London, England
London School of Economics and Political Science Partnership
Program Overview
Tackle real world problems and debate with peers who bring perspectives from 160+ countries. In the heart of central London, LSE is the UK’s first university to earn carbon neutral certification, a top inclusive employer, and Britain’s only university to specialize in social sciences. This challenging program gives you access to University of London’s facilities, plus links to London business, government, law, and media.
Details at a Glance
Application deadline
Minimum GPA
3.30
Credit load
32
Housing
Apartment/Flat, Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room Option
Instruction language
English
Language prerequisites
None
Visa required?
Yes. Learn More.
Academics
To view available courses at LSE, visit the LSE online course catalog.
When choosing your department of study and courses, please consider the following:
- Students who are admitted into the economics department are required to take at least two courses in that department. All other departments at LSE require students to take at least one course in their home department.
- Qualitative departments at LSE require students to have at least a 3.3 GPA.
- Quantitative departments at LSE require students to have at least a 3.5 GPA.
- Students applying to the economics department should already have completed three to four economics courses, including microeconomics and macroeconomics. Students should have also completed two to three math and/or statistic courses.
At LSE, a full course load consists of year-long courses that are 4 full units total, equaling 32 U.S. semester credit hours per year.
CHART Your Course
Find the classes you need fast with CHART. Our easy-to-use tool shows you classes recently taken by IFSA students
Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.
GPA REQUIREMENTS
- Qualitative departments at LSE require students to have at least a 3.3 GPA.
- Quantitative departments at LSE require students to have at least a 3.5 GPA.
CLASSES
In selecting your classes, you should be aware of any prerequisites in order to be eligible to enroll. In addition, because of the tightly constrained nature of degree regulations at LSE, many 300-level classes have “unspoken” or “assumed” prerequisites where the material covered in 200-level classes is simply taken as a “given” starting point for the 300-level class. This means that general course students predominantly take 200-level classes, and it is not recommended students take more than one or two 300-level classes.
- 100-level courses are introductory classes suitable for students with no previous undergraduate study in the subject. These are typically taken by LSE students in their first year of study.
- 200-level courses are intermediate classes broadly equivalent to junior year classes in the U.S. These are typically taken by LSE students in their second and final years.
- 300-level courses are advanced classes equivalent to senior year or master’s courses in the U.S. These are typically taken by LSE students in their final year. Please note that LSE will not admit visiting students into 300-level classes without extensive background in the subject.
ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
- Students who are admitted into the Economics Department are required to take at least two classes in that department. All other departments at LSE require students to take at least one class in their home department.
- Students applying to the economics department should already have completed three to four economics classes, including microeconomics and macroeconomics. Students should have also completed two to three math and/or statistic classes.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Eligibility
- You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
- You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
- You must have completed at least two (2) full-time years of study at their home institution before the beginning of the term.
Recommendation Letters
Your application to this program will require two (2) academic letters of recommendation.
TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.
Excursions
Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.
Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.
Activities
- London Pandemics–Past and Present: This event will engage you with both an historic overview and a contemporary look at concepts of community health and global health, with a particular focus on London and the pandemic. You will attend a guest lecture at the IFSA London Flagship, followed by the John Snow Cholera Tour. This tour will take you to the nearby streets of Soho to visit important sites in the story of Dr. Snow and the cholera outbreak in 1854.
- London Statue Walk: This walking tour includes stops at some of London’s most iconic statues as well as some of its most obscure, weaving in historical, cultural, literary, and political threads as it seeks to put the past into dialogue with the present.
- Homelessness in London–A Dialogue: This event will explore the realities of homelessness in London from three perspectives. First, you will participate in a dialogue with guest speakers followed by a tour of Central London developed, curated, and delivered by vulnerably housed individuals through Unseen Tours.
