1. Check if your university has an agreement with LSE for your subject and level.

Your home university department must have a formal agreement with a department at LSE. For a list of university agreements, please see the information for incoming students page.

Arrangements are dealt with at departmental level only. If no agreement exists, it is not possible to participate in the Erasmus programme. We do not accept Erasmus freemovers at LSE.

2. Contact your Erasmus Coordinator in your home university

Before applying to the LSE you must check your own institutions Erasmus eligibility procedures.

3. Complete the LSE Erasmus application form
Once your home institution has approved your participation, contact the Erasmus Team on the Student Services Centre form.  You will be required to complete the Graduate Admissions online application form and details will be given to you by the Erasmus Coordinators.

Undergraduate students will need to apply via the Erasmus Coordinator at Sciences Po or via their department in their home institution. CEMS Exchanges will be managed by the CEMS Coordinators.  Applications for all other exchanges are currently managed by the Erasmus Coordinators at LSE.

4. Selection process

• If you are an undergraduate student from Sciences Po, you will be required to apply for the General Course once you have been selected;
• If you are an undergraduate BSc Management student, selection and applications will be managed by your home institution and the Department of Management at LSE.
• If you are on a CEMS exchanges, selection and applications,  will be managed by your home institution and the Department of Management at LSE.
• If you are on the MEST exchange, you must first be nominated by your home institution.  Your nomination will be sent to the Department of Management for consideration.  Once they have agreed they will accept your nomination, you must apply to LSE.  Acceptance of your nomination is not a formal offer of study and you will still need to apply formally to LSE.
• If you are an incoming PhD student, your home instituton must nominate you to the Erasmus Coordinators. Your nomination will be sent to the relevant department for consideration.  Once they have agreed they will accept your nomination, you must apply to LSE.  Acceptance of your nomination is not a formal offer of study and you will still need to apply formally to LSE.

What are the English Language requirements? 

Erasmus students at LSE will normally be expected to have attained an adequate level of proficiency in English, equivalent to a score of 6.5-7.0 in the British Council IELTS.

When will I receive a decision?

Upon receipt of your application form, LSE will process your application and aim to contact you with a decision within two months. It is important that you receive this decision before committing to attend the School.

Applications are decided at departmental level.  However, you must still complete the requirements to hold an unconditional offer of study before you are able to register.

What courses will I study at LSE?

Please make sure you discuss your programme of studies with the Erasmus project coordinator at your home university before you arrive at the School. For information on courses see the Undergraduate Course Guides and Postgraduate Course Guides.

For undergraduate students:
Undergraduate Erasmus students from Sciences Po are registered on the General Course.

You will be able to get advice from your tutor on your final selection of courses (for which you should also seek approval from your home university). Certain combinations of courses may not be possible because of timetable difficulties.

For postgraduate students:
Most Masters level exchanges at the LSE are a component part of your degree programme at your home institution e.g. Masters in Management/CEMS or Erasmus Mundus.  Course selection is managed by the department hosting you.

Am I guaranteed to get the courses I want to select?

Unfortunately, we are unable to guarantee that you will be able to attend the courses you wish to attend. Priority will be given to LSE students, especially in the case of courses which are mandatory for the programme. Departments will do their best to accomodate your requirements, but this may not always be possible.

How long will I spend at LSE?

Students can spend between 3 months and one academic year at LSE depending on the agreement with your home university. For more information, you should contact the Erasmus Coordinator at your home institution.

Incoming applicants should note that one term at LSE is less than three months, so may not be eligible for Erasmus funding.

How will I be assessed?

LSE students are assessed mainly on their performance in formal end-of-year examinations. An Erasmus student who attends for the entire academic year would normally take this examination, unless the home university decides otherwise. For those who do not take the examination (including those who attend for only part of the year), all we can provide is a report on the student's participation in classes, and any marks awarded for coursework.

LSE does not arrange special examinations for Erasmus students. At the end of your period of study, LSE will prepare upon request a document setting out the courses taken and any assessments available. For further information, please contact the Student Services Centre. 

