Jurica
Three chapters, built from primary admissions data.
LSE’s standard offer for the LLB is A*AA, but most of its offer holders were predicted more. This chapter explains the A-level and GCSE requirements, what recent offer holders were predicted, and who receives the contextual offer of AAB.
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Try Jurica for freeLSE’s standard offer for the LLB is A*AA at A-level, and its contextual offer is AAB. For the IB the offer is 39 points with 7, 6 and 6 at Higher Level, or 37 points with 6, 6 and 6 for a contextual offer.[1] No subject is required, and the published offer does not say which subject must carry the A*.[1]
The standard offer: one A* and two A grades, in any subjects LSE accepts.[1]
The contextual offer, two grades lower, for Home applicants who meet one of LSE’s contextual criteria.[1][2]
The IB offer, with 7, 6 and 6 at Higher Level. The contextual IB offer is 37 points with 6, 6 and 6.[1]
LSE says there is no set subject combination for the LLB, but it expects to see a high level of literacy in your post-16 subjects, because the degree involves a great deal of reading.[1] In practice this means three things:
A-level Law is on the traditional list, but LSE does not say that it gives you any advantage, so we recommend choosing the subjects in which you are most likely to reach the grades. If you take Mathematics and Further Mathematics, LSE accepts them for the LLB only together with an essay-writing subject.[2] A fourth AS-level or an Extended Project is welcome, but LSE never includes one in an offer and says that students who cannot take them are not at a disadvantage.[1]
Your predicted grades are the first thing LSE checks. Admissions assessors read each application to see whether you meet, or are predicted to meet, the minimum entry requirements, and an application that does not can be turned down at that stage unless there is contextual information or an extenuating circumstance to consider.[5] For this reason LSE recommends applying only if you meet or are predicted to meet its entry requirements (or the contextual offer grades).[5]
Meeting the standard offer is not enough on its own, however. LSE received about 34,000 applications for roughly 1,900 undergraduate places in 2026, and it says that achieving, or being predicted, the standard offer grades does not guarantee an offer.[3] It also describes its published offers as a guide: some candidates are asked for different grades, and LSE may specify grades in particular subjects.[3]
Most were predicted well above the standard offer. In reply to two FOI requests, LSE has listed the predicted A-levels of its home offer holders. For 2024/5 entry, 145 of the 214 offer holders listed with three or more predicted A-levels (67.8%) were predicted at least three A*s, and only 19 (8.9%) were predicted A*AA.[8]
| Best three predicted A-levels | Contextual (2023) | Standard (2023) | Contextual (2024/5) | Standard (2024/5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A*A*A* or better | 27 | 46 | 51 | 94 |
| A*A*A | 14 | 8 | 23 | 27 |
| A*AA | 4 | 2 | 9 | 10 |
| A*AB | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other, or fewer than three | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
These are our counts from the two replies.[7][8] The 2023 columns leave out five standard offer holders who applied with their results, and the 2024/5 columns leave out those listed with achieved grades only. “Other” covers Pre-U grades and offer holders with fewer than three predictions. There are two things to notice here:
Note that these lists cover home offer holders only. LSE did not say whether the 110 listed for 2023 entry are all of its home offer holders (it counted 250 for 2024/5 entry), and predictions are not results: some offer holders went on to achieve less than they were predicted.[7][8]
LSE’s reply of October 2026, which we take to cover 2026 entry, gives the predicted grades of all offer holders (Home and international) in groups, hiding any group smaller than five.[12] The picture is much the same. At least 211 offer holders were predicted three or more A*s, at least 76 were predicted A*A*A (with or without a fourth grade) and at least 27 were predicted A*AA.[12] Of the 319 offer holders in the groups LSE did not hide, that is 66.1%, 23.8% and 8.5%.
The same reply also lists the grades that the students who enrolled actually achieved. The most common results were A*AA (21 students), A*A*A (17) and A*A*A* (14), and six students enrolled with A*AB.[12] So, although most offer holders were predicted well above A*AA, a good number of the students who started the course met the offer exactly, and a few started with lower grades (LSE does not say whether these were contextual offers or students accepted after narrowly missing their offer).
LSE asks Law applicants for “several” GCSE grades at A or 7 and at A* or 8 to 9, and at least a grade 6 (B) in both English Language and Mathematics. It also considers your overall GCSE profile.[1]
The grade 6 minimum in English Language and Mathematics applies to every LSE applicant who has taken GCSEs, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances.[2] Beyond that, LSE gives no count of 8s and 9s. The FOI reply for 2024/5 entry does show what its offer holders had, because it lists each home offer holder’s GCSE grades (without the subject names).[8]
As you can see, standard offer holders had very strong GCSEs. Half of them had at least nine grades at 8 or 9 (and at least seven grade 9s), and 90% had seven or more grades at 8 or 9. Contextual offer holders had fewer top grades: half had at least seven grades at 8 or 9, and 57% had seven or more.[8] These are our counts for the 231 offer holders whose GCSEs are given as numbers. We count each grade of a double award separately, and leave out seven offer holders whose grades are written as letters.