Excursions
- The Square Mile Tour: The City of London, also known as the Square Mile, is just over one mile of the capital city. But what a mile it is. The Square Mile is the oldest part of London, dating back to 43 A.D. when the Romans christened it Londinium. From St. Paul’s Cathedral to Borough Market, the Bank of England to Tower Bridge, this walking tour will give you an exclusive glimpse into the London of old and new.
- London Graffiti and Street Art Tour: Get ready to experience the very best London has to offer in street art and graffiti during our urban street art adventure through the amazing painted streets of Shoreditch, East London and the surrounding areas. See work by some of the world’s most famous street artists including Banksy, Ben Eine, Obey, Roa, C215 and 100s more. We introduce you to all the various types of street art from street sculpture to stencils, wheat pastes and stickers. In addition to schooling you in graffiti art and explaining the different styles of lettering and techniques used in street art, the tour will really open your eyes to the graffiti/street art around you, as well as the meaning behind the graffiti.
- Stonehenge and Bath Visit: Stonehenge has stood on Salisbury Plain for around 5,000 years and it’s still unknown how the prehistoric monument came to rest there! Make up your own mind during this visit and discover the fascinating theories behind these rocks. You’ll learn about Stonehenge from the fascinating exhibits and be able to enjoy a virtual sunrise as it rises over the prehistoric stones! Afterward, travel to the Roman city of Bath for a walking tour of this World Heritage city once home to Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Gainsborough, Lord Nelson, and Beau Nash. Then prepare to travel back 2,000 years to the Roman era with a visit to the Roman Baths.
- Piers and Queers Brighton Trip: Since the 18th century Brighton has become a cosmopolitan place of recreation, escape, and freedom. A destination for people who didn’t conform. With an LGBTQ+ population now estimated at 15%, Brighton celebrated England’s first civil partnerships, and hosts the UK’s largest Pride event as well as Europe’s first Trans Pride, rightly earning its title as the LGBTQ+ Capital of Britain. Peers and Queers is a tour of Brighton from a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer perspective, in a colorful 90-minute walk along the beach and historic city center taking in more than 200 years of history including Regency Dandies, 1950s lesbian and gay life, and political activism. Afterward, there’s time for a walk on the pier and fish and chips, just watch out for seagulls!
- Windsor Castle and Eton College Tours: Take a full-day tour to the beautiful Berkshire towns of Windsor and Eton. Visit the king’s home at Windsor Castle which has more than 900 years of royal history and is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. After lunch it will be on to Eton, home of the world-famous Eton College founded in 1440. Eton has educated generations of British and foreign aristocracy and members of the Royal family including Princes William and Harry, and British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and David Cameron.
Housing and Meals
Housing
Apartment/Flat, Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room OptionMeals
Self-CateringDetails
Students in this program are placed in residence halls or flats (apartments). If you’re in a residence hall, you might have the option of choosing a meal plan. If you’re in a flat, you’ll be responsible for preparing or purchasing your own meals.
Sample housing
Take a look at London Nest Lightfoot Hall, one IFSA housing option, to see what your London home might be like:
- Location: Chelsea, an upscale area known for beautiful architecture, galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and plentiful green space. Home of Chelsea Football.
- Commute: 30 to 40 minutes to LSE by Tube; 30 minutes to IFSA Program Center in Mayfair.
- Double rooms: Two students share one bedroom and one bathroom. Rooms include two single beds, desks, chairs, wardrobes, and TV. Bed linens are provided. Take advantage of fully equipped kitchens and comfortable, shared spaces for studying and socializing. (Students might be placed in single bedrooms, which incurs an additional fee.)
- Meals: No meal plan. Students purchase meals or prepare food in shared kitchens.
- Other details: Unlimited Wi-Fi, staff and security on site 24/7. Laundry facilities on-site.
- Nearby: The Natural History Museum, King’s Road shopping, the Victoria & Albert Musuem, Battersea Park, Kensington Palace, the River Thames, and more.
Dates and Fees
Get Started
Kevin Cañas
Enrollment Counselor