How to Apply to Economics at Lancaster University: Economics BSc and BA, Business Economics, Economics and Finance and Economics and Politics in the Management School, Standard Offer AAB and IB 35, With Some Routes Not Requiring A-level Maths, and Requirements for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Lancaster University, economics is taught by the Department of Economics in Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) on the main Lancaster campus. UK undergraduate applications are made directly to a course through UCAS. This guide sets out what the course pages say for 2027 entry, for UK applicants (A-levels, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, BTEC and others), international applicants (including those from China) and transfer students entering Year 2.

1. The economics courses

The Management School’s economics page lists five three-year degrees, each applied for by UCAS code, and says all of them are available with a study-abroad or placement-year option:

• Economics BSc (L100): for “people comfortable and fluent in mathematics”, with a focus on mathematical and statistical foundations; specialisations include econometrics and data science in economics, environmental economics, global macroeconomics and policy, and behavioural economics.
• Economics BA (L110): Lancaster states that you do not need Economics or Mathematics A-level; the course combines economic analysis with insights from the other social sciences.
• Business Economics BSc (4V13): economic methods applied to business; again no Economics or Mathematics A-level is needed, and you can take modules in marketing, accounting, finance and management science from the Management School.
• Economics and Finance BSc (NL31): economics with finance markets and investing, including portfolio management and asset pricing.
• Economics and Politics BA (LL22): economic analysis with politics and international relations.
• Mathematics with Economics BSc (G1L1): taught from the School of Mathematical Sciences (A-level AAA); Lancaster describes it as drawing on two departments, mathematics and statistics and economics. There is also Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics (MORSE, GLN0). Business and computing degrees are listed elsewhere on Lancaster’s site and are not covered here.

This guide follows the pages for L100, L110, NL31, 4V13, LL22 and G1L1. The codes and grade requirements for the study-abroad and placement-year versions are not given on the pages used for this guide; check each course page.

2. Course structure and choosing a pathway

• Economics BSc (L100): Year 1 core modules are Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics, Mathematics and Statistics for Economics, and Professional Development for Economics, with options such as Foundations of Accounting, Managing Uncertainty in Business, Computing for Business Decision Making, Foundations in Operations Management and Foundations of Financial Markets, Securities and Institutions. Year 2 core modules are Microeconomic Analysis, Principles of Econometrics with Professional Development, and Macroeconomic Analysis, with options such as Communicating using Economic Data, Economic Inequality, Environmental Economics, Games and Strategic Behaviour, Financial Time Series Analysis and Principles of Corporate Finance. Year 3 has Frontiers of Economics as the core module and otherwise options, such as Global Macroeconomics and Policy, Public Policy Analysis, International Trade and Business, Growth and Development, Labour and Health Economics, Industrial Organisation and Behavioural Economics.
• Economics BA (L110): Year 1 core modules are Foundations of Macroeconomics, Foundations of Microeconomics, Global Challenges in World Politics, Political Theory in a Troubled World, Professional Development for Economics and Quantitative Methods for Economics; Year 2 core modules are Foundations of Econometrics with Professional Development, Intermediate Macroeconomics and Intermediate Microeconomics.
• Mathematics with Economics (G1L1): Year 1 core modules are Matrices and Calculus, Principles of Macroeconomics, Principles of Microeconomics, and Probability and Statistics; Year 2 core modules include Applied Data Science, Linear Algebra, Microeconomic Analysis and Multivariate Probability and Statistics.
• When you choose a pathway: you choose a specific course when applying. The conditions for moving between these courses after you start are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the Management School or Admissions.
• Placement and study-abroad years: Lancaster says that if you choose these versions you spend your third year on an industry placement or at a partner university and return for a fourth year, paying a reduced tuition fee for the placement or study-abroad year (see the fees section). The Management School has a careers and placement service.
• Accommodation: the economics page says students who make Lancaster their firm choice are guaranteed a place in campus accommodation; the conditions and application deadline are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the accommodation pages.

3. Entry requirements by course page

Course	A-level	IB Diploma	GCSE
Economics BSc L100	AAB including Mathematics	35 points with 16 from the best three HL subjects, including 6 in Mathematics HL (analysis and approaches or applications and interpretation)	English Language 4/C
Economics and Finance BSc NL31	AAB including Mathematics	Same as L100	English Language 4/C
Economics BA L110	AAB (no subjects specified)	35 points, 16 at HL (no subjects specified)	Mathematics 6/B, English Language 4/C
Business Economics BSc 4V13	AAB (no subjects specified)	Same as L110	Mathematics 6/B, English Language 4/C
Economics and Politics BA LL22	AAB (no subjects specified)	Same as L110	Mathematics 6/B, English Language 4/C
Mathematics with Economics BSc G1L1	AAA including Mathematics or Further Mathematics at A; lowered to AAB for Mathematics and Further Mathematics at AB	36 points, 16 at HL, 6 in Mathematics HL	English Language 4/C (no GCSE Mathematics listed)