The reply of October 2026 gives a single figure for the GCSE profile of all offer holders, 8.3, without saying what it measures.[12] We read it as an average grade across each offer holder’s GCSEs, which would put the typical offer holder between an 8 and a 9 in most subjects, in line with the counts above.
| Grades at 8 or 9 | Contextual | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or fewer | 13 (14.9%) | 6 (4.2%) |
| 5 or 6 | 24 (27.6%) | 8 (5.6%) |
| 7 or 8 | 28 (32.2%) | 29 (20.1%) |
| 9 or 10 | 22 (25.3%) | 78 (54.2%) |
| 11 or more | 0 (0%) | 23 (16.0%) |
| Offer holders counted | 87 | 144 |
We recommend reading these figures alongside your school’s results, because LSE reads GCSEs in context. For Home applicants, attending a school whose GCSE results are below the national average is one of the flags that can bring extra consideration from the selector.[4]
A mixed GCSE record need not stop you applying, as long as you have at least a 6 in English Language and Mathematics and your predictions and LNAT score are strong. Since there is no interview, you will have no chance to explain your record in person, so any disruption (illness, a family difficulty or a change of school, for example) should be set out in your reference and on LSE’s extenuating circumstances form, which LSE asks for within two weeks of applying.[6] Note also that LSE prefers grades achieved at the first attempt and in one sitting, and asks applicants whose exams were affected by their circumstances to say so in the application.[2]
LSE’s contextual admissions scheme is for applicants with Home fee status. If you meet at least one of its five criteria, you may receive a contextual offer, which for the LLB is AAB, two grades below the standard offer.[1][2][4]
The five criteria are as follows:[4]
Other flags, such as attending a school with below-average GCSE or A-level results, or living in one of the two most deprived IMD quintiles or in TUNDRA quintile 2, do not lead to a lower offer. They can, however, bring additional consideration from the selector: for example, a standard offer where your record or test scores are marginally less competitive than the rest of the cohort’s.[4]
You do not need to apply for contextual consideration. LSE adds contextual information automatically when it receives your UCAS application.[4] We recommend answering every UCAS question fully and, if you are care-experienced or have been eligible for free school meals, asking your teacher to mention it in your reference.
LSE does not publish this figure, although two of its FOI replies give it. For 2024/5 entry it counted 250 home offer holders, of whom 93 (37.2%) had contextual offers, 153 (61.2%) had standard offers and 4 were not recorded.[8] The list for 2023 entry has 110 home offer holders, 46 of them (41.8%) with contextual offers.[7] In both years, then, contextual offers made up between about a third and two-fifths of the offers to home applicants.
The reply of October 2026, which we take to cover 2026 entry, counts differently. Of 3,137 applicants, 453 were eligible for contextual consideration and 79 received contextual offers, out of 489 offers in all. Of the 191 students who enrolled, 144 held standard offers and 47 contextual or other reduced or alternative offers; 34 of the 79 contextual offer holders enrolled.[12] The reply does not split the offers between Home and international applicants, so its share of contextual offers (16.2% of all offers) cannot be compared directly with the home-only figures above.
The contextual offer is fairly new. LSE first made contextual offers for the LLB as a pilot for 2021 entry, when the contextual offer was AAA.[10] For 2027 entry it is AAB.[1]
LSE does not interview for Law, so the decision is made on paper: your grades are read alongside your LNAT score, your personal statement, your reference and contextual information.[5] How you plan should depend on which of these is your weakest.
Suppose you are predicted A*A*A and your practice scores are 24 or 25. For 2024/5 entry, 50 of the 214 home offer holders with three predictions were predicted A*A*A,[8] so your grades are competitive. For 2021 entry, however, only 22.9% of applicants who scored 24 to 26 received an offer.[9]
What we recommend. Put your effort into Section A until your timed scores reach the high 20s, and make your personal statement as strong as you can, since LSE calls it very important.[11]
You meet the offer, but few offer holders are predicted exactly A*AA (19 of 214 for 2024/5 entry).[8] A high LNAT score helps without guaranteeing anything: for 2021 entry, 129 of the 408 applicants who scored 27 or more received an offer (31.6%).[9]
What we recommend. Aim for 27 or more on Section A, and choose your other universities so that A*AA would be a comfortable result for at least one of them.
Your offer would be AAB, but the contextual offer holders for 2024/5 entry were still predicted A*AA or more, and they averaged 25.29 on the LNAT.[8]
What we recommend. Aim for predictions of A*AA or better and an LNAT score in the mid-20s or above, and make sure your reference mentions any care experience or free school meals eligibility.[4]
Every claim above ends in a [n] superscript that links here.
Course page for 2027 entry. UCAS code M100. Standard offer A*AA, contextual offer AAB; IB 39 points with 766 at Higher Level (contextual 37 with 666). Several GCSEs at A (7) and A* (8-9), and at least B (6) in English Language and Mathematics. No set subject combination; a fourth AS-level or Extended Project is never part of an offer. Every applicant must sit the LNAT between 1 September and 31 December 2026 and select LSE when registering; LSE uses only the multiple-choice score and the essay is not considered for most applicants. Shows 3,102 applications, an intake of 193 and a ratio of 16:1 for 2025. Application deadline 13 January 2027.
