TL;DR: The LSE MSc Finance (full-time) drew 1,581 applications for an intake of 136, a ratio of 12 to 1, according to the 2024 figures the London School of Economics publishes on the program page. Tuition for 2026/27 is £51,000 for both home and overseas students, for a 10 month degree. The GMAT or GRE is required for every applicant without a UK undergraduate degree, and LSE states that the majority of students accepted in previous years held first class honours degrees or the equivalent. Admissions are rolling, with no fixed deadline, and the program closes when it is full (Source: London School of Economics, MSc Finance program pages, read October 3, 2026). If you are preparing an application, Oriel Admissions can help you build it: schedule a consultation.
How Selective Is the LSE MSc Finance?
LSE publishes three figures on the MSc Finance (full-time) page, labelled as 2024 data: 1,581 applications, an intake of 136 and a ratio of 12 to 1. The intake is the number of students who enrolled. LSE makes more offers than it has places, because some admitted students go elsewhere, so the share of applicants who received an offer is higher than 136 in 1,581. The ratio measures demand. It is not an offer rate, and LSE does not publish one.
The Department of Finance runs four related programs, and the figures show how they differ. Our guide to LSE masters programs covers 27 degrees across the school.
| Program | Applications | Places | Ratio | Fee 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc Finance (full-time) | 1,581 | 136 | 12 to 1 | £51,000 |
| MSc Finance and Private Equity | 677 | 43 | 16 to 1 | £51,000 |
| MSc Finance and Economics | 761 | 53 | 14 to 1 | £39,900 |
| MSc Accounting and Finance | 758 | 169 | 4 to 1 | £43,000 |
The LSE MSc Finance has by far the most applications. The two smaller programs have higher ratios because they have far fewer places. If your profile is strongly quantitative, the MSc Finance and Economics is the more mathematical option: LSE asks for a degree in a quantitative subject with at least a year of calculus and a semester of linear algebra.
What Does the LSE MSc Finance Cost?
The fee for students starting in 2026/27 is £51,000, and it is the same for home and overseas students. The program runs 10 months. The Department of Finance offers scholarships of up to £25,000 to successful applicants, awarded on academic merit and financial need, and a separate award of up to £25,000 open to successful female applicants. Students who completed an undergraduate degree at LSE receive a 10% reduction.
The table sets the fee beside the finance masters at four other schools, using the tuition each school publishes for the most recent intake it lists. Our guides to the best masters in finance programs and masters in finance vs MBA cover the wider choice.
| Program | Length | Tuition | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSE MSc Finance (full-time) | 10 months | £51,000 | 136 |
| Oxford MSc in Financial Economics | 9 months | £66,690 | 88 |
| London Business School Masters in Financial Analysis | 12 months | £52,950 | 322 |
| HEC Paris Master in International Finance | One academic year | €48,485 | Not stated |
| MIT Sloan Master of Finance | 12 or 18 months | US$96,884 or US$133,007 | Not stated |
What Are the Entry Requirements for the LSE MSc Finance?
The minimum is an upper second class honours degree, which LSE writes as 2:1, or the equivalent, in any discipline, with good quantitative skills. LSE publishes the equivalent for each country on the program page, so check the United States entry for the grade point average it expects. The minimum understates the competition: LSE states that admission is very competitive and that the majority of students accepted in previous years held first class honours degrees or the equivalent.
Three further points matter for a US applicant. First, the GMAT or GRE is required for all applicants without a UK undergraduate degree, and LSE says the GMAT is strongly preferred. Our GMAT prep guide covers how to plan for it. Second, the mathematics in the program includes calculus and statistics, and LSE requires at least the equivalent of A level Mathematics. Third, work experience is not a prerequisite. LSE adds that applicants who have internships or employment should include them, because they may strengthen the application.
The program is designed for graduates whose background is not necessarily in finance. That makes it open to economics, engineering, mathematics and science majors who can show the quantitative preparation.
What Will You Study?
The degree begins with a compulsory four week pre-sessional program in early September, which revises core mathematics, statistics and the reading of financial statements and starts the careers program the department calls the Finance Accelerator.
