Visiting Appointments

Visiting Fellow

The title of Visiting Fellow is normally granted to early career academics and researchers (postdoctoral but pre-Major Review or equivalent), and persons or practitioners of equivalent standing in an appropriate profession or occupation. Recent PhD graduates from our department are also eligible to apply for a Visiting Fellowship

Visiting Senior Fellow

Visiting Senior Fellows are typically scholars who are of Associate Professor (or equivalent) level in their careers, or professionals at a broadly comparable level in their profession.

Visiting Professor or Visiting Professor in Practice

The title of Visiting Professor or Visiting Professor in Practice may be given to people of appropriate distinction whose connections with the School are appropriate to the visiting title. This includes Professors from other universities but also includes individuals with a non-academic background who may have achieved prominence in public life, or who have attained distinction in the professions. 

The School's Visiting Appointments Scheme provides more details about the categories. 

As a visitor, you are expected to play an active part in the research and intellectual life of the department. This could be by, although not limited to, participating in our research seminars, giving a public lecture, and meeting with PhD and MSc students to discuss their thesis or dissertation projects.

Visiting appointees are entitled to use the LSE Library and appropriate facilities to engage with the LSE community. These include access to email and appropriate buildings, catering facilities and social space.

You will be featured on our departmental people page, and you will be able to use your visitor title, eg LSE Visiting Fellow, when referring to your LSE affiliation. The “Visiting” status must be made explicit in all circumstances.

Visiting appointments are unpaid and non-contractual. We are not able to provide financial support for visitors (including for travel or accommodation), nor are we able to assist with visas or sourcing travel and accommodation.

To apply, you must complete the form at the bottom of this page. When applying, you will be asked to provide:

• A statement (150 words) that clearly outlines how your research interests and activities align with those of our department.
• A proposal (150 words) of work that you plan to undertake and how this contributes to the department’s research agenda and/or the School more broadly.
• Email confirmation from the hosting academic in support of your application. 
• Details of additional PBS staff members you would wish to interact with during your tenure. You should reach out to the relevant people in advance of submitting your application. 
• A current CV, including a list of publications. 
• If yours is a reappointment, you will also be asked to outline your contributions to our department during your previous appointment (150 words). 

Duration

Appointments for Visiting and Senior Visiting Fellows are normally for a maximum of three years. Appointments for Visiting Professors and Visiting Professors in Practice are normally for minimum period of 12 weeks and a maximum period of five years.   

Please note that recent LSE PhD graduates can be considered for a Visiting Fellowship with a maximum duration of 12 months. 

Timing

You can submit your application at any time. The application will be considered at our next departmental Staff Meeting, before being passed to the School’s HR division for final approval. Please note that HR consider applications at set dates during the year (available here), and there may therefore be a delay between submission and final decision. 

Recent PhD graduates can be appointed throughout the year. 

Please submit your application via this online form.