' option in the left hand menu and select 'Graduate Course Choice - Student'.

3. Click on the 'select or drop courses | accept or decline offers | withdraw requests' button.

4. Select courses from the available options, including compulsory courses for your programme. 

5. If a course that you wish to take is not listed then type the course code (e.g. AB456) into the box at the bottom of the listed options and click "Fetch".

6. If you have chosen a non-compulsory controlled access (capped) course, you will be asked to enter a statement in support of your application if required. Not all courses need a statement; you can find out if a statement is required by visiting controlled access courses.

7. You will also be given the opportunity to enter a "supporting statement" in support of your selected courses. You are strongly recommended to do so if your selected courses fall outside the regulations for your programme.

8. Wait for your any requests to take controlled access capped course(s) to be considered by the teaching department(s). You will be notified by email when the Department makes a decision.  If the Department chooses to offer you a place then you will have to accept that offer before you will be enrolled on the course. Act quickly - offers expire after 48 hours!

Seminar allocation and sign-up

Some departments allocate students to seminars, and some departments will allow students to sign themselves up to seminars. You can see which method is used for each of your registered courses in the seminar sign-up system in LSE for You.

You can use seminar sign-up once you have signed up for a course and the department responsible has made the course available for seminar sign up. 

Seminar sign-up is accessible throughout the course selection windows. If you fail to sign up for seminars during this time, the department may allocate you to a seminar group of their choice on your behalf. 

Course Selection Dates

Autumn Term

  • Continuing undergraduates: you will be able to select courses from 10am on Tuesday 29 August 2023 until 5pm on Monday 9 October 2023.

  • New undergraduates (including General Course students): you will be able to select courses from 10am on Tuesday 5 September 2023 until 5pm on Monday 9 October 2023.

  • Postgraduates: you will be able to browse (but not select) courses from 10am on Monday 18 September 2023 until Thursday 21 September 2023. You will be able to select courses from 10am on Thursday 21 September 2023 until 5pm on Friday 6 October 2023.

Winter Term

You will be able to make changes to Winter Term half units from 10am on Monday 15 January 2024 until 5pm on Friday 26 January 2024.

It is not possible to change full unit courses or half-unit courses that were taught in Autumn during this period.

  • Undergraduate students can make changes, with permission, using the UG Winter Term Course Change form. Your completed and approved form must be attached and returned to the Student Services enquiry form by the deadline. Any forms received after the deadline will be returned unprocessed.

  • Postgraduate Students can use the Course Selection system on LSE for You.

Late Course Change

You should always finalise your courses by the main deadlines, which is 5pm on Friday 6 October 2023 (PG) and 5pm on Monday 9 October 2023 (UG & GC)

In exceptional circumstances, you may be able to make a late change with permission.

The late course change period runs from 5pm on Friday 6 October 2023 until 5pm on Friday 13 October 2023 for postgraduate students and from 5pm on Monday 9 October 2023 until 5pm on Monday 16 October 2023 for undergraduate and General Course students.

Undergraduate students:  The Late Course Change is now no longer available as the deadline has passed and we will not be accepting any Late Course Change form submissions. If you have any questions, please email us via the SSC online enquiry form

Postgraduate students: Please contact your home department if you wish to make late course changes after 5pm on Friday 6 October 2023.

Absolutely no course changes to full units or Autumn term half units are possible after 5pm on the above deadlines.

Capped and Controlled Access Courses

Capped Courses - Undergraduate

Some departments have capped courses, which means that places on these courses will be limited. On the LSE for You course selection system these courses are labelled as 'capped'. A full list of capped courses is available here.

These courses are offered on a first come first served basis and as soon as the number of students registered reaches the capped number, the status of these courses will change to "full" and no one else will be able to select them.

If you want more information about capped courses please contact the department teaching the course.

The Undergraduate Course Selection Student Guide can be accessed here.

Controlled Access (Capped) Courses - Postgraduate

Many graduate courses are designated as ‘controlled access’ due to limited places and/or prerequisites that are required in order to study the course. These will be highlighted in green on the list of available courses in the LSE for You course selection system. You can find information about controlled access courses, how applicants are selected, and deadlines for applying at controlled access courses.

You will be notified of the outcome of your request to take a controlled access course by email. If you have been offered a place on a controlled access course, you must use the LSE for You course selection system to indicate whether you would like to accept or decline the offer within two working days of receiving the offer email. After this time the offer will expire.

The Postgraduate Course Selection Student Guide can be accessed here.

If you intend to use an offer to replace another course you are registered for, you must withdraw from that course before you accept the new offer, to ensure that you do not exceed the maximum number of units your programme regulations allow you to take.

Please do not assume you have a place on a controlled access course until you have been officially informed of this and accepted the offer. You will not be able to sign up for a seminar until you are registered for the course.

You can withdraw a request to take a controlled access course before/after you are notified of the outcome or drop the course after you are registered for it.

Please remember that if you are offered a place on a controlled access course, you must log in to LSE for You and accept the place within 48 hours.

Course Selection and Timetables FAQs

Please see the Course Selection and Timetables FAQs for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students below:

 

If you have any questions about the course selection process, please contact the Student Services Centre via the online enquiry form