Global Master’s in Management Student Ambassador, Emma Qu, shares her tips for your Taught Master’s Application with resources specific to international students from China.
Each year, LSE welcomes a significant number of international students from China. With increasing competition and the number of choices, choosing the programme(s) that best fit your interests and keeping track of the application process can be challenging.
I have outlined 4 steps to help you navigate your application for LSE’s Taught Master’s Programmes with specific resources for international applicants from China.
Step 1: Exploring available programmes and narrowing down your choices
For Taught Master’s Programme, applicants can apply for up to 2 programmes.
However, with numerous programmes available each year, you might find it overwhelming to decide the right programme and conceptualise programme-specific characteristics as an international student.
I found it extremely helpful to explore LSE’s online resources and talk to current students during my application process.
The following resources can give you a head start at the exploratory stage:
- The available programmes pages show you the programmes open to new applicants. Through this page, you will be able to access individual programmes and check out programme-specific overviews and requirements.
- To gain a more detailed understanding of each department’s Taught Master’s courses, check out the LSE Calendar. The LSE Calendar contains detailed information about programme regulation, award regulations, as well as thorough descriptions of each course.
- By adding the student-organised Wechat accounts such as “CSSALSE” and “LSE校友会”, you can connect to Alumni and access the specific resources for Chinese international students at LSE.
- The Departments and Institutes page will direct you to the homepage for each department, presenting specific information and sources of contacts for each department.
Step 2: Preparing application materials and submitting applications through LSE’s online application system
LSE’s online application system
The application stage requires a more thorough understanding of your chosen programmes’ requirements and features. It is important to check out the individual programme’s webpage as entry requirements vary across programmes. On each graduate programme’s webpage, you can see key facts, including:
- Entry requirements.
- GRE/GMAT requirements.
- English language requirements.
For Chinese applicants, if you completed your undergraduate degree in China, you will need to provide evidence proving your English language proficiency. Further information regarding language requirements.
You will also need to convert undergraduate marks to the UK grading system if you received an undergraduate degree from China. For highly regarded institutions in China, a mark of 85% would be considered equivalent to upper second class under the UK grading system. You can find more information about entry requirements for China.
As for reference letters, plan ahead and allow plenty of time to contact your referees. As reference letters are generally not part of the assessment criteria in China’s education system, you might need to take more time to explain the process to your referees.
Top Tip: Use the referees’ professional email address when filling out the online application system. More information regarding reference letters and other supplementary materials.
Step 3: After submitting the application
It can be stressful to wait for the application results. To be on top of your application status, refer to LSE for you. You can also see the application processing timelines through the Current processing times webpage.
Remember to check your spam folder regularly and add key emails to your contact to avoid missing any messages.
Moreover, take this time to better understand your chosen programmes by talking to current students and alumni and attending information sessions for different programmes. You can typically find the relevant information on the individual department’s website.
Step 4: Applying for Scholarship
The scholarship application normally happens after you receive the offer. As an international student from China, you can apply to need-based, programme-related, and country-specific scholarships.
In addition, several scholarship options are available specifically for Taught Master’s students from China. A complete list can be found here.
Top Tip: If you have any specific questions and struggle to find the solution, the How do I page provides a comprehensive list to guide you through different enquiry systems.
All the best to your application process, and I look forward to seeing you on campus!
Learn more about the Global Master’s in Management programme
