The Department has modest funds to provide support for PhD research activities. These funds are limited and insufficient to support everyone enrolled in the programme, therefore PhD Researchers are required to consider the following before applying:
- If a PhD Researcher is invited to give a paper at a conference, symposium or academic event, they should first apply for LSE's Postgraduate Travel Fund.
- If a PhD Researcher is ESRC funded, they should first draw on the ESRC funds held by the Department in their name for research related expenses. For further details of this fund see page 18 of the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide.
If a PhD Researcher is ineligible for the above, or if their application is unsuccessful, they are invited to apply to the Media and Communications PhD Support Fund, as long as their request meets one or more of the following criteria:
- A request for a contribution towards the costs of travel, accommodation or conference/workshop fees where a PhD Researcher has been invited to present a paper.
- A request for a contribution towards the costs of travel, accommodation or conference/workshop fees where a PhD Researcher believes their research will benefit substantially from participation and this is confirmed by their supervisor.
- A request for a contribution towards the costs of undertaking fieldwork which forms a necessary part of the PhD Researcher’s research project and is confirmed by their supervisor.
- A request for a contribution to other essential research-related expenses.
- A request for a contribution towards the costs of fees (only after every effort has been made to explore other sources of financing within and outside the school).
Please note that:
- PhD researchers may apply for any amount up to a maximum of £400 in one academic year.
- Funding will be made available when a PhD Researcher submits receipts for expenses incurred.
- Normally PhD Researchers applying to this fund will be in their second year or above, but in some cases it may be feasible to support students during their first year of study.
- Decisions will be made by the PhD Programme Director and will be final.
The fund will open at the beginning of each academic year and the deadline for applications will be 31 July of each academic year, although all funds may have been allocated before this date.