The Autumn Term has two core courses, Corporate Finance and Asset Markets. In the Winter Term you choose four optional half unit courses from a list that includes fixed income and credit markets, mergers and restructurings, financial engineering, risk management, private equity, quantitative security analysis, sustainable finance and, new from 2026/27, big data and finance. The Spring Term ends with two capstone courses, Topics in Asset Management and Corporate Investment and Financial Policy.
When Should You Apply to the LSE MSc Finance?
As early in the cycle as you can submit a complete application. LSE considers applications for this program on a rolling basis and closes it once it is full. There is no fixed deadline. The date that does bind is the funding deadline, which was April 23, 2026 for needs-based awards for 2026/27 entry.
When we read the page on October 3, 2026 it still showed the 2026/27 academic year, with the program marked as closed for both home and overseas students. Check the page for the 2027/28 fee and dates before you apply.
Is There a Part-Time LSE MSc Finance?
Yes. The MSc Finance (part-time) runs 21 months with teaching in the evening, and LSE describes its academic content as almost identical to the full-time program. It is built for people working in finance in London. Unlike the full-time program it uses rounds: for 2026/27 entry they were January 16, April 10, June 19 and August 7, 2026.
Where Do LSE MSc Finance Graduates Work?
LSE lists the top recent employers of the program as China International Capital Corporation, Citi, CITIC Securities, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JP Morgan, McKinsey, Morgan Stanley and UBS. The top recent employment locations are Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Paris and Shanghai. The department publishes an employment report with the detail.
Two things follow for a US applicant. No US city appears in that list of top locations, so if you intend to return to New York, plan your recruiting around US timelines from the first term. And LSE notes that its nine and ten month masters programs do not comply with the Bologna process, which may affect how the degree is recognised in some European countries. If you are weighing LSE as an undergraduate destination instead, see our guide on how to get into LSE.
Frequently Asked Questions About the LSE MSc Finance
LSE reports 1,581 applications for the MSc Finance (full-time) and an intake of 136, a ratio of 12 to 1. LSE labels these as 2024 figures and publishes them on the program page.
LSE does not publish an acceptance rate. It publishes 1,581 applications and an intake of 136, which is about 8.6 enrolled students for every 100 applications. Because LSE makes more offers than it has places, the share of applicants who receive an offer is higher than that.
The fee for students starting in 2026/27 is 51,000 pounds for both home and overseas students. The Department of Finance offers scholarships of up to 25,000 pounds, and LSE undergraduate alumni receive a 10 percent reduction.
Yes for most international applicants. The GMAT or GRE is required for all applicants without a UK undergraduate degree, and LSE states that the GMAT is strongly preferred. It is recommended for applicants with UK degrees.
The full-time program runs 10 months, starting with a compulsory four week pre-sessional program in early September. The part-time program runs 21 months with evening teaching.
No. LSE states that work experience, through internships or full employment, is not a prerequisite. Applicants who have professional experience should include it, because it may strengthen the application.
There is no fixed deadline for the full-time program. LSE uses rolling admissions and closes the program when it is full. The funding deadline for needs-based awards was April 23, 2026 for 2026/27 entry.
Yes. The MSc Finance (part-time) runs 21 months with evening teaching for working professionals. For 2026/27 entry it used four rounds: January 16, April 10, June 19 and August 7, 2026.
Sources: London School of Economics, MSc Finance (full-time); London School of Economics, MSc Finance (part-time); LSE, MSc Finance and Economics; LSE, MSc Finance and Private Equity; LSE, MSc Accounting and Finance; Oxford Saïd, MSc in Financial Economics; London Business School, Masters in Financial Analysis; HEC Paris, Master in International Finance; MIT Sloan, Master of Finance Tuition.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a Princeton-based college admissions consulting firm advising families and candidates nationwide on elite university admissions strategy, from undergraduate through MBA and graduate programs. Our team pairs deep admissions expertise with a distinctive 360 approach spanning positioning, testing strategy, essays and application execution. To discuss your LSE MSc Finance application strategy, schedule a consultation.
