Covid-19 FAQs

Updated 1 September 2021

Campus enrolment for new students will take place from 15 September 2021 to 22 September 2021 (inclusive) and continuing students should contact our team using the submit a query function in the first instance.

From 27 September 2021, the PhD Academy will be open for in person queries from 10.30-12.30, Monday to Friday by appointment only. If you need to complete registration/ re-registration, collect an ID card or require our office to complete a railcard application form (or similar) then please submit a query using this link so that we can book an appointment for you.  Confidential and 1-2-1 advice will continue to be available remotely and will not be available face to face. Should you wish to speak to a member of the team, please submit a query briefly outlining what you wish to discuss, stating your availability and whether you prefer to use Teams or Zoom.

Please bring along photo ID when collecting your student ID card.  Information on what documents you need to bring along with you for registration/ re-registration can be found here. Please ensure you have the correct documentation with you as otherwise we cannot complete registration/ re-registration.

The safety of staff and students is a primary concern and in order to help stop the spread of Coronavirus we have put in place additional measures to protect the LSE community.  Please ensure that:

• You attend only the session for which you have been allocated;
• You wear a face mask whilst visiting the PhD Academy, unless you are exempt;
• You follow signage and guidance around queuing, entry and exit;  
• You do not come onto campus if you have symptoms or are self-isolating;

• You have completed a Covid Test and reported a negative result prior to visiting the PhD Academy.

You can generate your own student status letters by using this link. If you are in receipt of School funding and need details of the funding to be confirmed you will need to request a letter from the Financial Support Office.

If you have submitted your thesis and are in the examination process then you will need to request a bespoke letter from us. Please send an email to phdacademy@lse.ac.uk.

You can find the most up to date information about access to the Library here. 

A large number of students have been accessing the Library which has led to queues at busy time. Alternative study spaces can be found via this campus map, which includes alternative study spaces and bookable spaces for sitting assessments alongside facilities on campus such as microwaves, printers, and cafés. The map will be added to on an ongoing basis as further study spaces are identified.

 Updated 5 March 2021

Please click here for the latest information on how to access the campus.

In the first instance please contact the datalibrary@lse.ac.uk who can advise you on the most appropriate access route currently available and any additional steps you will need to take. Please note that in some cases the data routes recommended by data providers may not be possible in the current circumstances. Negotiations with data providers and the necessary approval checks may take some time, so please get in touch with us as early as possible so that we can assist you. 

UPDATED February 24 2021

The School has put in a place a scheme to offer financial support to students who were registered on their MRes/MPhil/PhD programme in the 2019/20 academic year and whose research plans have been significantly disrupted by the pandemic.

The way the scheme will work depends on a number of different factors, which are explained in detail here.  

LSE FUNDED AND SELF-FUNDED STUDENTS

If eligible, you will need to submit an application, which will be considered by a panel of academics. The Panel meets once a month. Upcoming meetings: 22 September 2021, 21 October 2021 and 24 November 2021. If you wish to be considered at one of these meetings, please submit your application at least one week before the panel is due to meet. Late applications will be held for the next Panel meeting.

Following the June panel meeting, the next Panel meeting will be held in September (exact date to be confirmed in due course). If an urgent COVID 19 extension application needs to be considered for July, please send the completed for to phdacademy@lse.ac.uk and our team will look into the request.

ESRC FUNDED STUDENTS

Two schemes for funded applications were offered in Summer Term 2019/20 and Lent Term 2020/21 respectively.  If you were eligible for either scheme and opted not to apply then you are no longer entitled to apply for a COVID 19 extension.

STUDENTS WHO STARTED THE MRes/MPhil in October 2020

At present, you are not eligible for the funded extension scheme. However, if your studies are being disrupted by the pandemic in ways that you are not able to mitigate, you will have the opportunity to apply for an extension to your submission deadline in your final year. 

UPDATED 8 JUNE 2021

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, international travel on School business is currently suspended, unless there are exceptional circumstances.  Further information on what can be considered and permitted can be found here.

If you wish to start your fieldwork, please check with Health and Safety in the first instance to see if this is permitted. If it is, then please complete the fieldwork form. Fieldwork forms should be completed and submitted to the PhD Academy at least one month prior to the proposed start of the fieldwork period.

