LSE Admissions Statistics: What You Need to Know

Are you thinking about applying to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)? It's one of the top universities in the world for social sciences, and the Guardian (opens in a new tab) ranks it the number one London university. 

For these reasons, it's an incredibly competitive university to get into. Now, you're weighing up whether to apply, comparing LSE to other universities, and trying to figure out if you've actually got a realistic shot. 

Our guide will give you clear, up-to-date statistics, so you know where you stand. Read on to find out more.

Top 3 LSE Admissions Statistics 

• Overall in 2025, 29,300 students applied to LSE University for an undergraduate course.

• Of those, 5,600 students received an offer.

• The course with the greatest number of applications in 2025 was Law, with 3,102.

LSE Admissions Statistics: By Department

Below is a table showing the top 24 courses at LSE in 2025, based on the total number of applications received. 

Statistics are from LSE’s own application data (opens in a new tab):

Key Trends from 2025

1. The most popular courses are incredibly competitive

Let’s compare applications vs offers for the two most popular courses.

Economics

• 2,885 applications

• 412 offers

  • Roughly 1 offer for every 7 applicants

Law

• 3,102 applications

• 504 offers

  • About 1 offer for every 6 applicants

This means that even very strong students with excellent grades may end up not receiving the offer of a place. Other aspects of your application will need to help you stand out from the crowd, so consider working on a great personal statement, showing off extracurricular activities, and maybe even getting some work experience.

2. “Combined” degrees often have better odds than single-subject ones

Pure subjects (like Economics) have far more applicants than combined ones (like Economics & Economic History). Consider these joint courses if you really want to study at LSE. 

The combined courses:

• Teach similar core skills

• Are viewed just as favourably by employers 

• Have far fewer people apply to them. This means less competition. 

Combined courses often give you a more balanced degree, and you don’t have to specialise so quickly.

3. Social Anthropology is the least competitive course

While maths, economics, and business-heavy courses are the most competitive, more than half of students who apply to study Social Anthropology are offered a place on the course:

• Applications: 127

• Offers: 71

Offer Rate vs Acceptance Rate: What's the Difference?

The offer rate is the percentage of applicants who receive a conditional or unconditional offer from LSE. At around 19%, this means roughly 1 in 5 applicants get an offer.

The acceptance rate is the percentage of all applicants who actually end up enrolled as students at LSE. At around 13–14%, this is much lower than the offer rate.

For transparency, we have taken the data from the undergraduate degree course list (opens in a new tab) only. We haven’t included other non-degree courses.

There are three main reasons for the difference in percentages.

1. Most offers are conditional. This means students must achieve specific grades in their final exams. Not everyone manages this.

2. Some students receive offers from multiple universities and choose to go elsewhere.

3. LSE's entry requirements are demanding, and the gap between predicted grades and actual results can be significant.

Entry Requirements and What They Really Mean

LSE typically requires A*AA for its most competitive courses, like BSc Economics (opens in a new tab).

The entry requirements may vary for each course. However, it’s important to remember that these are minimum entry requirements. If you hit the grades, this doesn’t mean a guaranteed place at LSE.

Many successful applicants exceed these requirements. But, with acceptance rates so low, LSE can afford to be extremely choosy.

Your application is assessed holistically. That means LSE looks at your subject choices, your personal statement, your academic potential, and your genuine interest in the discipline.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Percentage of LSE Applicants Get Accepted?

In 2025, around 19% of LSE applicants received offers for their chosen course. However, as demonstrated by the table above, offer rates vary considerably between different courses.

What Percentage of LSE Students Drop Out?

According to The Guardian (opens in a new tab), LSE has a low drop out rate of 3.4%. This accounts for students who drop out of their course during the first year only.

Is the University of LSE a Russell Group University?

Yes. The University of LSE is a member of the Russell Group. This is a group of leading UK universities known for strong research, teaching quality, and links to employers. Being in the Russell Group often makes a university more competitive, especially for popular courses.

How does LSE compare to Oxford or Cambridge?

LSE is regarded as an exceptional academic institution, like Oxford and Cambridge. The key difference is that Oxford and Cambridge use interviews as a major part of selection, whilst LSE places more emphasis on academic record and personal statements.

Get Into LSE with Save My Exams

If LSE is your dream, go for it. Just make sure you're realistic, prepared, and willing to put in the work to build the strongest application possible.

The statistics we’ve listed in this article describe groups, not individuals. They tell you about overall competitiveness, and are useful as a guide, but they don't influence your personal outcome.

Focus on exceeding academic requirements, crafting a brilliant personal statement, and demonstrating genuine passion for your subject.

And don’t forget, you can maximise your chances of getting an offer by using Save My Exams examiner-written revision resources. They’re built around what actually comes up in exams, helping you boost your grades and stay in control of your revision - without the overwhelm.

Explore our A Level revision resources and dedicated university guidance.

References

Guardian - University Rankings 2026 (opens in a new tab)

LSE - Application Data (opens in a new tab)

LSE - BSc Economics (opens in a new tab)

The Guardian - University Rankings 2025 (opens in a new tab)