You’ve spent countless weeks writing your SoP (Statement of Purpose), multiple days editing the copy and getting all your documents ready. Those weeks of work have now paid off and you’ve received an offer letter. Woohoo! Your head is buzzing, the magnitude of what lies ahead hasn’t struck you yet, or has struck you all at once, and now you’re feeling too many emotions all at once. So many emotions! This blog is an attempt to take one aspect off the list of things that are possibly on your mind right now: “what are the many things I have to do once I decide to… accept my offer?”

Disclaimer: The following are four “high level/zoomed out” things to focus on once you decide to take up your offer at LSE. These will not cover the specifics too much, as some of my previous blogs have focused on a few of these important tips – check them out if you’d like to know more about each of these!

1) Conditional vs unconditional offer

First things first! Check if the offer is conditional or unconditional. If unconditional, take a sigh of relief and move on to the rest of this list. If it is conditional, like mine was, spend some time going through the list to see what these conditions are. In my case, I had to show my language proficiency by taking an English test. So going through the conditions and making a plan to meet them (providing documentation, taking tests, etc.) is a great first step.

2) Apply for scholarships

This might not be applicable to everyone – but for those who want to apply for one, do not wait any longer! Apply for the GSS and other LSE scholarships that are applicable to you as soon as possible because of the deadlines and the rolling nature of some of these scholarships. External organisations and trusts that provide scholarships are also great options if you haven’t already explored them or applied to them.

3) Search for accommodation

Now’s a good time to apply for accommodation! With the influx of students who’ll arrive in London for the start of the school term, accommodation will be running out fast. If you are a student from outside of London, or a local who wants to move out, I’d suggest having the accommodation aspect in your mind right until you book one. I cannot begin to explain how fast these rooms run out! I remember waiting before booking a few places because I was looking for better ones, and them running out. All told, I got the best place possible – lookout for my blog on choosing accommodation – but the amount of work that went into it is quite a bit.

So, my suggestion is that you do your due diligence in looking for an accommodation that suits you, while also making quick decisions. Do not stress out, though, because although my intention was to convey the hurried nature of things, you will certainly find good accommodation at the end of the day. It is just a matter of understanding what suits you best, and making quick decisions so that you get it.

4) Go through the offer booklet (relevant parts)

Ah, the most obvious one. The offer booklet you would have received (I personally received a PDF), contains important information that will come in handy as you prepare to become a student and particulars that will help you through your time at LSE. In my case, I went through LSE’s guide for booking LSE accommodation, the services available (I intended on making the most of all services that came along with the fees I paid!), and most importantly, the fee installment dates – as an international student, specific arrangements had to be made in advance to transfer the money on time.

Things I wish I had done that would have helped me now:

• Bookmark important links – the number of times I have struggled to find them again has not been worth the hassle.
• Write down/highlight the important to-dos or dates in the PDF or in any document you refer to constantly. Locating the PDF and finding the relevant information is way too time-consuming.
• Make a list of services that LSE provides and when they can be helpful. During term time, it is hard to remember and access the relevant services. Writing them down in a place where I would be reminded of relevant services would have been a good alternative.

Check out more tips in the second part of this series!