Fees and funding

Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme.

Fees cover registration, teaching, first entry to examinations, the use of the Library and membership of the Students' Union. They also normally cover teaching and the use of student common rooms at other colleges of the University of London, if your programme has intercollegiate arrangements. If you receive an offer, you will be informed of the relevant tuition fee amount in your offer letter.

Tuition fee amounts

Tuition fee amounts are listed on the individual programme pages. You can also refer to the table of fees.

Fee status

In some cases the amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home (UK/EU) or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status.

LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

The UK Government has confirmed that the fee level for EU graduate new entrants in 2020/21 will be the same as Home UK for the duration of their degree programme. Further information can be found on gov.uk website.

Fee reductions

Students who completed undergraduate study at LSE and are beginning taught graduate study at the School are eligible for a fee reduction of 10 per cent of the fee. Some programmes, such as executive programmes, are excluded from this fee reduction.

Further information

Alumni discount
Fee status classification
Fees and Student Finance
LSE Student Fees Policy

We estimate that you should allow about £1,100-£1,300 per month for all living expenses, including accommodation, travel, food, laundry, study costs, and other personal expenses. This will vary depending on your lifestyle and requirements, so it's important you do your own research.

Please note that if you will be applying for a visa, you will have to provide evidence of sufficient funds, and these amounts may vary.

More details on living costs and making a budget.

LSE offers over £13 million in scholarships each year to its graduate students from the UK, the EU and outside the EU.

Approximately 19 per cent of taught master's offer holders are successful in obtaining some form of financial support from the School.

The value of support ranges in value from 10 per cent of the tuition fee to a full fees and maintenance award.

Although the terms of the UK's exit agreement from the EU have not yet been finalised LSE will continue to make funding available to all students regardless of fee status.

Needs-based awards

Please note these pages are being updated for 2020 entry and then as and when new scholarships are confirmed.

We offer a range of needs-based awards for diploma study and taught master's programmes. This includes:

• LSE Access to Education Graduate Scholarships (asylum seekers, refugees or people with humanitarian protection)
• Anniversary Scholarships (UK students)
• Graduate Support Scheme (all UK, EU and overseas students and Dual Degree programmes at LSE year) *The Graduate Support Scheme is now closed for 2020 entry*
• Master's awards (UK, EU and overseas students)
• Awards for Home UK/EU students

Country based and programme related awards for MSc or PhD study

The School also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific programmes or subject areas.

• Programme-related funding (MSc and PhD)
• Country-based awards for taught master's students: A - C
• Country-based awards for taught master's students: D - K
• Country-based awards for taught master's students: L - Q
• Country-based awards for taught master's students: R - Z

How to apply

See Applying for an LSE scholarship

For 2020 entry, LSE will offer over 100 major studentships to new PhD students in the form of LSE PhD Studentships and LSE ESRC Studentships.

LSE PhD Studentships

LSE has its own prestigious PhD Studentships, which are available on all MRes/PhD and MPhil/PhD programmes, for UK, EU and overseas students.

Studentships are tenable for four years and cover full fees and an annual stipend, which is £17,000 - 18,000 for students starting in 2020.

ESRC funding

LSE has an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) and has ESRC studentships in a number of programmes for UK and EU students.

Studentships are tenable for three or four years, depending on the programme of study. They cover full fees (UK and EU level) and an annual stipend, which for 2018 entry was £16,777.

Individual programme entries detail which programme are eligible for ESRC funding.

Department-specific funding

Check the programme-related funding page for PhD funding opportunities.

How to apply

Academic departments nominate students for consideration by a School panel for all PhD funding opportunities they may be eligible for. There is no separate application for any of these 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.

• deadline for MRes/PhD Economics for 2020 entry (including PhD Studentships and ESRC funding): 12 December 2019
• deadline for ESRC funding for 2020 entry: 10 January 2020
• deadline for PhD studentships for 2020 entry: 27 April 2020