Student support

Let's talk about Academic Support | LSE Student Vlog

• LSE LIFE: the LSE LIFE team deliver talks and skills workshops, social events and provide a bright, open space in the library where students can work together. The team also offer one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you develop key study skills, prepare for exams and dissertation writing, and provide drop-in sessions for academic and personal support.  

  LSE LIFE Video

• IT help: the team run a laptop surgery, offer assistive technologies and provide technical support. LSE students can also borrow Apple laptops and access free Microsoft Office software. 
• LSE Library: the British Library of Political and Economic Science, founded in 1896, is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and it’s a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide.
• Language Centre: the Centre offers undergraduate programmes and courses, English for Academic Purposes and a range of language options that you can take outside of your main degree programme. Watch our Language Centre video to find out more. 
• LSE Students’ Union (LSESU) Advice Service: LSESU's Advice Service can provide advice and guidance in relation to LSE academic processes, such as appeals or exceptional circumstances.  
• Student advocates and advisers: we have a School Senior Advocate for Students and an Adviser to Women Students who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

If your query relates specifically to your studies during your time at LSE, then the people listed below will be able to assist:

• Your academic mentor: an academic member of staff who will meet with you regularly and help with any academic, administrative or personal questions you may have.
• Departmental support: class teachers, departmental tutors, will be able to provide academic and course specific support. Academic staff run office hours, which you can use to discuss a particular area of academic interest, your academic progress or wellbeing. 
• Academic support librarians: each department has a dedicated librarian to help you navigate the library and make the most of the resources on offer. As well as the LSE's own library, students can also access other University of London libraries, public libraries and museum and institute libraries across the city.

Mental Health Support @ LSE - Mental Health Awareness Week | LSE Student Vlog

• Student Services Centre: this is usually the best place to start if you have 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. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Disability and Wellbeing team as early as possible to discuss your needs and possible support and adjustments. 

  LSE Disability and Wellbeing Service

• 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. 
• Student Counselling Service: the team provide a confidential space for you to discuss any concerns about your mental health with professional counsellors, deliver workshops and can provide information about external support services. 
• LSE Careers: no matter where you are in your career planning, with the guidance and support of LSE Careers, you’ll be able to make the most of opportunities both during your time at LSE and beyond. LSE Careers work with you to understand of your motivations and aims, explore sectors and industries and connect you with experiences from internships and volunteering, to networking events and employer and alumni insights.
  
  Visit our 'What do LSE graduates do?' page for more information about what jobs our graduates have gone into approximately 15 months after graduation. 
  
• Volunteer Centre: the Volunteer Centre can help students find volunteering opportunities and projects, from one-off events to long term committments.
  
• Financial Support Office: the team is responsible for administering School funds and a variety of scholarships, studentships, prizes and awards.
  
  Visit 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. Examples of scholarships on offer include:
  - Uggla Family Scholars Programme: typically 7 scholarships for new UK undergraduate students and 3 scholarships for new overseas undergraduate students worth over £21,000 per year. Scholarships will cover partial tuition fee payments and full maintenance costs. Awards will be renewed for each subsequent year of study, subject to satisfactory academic progress. Watch our introduction to the Programme.
  - 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. 
• 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 during the application process. We strongly advise all care-experienced applicants to disclose this on their UCAS application form. This will enable our admissions staff to take your full circumstances into consideration when they are assessing your application. This is confidential and will not have any negative impact on your application. We also advise teachers to ensure this information is included in the student's UCAS reference. 
  
  

  UCAS have put together a useful video explaining how to disclose your care experience on the application form.

  Current students at LSE can obtain advice and guidance from their 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 the LSE Care Experienced and Estranged Students Bursary, and our Uggla Family Scholars Programme which is looking to also support care-experienced 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 students with caring responsibilties: We recommend that you visit our dedicated webpage for students with caring responsibilities. This includes guidance about how we use contextual information, funding, and the support offered by LSE and external sources.
• 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. 
  
  Nursery partnerships: LSE has a partnership with three local nurseries, offering discounted childcare close to campus. Please see the information here.
• Faith Centre: the Centre provides a place for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a cave for individual meditation. It's also a space for weekly wellbeing classes and a centre for transformational leadership programmes promoting interreligious understanding, building relationships and transforming attitudes across the diverse student body.
• LSE Alumni Association: 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.
  
• Residential Services: our Residences team support students whilst they are living in LSE accommodation and can help you find private accommodation after first year. Each hall of residence has its own team of wardens, peer supporters and a student committee who are there to provide practical advice, pastoral support and organise a programme of social activities. 
  
  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. 
• 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 centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients. Visit our Healthcare in the UK page for more information.

Watch sessions delivered by our academic departments, LSE Careers, LSE LIFE, Financial Support, the Language Centre and current students. Visit our Virtual Undergraduate Open Day event page to access the videos.