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London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Occasional Students 

If you satisfy the entrance requirements for the degree, but do not wish to register for a full degree, you may like to consider applying to become an Occasional Student. As an Occasional Student you may register and take one or more units from any part or year of a degree. Acceptance is subject to the approval of the University and also subject to any prerequisite or exclusion clauses for specific units. 

Occasional Students are normally people who want to take specific subjects either out of interest, or to enhance their skills or professional knowledge. Sometimes students take occasional subjects to demonstrate to a professional body or university their academic ability and motivation for study. 

Please note that an Occasional Student cannot, under any circumstances, either transfer to a degree or accumulate passes and then apply to be awarded a University of London degree. If you are keen to “try out” a degree by taking one or two subjects, you should consider applying for the Access Route. 

Entrance Requirements & How to Apply : 

To apply to become an Occasional Student you must satisfy the same entrance requirements as for the degrees. You should write to the following address giving details of the unit(s) you would like to take and your reasons for wanting to register as an Occasional Student. You will be sent an advisory letter and application form with directions on deadlines and how to apply. The deadlines are the same as those given for the degrees. 

The Assistant Manager

External Admissions Office
External System
University of London
Stewart House
32, Russell Square
London WC1B 5DN
United Kingdom

Tel +44 (0) 20 7862 8368

Fax +44 (0) 20 7862 8363

Current fees for Occasional Students :

Application handling fee (non-refundable)	£52
Initial Registration fee	£503
Continuing registration fee	£243
Examination fee (per unit)	£146
Examination fee (per law unit)	£157
Examination fee (per half unit)	£73

Registration :

Registration as an Occasional student is valid for a period of 4 years.

Study Material : 

As an Occasional Student you will receive the same material as students registered on degree programmes. 

Wherever you are, and however you study, when you register as an External student you will be provided with an introductory package of information to enable you to begin your studies. The package will contain a book called Studying for a degree in the Humanities and Social Sciences; a Student handbook; subject guides for each unit to be studied; past examination papers and Examiners' reports; an IOLIS: CD-ROM (for Accounting with Law and Management with Law only), and a copy of the Regulations. In addition to the materials provided by the University, you will need to buy your own textbooks; these will be the real focus of your studies.

Examinations :

Examinations are usually held world-wide in May and June each year. Examinations are held at a number of centres in the UK and established centres outside the UK (either through the local Ministry of Education or the British Council). The examination timetable is drawn up each year after all the examination entry forms for a particular degree have been received from the Examination centres world-wide. Arrangements for ad hoc centres are not made.  

The standard of the examinations for Occasional Students is the same as that for students registered and studying for a degree, and is the same as that for students studying on-campus at a college of the University. 

When you register as an Occasional Student you are not automatically entered for your examinations. There is a separate procedure and you have to apply to enter an examination. The Regulations, which you are sent as part of your study package, will tell you how and when to do this. The University will send you the Regulations when they give you an offer of registration and every year after that when they receive your continuing registration fee.   

Each full unit will be examined by one three hour unseen written paper and each half unit will be examined by one two hour unseen written paper. The maximum number of attempts permitted at an examination for any half or full unit is three.

Awards and Results :

Occasional Students will receive individual notifications of their results for each subject or unit and successful students subsequently will be sent a certificate.