Visiting Research Student in Gender

We welcome research students from other universities to spend from one term up to one academic year at LSE as a Visiting Research Student (VRS).

The VRS scheme allows students who are registered as doctoral researcher at other institutions to participate in research activities in the department and the School, to interact with other research students, and to benefit from the expertise of LSE faculty, the training offered by the PhD Academy, and LSE Library facilities. Note that Visiting Research Students don’t have access to any LSE taught courses.

We welcome applications that complement the academic interests of faculty members in the department and we recommend that you investigate their research interests before applying. Once you have found an academic whose research interests are relevant to your own you should contact them directly, outlining your proposed area of research, to see if they’ll agree, in principle, to act as an advisor during your time at LSE.

As a VRS, you won’t be able to take accredited or examined courses or be fully supervised in the same way as an LSE doctoral student. You’ll be able to participate in doctoral workshops and research seminars, interact with other doctoral students, and discuss your research with your nominated advisor. You’re expected to be self-funded.

Because of its emphasis on independent research, the VRS scheme is better suited to students who are at an advanced stage in their doctoral training and research.

The Department of Gender Studies is internationally renowned for research and teaching in the field. Ours is the largest department of its kind in Europe.

The department’s research, which is arranged into four main strands, explores the tenacity of gender power relations and gendered inequalities. Our 15-strong faculty team includes world-class academics and thought leaders.

As a department, we offer eight master's programmes and a stimulating PhD programme. Each year, our programmes attract 150 students, from many different academic backgrounds and countries. Teaching covers a wide range of themes, from established gender theories to emerging topics and current debates.

We have a vibrant research culture, with resident research fellows, visiting scholars, public lectures and conferences and regular research seminars.

The department provides a focus for gender research at LSE as well as promoting collaboration between policymakers, practitioners and academics. We work closely with other departments, centres and institutes at LSE and foster strong links with institutions around the globe.

Department of Gender Studies

To apply as a visiting research student, you apply in the same way as for our MPhil/PhD programmes, with the same entry criteria. Find the entry criteria for the MPhil/PhD Gender.

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of our staff at LSE. For this reason, we recommend that you take a look at our staff research interests before applying. Enquiries can be made to gender.phd@lse.ac.uk directly.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications)
• statement of academic purpose
• references
• CV
• outline research proposal
• sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Competition for places at LSE is strong. So, even if you meet the minimum entry requirements, this does not guarantee you an offer of a place.

However, please don’t feel deterred from applying – we want to hear from all suitably qualified students. Think carefully about how you can put together the strongest possible application to help you stand out from other students.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.