A method for sending a scheduling request, includes: after triggering a scheduling request, performing listen before talk (LBT) on an unlicensed frequency band; if determined that the unlicensed frequency band is not idle, preparing to perform LBT on the unlicensed frequency band again; if determined that the unlicensed frequency band is idle, sending the scheduling request on the unlicensed frequency band, and starting up a timer, a terminal not sending the scheduling request again before the timer times out, wherein the timer times out when timing reaches a preset time length.