Complete Admissions Guide
Accounting and Finance at LSE is among the most selective courses in the UK. Get 1-to-1 admissions coaching from Oxford or Cambridge graduates with subject-specific admissions expertise.
Last updated: September 2026
Key Facts
Overview
BSc in Accounting and Finance at LSE is a three-year full-time combined honours degree with UCAS code NN34 and a standard offer of A*AA with A in Mathematics. LSE lists 2,849 applications, 156 intake and an 18:1 applicant-to-place ratio for the 2025 cycle; treat the ratio as a data point, not a guarantee.
Why study Accounting and Finance at LSE?
LSE's verified course-page identity for this programme is BSc Accounting and Finance, and the programme is taught by the Department of Accounting. In the peer comparison used for this page, LSE is shown at #1 for Accounting and Finance in both the Guardian University Guide and the Complete University Guide.
Section 01
Click your country on the map below for country-specific entry guidance - accepted qualifications, expected scores, English-language requirements, and any local context worth knowing before you apply.
International Applicants
Pick a highlighted country to see the admissions-test, score, and English-language requirements that apply for applicants from that country.
Section 02
| Qualification | Typical Offer | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| A-Level | A*AA with A in Mathematics | Mathematics at grade A required. A broad mix of traditional academic subjects, Mathematics, Further Mathematics and an essay-based subject is a combination LSE says it will consider recommended. Critical Thinking, General Studies, Global Perspectives and Research, Knowledge and Enquiry, Project Work, Thinking Skills not accepted.Contextual A-level offer: AAA with A in Mathematics. There are no set subject combinations, but traditional academic subjects are preferred. A-level Mathematics is essential; previous study of accounting at GCSE/A-level or equivalent is not required. The Department of Accounting considers A-level Accounting equally with other generally preferred subjects. |
| IB Diploma | 39 points overall; 766 at Higher Level | HL: Higher Level Mathematics at grade 6; LSE states that either Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL or Mathematics: applications and interpretation HL is acceptable for BSc Accounting and Finance. required.Contextual IB offer: 38 points overall with 666 at Higher Level, including 6 in Higher Level Mathematics. |
| Advanced Placement (AP) | Five APs at grade 5, taken over a maximum of three years, plus a minimum High School Diploma GPA of 3.7 | AP Calculus BC at grade 5 for the Mathematics requirement required. A broad mix of AP subjects recommended. SAT/ACT: Alternative route: minimum High School Diploma GPA of 3.7 plus ACT 32+ or SAT 1450+, with AP Calculus BC at grade 5 for programmes with a Mathematics requirement.US High School Diploma alone is not sufficient for entry. AP Seminar, AP Capstone and AP Research do not count towards LSE's AP subject requirement; only one of AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC may count towards an offer. |
Section 03
MAY to AUG
Research the course and prepare evidence
Use the LSE Accounting and Finance page to check the 2027/28 course structure, entry requirements and the qualities LSE says it is looking for. Start building evidence of analytical ability, numeracy, critical engagement and equal interest in accounting and finance.
1 SEP
UCAS submission opens
Completed UCAS undergraduate applications for 2027 entry can be submitted from 1 September 2026. The reference must be completed before the application is sent.
13 JAN
Submit UCAS by the LSE deadline
LSE lists 13 January 2027 as the application deadline for this programme. UCAS confirms this is the 18:00 UK-time equal-consideration deadline for most 2027-entry undergraduate courses.
FEB to MAR
Monitor LSE and UCAS communications
LSE may hold early applications in a gathered field so that on-time applications can be considered fairly. For 2027 entry, exact LSE decision-release timing should be checked against the admissions calendar once published.
LATE MAR
Sit UGAA if specifically invited
There is no standard course-level admissions test for Accounting and Finance, but LSE may require the Undergraduate Admissions Assessment from applicants with certain non-traditional or unrecognised qualifications.
31 MAR
UCAS provider decision target
UCAS decision and reply timings should be checked in the applicant’s UCAS Hub. The hard verified official deadline located for on-time 2027 applications is the 12 May 2027 provider decision deadline.
12 MAY
Final UCAS decision deadline
For on-time 2027-entry UCAS applications, the provider reject-by-default deadline is 12 May 2027. Applicants should have a decision by then unless exceptional processing issues arise.
