Students at institutions with which LSE has a reciprocal exchange agreement join the School through the Global Opportunities (GO) LSE programme. PhD students from the below list of partner institutions can apply to visit a particular LSE department in order to utilise the research and networking opportunities available. The department must offer a PhD programme. The visit lasts for one academic term.
Academic entry requirements:
GO LSE PhD students are expected to be at an advanced stage of their studies by the time they join the School.
Application process:
Students interested in applying during the 2025-2026 academic year should be nominated by their home institution.
As part of the application process, you will be required to identify a suitable advisor at the School (in a department which offers a PhD programme) and prepare the following documents:
- Up-to-date curriculum vitae;
- Short letter of support/reference from home supervisor;
- Confirmation from proposed LSE advisor of willingness to host;
- Copy of your most recent PhD progress report (if applicable);
- Evidence of English language ability; and
- Statement of Academic Purpose explaining: Progress towards completion of your research; Why a visit to the host partner institution would benefit you and what you intend to do here; A timetable for your work during the visit; indicating the scholar(s) with whom you hope to work with.
The GO LSE team will contact the academic department of the nominated advisor to ensure that the PhD exchange student can be accommodated. Upon confirmation, the student's details will be sent to Graduate Admissions. An application link will then be provided directly to the student for completion. Should a conditional offer be made, all conditions must be met by the student before being able to enrol on the exchange programme.
After a student has applied to the GO LSE programme, the GO LSE team will communicate with them directly. Nominated students should not consider themselves accepted on the GO LSE programme until an official offer has been issued, in writing, by the School.
PhD partner institutions and available spaces:
PhD partner institutions and available spaces
| Name of Institution | Location | Website | Available spaces per academic year | Research areas |
|---|
| Central European University |
Vienna, Austria |
www.ceu.edu |
1 |
Social Science |
| European University Institute |
Fiesole, Italy |
www.eui.eu |
5 |
History, Law, Political Science, Social Science |
| 2 |
Economics |
| Hertie School |
Berlin, Germany |
www.hertie-school.org |
1 |
Social Science |
| National School of Political Science and Public Administration |
Bucharest, Romania |
www.snspa.ro/en |
1 |
Social Science |
| Sciences Po |
Various campuses in France (Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Paris, Poitiers and Reims) |
www.sciencespo.fr/en |
2 |
Social Science |
| Stockholm School of Economics |
Stockholm, Sweden |
www.hhs.se |
1 |
Social Science |
| |
|
|
13 spaces |
|
Nomination deadline (for partners):
15 April 2025 for Autumn term (29 September – 12 December 2025)
15 October 2025 for Winter term (19 January – 2 April 2026)
15 February 2026 for Spring term (5 May – 19 June 2026)
Supporting documentation should be submitted by the student within two weeks of the nomination being acknowledged by the Study Abroad office.
PhD Academy:
Enrolment on the programme is managed by the PhD Academy. Support whilst on the exchange programme can be provided by the academic department hosting your visit, your LSE advisor and the PhD Academy.
Housing:
GO LSE students seeking private housing during their period of exchange can find further information here.
Immigration:
Students spending a single term (less than six months) in the UK can enter the country as a visitor. However, you must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in advance. Students who are a national of a country on the visa national list will need to apply for immigration permission (a visa) before travelling to the UK.
The GO LSE team is not permitted to offer visa advice but the School’s Student Advice and Engagement Team (SAET) provide detailed guidance on their Visas for Short-term Exchange Students webpage. If you have any questions regarding immigration to the UK please contact SAET by completing their online enquiry form. Students who enter on the visitor visa will not be allowed to work or intern in the UK.
Healthcare:
Most EEA citizens who are in the UK on a temporary basis can use an EHIC card (obtained in their home country before travel to the UK) to access NHS health care whilst in the UK. For more information please see the guidance for EU and EEA Nationals. It is a requirement that EEA students have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance. Further information can be found on the UKCISA web pages. Note that students may need to pay for dental and optical treatment as well as prescribed medicines.
Contact details:
Please get in touch with us, using the contact details below:
Email: ard.exchanges@lse.ac.uk
For up to date information, please check this page regularly.