Applications for 2024/25 now open!
If your club or society would like to apply, please fill and submit this SUF application form. Let us know about your project plan in detail and consider how it addresses the 3 key criteria outlined below! Please also attach a completed budget breakdown form to your application, to show the expected income and expenditure associated with your project.
We look forward to hearing about your ideas and helping your club/society pursue them. The application process consists of two stages. Firstly, we shall assess financial need and secondly, we shall assess your application against the three SUF criteria.
WHAT IS THE STUDENTS' UNION FUND (SUF)?
The Students' Union Fund (SUF) serves as a pivotal resource for supporting student initiatives and enhancing the LSE experience. Funded by generous contributions from LSE, the SUF allocates financial support to clubs and societies that apply throughout the academic year.
Clubs and Societies can apply for the SUF multiple times during the year to fund different activities and projects. The maximum amount of funding that a club or society can receive from the SUF overall during this academic year is £3,000.
THE SUF IS BASED ON THREE CRITERIA
The SUF panel is looking to support any application impacting the LSE students' community. Any LSESU society or sports club can apply for SUF. Each application will be assessed by the 3 SUF criteria. The more criteria your project matches, the more likely it is to be funded.
STAGE 1 – FINANCIAL NEED:
You need to submit a detailed budget of the event you are trying to get funding for, as well as a detailed budget for the rest of the year so we can see that you cannot cover the event with your current budget plan.
The budget is the main part of the application so take time to create this carefully. Ideally we would like a budget of what you have spent and are going to spend throughout the year to see where the project funds will fit.
STAGE 2 - MEETING THE CRITERIA
The event must link to at least one of the criteria but it can link to more than one if relevant.
- Wellbeing and Inclusion : Provide concrete examples of how your initiative directly targets aspects of student wellbeing - enhancing students' mental or physical health. Also show how your project contributes to creating an inclusive and diverse atmosphere at LSE.
- Environmental Sustainability: Detail specific eco-friendly practices in your project, and explain how your project contributes to LSE's ecological footprint.
- Education: Details the specific educational aspects of your project, be it workshops, seminars, or resourceful content. How is your project making a real impact on student learning at LSE?
Read more about the specifics of each criterion and additional information in our SUF Application Checklist.
GUIDANCE
Funds coordinator: su.funds@lse.ac.uk
The Funds Coordinator can advise on your application, give you feedback about the panel’s decision and follow up from the moment you apply until the finance part.
Core working hours of the Funds Coordinator are 9am - 5pm Monday- Wednesday.
Next SUF panel dates:
- weekly in term time from Tuesday 7th January
Important comments:
- We kindly ask for your understanding that, owing to a rise in the volume of applications received, we will be processing them in the sequence they were submitted. Your patience in awaiting the decision from the SUF panel, sent via email by the Funds Coordinator, is greatly appreciated.
- As outlined in our SUF Checklist, we are enhancing our scrutiny regarding the use of AI in SUF applications. We anticipate that students, societies, and clubs will diligently complete our online form without relying on AI to craft their responses. Should any doubts arise, we will thoroughly review the submissions and may reject applications accordingly.
- Please note that we do not fund travel or accommodation so please ensure that your application does not ask for this.
LSESU Participation Fund
APPLY HERE
HOW DO I APPLY?
Simple! By following the link above, completing the Participation Fund application form and submit it, along with the following evidence (also detailed on the application form):
- A copy of the last month’s bank statements, for all accounts you own (including overseas)
- The evidence of the cost of the activity in question (e.g., screenshot of a website or copy of an email with the organiser)
- A completed budget showing how much you have left after rent, living expenses and bills.
WHAT IS IT?
The Participation Fund is a means tested fund and comes from the same pot of money as the Students’ Union Fund. It is designed to provide financial assistance to students who can’t afford to take part in extra-curricular activities run by LSESU. These activities will often be led by clubs and societies however we will consider any LSESU activity that would have a positive impact on your student experience.
Students will have to demonstrate their proposed activity having a positive impact on either:
- Wellbeing
- Education
- Your ability to create a feeling of community or maintain involvement in your established community at LSE.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Any currently registered LSE student on an undergraduate or postgraduate course (Summer School students are unfortunately not eligible). Proof of ID, LSE Student number and details about your course will be asked in the application form.
WHAT THE FUND COVERS:
We do not cover trips abroad, accommodation, kit and travel costs and we also only cover SU-affiliated activities.
HOW MUCH CAN BE CLAIMED?
- All applicants can receive up to £150 per academic year.
- Evidence of the activity’s costs will have to be provided to justify the amount requested. If applying for money to purchase an item, evidence should be provided to prove good value (e.g., by price comparison or advice from expert).
- Please note you can only apply for one club and one society.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
After reviewing the submitted application and ensuring that it is conformed to the criteria and that all the documents requested are provided, the Funds Coordinator will present it to the SUF Panel members for consideration.
Subsequently, the funds coordinator will inform the applicant of the Panel’s decision, or any further actions needed.
Awards are paid via a BACS payment and can take up to ten working days to process, once all the requested documents are approved.
Important information:
- All applications are treated sensitively and in confidence.
- It is important to inform the funds coordinator of your full circumstances.
- If you can’t provide any of the documents requested to prove your financial situation, please contact the funds coordinator to explain the reasons and see how to proceed otherwise.
- All cases are judged on their individual merit
- Unfortunately, we're unable to assess claims for retrospective purchases.
WHO TO CONTACT FOR HELP/INFORMATION?
The funds coordinator is the main LSESU staff member to contact for any information related to the application. Here is the funds coordinator’s email address: Su.funds@lse.ac.uk