Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
LSE is a small, specialist university that punches far above its size in the social sciences. Everything happens on a tight cluster of buildings around Houghton Street, between Holborn and the Strand, so you're in the middle of London from day one. Teaching is rigorous, students are ambitious, and the public lecture programme brings politicians, economists and world leaders to campus.
It's also very international and very London: expensive, busy and sometimes intense. Halls are guaranteed for first years who book on time, but most single rooms cost £270–£375 a week. If you want a quiet campus bubble or a wide range of subjects, look elsewhere.
Known for
The London School of Economics and Political Science is 47th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.1, above the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Bournemouth University | 51.4 |
| 46 | University of Aberdeen | 51.3 |
| 47 | London School of Economics and Political Science | 51.1 |
| 48 | Royal Agricultural University | 51.1 |
| 49 | University of Edinburgh | 51 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
1st of 124 · Employability Score 60.8
2nd of 122 · Careers Score 56.9
13th of 124 · Value Score 63.9
21st of 124 · Balance Score 52.7
23rd of 124 · Innovation Score 64.6
31st of 124 · Sustainability Score 59.2
40th of 124 · Inclusion Score 67.9
61st of 124 · Nightlife Score 48.6
88th of 124 · Social Score 43.6
100th of 124 · Safety Score 26.7
101st of 124 · Freshers Score 44.1
108th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 28.1
109th of 124 · Affordability Score 20.3
110th of 123 · Happiness Score 28.9
111th of 124 · Societies Score 37.2
London as a student city
Ranked 72nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 32.
The London School of Economics and Political Science appears in 16 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | 14th | of 85 | 158 |
| Data Science | 9th | of 50 | 115 |
| Finance 2026 table | 2nd | of 10 | – |
| Law | 20th | of 97 | 166 |
| Sociology | 20th | of 86 | 160 |
| Business and Management | 27th | of 114 | 187 |
| Mathematics | 16th | of 61 | 125 |
| International Relations | 22nd | of 71 | 129 |
| History | 26th | of 76 | 130 |
| Philosophy | 21st | of 54 | 108 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Politics | 35th | of 78 | 121 |
| PPE | 15th | of 31 | 65 |
| Geography | 34th | of 63 | 110 |
| Anthropology | 14th | of 24 | 61 |
| Actuarial Science | 9th | of 14 | 40 |
| Statistics | 18th | of 27 | 53 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
The Students' Union is based in the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre on campus, with the Three Tuns bar, events space, a gym and a media centre. The SU runs societies and sports clubs, and LSE's free public lectures and events bring big-name speakers onto campus most weeks. Halls have their own social scenes, like the Tipsy Beaver bar at Rosebery Hall. Beyond campus, Covent Garden, the South Bank and the West End are a few minutes' walk away. The University of London's Senate House library and facilities are open to LSE students too.
University halls cost £155–£499 per week (2026/27; single rooms from about £257; most single rooms £270–£375; 31–40-week contracts) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
New undergraduates (and General Course students) are guaranteed a place in halls if they book by the deadline. For 2026/27 that was Tuesday 9 June 2026. You can only book once LSE is your firm choice in UCAS, and you must be 17 or older during your stay. After the deadline you can still book, subject to availability, but the guarantee no longer applies. Postgraduates and continuing students aren't guaranteed a room. Halls are a mix of LSE's own halls, University of London intercollegiate halls and partner halls (Sidney Webb House, urbanest Westminster Bridge).
