Renewed support for students from Greece and Cyprus
Continued support from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation will provide additional scholarships to students joining LSE from Greece and Cyprus.
Established by easyJet founder and LSE alumnus Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou (BSc Industry and Trade 1987), the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation has generously supported LSE since 1995. In 2005, the Foundation launched the LSE Stelios Scholarships programme, which has since enabled more than 130 students to come to the School and pursue their undergraduate degrees.
In addition to its financial support, the Foundation hosts regular opportunities for past and current scholars to meet, share experiences and celebrate their achievements. The 2023 reunion brought together more than 40 scholars from the past 18 years, several of whom spoke of the life-changing experience their scholarship had provided.
Panagiotis Iason Kazazis shared the following about his journey:
My story began over two years ago, when I first visited LSE. Immediately I knew it would be the university for me. However, I also knew that, despite the efforts of my parents, both of whom work in education, I would not be able to attend the programme that I wanted without some sort of financial assistance.
Panagiotis Iason Kazazis continues:
"When I received the offer from LSE, I got this bitter-sweet feeling of uncertainty, because I knew that, irrespective of my performance in my final exams, this place would mean nothing without a scholarship from the university. This feeling continued and intensified as September was approaching, and, about four weeks before the programme was about to start, I received an email from LSE telling me that I’d been offered this scholarship by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation.
I knew that it would change my life and I can now confirm that it has – in ways that I couldn’t have imagined. I believe that I am finally in an environment where I belong, and this scholarship has opened so many opportunities that I could only dream of. Thank you, Sir Stelios, for giving me this opportunity.”
Thanks to the Foundation’s most recent annual gift, five more students will have the chance to embark on their own LSE journey. The new scholarships will be available to undergraduate offer-holders from Greece and Cyprus who are taking courses in Economics, Finance or Management. Applications are now open to students joining the School in the 2024/25 academic year.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou said of the Foundation’s renewed commitment:
The combination of global uncertainty and a cost-of-living crisis has made it ever more vital that we provide our prospective students with the certainty of financial security that covers their studies whilst at LSE. I am very confident that this cohort of Stelios Scholars will be able to join their predecessors in striving to improve the economic prosperity and socio-political stability on our European continent and planet earth for decades to come.
Helen Jones, Global Director of Development in LSE Philanthropy and Global Engagement said:
“The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation has been a loyal and deeply valued partner to LSE for many years now. Not only do they provide a constant source of support through the LSE Stelios Scholarships programme itself, but they have also inspired graduates to give back. The Foundation’s generosity is opening doors to a world-class education and nurturing an impactful and supportive community. We are truly grateful for, and inspired by, their philanthropic leadership.”
If you are a student wishing to apply to the LSE Stelios Scholarships programme, please visit our web page on how to apply.
If you are interested in supporting scholarships at LSE, please contact Aoife Jones, Head of Philanthropy at A.P.Jones@lse.ac.uk, or make a gift to our Scholarship Fund today.
The next reunion for alumni of the LSE Stelios Scholarships programme will be hosted by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation on 6 December, in London and online. If you would like to attend, please email Tracy Ghori at tracy.ghori@stelios.com.
