LSE admissions:
which test to take and what scores the school reports

Which tests do LSE programs require?

Apply online to LSE with the documents required for your chosen MSc. Most programs reviewed assess applications on a rolling basis and close when full. Several pages, including the Master’s in Management and MSc Management, Strategy and Economic Analysis, list April 22, 2027 for need-based funding; the MSc Finance and Risk page still says “TBC” (to be confirmed). The table covers 2027/28 entry.

For economics, only the GRE is accepted: the two-year MSc Economics requires it of all applicants, while one-year programs provide academic waivers. In management, finance, and accounting, programs requiring a test accept GMAT or GRE; Finance, Finance and Private Equity, and Finance and Risk strongly prefer the GMAT.

The table summarizes program-page rules. The official “GRE and GMAT” list details other waivers: UK programs taught in the UK, certain University of London pathways or postgraduate degrees, depending on the MSc; access or funding difficulties only where specified. These exceptions do not transfer between programs, and the department may still request a test. Check your exact background in the list before assuming you qualify for a waiver.

GMAT or GRE: which should you take for LSE?

If an economics program requires a test, take the GRE General Test and submit scores and percentiles for all three sections from the same test administration. Program pages allow tests up to five years old as of October 1, 2027; the general page requires tests to be less than five years old. To avoid this edge case, follow the stricter condition. GRE is also accepted for the finance MSc programs covered; GMAT does not replace GRE for economics.

For management, accounting, and finance, both tests are accepted. Only the MSc Finance, Finance and Private Equity, and Finance and Risk pages state a preference for the GMAT. Elsewhere, the school does not rank the tests. The “GMAT or GRE: choosing based on your programs” article compares their formats. Score-reporting codes are 0972 for GRE and HMT 86-56 for GMAT. The general page requires scores less than five years old as of October 1, 2027; when testing is required, report scores with your application.

The management department says there are no waivers beyond those listed on program pages. Applicants from France should check their background against the waiver list and, if they do not qualify, plan the test as part of their application timeline.

Which English test, and what is the minimum?

All programs reviewed require “Standard” English proficiency, with minimums listed on the 2027/28 language requirements page. IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall and 6.5 in Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. TOEFL iBT on the 0–120 scale: 100 overall, with 23 in Reading, 22 in Listening, 24 in Writing, and 22 in Speaking. TOEFL iBT on the new 1–6 scale: 5.5 overall, with 5 in Reading, Listening, and Writing, and 4.5 in Speaking. LSE publishes both sets of minimums; we report each on its stated scale without converting scores.

The test must be less than two years old as of October 1, 2027. The page does not list TOEIC. It also provides waivers, including for certain degrees earned in the English-speaking countries it lists; a degree taught in English elsewhere does not automatically qualify. The application may be reviewed before the English score arrives, but an offer may remain conditional on meeting the required score. The Economics FAQ for 2027/28 confirms this option.

What scores does LSE publish?

The management department says its MSc programs require no specific or average score; results are assessed against other applicants to the program and scores received worldwide that year. The table includes only figures published by the school, with scope and source page. “Not published” means no cutoff or numeric profile was found on the program pages cited; it does not claim to cover every LSE publication.

The economics figures are “typical” GRE Quant expectations, not cutoffs that guarantee an offer. The 2027/28 FAQ now confirms the same figures as the program pages: 164 for one- or two-year Economics and 166 for Econometrics and Mathematical Economics. The only GMAT figure found on the pages reviewed is the MSc Marketing median, with no edition specified.

What else does the application require?

The application generally includes an academic transcript, a statement of academic purpose, two academic recommendations, and a résumé. Professional programs adapt the recommendation requirements: part-time Finance typically asks for one academic and one professional reference; the Executive program accepts two professional references. One-year Economics and Econometrics pages expect a degree in economics classified as “first class honours” and a strong quantitative background; the Master’s in Management requires an upper-second-class (2:1) degree or equivalent; MSc Finance requires a 2:1 and math at A-level standard.

Most programs covered, including the MSc Management, Strategy and Economic Analysis, have no fixed application deadline for 2027/28; funding has separate deadlines. Part-time MSc Finance has rounds on January 15, April 9, June 18, and August 6, 2027. When GRE or GMAT is required, scores must be included with the application; schedule the test and score delivery before applying rather than waiting until the program is nearly full.