The lists of traditional ("generally preferred"), non-preferred and normally excluded A-level subjects; Mathematics with Further Mathematics accepted for the LLB only with an essay-writing subject; the GCSE minimum of B or 6 in English Language and Mathematics for all applicants, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances; a preference for high grades at the first attempt and in one sitting; and the statement that the LLB’s contextual offer is two grades below the standard offer.
For 2027 entry: every LLB (M100) applicant must sit the LNAT, which is not required for any other LSE programme; registration opens on 1 August 2026 and only applicants who have sat the test by 31 December 2026 are considered; one sitting per cycle, and results cannot be carried over. "At present, we will only use the multiple-choice score in the assessment of applicants; for most applicants, the essay will not be considered", with the right reserved to assess any applicant’s essay. There is no set minimum multiple-choice score; the score may be used to help distinguish between similarly qualified applicants. LLB applicants are exempt from the UGAA, and the LNAT essay is used in its place. Why LSE introduced the LNAT. Standard offers are a guide, and LSE may specify grades in particular subjects; in 2026 it received about 34,000 applications for roughly 1,900 places, and meeting the standard offer guarantees nothing.
The contextual admissions scheme for applicants with Home fee status: the five criteria for a contextual offer (care experience; free school meals within the previous six years; a home postcode in TUNDRA quintile 1, or POLAR4 outside England; an intensive LSE widening participation programme; any Sutton Trust Pathways programme), and the flags that bring additional consideration only, such as school performance, IMD quintiles 1 and 2 and TUNDRA quintile 2. Additional consideration can mean a standard offer where an applicant’s record or admissions test scores are marginally less competitive than the cohort’s. Contextual information is added automatically.
How applications are assessed for 2027 entry: admissions assessors first check the minimum entry requirements, and admissions specialists then decide as academic selectors in a centralised process; applications received by the January deadline are treated equally, and early ones may be held in a gathered field; decisions are made holistically on the UCAS form and admissions tests, since LSE does not interview. LSE recommends that only students who meet or are predicted to meet the entry requirements (or contextual offer grades) apply. Applications to places: 13:1 overall, 16:1 for Law.
The form for schools, applicants and offer holders to declare extenuating circumstances, to be submitted within two weeks of applying.
Reply of 14 March 2024 to a request about the last admissions cycle, with a spreadsheet of 110 home offer holders: contextual flag, predicted and achieved A-levels, GCSEs and LNAT score. 46 contextual (LNAT mean 25.54, range 18 to 34) and 64 standard (27.03, range 19 to 38); all 110 average 26.41. The achieved grades in every row point to 2023 entry; LSE does not say whether the list includes every home offer holder. Of the 105 who applied with predictions, 73 were predicted three or more A*s, 22 A*A*A, 6 A*AA and 1 A*AB (our count).
Reply of 14 March 2025 (an 18-page PDF). 250 home offer holders: 93 contextual, 153 standard, 4 not recorded. The PDF lists predicted and achieved A-levels, GCSE grades (without subject names) and LNAT scores, each marked contextual or standard: LNAT mean 25.29 for 87 contextual scores and 28.26 for 137 standard scores. It does not say why it lists fewer scores than offer holders. Our counts of predicted grades and GCSEs are from this PDF.
Reply of 16 August 2021 with a spreadsheet of the score of every applicant for 2021 entry with a score on file (2,067), and each applicant’s decision. Mean 22.30, median 23, most common score 24 (207 applicants), range 0 to 36. 345 offers among those with a score (mean 25.37, range 14 to 35); 356 further applicants have no score. We computed the offer rate at each score from this file.
Gives applications, offers and intake for 2019 entry, the first LNAT intake, as 2,524, 510 and 160. From this page on, the essay is "not considered for most applicants", and a selector may consider the essay of an applicant who would otherwise have had to sit the UGAA. It also announces a pilot contextual offer of AAA for 2021 entry.
"The quality of an applicant’s personal statement is very important at LSE. The School does not interview for places so this is an applicant’s only opportunity to demonstrate they are a good fit for the programme." At least 80% of the statement should be about the programme applied for.
Reply to a request of 21 September 2026 for "the most recent completed undergraduate admissions cycle"; the reply does not name the year. 3,137 applications (Home 1,528, International 1,609), 489 offers and 191 enrolled. 453 applicants were eligible for contextual consideration, 79 received contextual offers and 34 of them enrolled; entrants were 144 on standard offers and 47 on contextual or other reduced or alternative offers. Predicted grades of offer holders (counts below 5 suppressed), for example A*A*A* 134, A*A*A 66, A*A*A*A* 56, A*AA 27, A*A*A*A 21, A*A*AA 10. Achieved grades of entrants, the largest groups being A*AA 21, A*A*A 17 and A*A*A* 14. Offer holders’ LNAT multiple-choice score 28 ("average or median"), contextual offer holders 25.2, lowest 17. GCSE profile of offer holders 8.3, with no further explanation. These figures match none of the years LSE has published, so we take them to be for 2026 entry.
