The pursuit of a master’s degree is a commendable endeavour, but the financial challenges that often accompany this academic journey can be daunting. The good news? Recognising the challenges that students like us might face, LSE has generous scholarships for aspiring master’s students in need of financial support. LSE is known for its prestigious programmes and the scholarships stand as beacons of hope for students striving to pursue their academic dreams.
Your guide to LSE’s scholarships
- Graduate Support Scheme (GSS): at the heart of LSE’s commitment is the Graduate Support Scheme (GSS), a needs-based initiative allocating around £3 million annually. This scheme supports eligible home and overseas students pursuing diploma and taught master’s programmes. Ranging from £5,000 to £15,000, the GSS is designed for students who have secured partial funding and need additional support to cover all costs at LSE.
- LSE Master’s Awards (LMAs): the LSE Master’s Awards (LMAs) favour students from low and middle-income countries, especially those without access to loans or are underrepresented in other award schemes. With values ranging from £5,000 to full coverage, LMAs target students facing financial hurdles that surpass the GSS threshold.
- Anniversary Scholarships: Available for UK-taught master’s students, varying in value based on financial need, ranging from £5,000 to £15,000.
- LSE Access to Education Graduate Scholarships – LSE has allocated a substantial amount to provide scholarships for asylum seekers and refugees, covering tuition fees and up to £14,400 in maintenance costs. Priority is given to those applying for their first master’s programme and recent graduates eligible for maintenance support during their undergraduate studies.
- Country-based and programme-related scholarships: the School also offers scholarships to students from specific regions of the world and grants awards to students studying particular programmes or subject areas.
- Named scholarships: Finally, LSE offers several named scholarships for postgraduate students, including the Alf Waddington Scholarship for UK students in Sociology, providing around £10,000, and the Anne Bohm Scholarship, offering contributions towards tuition and living costs for any one-year master’s programme. The Christina and Alan MacDonald Graduate Scholarship targets UK students in the Department of Methodology or Statistics, while the Desmond G. Wiltshaw Scholarship Fund is available for master’s students in Economics, Geography, Environment, or International History. Other scholarships include the Jennifer Pinney Masters Scholarship covering full tuition for UK students, the John J. Kerr Jr. Scholarship offering £5,000 annually based on merit and need, and the Raph Appadoo Scholarship for UK students admitted to any MSc programme.
How can I apply?
To access these scholarships, applicants must have applied for admission to LSE, submitted the LSE Graduate Financial Support Application (unless otherwise stated on the relevant scholarship page), including a personal statement, and received an offer of admission (conditional or unconditional).
In a nutshell, LSE’s scholarships are like a backstage pass to your dream master’s programme. LSE’s commitment to easing the financial burden for master’s students is evident through its diverse array of scholarships. Aspiring students are encouraged to explore these opportunities and crack the code to realise their academic dreams at LSE.
The information above was accurate at time of writing.
