International Admission

International admission requirements are applied to all students who have international secondary or post-secondary educational credentials, regardless of country of citizenship, immigrant status, or visa status. All students who have only U.S. secondary and post-secondary educational credentials must meet U.S. admission requirements as detailed in previous sections. Applications from students with both U.S. and international educational credentials may be reviewed according to either or both U.S. and international requirements.

Any transcript or documentation issued in a language other than English must be sent with an official English translation. LSU Undergraduate Admissions is solely responsible for evaluating and determining the equivalencies of international credentials and grading scales.

English Proficiency & TOEFL Requirement

An applicant whose native language is not English and/or a student who has been educated outside the United States in a country or province where English is not the only official language, must submit

• a score of 550 or better on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL),
• a score of 213 or better on the computer-based TOEFL, or
• a 79 on the TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) for automatic admission.

Information regarding the TOEFL may be obtained by writing to the TOEFL Office at www.toefl.org or:

Test of English as a Foreign Language
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151, USA

Official TOEFL scores are those reported directly to LSU by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at the request of the student. TOEFL scores are valid for only two years.

Applicants may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement if they have completed one of the following:

• a U.S. high school diploma, having attended all four years of high school in the U.S.;
• a bachelor's degree in the U.S.;
• a score of 480 on the Verbal section of the SAT or 20 on the English section of the ACT; or
• U.S. transfer requirements (minimum 2.50 overall gpa on 30 or more semester hours above remedial, including a college-level course in English and in mathematics from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university).

Official transcripts or scores are required showing completion of one of the above before a student can be exempted from the TOEFL requirement.

LSU Undergraduate Admissions reserves the right to require a satisfactory TOEFL score from any applicant.

All international students who are admitted will be required to take an English placement test prior to registration, except for transfer students who have submitted a satisfactory TOEFL score and have received transfer credit from an accredited U.S. institution for the equivalent of LSU’s English 1001 and 1002 or 1004 and 1005 with a grade of "C" or better in each.

First Time Freshman Students

International students who have never attended a post-secondary education institution will apply as freshmen (first-year students), and must have the equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma with an academic average equivalent to "B" (3.0 or better on the U.S. 4-point grading system).

The “academic average” is determined by averaging the grades of secondary school academic courses, excluding nonacademic courses such as physical education, vocational/technical courses, religion, art, music, etc.

Students must submit complete official records for the secondary level of education and are strongly encouraged to submit ACT or SAT scores. Students who have taken advanced-level exams, international baccalaureate higher-level exams, or other types of secondary education beyond the12th year of schooling should submit the official certificates, transcripts, and course syllabi for possible advanced placement university credit.

Transfer Students From International Institutions

International students who have attended any post-secondary level college, university or institution must apply as transfer students. LSU requires the equivalent of a 3.0 ("B" average on the U.S. 4-point grading system) for all transferable credit from accredited international institutions. Applicants with less than the equivalent of 30 semester hours of transferable credit (approximately one year of full-time study) must also qualify for freshman admission.

Students must submit official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended, listing courses taken and grades earned. Also required are the official course descriptions or syllabi to be evaluated for possible credit toward an LSU degree. Transfer credit is not given for English as a second language, non-English native language courses, or vocational/technical courses. For LSU to award transfer credit, the institution must be accredited/recognized by the Ministry of Education or equivalent government agency in that country, and be suitable for university level credit.

From U.S. Institutions

International students who have attended a regionally accredited U.S. college or university must meet U.S. transfer requirements: an overall gpa of at least 2.50, and 30 semester hours of transferable credit, including a college-level course in English and mathematics. If less than 30 hours are earned, freshman requirements must also be met.

From Both International & U.S. Institutions

If credit is earned from both international and U.S. post-secondary accredited institutions, a 3.0 gpa is required from international institutions, and a 2.5 gpa on all U.S. college work. Students who have less than a 3.0 gpa from international institutions may be admitted if:

1. they meet the requirements for transfer from a U.S. accredited college or university (30 semester hours of credit above remedial, 2.50 gpa, math and English courses); and
2. have an overall gpa of 2.50 or higher when the U.S. gpa is combined with the international gpa. In this case, courses passed with the equivalent of "C" or higher will be considered for transfer credit from accredited post-secondary international institutions.

Application Procedure

Application deadlines are April 15 for summer or fall semesters and October 1 for the spring semester. All required documents, however, should be sent at least 120 days before the semester starts to allow for processing time, especially if an I-20 immigration form is needed for the student visa application. Processing time may be extensive for some applications.

The application form should be completed online at www.lsu.edu. The $40 application fee can be submitted online by credit card, or mailed to the office by check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank. The following materials must be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 1146 Pleasant Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803:

• complete, official academic records;
• official TOEFL scores; and
• evidence of financial support.

"Official transcript" is defined as an official record prepared by the issuing institution and sealed in the institution's official envelope.

Global Studies Residential College

Global Studies is a new residential option for LSU Freshmen and Sophomores. This program is open to students from any degree program in any senior college. To learn more click on the informational links below or contact Leonard Ray, Rector, Global Studies Residential College lray2@lsu.edu

Have You Heard About Global Studies Residential College
Global Studies Residential College Description
Global Studies in Action

English Language Orientation Program

LSU's English Language Orientation Program (ELOP) is available to help international students learn English. Visit the ELOP Web site at www.elop.lsu.edu for more information.

International Application Checklist

• Complete the application for undergraduate admission by the appropriate deadline. (See Admissions Deadlines.)
• Include your e-mail address on your application. This enables the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to communicate with you regarding your application. Remember to check this e-mail account regularly
• Forward official transcripts, in your original language, from all previous secondary schools, colleges and universities attended to:

LSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions
1146 Pleasant Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

• Provide financial proof that you can pay for all costs at Louisiana State University for the upcoming academic year.
• Provide TOEFL score for proof of English language proficiency if English is not your native language.
• Obtain a temporary visa from a United States Embassy or Consulate.

Undergraduate Admissions
1146 Pleasant Hall • Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone: 225-578-1175 • Fax: 225-578-4433
admissions@lsu.edu