LSE provides a range of support services on campus to ensure that the whole student experience is as rewarding and enjoyable as possible.
Student Services Centre
The Student Services Centre (SSC) is your first port of call for all sorts of information relating to your registration and student record. Many offices have drop in sessions where you can get face to face advice, including both Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions. For more information see Student Services Centre|.
Disabled students and students with a long-term medical condition or dyslexia
Prospective students are encouraged to make early contact with the Disability and Well-being Office| and, where possible, make a preliminary visit to the School. There are advisers for students with mental health and well-being issues, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and other disabilities or long term medical conditions.
Medical centre
A medical centre is situated at LSE which provides a full NHS services to registered patients and medical care to anyone who becomes ill or needs medical advice while at the LSE campus.
Overseas students on full-time courses lasting six months or longer are eligible to use the National Health Service on the same terms as UK residents. Others are advised to maintain private insurance.
For information about the NHS and how to register / make use of its services see Medical centre.|
If you live outside the immediate area of the School, including halls of residence in the SE1 postcode, you should register with a local GP. To find a list of practices in your area see www.nhs.uk/serviceDirections/pages/serviceSearch.aspx|
To register online, see www.spmc.info|
Nursery
The School provides a nursery for children between the ages of six months and five years. There are places for 63 children of students and staff of the School. From year to year there may be a waiting list.
The nursery is open for 50 weeks of the year including all term time. For further information see Nursery|.
Chaplaincy
The Chaplaincy provides pastoral care to any student who seeks it and supports religious life and cohesion within the wider LSE community. It holds regular services and special events for the whole School such as the Christmas Carol Service and a Multi-faith Act of Remembrance on Holocaust Memorial Day.
The full-time chaplain works with an ecumenical Christian team and representatives of the various religious societies of the Students' Union, such as the Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist and Baha'i Societies.
The Chaplaincy is in Room G9, 20 Kingsway, opposite the Peacock Theatre and there is also a Muslim prayer room in the basement of King's Chambers. In 2013 the Chaplaincy will be moving into a purpose-built Interfaith Prayer Centre in LSE's New Students' Centre. For more information, see Chaplaincy|.
Advice and counselling
LSE Student Counselling Service
This is a free and confidential service for all LSE students, which aims to help you cope more effectively with any personal or study related difficulties. The Student Counselling Service web page| has further information and links to self-help websites for students.
LSE Students' Union Advice and
Counselling Service
Professional advisers in the SU offer help for students with legal, financial and welfare issues.
The SU advisers can help with a range of issues including landlord and tenant contracts; immigration, including student visa extensions; post study work visas, academic appeals, and general welfare advice.
The service offers advice on debts, grants, loans and council tax. Hardship funds are also available to help with unexpected medical costs, homelessness, disability, council tax, repeating students' costs, women's right to choose and childcare costs.
A counsellor is also available for students who are concerned about their emotional and mental welfare or who are feeling stressed or depressed.
All services are free of charge and advice and counselling are provided in strict confidence.
Advisers to male and female students
Members of the academic staff act as the advisers to male and female students. They are available to discuss all issues of concern to students in the School, including sexual harassment, and to offer advice and support to students with personal problems.
Student Mentoring Scheme
All new undergraduate students can opt into the Student Mentoring Scheme|, which matches new undergraduates with current 'Student Mentors'.
Mentors provide a friendly face for incoming students and information on the wide range of support services available at the School. Student Mentors will contact new students via LSE email in the first instance, and then arrange to meet them in person once they arrive at the School.
Mentors are mainly second and third year undergraduate students. Each prospective mentor attends a training session which includes a workshop on perceptions of mentoring, a guide to support services at the School, and a session on listening skills and referring mentees' problems onto other sources of help.
Students' centre
LSE is seeking to transform the student social experience by building the best students' centre in the world. Housing the Students' Union, the site will become a student hub at the heart of LSE's campus and should add significant value to the student experience at LSE.
The New Students' Centre is scheduled for completion in March 2013 and will include a number of student-facing services such as the Students' Union reception; the advice and representation centre; sabbatical and general manager's offices; a learning space; a pub; large venue spaces; a media centre; a fitness centre, which will include a gym and dance studio; an interfaith prayer centre; and offices dealing with residences and accommodation together with the LSE Careers Service.
Further information see New Students' Centre|