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passfield Hall Catered | Bloomsbury | single, twin and triple rooms (mostly shared bathrooms) | £155.05/wk | The cheapest option is a shared triple room at £155.05 a week. Single rooms are £272.30–£322.70. 31-week contract, 1.5 km from campus. Catered: 6 dinners and 1 brunch a week in term time. |
| Bankside House Catered | Bankside, Southwark (by Tate Modern) | single, single en-suite and twin en-suite | £195.65/wk | Biggest LSE undergraduate hall, south of the river, 1.5 km from campus. Singles are £305.55 and en-suites £325.85–£348.60. 38-week contract, catered. |
| Rosebery Hall Catered | Islington / Clerkenwell | single and twin rooms | £200.20/wk | Rosebery Wing is catered (singles £302.40). Myddelton Wing is self-catered (singles £291.90–£310.45). 38-week contract, 1.6 km from campus, home of the Tipsy Beaver bar. |
| Carr-Saunders Hall Catered | Fitzrovia | single and twin rooms | £205.80/wk | Just off Tottenham Court Road, 1.6 km from campus. Singles are £302.40 and twins £205.80 per person. 31-week contract, catered. |
| High Holborn Residence | Holborn | single rooms (some en-suite and twin) | £218.40/wk | The closest hall to campus (0.5 km). Singles are £373.10 for a 38-week contract. Self-catered, but the rent includes five weekday breakfasts on campus in term time. |
| Sidney Webb House | Borough, Southwark | en-suite and studios | £257.25/wk | Partner hall with mostly en-suite rooms (£257.25–£283.15) on a 40-week contract, 2.8 km from campus. |
| The Garden Halls (University of London intercollegiate) Catered | Bloomsbury (Cartwright Gardens) | en-suite and shared bathroom | £318.72/wk | Large modern intercollegiate hall. Catered en-suites are about £430–£449, and self-catered rooms are from £318.72. 40-week contract, 1.6 km from campus. |
| Connaught Hall (University of London intercollegiate) Catered | Bloomsbury | single, shared bathroom | £327.54/wk | Intercollegiate hall shared with students from other University of London colleges. Breakfast and dinner are included, even over the winter and spring breaks. 40-week contract, 1.3 km from campus. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Walkable to campus and full of University of London students, but private rents here are among the highest.
South of the river with good bus and Tube links to Holborn, and lots of student blocks.
Lively, with markets, music and a direct Northern line run into central London.
Usually cheaper than central areas, with the Central line straight to Holborn.
Top tip
Firm LSE on UCAS as soon as you can, then book through the LSE Student Accommodation System before the guarantee deadline (9 June in 2026). Booking is first come, first served on the rooms still available, so the cheapest rooms (Passfield, Carr-Saunders, twin rooms) go early. UK first years from households earning under £50,000 should opt into means-testing with Student Finance to be assessed for the LSE Accommodation Bursary (up to £2,750). For later years, LSE's private housing service can act as your rent guarantor.
London is the most expensive place in the UK to be a student. LSE says you should allow at least £1,550 a month for all living expenses, including rent. That looks low next to 2026/27 hall prices, where most single rooms cost £270–£375 a week. The LSE Accommodation Bursary (up to £2,750 for UK first years in qualifying halls) and an 18+ Student Oyster help.
Getting around
Campus is a short walk from Holborn and Temple Tube stations and from Covent Garden. Most halls are within 0.5–3 km, so many students walk or take the bus. London bus fares are £1.75 pay-as-you-go (£1.85 from 1 November 2026), with unlimited transfers within an hour. With an 18+ Student Oyster photocard you get 30% off bus passes and Travelcards.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The London School of Economics and Political Science is 47th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 51.1. Its strongest results are for employability (1st), career prospects (2nd), value for money (13th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the London School of Economics and Political Science places highest for Finance (2nd of 10). Across our awards, it also stands out for employability.
Yes, if you book by the deadline: 9 June in 2026. You can book once LSE is your firm choice in UCAS. After the deadline, you can still book if rooms are left, but there's no guarantee.
They're University of London halls shared by students from several London universities, including LSE. They include Connaught Hall, College Hall, International Hall, Nutford House and The Garden Halls. You book them through LSE's system alongside LSE's own halls. Catered ones include breakfast and dinner, even over the winter and spring breaks.
For 2026/27, shared rooms start at £155.05 a week (a triple in Passfield Hall). Single rooms run from about £257 (Sidney Webb House) to £391 (High Holborn), and most are £270–£375. Contracts are 31–40 weeks for most undergraduate halls, so the annual total depends on contract length as well as weekly rent.
UK first-year undergraduates with household incomes under £50,000 can get an LSE Accommodation Bursary of £750–£2,750 if they live in a qualifying hall (Bankside, Carr-Saunders, Rosebery, Passfield, High Holborn or Sidney Webb). You apply by being means-tested for your Maintenance Loan. There's no separate form.
Many walk, as several halls are within 0.5–1.6 km of campus. Otherwise buses are the cheapest option at £1.75 a journey (£1.85 from November 2026) with an hour's free transfers. Get an 18+ Student Oyster photocard for 30% off bus passes and Travelcards.
Yes. LSE is a member institution of the University of London, which is why its students can live in intercollegiate halls and use some University of London facilities. It's also a Russell Group university.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