2 JUN
Reply to offers
If all decisions are received by 12 May 2027, the UCAS reply deadline is 2 June 2027. Choose firm and insurance options based on course fit and realistic grade security.
12 AUG
Results day and confirmation
A-level and AS results for the June 2027 series are currently treated as 12 August 2027, but this should be rechecked against final exam-board/JCQ dates nearer the time. Check UCAS Hub and LSE communications for confirmation or next steps.
MAY to AUG
Research the course and prepare evidence
Use the LSE Accounting and Finance page to check the 2027/28 course structure, entry requirements and the qualities LSE says it is looking for. Start building evidence of analytical ability, numeracy, critical engagement and equal interest in accounting and finance.
1 SEP
UCAS submission opens
Completed UCAS undergraduate applications for 2027 entry can be submitted from 1 September 2026. The reference must be completed before the application is sent.
13 JAN
Submit UCAS by the LSE deadline
LSE lists 13 January 2027 as the application deadline for this programme. UCAS confirms this is the 18:00 UK-time equal-consideration deadline for most 2027-entry undergraduate courses.
FEB to MAR
Monitor LSE and UCAS communications
LSE may hold early applications in a gathered field so that on-time applications can be considered fairly. For 2027 entry, exact LSE decision-release timing should be checked against the admissions calendar once published.
LATE MAR
Sit UGAA if specifically invited
There is no standard course-level admissions test for Accounting and Finance, but LSE may require the Undergraduate Admissions Assessment from applicants with certain non-traditional or unrecognised qualifications.
31 MAR
UCAS provider decision target
UCAS decision and reply timings should be checked in the applicant’s UCAS Hub. The hard verified official deadline located for on-time 2027 applications is the 12 May 2027 provider decision deadline.
12 MAY
Final UCAS decision deadline
For on-time 2027-entry UCAS applications, the provider reject-by-default deadline is 12 May 2027. Applicants should have a decision by then unless exceptional processing issues arise.
2 JUN
Reply to offers
If all decisions are received by 12 May 2027, the UCAS reply deadline is 2 June 2027. Choose firm and insurance options based on course fit and realistic grade security.
12 AUG
Results day and confirmation
A-level and AS results for the June 2027 series are currently treated as 12 August 2027, but this should be rechecked against final exam-board/JCQ dates nearer the time. Check UCAS Hub and LSE communications for confirmation or next steps.
Section 04
LSE selection for this course is UCAS-form based rather than interview-based. The decision visual uses four editorial criteria: academic achievement and predicted or achieved grades; subject combination and mathematical readiness; personal statement and subject motivation; and teacher reference, contextual information and circumstances.
A competitive application should first meet the formal academic threshold, especially the Mathematics requirement. It should then use subject choices, the personal statement and teacher reference to show analytical ability, numeracy, critical assessment, clear communication, attention to detail, intellectual curiosity and balanced interest in both accounting and finance.
Our recommendation · weighting of admission factors
Oxbridge Mentors recommendation, drawn from observed offer patterns. London School of Economics does not publish official weightings - exact balance varies by college, course and year.
Section 05
For this course, a generic finance personal statement is weaker than one that shows equal interest in accounting and finance. We recommend building the statement around two or three analytical questions: how organisations measure performance, how financial information affects decisions, or how markets price risk.
Use examples that let you explain method, not just enthusiasm. A strong paragraph might connect a book, article, valuation exercise or accounting case to one specific idea you tested or challenged.
Write in a way that makes your reasoning visible: what you read, what you noticed, what changed your view, and what question you would now investigate. This is especially important for a UCAS-form-based selection process where the statement has to evidence subject fit clearly.
Section 06
Projects are useful when they show sustained curiosity, numerical care and clear written judgement. We recommend choosing one project that lets you move from evidence to interpretation.
Section 06
Other supercurricular work should support the argument that you understand the subject, not replace the argument itself. The strongest activities give you something precise to discuss.
These are support, not substitute.
