Student Letters for Status Confirmation

Student visa holders requesting a letter to include in their application to extend their Student visa from within the UK to study on a new programme at the LSE or another institution another institution in the UK that requires a UK visa extension.

Criteria:

1. Only issued to undergraduate students in their final year of study who hold a Student visa. This letter is solely for the purposes of UKVI applications.

2. All provisional results have been released to the student by the School via email (not department), excluding results for any deferred assessments

3. The student requesting the letter does not have any provisional failed courses in the current academic year or any unredeemed failed marks in previous years

4. For LLB students only - The student requesting the letter does not have any provisional failed courses in the current academic year or any failed marks in previous years

5. The student is deferring / re-sitting assessments in IRDAP for courses of the value of up to 1.0 unit, including any assessments deferred / failed / not attempted and therefore still to be taken from previous academic years

6. The student has not deferred courses as outlined in point 4 beyond the first upcoming IRDAP period (i.e., they are expected to complete in the same academic year of their original June end date)

7. The student requires and requests the letter between the release of provisional Spring Term results and the release of ratified final results post-IRDAP (September)

To make a request:

Once all of the above criteria have been met students must submit an enquiry via the Student Services Enquiry Form. Students must also provide a confirmation from the other institution that the letter is required because the offer-holder will be making their visa application from the UK.  

Student visa holders requesting a letter to include in their application to extend their Student visa from within the UK to study on a new programme at the LSE or another institution in the UK that requires a UK visa extension.

Criteria:

1. Only issued to 12 months masters students and 2nd year 24 months masters students holding a Student visa. This letter is primarily for the purposes of UKVI applications

2. All provisional results (bar the dissertation mark) have been released to the student via LSE for You and are not blocked for viewing

3. The student requesting the letter does not have any provisional failed courses

4. The student has submitted their dissertation. NB: Academic Departments (Programme Managers/Administrators) responsible for a student who requires this letter will need to confirm to the Student Advice and Engagement Team via email whether the student has completed their programme requirements and the date on which the Department had received the student’s dissertation or final project/essay. This confirmation will need to be given in advance of a student’s request

To make a request:

Once all of the above criteria have been met students must submit an enquiry via the Student Services Enquiry Form and attached a screenshot of their provisional results as published in LSE for You. Students must also provide a confirmation from the other institution that the letter is required because the offer-holder will be making their visa application from the UK. Please note that it can take up to five working days for the letter to be issued.  

This letter confirms to third parties after a student’s official programme end date has passed that the student has completed their programme requirements as expected.

IMPORTANT: This letter cannot be used to apply for a Graduate Route visa.  More information is available on the Visa Advice web pages.

Criteria:

1. Student has no outstanding courses to complete and the official programme end date has passed.

Important to note:

a. The School and Academic Departments are unable to produce letters confirming a student is ‘expected’ to complete the requirements of their programme before the official programme end date

b. The official programme end date is not the end date of your last examination or assessment. Please refer to the LSE Term Date’s webpage here for further information

2. Academic Departments (Programme Managers/Administrators) responsible for a student who requires a completion of programme requirements will need to confirm to the Student Advice and Engagement Team via email whether the student has completed their programme requirements and the date in which the Department had received the student’s dissertation or final project/essay. This confirmation will need to be given in advance of a student’s request

To make a request:

Once all of the above criteria have been met including the Academic Department contacting the Student Advice and Engagement Team with the necessary information, students must submit an enquiry via the Student Services Enquiry Form. Please note that it can take up to five working days for students to be issued with their letters by email as PDF attachments.

To submit evidence of your studies for a Skilled Worker visa application sponsored by a UK employer, students can obtain the following two letters from the School:

1. Certificate of Enrolment: This letter can be used to confirm that a student is completing their programme within three months of the official programme end date.

To make a request: 

Students can obtain a certificate of enrolment via the Student Services Enquiry Form here. 

2. Skilled Worker Academic Reference: Only for Student visa holders requesting a letter to obtain sponsorship (CoS) from their UK employer to switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa after completing their last assessment and before the official final results are published. To obtain this letter, students must have an offer of permanent employment in the UK.

Criteria:

1. Student has sat all of their examinations and submitted all of their academic papers including a dissertation, final essay or project, if applicable. If your last assessment is a dissertation, a final essay or a project, you must submit the final and complete version before you request a Skilled Worker academic reference letter. Amendments are not permissable after you have been issued with a Skilled Worker academic reference letter. NB: Academic Departments (Programme Managers/Administrators) responsible for a student who requires a Skilled Worker academic reference will need to confirm to the Student Advice and Engagement Team via email whether the student has completed their programme requirements and the date in which the Department had received the student’s dissertation or final project/essay. This confirmation will need to be given in advance of a student’s request

2. Student must provide the Student Advice and Engagement Team with a scanned or PDF copy of their employment offer/contract in a form of an official letter or contract on letterheaded paper from their UK employer. Unfortunately, emails referring to offers of employment will not suffice.