• Other qualifications, L100 and NL31: BTEC Extended Diploma DDD accepted alongside A-level Mathematics B; BTEC with A-levels: A-level B plus BTEC DD, or A-levels AB plus BTEC D, including A-level Mathematics B; Access to HE Diploma typically 36 Level 3 credits at Distinction plus 9 at Merit, with evidence equivalent to A-level Mathematics B; T levels are only accepted alongside A-level Mathematics grade B.
• Other qualifications, L110, 4V13 and LL22: BTEC Extended Diploma DDD; BTEC with A-levels: A-level B plus BTEC DD, or A-levels AB plus BTEC D; Access 36 Distinction credits plus 9 Merit.
• Scotland: five Highers are accepted; where an A-level subject is required, Lancaster typically requires an Advanced Higher in it (relevant to the Mathematics requirement of L100 and NL31).
• Mathematics tests and interviews: these course pages list no interview or admissions test.
• Economics BA and Business Economics do not require Economics or Mathematics A-level, but the course pages require GCSE Mathematics 6/B; Lancaster says it is flexible on GCSE Mathematics and also looks at A-level Mathematics, Core Maths and similar evidence.

4. UK applicants

• How to apply: you apply to a specific course through UCAS (course codes below). Lancaster’s qualifications page says it typically expects the equivalent of three full A-levels, makes offers on actual grades rather than UCAS tariff points, and bases an offer on the best three if you take four or more (for some courses you may receive two offers, for example AAB or ABB plus a B in the fourth subject). AS levels do not replace A-levels. All A-level subjects are accepted subject to the compulsory subjects on each course page, and native-language A-levels count like any other subject.
• Practical endorsement: where Biology, Chemistry or Physics is a required subject and you take the reformed A-level with the practical element, Lancaster expects you to pass the practical. If you cannot sit it (for example, external candidates), contact Admissions.
• Qualifications that may earn a lower offer: the page says the Extended Project (EPQ) and Core Maths may earn a lower offer “for many courses” (for example AAB, or ABB plus a B in the EPQ), and for Mathematics-type courses the Advanced Extension Award (AEA) in Mathematics may earn ABB plus a Merit instead of AAB. Whether this applies to a given course is not published course by course; ask Admissions.
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers: applicants may be admitted on five Highers; where an A-level subject is required, Lancaster typically requires an Advanced Higher in it. The published Highers equivalents are: AAA = AAABB, AAB = ABBBB, ABB = BBBBB, BBB = BBBCC; if Highers alone fall short, a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects can be considered.
• BTEC, T levels and others: each course page states whether they are accepted and at what grades (see the course requirements below). The Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales counts as one A-level. The qualifications page does not give separate entry requirements for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• GCSE: every undergraduate applicant needs at least GCSE English Language grade 4/C; other subjects are listed on the course pages. Lancaster says it is flexible on GCSE Mathematics and looks at A-level Mathematics, Core Maths and science GCSEs.
• Contextual and special circumstances: Lancaster makes contextual offers; see its contextual admissions page for the criteria (not reproduced here). Mature applicants and those with mitigating circumstances can contact Admissions, and a mitigating-circumstances form should reach Admissions before 1 July.
• Fees and funding (Home): the Home fee on the course pages for 2027/28 is £10,050, reviewed annually in line with UK government policy. Home-student awards include the Undergraduate Home Excellence Scholarship (£1,000 a year for up to three years for Home students who make Lancaster their firm choice and meet the grades) and the Lancaster Bursary (£1,000 a year for Home undergraduates with an assessed household income under £35,000, paid in two instalments). See the scholarship pages for the exact conditions.

• The Management School’s undergraduate scholarship page also lists the Becketts Scholarship (for widening-participation students from the Fylde Coast on Accounting and Finance, Business Management, Economics and MORSE), the Lancaster Sanctuary Scholarship (refugees or those with humanitarian protection) and the Cowrie Foundation Scholarship (UK students of Black African or Caribbean heritage); see the website for the conditions.

5. International applicants

• English requirement for this subject: the Economics BSc, BA, Business Economics, Economics and Finance, and Economics and Politics pages all state IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, the standard level; Mathematics with Economics (G1L1) states 6.0/5.5.