Annual-report analysis, Read full annual reports rather than only investor summaries. Track how the financial statements, notes, audit report and narrative reporting fit together.:
Finance modelling practice, Use spreadsheet models to test assumptions rather than produce polished forecasts. Sensitivity analysis is especially useful for showing economic reasoning.:
Economics and regulation reading, Follow monetary-policy, audit, corporate-governance and financial-reporting developments, then link them to accounting and finance decisions.:
Essay writing, Use essay competitions to practice structured argument, evidence selection and evaluation of competing viewpoints.:
Quantitative problem solving, Practice probability, algebra, optimisation and data interpretation because the course requires Mathematics and includes quantitative finance and economics elements.:
Public lectures and podcasts, Listen selectively, take notes, and convert one idea into a short reflection or mini-investigation rather than listing passive attendance.:
Section 06
Competitions are not required for LSE Accounting and Finance, but they can stretch your economics, finance, business and mathematical reasoning. One or two done carefully is better than a long list with no reflection.
None are required; one or two done well beats five half-attempted.
Section 07
Year
01 / 03
1
Foundations
The first year introduces financial accounting, management accounting, finance, economics, mathematics and statistics, alongside the compulsory LSE100 course. Students also have a small element of choice through the mathematics pathway and an additional half-unit option outside the main accounting-and-finance core.
Year
02 / 03
2
Intermediate core
The second year deepens accounting through intermediate financial and management accounting, and develops finance through paired Principles of Finance courses. Students also continue economics and econometrics, with a choice that can lean towards macroeconomics or further econometrics.
Year
03 / 03
3
Advanced specialisation
The final year combines compulsory advanced accounting and finance with structured accounting options and one unit of wider Year 3 options. Students can shape the final profile towards management control, valuation, audit, governance, risk, sustainability or broader external options.
Section 08
For accounting-specific reading, LSE's course page names Accounting Disrupted: How Digitalization Is Changing Finance and Riskwork: Essays on the Organizational Life of Risk Management. The first is useful for thinking about digital change in finance, and the second helps connect accounting to organisations and risk.
For finance foundations, Principles of Corporate Finance, The Intelligent Investor, The Big Short and A Random Walk Down Wall Street cover corporate finance, value investing, financial incentives and market efficiency. We recommend reading fewer texts carefully and keeping notes on the assumptions behind each argument.
For video, LSE Department of Accounting gives direct department-level material, while Aswath Damodaran on Valuation is useful for valuation and corporate finance reasoning. Khan Academy is useful for interest, capital markets and accounting basics.
For current affairs, The Indicator from Planet Money, FT News Briefing, Money Talks and Capitalisn't can help you connect accounting and finance to companies, markets, policy and governance. For a formal foundation, Financial Accounting Fundamentals, AC110: Principles of Accounting, Finance and Capital Markets and Principles of Economics provide structured entry points into accounting, finance and economics.
Section 09
Section 10
LSE states that recent graduates of this course have gone into professional accountancy, investment banking, investment analysis, management consultancy, financial management, the public sector and further academic study. The course page reports a median salary of £39,000 for undergraduate students 15 months after graduation, using the 2022/23 HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey.
The verified top-sector rows are Financial and Professional Services, Accounting and Auditing, Consultancy, Real Estate, Environment and Energy, and FMCG, Manufacturing and Retail.
Section 11
LSE reviews each UCAS application individually, considering academic achievement, subject combinations, personal statement, contextual information and UCAS reference. For this course, the standard A-level offer is A*AA with A in Mathematics, while the contextual A-level offer is AAA with A in Mathematics.
The standard IB offer is 39 overall with 766 at Higher Level including 6 in Higher Level Mathematics, while the contextual IB offer is 38 overall with 666 at Higher Level including 6 in Higher Level Mathematics. LSE says contextual information can support offer-making and confirmation decisions, but essential subject requirements such as Mathematics must still be met.
Applicants with extenuating circumstances should submit LSE's form after UCAS submission and LSE acknowledgement. Disclosure is considered but does not guarantee a more favourable decision.
Watch & Learn
Student vlogs, mock interviews, lecture tasters, and admissions advice.
Student vlog showing day-to-day study life on the LSE Accounting and Finance course.
Department overview from LSE's Department of Accounting.
Student-facing discussion of studying accounting at LSE.
Aswath Damodaran introduces the logic and foundations of valuation.
Khan Academy explanation of interest, useful for finance foundations.
All videos are the property of their respective creators.
Further Reading
Super-curricular reading, websites, and tools recommended by our expert tutors.
