LSE Thrive: Years 12-13

LSE Thrive will begin on Wednesday 26 February 2025 (when students are in Year 12) and end in October 2025 (when students are in Year 13).

All activities take place online via Zoom, except the four campus visits.

Our campus visits take place on Wednesdays during school term time and require all participants to arrive at LSE by 9:30am and finish at around 4pm. The first two campus visit will take place on Wednesday 26 February 2025 and Wednesday 26 March 2025 the other two dates will be confirmed once the programme has started.

Travel reimbursements are available to cover the costs to and from campus.

To find out more about our campus, please visit our Campus life webpage.

If you are offered a place on the programme, we will ask you about your tech set-up and whether you need any extra support from us to access the programme online.

Throughout the programme participants will engage with a wide range of academic and non-academic departments across the university and meet current students, and alumni.

LSE Thrive includes:

• Four campus visits to LSE where participants will engage in a range of interactive workshops exploring undergraduate study and postgraduate prospects with internal and external speakers
• Tailored feedback and support on personal statements
• Information sessions on applying to university, student life at LSE, student finance and budgeting, study skills and student wellbeing
• The chance to work closely with LSE Thrive mentors - current LSE students
• The offer of a place to attend the Black Achievement Conference, which is due to take place virtually on Saturday 17 May 2025.

In our most recent 2023-24 programme survey, 100 per cent of respondents rated LSE Thrive as good or excellent, 95 per cent of respondents felt that the programme had met or exceeded their expectations and 93 per cent of respondents agreed that it has been beneficial to participate in a widening participation programme which is specifically for students of Black heritage.

• “The programme has given me a good insight into life at university and the different courses available. I have met many new friends.”
• “I feel as though the help and support I've gained as a result of this programme is insane. I would've never known half the things I've learnt through the Thrive programme if I wasn't on it and I’m ever so grateful.”
• “I have gained insight into what university life is like and how to apply for university. In general, I have gained invaluable skills that have prepared me for university life.”

LSE Thrive is free to participate in. All of the activities, resources and catering are paid for, and we will cover the cost of your travel to and from campus. Additional support is available to enable participants to access online activity.

To be eligible for LSE Thrive, you must meet all the following criteria:

Personal details – essential criteria:

• Be in Year 12 / the first year of your A levels or equivalent 
• Have always attended a UK state school or college (non-fee paying)  
• Identify as having any of the following heritage:

Black or Black British - African

Black or Black British - Caribbean

Mixed - White and Black African

Mixed - White and Black Caribbean

Other Black background

• Be interested in applying to study at LSE 
• Be able to fully commit to the LSE Thrive programme between January – October 2025
• Live within a reasonable commuting distance (~90 mins) from LSE (WC2A 2AE).

Academic achievements and potential – essential criteria:

• Have achieved at least grade 6 in GCSE English Language and Mathematics
• Have achieved a strong set of GCSE grades overall, with the majority at grades 7, 8 and 9
• Be on track to achieve at least the contextual offer grades for your chosen degree programme(s) at LSE. This includes studying any required A level subjects for your chosen degree programme. Full details of LSE’s undergraduate degree programmes are available on the programme webpages.

Additional criteria

When reviewing applications for LSE Thrive, the following criteria are prioritised. The following criteria are listed in order of priority. 

1. Students who are care-experienced. LSE defines care-experienced as those who have been in the care of the local authority, with foster carers, in a residential children's home, under a supervision order while 'looked after at home', or living with friends or relatives in kinship care.
2. Students who live in an area of low Higher Education participation. LSE primarily assesses this by looking at the TUNDRA quintile for your home postcode – quintile 1 or quintile 2 indicate that you live in an area of low Higher Education participation. Quintiles 3, 4 and 5 indicate that you live in an area of medium to high Higher Education participation. You can check if you are in quintile 1 or 2 by entering your home postcode in this TUNDRA postcode checker.
3. Students who have ever been eligible for Free School Meals during their secondary education. 
4. Students who are estranged from both parents.
5. Students who are the first generation of their family to attend university.

Extenuating circumstances

Extenuating or special circumstances are also considered when reviewing applications for LSE Thrive. In the application form, you will have the opportunity to provide more details about your extenuating circumstances.

• Refugee / asylum seeker
• Young Carer
• Child of armed forces
• Disruption to education
• Bereavement of a parent/carer
• Any other extenuating circumstances

If you are unsure about any of the eligibility criteria, or whether you can apply to LSE Thrive, please contact Ard.Thrive@lse.ac.uk. 

Applications for Thrive 2024-2025 are now closed. 

The LSE Thrive team will communicate selection decisions via email by Friday 6 December 2024.

Applicants will be considered for places based on the extent to which they meet our widening participation criteria, which are listed above in order of priority above.