• English requirement: if English is not your first language you must provide evidence, and the required score varies by course (see each course below). Lancaster’s English page lists a standard level of IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each element, with TOEFL iBT 87 (17 listening, 18 reading, 17 speaking, 20 writing) for tests taken before 21 January 2026 and 4.5 overall with at least 4 in each element for tests from 21 January 2026; PTE Academic 58 with at least 42 in each skill (test centre only, not the online version); LanguageCert Academic 70 with 60 in each element, and others. Some science, mathematics and social work courses differ, so use the course page; where a course page gives only an IELTS score, equivalent scores for other tests are not given on the pages used for this guide. Check the English language page or ask Admissions.
• IELTS, TOEFL, Pearson and LanguageCert certificates are valid for two years and must still be valid at the start of study; scores from different sittings cannot be combined. The English page also accepts IB English (HL or SL) at 5 as high school evidence. Nationals of the listed majority English-speaking countries (including the United States, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand) do not need to submit English evidence.
• If your English is short: Lancaster offers pre-sessional English programmes. The 10-week programme requires IELTS 5.5 overall with at least 5.0 in each element, in person or online (the in-person route needs a UKVI-approved test). Scores for the 5-week and 4-week programmes depend on your degree and are not given on the pages used for this guide.
• Grades and credential evaluation: Lancaster says it will consider international high school scores, including Grade 10 and 11 results. The country-by-country equivalency table is on the qualifications page, marked 2026 entry and subject to change; the figures are not given on the pages used for this guide. Check that page by country.
• Student visa: applicants who need a Student visa may be asked for financial documents or an interview. The amounts and format of financial evidence are not given on the pages used for this guide; check Lancaster’s CAS and visa pages.
• International foundation: international applicants who do not meet the entry requirements can take an International Foundation programme at the Lancaster University International Study Centre (run with INTO), which leads to Year 1 of a degree; Lancaster states that a place on the degree is guaranteed if you complete the programme and meet the requirements of your degree. The entry requirements and the list of eligible degrees are not given on the pages used for this guide; check Lancaster’s foundation page and the Study Centre’s website.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao and High School Diploma: Lancaster’s page for applicants from China states plainly that the High School Diploma and Gaokao (NUEE) are not sufficient for entry; you need an additional qualification such as a Foundation Year.
• Foundation route: the China page says INTO Lancaster University offers foundation and pre-master’s programmes; the international foundation page describes the Lancaster University International Study Centre, run with INTO, with programmes leading to Year 1 of a degree. Whether your intended subject is on the progression list, and what scores the foundation requires, are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Study Centre’s website.
• A-level / IB route: Chinese students taking A-levels or the IB apply on the grades and subjects in each course’s requirements (see above), so check the HL subject requirements carefully. IB English (HL or SL) at 5 is accepted as English evidence.
• Other high school programmes (AP, international tracks in China): the pages used for this guide give no AP-specific equivalency and no way of using Gaokao scores; this is not published, so ask Admissions (ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk). The country equivalency table is on the qualifications page; its figures are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check that page.
• Support for Chinese applicants: the China page lists a China recruitment team (meetings can be booked), an official Weibo account, a Chinese-language website (lancasteruniversity.cn) and official agents in China. It also says Chinese applicants are automatically considered for Lancaster’s major scholarships, while the Chevening and China Scholarship Council awards require a direct application (the page does not say whether they apply to undergraduates, so check those scholarship pages).
• Interviews: the pages used do not describe a general interview requirement for Chinese applicants; see each course below. Applicants who need a Student visa may be interviewed.

7. How and when to apply

• How to apply: all full-time undergraduate applications go through UCAS. One UCAS application can carry five choices, and you may use more than one choice on different Lancaster courses (Lancaster advises that if you apply for a standard course and its study-abroad, placement, industry or master’s variant, you may apply only for the specialist version and if Lancaster cannot accept you for it will typically consider you for the standard one; holders of a specialist-variant offer can usually switch to the standard variant). You enter personal details, qualifications, an academic reference and a personal statement. UCAS cannot currently take uploaded documents, so supporting documents can be emailed to Admissions. Check UCAS itself for the number of choices and the materials format.
• Deadlines: Lancaster says that for Medicine and Surgery, or if you also apply to Oxford or Cambridge, the UCAS deadline is in October; for everything else there is a January equal consideration deadline, after which most courses still accept applications but some may close. The dates listed are 15 October 2026 18:00 UK time (October deadline), 13 January 2027 18:00 (January deadline) and 30 June 2027 18:00 (final deadline; later applications go into Clearing, and Lancaster warns that a late application may not receive full consideration). However, the page places these dates under “courses starting in 2026 (and deferred applications)” while also saying “the deadline for courses starting in 2027 has not yet been confirmed”. The labelling is inconsistent, so check UCAS for the exact 2027-entry deadlines.
• Timing: Lancaster assesses on a rolling basis and aims to decide within three weeks of receiving the UCAS application; courses with interviews or portfolios take longer.
• How applications are assessed: qualifications you are taking and predicted grades, grades already achieved (such as a full GCSE profile), the academic reference and the personal statement. Admissions tests such as STEP for Mathematics may be taken into account but are not a requirement, and work experience may be considered.
• Deferred entry: you can defer to 2028 entry, provided you meet the entry requirements by 1 September 2027.
• Under 18: you may apply if you will be under 18 at registration, but if you will still be under 18 on 30 June at the end of your first year (for example 30 June 2028 for an October 2027 start), Lancaster cannot offer university accommodation and recommends deferring unless you have accommodation arranged.

