Applications, fees and funding

The opportunity to undertake advanced legal research at one of the world's best law schools.

PhD admission requirements

Our normal minimum entry requirement is a completed LLM degree or other masters-level qualification, awarded with an average mark of 70 per cent (distinction/first class honours) or equivalent. Meeting this requirement does not in itself guarantee entry, as we typically receive many more such applications each year than we have places available.

Your application should also give us a clear idea of what you want to research and why. You should state the general area in which you wish to undertake research, and provide a detailed outline of the specific questions you intend to investigate within that field. You should indicate the ways in which your proposed study would be a significant and original contribution to knowledge. You should identify the materials you expect to need, where you expect to find them, and the methods and/or framework of analysis you propose to use. Finally, you should explain how your proposed project is a good fit with other research work done within the Law School.

More detailed information on the admissions requirements for the programme is available in the PhD Programme in Law: FAQs.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English or if the language of instruction of your previous degree is not English, we ask you to provide evidence of your command of English. We require the following minimum scores in IELTS (International English Language Testing System):

7.5 overall in IELTS (at least 7.0 in listening and writing, 7.0 in reading and 6.5 in speaking)

A postgraduate degree taught in English at an institution in a majority English speaking country will meet our English language requirements.

Funding

LSE Law School aims to ensure that all students have suitable funding for their studies. This is typically achieved through the award of an LSE PhD Studentship, which provides an annual stipend and covers the cost of fees for four years. The Law School offers an augmented Studentship (£23,000 per year for 2023/24 entry) which requires students to carry out 100 hours of teaching over the course of their four years of PhD studies. There is no separate application process for LSE PhD Studentships, as funding awards are considered alongside admission to the doctoral programme.

Appropriate candidates may alternatively be supported to apply for London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP) Doctoral Training Studentships. Candidates who have already secured funding for their studies at the time of application to the PhD programme (for instance, from their employer or through a national government) may wish to state this in their application.

Additional Law School Financial Support

In addition to the generous LSE PhD Studentship scheme, you can expect to draw from several additional sources of financial support during your PhD.

PhD Research Allowance

Every PhD student receives a personal research allowance from the Law School of £1,000 per annum for funding research related expenses. This fund may be used to fund the purchase of books and equipment relating to your research, paying for language courses and attendance at conferences.

Proof Reading for Final Year PhD Students

All final year PhD students in the Law School are eligible to apply for funds to cover the cost of proofreading their doctoral thesis up to the value of £750.

PhD Field Work Fund

All Law PhD students conducting field work relevant to their research may apply to the Law School for a one-off award up to the value of £5,000 to cover costs incurred in conducting their research.

Law PhD Hardship Fund

All Law PhD students have access to a hardship fund. Awards of up to £1,000 can be made in cases of exceptional need.