To make a request:

Once all of the above criteria have been met including the Academic Department contacting the Student Advice and Engagement Team with the necessary information, students must submit an enquiry via the Student Services Enquiry Form. Please note that it can take up to five working days for the letter to be issued. 

This letter authorises Student visa holders to be on vacation for a maximum of four weeks between the last date of the summer examination period and the official programme end date, i.e. dissertation writing period. 

Please note that this letter will not be issued for the purpose of travelling outside of the UK over the dissertation writing period.

Criteria:

1. Only issued to 12 months masters students and taught 2^nd year 24 months masters students holding a Student visa

2. The vacation occurs during the dissertation writing period

3. Students must ensure that the vacation request does not interfere with their completion and submission of their dissertation as it cannot be used mitigating circumstances and extension requests

4. Students who would like to request a vacation during a dissertation period have not deferred or intend to defer any of their assessments

5. Departments (Programme Managers/Administrators) must authorise and confirm your vacation dates to the Student Advice and Engagement Team in advance of your request. 

NB: The School is unable to confirm eligibility for employment or work rights. This decision lies with the employing organisation. Only four weeks’ vacation period is given per student at one time unless the student decides to split their four weeks’ vacation during the dissertation writing period (for example, two weeks in early August and two weeks in early September), which is agreed with the Academic Department. 

To make a request:

Once all of the above criteria have been met students must submit an enquiry via the Student Services Enquiry Form.  Please note that it can take up to five working days for students to be issued with their letters by email as PDF attachments.

This letter is produced by Academic Departments and sent directly to employers or other institutions only, illustrating a student’s provisional results. This letter is not issued to students directly. 

Staff in Academic Departments - For more information on the provisional results letter including the School approved provisional results letter template, please refer to Confirming Provisional Results. 

Criteria:

1. Only issued to 12 months masters students and second year 24 months masters students.

2. The letter is directly issued to employers or other institutions via email. This letter is not released to the student making the request. Students should provide their Academic Department with the contact name and email of recipient.

3. Letters are only available once provisional results for your programme have been released, which is usually early August.  Please see Results Publication for exact dates.

4. Only marks which are available will be included.

To make a request:

Once all of the above criteria have been met, you should contact your Academic Department (Programme Manager/Administrator) to make your request.

This letter provides Student visa holders with the permission to undertake internships during the School’s vacation periods, once they have obtained an internship offer.

Criteria:

1. Only issued to the following students undertaking internships during the summer vacation periods:

•       1^st and 2^nd BA/BSc undergraduate students

•       1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd year BSc PPE students

•       1^st year taught postgraduate students on a two year programme.

NB: Final year undergraduate students do not require letters permission from the School to undertake internships. Also, the Spring term for 12 months masters students and taught 2^nd year 24 months master students is extended until the official programme end date. 

2. Student must provide the Student Advice and Engagement Team with a scanned or PDF copy of their internship offer/contract in a form of an official letter or contract on letterheaded paper from their employer. The letter must have the following information – organisations name, organisation location (city, country) and start and end dates of the internship. NB: Internships that commence after the end of Spring Term and finish prior to the start of Autumn Term only will be approved. Please refer to LSE’s Term Dates here for your reference.

To make a request:

Once all of the above criteria have been met students must submit an enquiry via the Student Services Enquiry Form.  Please note that it can take up to five working days for students to be issued with their letters by email as PDF attachments.

Please note that internship agreements are processed and issued by LSE Careers. Please refer to their webpage here on internship agreements for further information. 

The Home Office require institutions to verify all students who will be eligible for the Graduate Route, regardless of whether they wish to apply.  Verification will only take place after you have received your results and have been informed that you have been awarded your degree:

- July for final year undergraduates, 9/10/21 month MSc students and students from RDAP 2

- September for students awarded after successful completion in IRDAP

- November for 12 and 24 month MSc students

- March for Postgraduate Students participating in RDAP 1

PhD students will be dealt with on a rolling basis.

You cannot apply until you have been emailed by LSE to inform you that you have been verified to the UKVI for the Graduate Route.

The Student Advice and Engagement Team have information on their web pages, which you should refer to as not all students are eligible for this route:

Working on a visa in the UK

The School is unable to provide completion letters for the purpose of airport tax refunds or extra luggage allowance. Students can request a completion of programme requirements letter after the official programme end date has passed subject to meeting the criteria shown above.