Dear all,

I was admitted to 2 UK universities for an LLM programme. The problem is my first choice (the LSE) set an academic condition in my offer (which is rather difficult) and therefore I would like to accept a second offer (with an easier condition) in order to have a safety net.

Basically, my question is: is it OK if I accept this "safety net" offer and eventually withdraw from it in July when I know if I fulfill the LSE's academic condition?

I know this question has been asked on this board but I can't find the thread anymore.

Thanks in advance for your answers,

I won't purport to have the absolute answer to this, but I think everyone feels uncomfortable about accepting more than one offer - unfortunately, sometimes it has to be entertained.

I would just say that if a condition for accepting your offer is that you have not accepted another offer, then stick to this. So check out LSE and your other option and see if you run into any problems there.

Another thing to watch out for is if the colleges are going to start visa paperwork for you once you accept. If that is the case, then you don't want immigration authorities thinking you are after more than one visa! (I should add that I don't know if this could happen, or what the consequences would be - but personally I would try to avoid it).

Also bear in mind that you can talk to admissions people if you don't meet the conditions of your offer and they might still be happy to enroll you.

Not that I suggest that this is a good way to go but I accepted 3 offers at one point. They factor this in and some courses will even ask where else you have applied to. Ok so it maybe morally dubious (and even that is debateble) but it's a decision that will impact on the rest of your life. Do what's best for you.

I am currently studying at the LSE as a visiting scholar and have witnessed that the School does not even print enough coursepacks for all degree students, because some just don't show up at registration. I assume that other universities will not cause you any trouble if you accept the offer and then claim you cannot come due to financial or personal reasons. I believe it is highly unlikely, but if you have signed a university contract, they may of course demand payment of the tuition fees.

Good ideas to check the conditions attached from both institutions and any visa conditions.

In some places you are not entering a contract to pay for fees until you have matriculated.

It's far better that you accept only one offer if you are in a position to do so, but given the disparity in the length of time dealing with postgraduate applications between institutions, you shouldn't feel bad if you agree to more than one.

Each institution knows what its conversion rate is for offers given to students completing registration. My estimate is that in the UK, where application fees are not yet the norm, the ratio is somewhere between 30% to 50%.

Thanks a lot for all your answers.

Since there are no terms forbidding me from accepting another institution's offer in any of the offers I got, I will accept the two offers because I really want to do an LLM next year.