hi!
Can someone please tell if we necessarily have to submit only academic refrences for LSE, SOAS, Ox? I have been working for over a year wondeirng if i could take professional recos.

I was in a similar position last year with LSE. In fact, I only submitted work references. But, I had been working for several years, not one. If you are in doubt, check with LSE admissions. They are fairly responsive. Good luck.