Will I have access to the LSE Library?

Erasmus students are entitled to full membership of the LSE Library and will be issued with a student card at registration.

Further information about the Library, including the online catalogue, can be found on the Library's website.

What IT facilities are available at LSE?

All Erasmus students will be given access to LSE's computer network. Once you are a registered student with your own username, password, and email address.  

There are over 1000 high-quality PCs in open access computer areas on the LSE campus. There is one computer room that will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during term-time.

Is accommodation available for Erasmus students?

Unfortunately, we can only guarantee accommodation to undergraduate Erasmus students due to the length of exchanges. On some occassions, LSE is able to provide a place in LSE student accommodation for students studying in London for periods shorter than a one academic year (October until July). However, this is dependant on available vacanices in halls.

Students studying for less than one academic year are advised  to find their own accommodation. A minimum of 2 weeks should be given to finding accommodation; students who do not have a place for the Michaelmas term are strongly advised to arrive mid-September to seek information and advice on finding somewhere to live. It may be possible to find a temporary base for that time in one of the LSE halls (booking forms are available from the  Accommodation Office), while permanent accommodation is sought. For the same reason, students coming to the School for the Lent term should come as soon as possible after Christmas, but please note that the School will be closed until after the New Year holiday.

LSE Residential Services offers some good advice on finding private housing in London, while LSE Studentpad is our online private housing database. Registration is free, and you can search for suitable properties and contact landlords directly.

Zoopla, Rightmove, spareroom.co.uk, and RoomBuddies are also great places to start looking for private housing.

Residential Services can be contacted below:

Residential Services Office 

3.02 Saw Swee Hock Student Centre
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 7531

Private housing queries: private.housing@lse.ac.uk

Opening hours
Monday to Friday - 9am to 5pm (Halls of Residence and Private Housing enquiries)

Will I have a personal tutor?

You will have a tutor to act as your personal academic mentor for the period of your stay. Your tutor will advise on your choice of courses, and will receive reports on your progress. Your tutor will also be available to advise on academic or personal problems, and can help you locate the relevant professional service at the School.

How much will it cost to live in London?

As how much you spend is ultimately an individual decision, the following figures are intended only as a guide. London can be as expensive as your personal tastes dictate - some students are able to live on less, some need more. Please note that these figures are intended as a guideline only and are close to the minimum you are likely to spend. 

London on a budget

Erasmus at  LSE is managed by the Student Advice and Engagement Team until 31 May 2023. We will  also be able to advise you on your immigration options if you require a visa to study in the UK.

How international is LSE?

LSE is one of the world's most international universities, with over 60 per cent of all our students originating from countries outside the UK, and over 150 different countries represented in the student body. It is a truly cosmopolitan environment.

Where should I register upon arrival?

Registration means that you become a member of the School and entitles you to full use of School facilities.

Information about the Registration process in September can be found on our new student registration web pages. If you are starting your exchange during the Lent Term or at any other time of the academic year,  either your department will arrange a registration session or the Erasmus team will advise you where and when to go for registration. 

Visiting Erasmus students who are in the third or fourth year of a normal first degree at their home institution will be registered as undergraduate students.

Visiting Erasmus students who are studying for a postgraduate degree at their home university will be registered as taught master's students.

Visiting Erasmus students who are studying for a doctoral degree will be registered as research students at the PhD Academy.

Key sources of information for your studies at LSE are located in:

• LSE's own website
• LSE Calendar

Are there specific events for Erasmus students at LSE?

LSE considers Erasmus students to be part of our diverse student body, even if they are only with us for a short time. As such they are able to attend all Welcome events arranged. Your department may also arrange specific events if you are joining us as part of a network. Erasmus at LSE is very small and is usually based on established networks. Whilst there are no specific Erasmus Welcome events, we do have an EU/Erasmus drop-in on Tuesdays 11:00 - 12:00 am in the Student Services Centre.