LSE Graduate Financial Support Application
Explain why you are applying for financial support from LSE

Give further relevant details about your financial situation, including how you have financed your undergraduate study and why you feel your case is particularly deserving

Please provide details of all efforts, not already included above, that you have made to secure financial support.

I already have written the below.

Three months after submitting my application, I was extremely happy to receive an offer letter from LSE to be part of the 2016/2017 Media, Communications and Development Programme. Since then, I started looking for different ways to finance my studies given that my current financial situation does not allow me to afford the combined cost of tuition fees and living expenses. I am therefore writing to ask for financial support to help me complete my graduate studies.
The conflict in Palestine and the high political uncertainty and insecurity have always placed severe limitations on the success of the economy. The Palestinian economy is dependent on both Israel and International aid, and Palestinians rely on Israel and Arab countries for jobs. The past few years have witnessed a continued decline of foreign aid, linking the flow of aid to the political positions of the Palestinian Authority and Palestinians efforts toward international recognition. In addition, the recent escalation of political tensions and violence in the West Bank has worsened the economy even more. The economy growth is still insufficient to absorb the rising labour force, which is reflected in the high youth unemployment rates estimated to be 25%.

The bad economy has affected my life since early age. Even though my parents have been working full time almost all their life, still their financial situation does not allow them to support my studies. They have been through very difficult times during the first and second Intifada where they were not paid for months due to complete siege and curfew. They managed, however, to meet the needs of me and my siblings, and supported and continue to support us as much as they can. They are in their sixties now, and soon they will be jobless with no retirement funds or savings offered by their employer or the government. Therefore they are working so hard to save enough money to help them live after retirement.

During my undergraduate studies, I won a scholarship from the university which covered my tuition fees and my family helped with the living expenses. Even though I have always wanted to continue my graduate studies right after graduating college, I however decided to work for a few years instead to help my family before pursuing my masters degree. So I became financially independent and got my first job at a USAID project to pay back my parents and contribute to the family. Unfortunately, 13 months after my employment, I was laid off due to budget cuts and decline in aid. I then found another job at the private sector, but again had to leave only 10 months after because of the very low wages. Finally, I was lucky enough to find a job in the non-profit world again, and since 2012, I have been a full-time employee at the A.M. Qattan Foundation, a non-profit located in Ramallah.

Although I have been working for five years, I still do not have enough savings to allow me pay the high tuition fees or the life expenses in London. My salary is considered low wage and has not increased since I was hired. The inflation rate is very high in the West Bank and particularly in Ramallah, and the rent and daily living expenses are very high as well, making it very difficult to save money.

Besides applying for financial aid from LSE, I will try to look for a second job to help me save more money. I am also considering asking my Foundation for some financial support, or looking for local institutes in Palestine that might be able to contribute partially to my studies. I am willing to do anything to help become part of LSE.

Attending LSE has always been and will continue to be a dream of mine. I believe that my enrollment will help me develop my work and expertise and contribute to the change needed in Palestine, especially in the development sector. Based on this, I would like to seek financial support from LSE, to help me pursue my graduate studies in the upcoming year.