For 2025 entry, LSE will be offering studentships to new PhD students in the form of LSE PhD Studentships, LSE ESRC Studentships and LAHP AHRC Studentships.
These awards are open to high calibre students of all nationalities studying across all research areas at the School.
LSE PhD Studentships are tenable for four years and cover full fees and an annual stipend. They are available for UK, EU and international students undertaking research in any LSE discipline, with annual renewal subject to satisfactory academic performance.
These awards will be made solely on the basis of outstanding academic merit and research potential. This relates both to your past academic record and to an assessment of your likely aptitude to complete a PhD in your chosen topic in the time allocated.
LSE has an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) and has ESRC studentships in a number of programmes across 19 departments. These studentships are available for students of all nationalities.
Studentships are tenable for three or four years, depending on the programme of study. They cover full fees (for international students, LSE will cover the difference between UK and overseas fees) and an annual stipend.
Individual programme entries detail which programme are eligible for ESRC funding.
LSE is part of LAHP (London Arts and Humanities Partnership), which is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Students of all nationalities can apply for one of these studentships.
Studentships are tenable for three years and they cover full fees (for international students, LSE will cover the difference between UK and overseas fees) and an annual stipend. UKRI expects all projects to be designed in a way that enables students to submit within their funded period.
LSE Departments that typically host AHRC studentships are International History, Media and Communications, Philosophy and Law, but students from other disciplines (for example, Anthropology, Gender Studies and International Development), can also apply if their research falls within the remit of AHRC, as explained here.
LSE is proud to partner with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to offer the LSE-CSC Scholarship. This prestigious scholarship supports outstanding students from China in pursuing their research degree at LSE.
LSE is pleased to offer up to eight scholarships each academic year. These scholarships are tenable for up to four years and recipients must be enrolled in a full time study mode.
Department-specific funding
Check the programme-related funding page for PhD funding opportunities.
How to apply
Except for LAHP studentships (see below), academic departments nominate students for the funding opportunity they may be eligible for. There is no separate application for LSE, ESRC and department-specific studentships. To be considered for this funding, you must submit your complete application for admission to LSE by a specific date. This date differs by academic department.
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deadline for being considered for LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding for 2025 entry if you apply to a programme in the Department of Law: 1 December 2024
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deadline for being considered for LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding for 2025 entry if you apply to a programme in the Department of Economics or Department of International Development: 18 December 2024
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deadline for being considered for ESRC funding for 2025 entry: 15 January 2025
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deadline for being considered for LSE PhD Studentships for 2025 entry: this can either be 15 January 2025 and/or 25 April 2025 depending on the programme you are applying to. Details can be found on the individual programme page.
To be considered for a LAHP studentship for 2025 entry, students need to have applied for their chosen programme of studies. They will also need to submit a separate funding application to LAHP, deadline to be confirmed. Details of the application process can be found here