8. Transfer students (entry to Year 2)

• Year 2 entry: for some courses Lancaster considers Year 2 applications case by case, through UCAS in the usual way. It asks for: your high school qualifications (you would typically be expected to have met the Year 1 entry requirements); a list of all university modules completed and still to complete (Lancaster checks that you have covered material equivalent to its Year 1); passing the current year of your degree at upper second class honours level; and a reference from someone who has taught you at university. If you do not meet these, you may be considered for Year 1.
• Entry to Year 3 or above is not permitted.
• If you are studying a degree with an integrated foundation year elsewhere, you can apply for Year 1 at Lancaster after the foundation year. An HNC cannot lead to Year 2 entry; those completing an HND may occasionally be admitted to Year 2, but Lancaster recommends Year 1.
• Which courses accept Year 2 transfers, and any transfer-specific deadlines, are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask Admissions.

9. Fees and scholarships

• International tuition: the 2027/28 international fee on the course pages is £27,100 (L100, L110, NL31, 4V13); the Economics and Politics (LL22) page shows £26,567, and Mathematics with Economics (G1L1) shows £31,700, charged for a 12-month session. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. All undergraduates pay a college membership fee, £40 for those starting in 2027. Study-abroad and placement years are charged at the maximum the Department for Education permits: for international students 15% of the standard international fee for a study-abroad year and 20% for a placement year.
• Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship: for international fee-paying applicants who achieve A*AA or above at A-level (or the equivalent) and make Lancaster their firm UCAS choice: £3,000 off tuition for each year of study, assessed automatically with no separate application. It is not awarded for time away from the university (study abroad, placement or industry years), cannot be deferred (a deferred offer is reassessed), and students progressing from the International Study Centre are not eligible (Lancaster mentions a separate Study Centre progression scholarship, whose value is not given on the pages used for this guide).
• Undergraduate International Regional Scholarship: £3,000 off tuition per year for international students from Canada, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey or Vietnam, assessed automatically by nationality or country of domicile. Mainland China is not on the list. It can be combined with the Excellence scholarship, but not with other Lancaster scholarships.
• There are also an EU scholarship and an India scholarship (each £3,000 a year), which do not apply to applicants from China. Where a partnership scholarship or fee discount also applies, only the highest-value award is made.

• The Economics BSc page states that a study-abroad year is charged at 15% and a placement year at 20% of the standard fee (and of the standard international fee for international students), as above; that paragraph is not given on the other economics pages used for this guide.

Application checklist

UK applicants:

• Pick the course code: L100 or NL31 for a more mathematical route (AAB including Mathematics); L110, 4V13 or LL22 if you want no A-level subject requirement (AAB, GCSE Mathematics 6/B)
• Apply through UCAS by the deadline (check UCAS for the exact 2027-entry dates)
• Home fee £10,050; check the Home Excellence Scholarship and Lancaster Bursary conditions

International applicants (including China):

• A-level and IB students apply on the course-page grades; students with the Chinese High School Diploma and Gaokao need a foundation route first, because Lancaster says they are not sufficient for entry
• IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component); prepare Student visa documents
• A*AA or above with Lancaster as firm choice can automatically earn the £3,000-a-year Excellence Scholarship

Transfer students:

• Year 2 entry is considered course by course, with upper second class marks, modules covering Lancaster’s Year 1, and a reference from a university teacher; Year 3 entry is not permitted

Sources: Lancaster University, Management School economics undergraduate page; Economics BSc (L100); Economics BA (L110); Economics and Finance BSc (NL31); Business Economics BSc (4V13); Economics and Politics BA (LL22); Mathematics with Economics BSc (G1L1); Management School undergraduate scholarships; How to apply and transfers; Undergraduate entry qualifications; Undergraduate English language requirements; Applicants from China; International foundation programmes; Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship; Undergraduate International Regional Scholarship; Fees and funding. Course details are the 2027-entry course pages; the qualifications page and some scholarship pages are marked 2026 entry or carry no year. Check Lancaster and UCAS for the latest information.