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Too late to apply for Masters?

Is it too late to apply for masters right this moment?

I know some people have applied months ago, but I was never entirely sure what I wanted to do. I hope this will not have extinguished my chances for a place. I am intending to apply for a course at LSE, the availability still shows open as opposed to limited.

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Original post by 92DL
Is it too late to apply for masters right this moment?

I know some people have applied months ago, but I was never entirely sure what I wanted to do. I hope this will not have extinguished my chances for a place. I am intending to apply for a course at LSE, the availability still shows open as opposed to limited.

Postgrad courses don't run to the Ucas timetable. My son applied in May and it was all fine.
Reply 2
Original post by carnationlilyrose
Postgrad courses don't run to the Ucas timetable. My son applied in May and it was all fine.


I know there is no real timetable and no real deadline therefore. But I heard the sooner you apply the higher the chances of getting in?

Did you son apply to LSE?
Original post by 92DL
I know there is no real timetable and no real deadline therefore. But I heard the sooner you apply the higher the chances of getting in?

Did you son apply to LSE?

No, Edinburgh. If you are worried, call them. I think they don't have the same kind of set quotas as for undergrads, so speed is much less important than suitability. If they have a supervisor interested in you, it's much easier.
Reply 4
Original post by carnationlilyrose
No, Edinburgh. If you are worried, call them. I think they don't have the same kind of set quotas as for undergrads, so speed is much less important than suitability. If they have a supervisor interested in you, it's much easier.



Thank you very much for you advice :smile:
Here is a list of the available programmes at LSE. Most programmes are still available!

http://www.lse.ac.uk/study/graduate/availableProgrammes.aspx
Reply 6
I'd echo the above advice. Some heavily-subscribed Masters courses fill early in the year, some not. Whilst mine was quite specialist with a low capacity, it also had a low application-to-offer ratio (8:1 the year I applied) and for that reason accepted applications up to a few weeks before the start of the course. If the LSE system shows as "Open" then you're still in as good a position as any other applicant. Good luck!
Not late for most schools especially if you've got good background, but late for the top schools especially for the more competitive programmes.
Reply 8
I used to work in postgraduate admissions and we still accepted Masters students up to a couple of weeks after the start date if there were places, so you should be fine!
Reply 9
Original post by Klix88
I'd echo the above advice. Some heavily-subscribed Masters courses fill early in the year, some not. Whilst mine was quite specialist with a low capacity, it also had a low application-to-offer ratio (8:1 the year I applied) and for that reason accepted applications up to a few weeks before the start of the course. If the LSE system shows as "Open" then you're still in as good a position as any other applicant. Good luck!



Thank you for your advice this has been very helpful! What course if I may ask?
Reply 10
Original post by PangXie
I used to work in postgraduate admissions and we still accepted Masters students up to a couple of weeks after the start date if there were places, so you should be fine!


Its been a couple of months after the start date now :/ but availability still shows open...
Reply 11
Original post by clh_hilary
Not late for most schools especially if you've got good background, but late for the top schools especially for the more competitive programmes.



Yea the course I am interested in is not the most competitive one at LSE so far as I can conclude from the application numbers last year :smile:
Original post by 92DL
Yea the course I am interested in is not the most competitive one at LSE so far as I can conclude from the application numbers last year :smile:


Admission requirements are higher the later you apply however.
Reply 13
Original post by 92DL
Its been a couple of months after the start date now :/ but availability still shows open...


Probably best to just give them a ring tomorrow then. Depends if the uni think it's feasible for you to catch up...I think the latest someone started for my uni was five weeks in, though that was pretty unusual. Definitely worth asking.
Reply 14
Original post by PangXie
Probably best to just give them a ring tomorrow then. Depends if the uni think it's feasible for you to catch up...I think the latest someone started for my uni was five weeks in, though that was pretty unusual. Definitely worth asking.


Oh no the course only starts in September! Sorry for the confusion. I thought you meant start date for applications
Reply 15
Original post by clh_hilary
Admission requirements are higher the later you apply however.



I'll ASAP then :smile: thanks
Reply 16
Original post by 92DL
Oh no the course only starts in September! Sorry for the confusion. I thought you meant start date for applications


Oh I see haha! That sounds totally normal then. Best of luck :smile:

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Reply 17
Original post by PangXie
Oh I see haha! That sounds totally normal then. Best of luck :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile


Thanks!
Reply 18
Original post by clh_hilary
Admission requirements are higher the later you apply however.

I don't think this is the case in the UK - I've certainly never come across it before. A Masters admission offer is based on your final degree result and good references. A course with a 2:1 minimum entry requirement won't increase it to a First if you apply nearer the start date. Likewise the requirement for two "good" references won't increase to two "excellent" references.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Klix88
I don't think this is the case in the UK - I've certainly never come across it before. A Masters admission offer is based on your final degree result and good references. A course with a 2:1 minimum entry requirement won't increase it to a First if you apply nearer the start date. Likewise the requirement for two "good" references won't increase to two "excellent" references.


Not that way, but they may not offer you a conditional offer. That's actually the official position of many universities which adopt the 'rolling' method such as King's College London. Applicants applying later will be disadvantaged.

As for Oxbridge, as far as I know even with less competitive programmes, they could be either already have been filled up completely or almost by their second deadlines.

Universities take each case holitically. They don't just look at your degree classification, but also the relevance of your degree, your state of purpose, your submitted samples, your references, your other academic experiences, your work experiences, your research experiences and proposal if relevant, etc. The offer will still be a 2:1 conditional one if you're offered with a place, but they may not offer you with a place if you haven't got anything above other applicants, fighting for much fewer places.

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