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General Course alumni: LSE for life

The General Course is one year of your degree, but the connection lasts far longer. When you complete the programme, you become a fully fledged alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science. You’re not an “exchange alum” or an “associate”; you’re an LSE alumnus, for life. You’ll join a global community of LSE graduates that includes heads of state, Nobel Prize winners, and leaders across government, business, international organisations and civil society. Wherever your career takes you, LSE comes with you.

Why a full year makes the difference

LSE offers no single-semester options, and that’s deliberate. A full academic year means you’re taught alongside LSE undergraduates in the same lectures and classes, you sit the same exams, and you become part of the School rather than passing through it. That is why completing the General Course gives you the same lifelong alumni connection as LSE’s own graduates.

“The General Course gave me a new worldview. It pushed me outside my comfort zone and provided me with opportunities and experiences that continue to shape me.”
— Sid Goel, Bentley University, USA

What being a General Course alum gives you

10% off graduate study at LSE

Many General Course students come back. As a former General Course student, you receive a 10% discount on graduate degree tuition fees at LSE. That covers taught master’s programmes (MSc, MPA, MPP, LLM) and research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD). Just over half of LSE’s students are graduate students, and the School is one of the world’s major centres for advanced study in the social sciences.

A network that starts before you graduate

General Course Edge, our annual half-day conference for study abroad students, connects current and recently graduated General Course students with programme alumni working in:

  • Data and Tech
  • Media and Marketing
  • Business
  • International Organisations

You’ll hear from former General Course students now in graduate study at LSE and elsewhere, take part in tailored CV workshops, and build connections that last beyond your year in London.

Give back as an alum

Once you’ve completed the programme, you can be the one answering the questions. Volunteer through Ask an Alum to share your experience with future offer holders, or come back and speak at General Course Edge. Many of our alumni say helping the next cohort is one of the most rewarding ways to stay connected.

Support to build your own venture

LSE Generate supports General Course students and alumni who want to build socially responsible businesses. Its year-round programme includes workshops on the fundamentals of starting a business, a flagship accelerator, funding competitions, international treks and networking events. That support continues after you’ve left LSE.

A home on campus whenever you’re back in London

LSE alumni can continue to use key spaces on campus, including the Library, the LSESU gym and the LSE Alumni Centre, where you can work, meet and reconnect with friends.

A worldwide community

LSE’s alumni relations programme is run by School staff and a global network of volunteer alumni. Through alumni groups and events around the world, you’ll find LSE connections in whichever city you end up in, whether you’re looking for career advice, a friendly face in a new place, or a reunion with your General Course cohort.

Got an offer? Ask an Alum

Hear it from the people who’ve done it.

As a General Course offer holder, you don’t have to wait until you arrive to start benefiting from our alumni community. Ask an Alum is our online platform that connects General Course offer holders directly with General Course alumni. Over 5,400 former students have spent their year at LSE, just as you’re about to.