Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of support services here to support you during your time at LSE.
A selection of these support services are outlined below. You can access more information on our 'Support during your studies' page and hear more from these services at our virtual offer holders' events.
- Academic mentor: your Academic Mentor will oversee your academic progress and overall wellbeing during your time at LSE. Students will be invited to meet their Academic Mentor at least twice during each of the Michaelmas and Lent terms.
- Departmental contacts: if you have questions about the content of a particular course, the class teacher is usually the best person to approach initially. Departmental tutors can also provide you with additional academic or personal support. Every academic member of staff will run office hours, which you can use to discuss a particular area of academic interest, your academic progress or wellbeing.
- LSE LIFE: the LSE LIFE team deliver talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom, offer one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision, and provide drop-in sessions for academic and personal support.
- LSE Library: the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the largest dedicated social science library in the world. As well as providing space to work and study, the library provides students with access to a huge number of printed and digital collections, databases and archive material. Each department has a dedicated librarian to help you navigate the library and make the most of the resources on offer. LSE students can also access other University of London libraries, public libraries and museum and institute libraries across the city, including the British Library.
- Language Centre: students can take language courses as part of an undergraduate degree or non-degree language courses in their free time. The Language Centre deliver courses catering for beginners to advanced level learners.
- LSE Students’ Union (LSESU): the LSESU Advice Service can provide advice and guidance in relation to LSE academic processes, such as appeals or exceptional circumstances.
- IT help: the team run a laptop surgery, help set up assistive technologies and provide technical support. LSE students can also borrow Apple laptops and access free Microsoft Office software.
- The School Senior Advocate for Students can also assist with academic and pastoral concerns.
- Student Services Centre: the SSC is a good first point of contact for a variety of general queries, including those relating to financial support, immigration and visas and course selection.
- Disability and Wellbeing Service: the team offer expert advice to students with long term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential services such as student counselling, a peer support scheme, arranging exam adjustments and run groups and workshops. The team work with individual students to create personalised inclusion plans. Offer holders are encouraged to contact the Disability and Wellbeing team as early as possible to discuss your needs and possible support and adjustments.
- Student Counselling Service: a private and confidential space for you to discuss any concerns about your mental health
- Peer Support Scheme: our Peer Support Scheme provides a service for students to talk to other students about anything they are worried about, from exam anxiety to friends and relationships.
- Support for care-experienced students: we encourage you to get in touch with our Widening Participation team who can help with any specific questions you might have. Advice and guidance can also be obtained from your Academic Mentor, the Students' Union and the other support services listed on this page.
Please visit the Fees and Funding page to find out more about the financial support available at the School, including our Uggla Family Scholars Programme which is specially looking to support care-leavers with awards worth over £21,000 per year. LSE also offers a Care Experienced and Estranged Student Bursary worth £1,000 per year for eligible students. Care leavers can also apply for a one-off bursary of £2000 from their local authority, and apply for Student Finance from the UK government as an independent student. Please refer to the guidance here.
LSE also offers accommodation with long-contract lengths, provides support to students who may require longer stays in accommodation or assistance with looking for private accommodation.
You may find the guidance on the Propel website helpful.
- Support for student parents: financial support may be available for student parents facing unexpected financial difficulties via the LSESU's Hardship Fund, Childcare Fund or in-course financial support scheme. You may be eligible for a Childcare Grant from the UK government.
Advice and guidance can be obtained via the LSESU Advice Service.
Accommodation: LSE work in partnernship with the University of London International Hall and Zebra Housing to provide accommodation for LSE students with families. Please visit the accommodation page for more information.
LSE also has partnerships with local nurseries to support LSE families.
- LSE Careers: Whatever your future career plans, LSE Careers will work with you to help you understand and explore the opportunities available to you. The team offer individual appointments and a variety of careers events designed to support students at all stages of their career journey throughout their time at LSE, and up to five years after graduation. LSE Careers have provided guidance and resources for offer holders here.
Visit our 'What do LSE graduates do?' page for more information about what jobs our graduates have gone into approximately 15 months after graduation.
The Volunteer Centre help students find volunteering opportunities and projects.
- Financial support office: The team is responsible for administering School funds, scholarships and awards. If you haven't already, vist our Fees and Funding page to find out more about the financial support available, eligibility criteria and application guidance. We offer generous financial support to students, including bursaries, scholarships and in-course financial support.
The number of scholarships, their value and the eligibility criteria vary from year to year. All scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need in the first instance. Scholarships include:
- Uggla Family Scholars Programme: 7 scholarships for new UK undergraduate students and 3 scholarships for new overseas undergraduate students worth over £20,000 per year. Awards will be renewed for each subsequent year of study, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
- LSE Stelios Scholarships: Award value of £17,000 per year for students from Greece and Cyprus on business related degrees.
- Undergraduate Support Scheme: Awards are usually between £6,000 and £15,000, renewable for each year of study, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
- LSE Students' Union: the LSESU can provide assistance with academic, housing or financial issues. LSESU's Pride: Gender and Sexual Diversity Alliance society brings together gender and sexually diverse students, and the LGBT+ Officer works with LSE and LSESU to support LGBT+ students at the School.
- Accommodation and Residential Services: each hall of residence has its own pastoral team and student hall committee to support students whilst they are living in a hall of residence. The Private Housing Service helps support students find private housing and offers advice to students looking for housing in the city. The University of London Housing Services can also provide legal advice and check private housing contracts.
Living at home: Some students may choose to continue living at home, in non-LSE halls or in a private residence during their studies. Our Peer Support Scheme and Student Academic Mentor programme can help students feel more connected with the LSE community.
Read LSE graduate Kit's blog post about her experience of living at home whilst studying at LSE.
- Faith Centre: A place for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. The Faith Centre is located in the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre and includes Islamic prayer rooms, a dedicated space for individual meditation and the Desert Room, which is used for devotion, workshops and wellbeing activities.
- LSE Alumni: Once you have graduated you will become part of the LSE alumni community, which is a global network of 200,000 change makers, leaders and influencers. LSE Alumni are committed to engaging you in your lifelong relationship with the School, and to providing you with access to the network, the School's intellectual capital, volunteering opportunities and the resources you need to enhance your lives and careers beyond your degree years on campus.
- The School Senior Advocate for Students and the Adviser to Women Students can also assist with pastoral concerns.
- Visas and immigration: Our dedicated International Student Visa Advice Team (ISVAT) can address questions that relate to visas and immigration, to applying for your visa as a new student to working in the UK after graduation.
- Sardinia House Dental Practice: offers some discounted private dental services to LSE students.
- St Philips Medical Centre: the on-campus medical centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients. Visit our Healthcare in the UK page for more information.