Graduate Support Scheme: Eligibility, Deadline & How to Apply

LSE makes available approximately £3million annually in the form of awards from the Graduate Support Scheme (GSS) for students with Home or Overseas fee status applying for diploma and taught master's programmes.

After you submit your application for admission to LSE, you will be given access to the Graduate Application Portal. This allows you to track all aspects of your application for admission and will include a link to the LSE Graduate Financial Support online application.

We will use the information you submit to consider you for an award from the Graduate Support Scheme and by completing the personal statement section, for any other LSE scholarships and awards you may be eligible for.

The value of GSS awards ranges from £5,000 to £15,000, depending on financial need.

This scheme is aimed at supplementing applicants who already have some form of funding secured and need a bit more to cover all the costs at LSE. If you have a greater need, and you submit a personal statement with your Graduate Financial Support Application, you will be considered for other LSE scholarships which can offer a higher level of funding.

This scheme is open to all applicants for diploma and taught master's study, with the exception of those undertaking specific modular or executive programmes such as the MSc Finance (Part time), the MSc Health Economics, Policy and Management and the MSc International Strategy and Diplomacy.

Points of Note:

• The GSS assesses on financial need, applications are means tested, it is not assessing academic merit.
• GSS awards are intended to supplement funding already secured or expected, and not to provide a full funding package to applicants.
• Attempts to secure financial support from other sources (eg help from household, non-LSE scholarships, government awards, loans, etc) are therefore viewed very favourably.
• Your chances of securing an award will increase if you provide as much information as possible about your individual financial situation.
• Concealing information or being dishonest normally only disadvantages an applicant. This is because LSE can only assess if LSE are able to assist an applicant, and the appropriate level of an award, if LSE have a full picture of an applicant's financial situation.
• The GSS is a competitive process, due to the large number of applicants applying, the means test threshold is set at a particularly low level.
• Access to the online application will be provided once you have submitted your application for admission.
• If you are offered a GSS award, the Financial Support Office will contact you and ask you to provide supporting documentation. If you are not able to provide the documentation or the documentation is not consistent with the information you supplied on the GSS form, LSE may amend or withdrawn your GSS award. 

After you submit your application for admission to LSE, you will be given access to the Graduate Applicant Portal. This allows you to track all aspects of your application for admission and will include a link to the LSE Graduate Financial Support online application.

Transcripts

• Academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• The online application will prompt you to upload a copy of your transcript for each qualification you mention in the Education tab. If your documents are not in English, you must upload a translation carried out by an accredited translator (e.g. the British Council). Please ensure that scanned documents are clear and legible: failure to do so will result in delays to the processing of your application. You should also scan the reverse of your transcript if the mark scheme is explained there.
• If your application is successful, university will request an original or certified copy of your documents prior to registration. Those you have supplied within the application are not considered original or certified because you have uploaded them, rather than them coming directly from your previous institution.
• Qualifications still in-progress:
  • The transcript or mark sheet must include an up-to-date list of the subjects you have studied and the grades you have obtained in your studies so far. If you are at a university that does not supply transcripts or mark sheets, please ask your academic referees to comment in detail on your progress, including your marks obtained in all years of study. You may submit an application even if you are still awaiting some examination results, however you must have fully graduated by the time you register at LSE. Please list the title and credit value of each in-progress course that you are currently studying on the application.
  • Qualifications already awarded:
    • The transcript should include the information above, plus your final overall grade/classification and the date on which your qualification was awarded. You should supply this information for all university level study and any transfer programmes or exchanges that you have undertaken. If your transcript does not include your final grade/classification and date of award, university will request either a certified copy of your degree certificate or a completed proof of degree form if university make you an offer of admission. Do not send your original degree certificate, as university cannot return documents to you.
  • PDF is the best format for scanned documents
  • Make sure that you scan documents at a sensible resolution, ensuring that the documents remain legible while remaining under 2MB in file size. 300dpi is fine.
    
    

Letter of Recommendation

• Two Academic References
• You must nominate two suitable referees by providing their contact details in your online application and you must ensure that each of your nominated referees submits a reference in support of your application. You should use each referee’s academic/official email address when nominating your referees. Once you have completed the References section of your online application, your referees will automatically receive a reference request email from asking them to submit their reference via online referee portal. This is a secure and confidential service for referees and helps speed up the decision-making process. 
• You may submit your application without waiting until university have received your references: as long as you have successfully nominated two referees and completed all other mandatory sections of the application form, you are ready to submit your application. Please note, however, that your submitted application will not be processed and considered until university have received a reference from each of your nominated referees.
  • Academic referees should have taught you during your university-level studies, preferably in relevant courses, at your current or most recent institution(s). They should know your academic work well and be able to comment in detail on your academic performance and ability, skills and qualities, and motivation and suitability, relevant to the programme(s) you are applying for.
    
    
    

Personal Statement

• You must upload a statement that explains your academic interest in, understanding of and academic preparedness for the programme(s) you are applying for. You should also explain the academic rationale for applying to the programme(s) you have chosen. If applying for two programmes, you are strongly encouraged to write a separate statement for each programme. The statement of academic purpose is an important part of your application, and selectors are looking for evidence of your academic suitability and motivation, and of what you can contribute academically to the programme.University expect statement(s) to be between 1,000 - 1,500 words. 
• Please address the following questions/prompts in your statement(s) 
  • What prompted your interest in this particular field of study? Perhaps you have unanswered questions from your undergraduate studies or professional work, or you would like to further explore issues and ideas raised in your curricular or extra-curricular reading? Academic Motivations Why would you like to study your chosen programme? Perhaps it offers a particular approach, or there are specific modules that will help you develop necessary skills or knowledge. Perhaps the research interests of the academics teaching on your programme, and/or the wider research culture of the department align with your own interests and academic/professional aspirations? 
    
  • Suitability 
    • What makes you suitable for this LSE programme? Perhaps you have taken relevant undergraduate modules, or have relevant professional, voluntary, or other experience that has prepared for postgraduate study in this area? 
  • Purpose and Objectives
    • What do you hope to get out of this particular LSE programme? How would this particular programme help you to achieve your personal, academic, and professional goals? Take the time to explain your academic or professional  aspirations and goals, and how your chosen programme will impart the necessary skills and knowledge. Please avoid general statements about LSE’s performance in global rankings, and  generic statements about London being a global/cosmopolitan centre of excellence. 
      
      

Upload your CV/resume

• • Please submit the final version of your CV. If you send an updated version later on, they cannot guarantee to include it with your application before it is seen by the selectors unless it is something that they have requested from you. Make sure that the application includes the correct documents before you submit.

The GSS assesses on financial need, applications are means tested, it is not assessing academic merit.

• Online Application
• Application Fee
• Official Transcripts
• Two References
• Personal Statement
• CV/Resume
• Copy of Passport
• English Language Proficiency