Programme Transfer

changing degree programme

You may request to change your programme of study at any time during your studies, but changes of programme are made at the School's discretion

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In certain circumstances it is possible for you to transfer to a different degree programme, but only with the permission of both your old and new programme leaders. 

There are different deadlines, conditions and information for undergraduate and taught graduate programmes, for more information please expand the relevant selection below.

Undergraduate programmes

Requests to change undegraduate degree programme should only be submitted after examination results have been published at the end of an academic year, or during the Autumn Term course selection period. New students must be campus enrolled before requesting a programme transfer. Changes of programme are made at the School's discretion.

Permission will depend on a number of factors, which include:

  • the number of students already registered for a particular degree
  • the qualifications you held before you registered at the School and whether these meet the entrance requirements of the new programme
  • the admissions quota for each degree
  • any deadlines of caps agreed locally 
  • whether the courses that you are taking (or have already taken) fit into the regulations of the degree to which you wish to transfer
  • if you meet the new department's Programme Transfer Conditions.

LSE will not usually approve a transfer if it means that you will not progress from one year to another in the expected way. For instance, students who have completed year 3 of the BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics cannot return to the start of year 3 of another programme.

If you have taken and passed assessments on your current programme or have failed to progress from one year to another, a programme transfer is not the appropriate route to return to the same or an earlier year of a different degree programme.

If you wish to study a new degree programme from the start, please note that the deadline for UCAS applications is 15 January. 

Students who have already completed one or two years of a degree programme will need to meet the relevant department's transfer conditions.  

Programme transfers are considered and approved by Departmental Tutors.

For transfers to happen at the start of an academic year, the online programme transfer form must be submitted before the Autumn term course selection deadline.

Taught graduate programmes

You can normally request to change your programme of study only during the Autumn term course selection period. Changes outside of this period will only be permitted in very exceptional circumstances. Please note that new students must be campus enrolled before requesting a programme transfer.

At graduate level, transfers are considered and recommended by Programme Directors.

For MSc programmes lasting longer than one year, LSE will not usually approve a transfer if it means that you will not progress from one year to another in the expected way.

If you transfer degree programme, your tuition fees may change - please see the table of fees for details. Regardless of the point in the academic year that your programme transfer is processed, the change in tuition fees will be backdated to the start of the academic year.

Please note that the European Institute does not accept programme transfer requests into or out of the department. 

Process overview

1. Speak with your Academic Mentor to help you ensure that this is the right decision for you.

2. Contact the academic responsible for the programme you wish to transfer to establish if they would be willing to consider your request to transfer.

3. If the academic is willing to consider your application, complete and submit the Programme Transfer form, providing a detailed explanation of why you wish to change programme. Once you have submitted your request form, it will automatically be sent to the appropriate academic staff for review.  They will receive an email to confirm your submission, so you do not need to tell them yourself.

4. If School level approval is granted, the Student Records Team will process your request. You will be transferred at the most appropriate point in the academic cycle. We aim to process requests in five working days but it will take longer at the beginning of the academic year.

5. You will receive an email notification that your request to transfer has been approved.  

Until your request has been processed, you will remain registered on your current programme and will be expected to comply with all its requirements, including attendance at all classes and attempting all assessments.

6. Once a transfer is approved, for details about changing courses, please visit the Course Selection pages.

Immigration Permission

If you currently hold a Student visa, permission to transfer into to a new programme will also be dependent on meeting the UK Government's immigration laws. It may also have an impact on the length or conditions of your visa, your ability to extend your visa in the UK and the time you have remaining for further study under the time limitations of your Student leave.  If you are considering a transfer to a new programme, you must seek immigration advice to see if you are affected.