UPDATED 8 JUNE 2021

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, international travel on School business is currently suspended, unless there are exceptional circumstances.  Further information on what can be considered and permitted can be found here.

If you wish to start your study elsewhere, please check with Health and Safety in the first instance to see if this is permitted. If it is, then please complete the study elsewhere form. Study elsewhere forms should be completed and submitted to the PhD Academy at least one month prior to the proposed start of the study elsewhere period.

UPDATED 25 August 2021- Update supersedes any information published here prior to the update note. Please note that the guidance on residing outside the UK is subject to change, in line with Government guidance. 

Continuing MPhil/PhD students (including MRes students progressing onto the PhD in July or September 2021) may apply to reside outside the UK (ROUK) up until 31 March 2022, either as a new request or as an extension of an existing one. However, all students should read the notes below before applying.  

This scheme does not apply to new MPhil/PhD students starting in September 2021 who are expected to undertake on-campus studies.

IMPORTANT NOTES

• If you are funded by LSE (this includes LSE, Departmental, Grantham and Leverhulme studentships) or ESRC/AHRC your stipend will remain in place during the ROUK period your stipend will remain in place during the ROUK period.
• If you hold a current student visa, the sponsorship of your visa will continue while you reside outside the UK. However, if you are a final year student your visa will only be sponsored if you are returning to the UK to complete your studies at least 2 months prior to your thesis submission deadline to complete your programme. LSE continues to monitor UK government advice and will update our guidance as appropriate if there are any developments.
•  If you plan to apply for the Graduate Route it is your responsibility to consult the International Student Visa Advice Team's webpages for the latest information on this. You can contact ISVAT directly should you have any follow up queries on this.  Please note that the PhD Academy is not able to answer any visa related queries. In order for you to obtain the correct information please direct Graduate Route visa queries to ISVAT only.
• Please discuss your intention to reside outside the UK with your supervisor/s prior to applying.  
• If you were travelling under the School's travel insurance prior to applying for permission to reside outside the UK you will need to contact health.and.safety@lse.ac.uk as you may no longer be eligible for cover.

You should make a request by emailing phdacademy@lse.ac.uk with the following information:

1.Full name: 

2.Student number:  

3.Do you have a student visa?  

4.Are you funded by the School? If yes, what funding do you receive? (Examples, ESRC, LSE studentship):  

5.Reason for residing outside the UK:

A: Please highlight all that apply from the list below:

a. Health

b. Family

c. Unable to travel due to COVID 19 restrictions

d. Research (Please note that if you are undertaking fieldwork /data collection or a period of study elsewhere, then you will need to complete the relevant form that can be found in our A-Z of guidance webpages).

B. Please briefly expand on you reason(s) for requiring a residing outside the UK status and your arrangements for supervision.

6.Your current year of study

7. Start date of residing outside the UK period  

8. End date of residing outside the UK period  

9.Where will you be based during that time?  

Please copy in your PhD Manager and Doctoral Programme Director as we need departmental approval.

Should you wish to discuss a different arrangement, then please email phdacademy@lse.ac.uk with a short description of your situation.

 You can find the most up to date guidance regarding Tier 4/Student Route visa here

For the foreseeable future students only need to submit their thesis electronically. Please send your electronic thesis to phdacademy@lse.ac.uk

NB: Should an examiner need a hard copy of your thesis then you will be required to provide a hard copy. A member of staff will be in touch to make the request and will provide you with all the necessary information if that is the case.

The School is allowing a two-week grace period to all students’ submission deadlines.  Please email  phdacademy@lse.ac.uk to request this.

Whilst measures remain in place to control the spread of COVID-19 on campus,  vivas for research degrees are to be undertaken remotely (e.g. via Zoom). This will be arranged by your department.

Departments have been asked to ensure that all parties have been consulted, have approved the online arrangement, and that they have adequate technical facilities. They have also been asked to ensure that support is available to you during the viva, in case you encounter any issues (e.g. your supervisor/s or DPD should be reachable during and after the viva). 

The PhD Academy office has moved from face-to-face meetings to full online support. In order to ensure the quickest possible response, please use the service desk.

If you would like to speak to a member of the team, please state this in your enquiry and provide your contact details (e.g. Skype address, phone number, etc.) so that we can call you back.