Before You Apply
Thinking about applying?
We are thrilled you are considering LSU as part of your graduate student journey. The information described below is intended to help you navigate the graduate application process.
Application Process
Our application process consists of sending an application and required materials to the Graduate School. After carefully reviewing eligibility, your application and supporting documents are sent to your program of interest for their evaluation.
Admission is awarded on the basis of evidence of academic achievement and promise. Applicants must be accepted by both the department in the applicant’s area of study and by the Graduate School.
Application Tip:
Begin your application prior to having all required materials gathered or completed so you can see what is required within the application to submit (in addition to viewing the program requirements on their respective website).
If letters of recommendation are required for your program, you will need to enter these within the application and recommender contact information is required to submit the application. Enter these in the application as soon as you have approval from your recommenders.
Final admission to the University is subject to approval by the Office of Graduate Admissions.
before you apply...
Evaluation Process
Below are the steps for the application evaluation process. Please contact your department to determine any additional specific requirements needed beyond the minimum required materials for the Graduate School.
Step 1:
Once all required documents are received, the Office of Graduate Admissions determines eligibility for admission to LSU. The Graduate School evaluation entails a review of:
- Transcripts (to determine if minimum GPA requirements are met)
- English Language Proficiency Tests (for international applicants)
- Degree certificates/Diploma (for international applicants)
Step 2:
The academic department or college determines admissibility to the degree program. Departmental evaluation may include a review of the items listed below; however, students should contact their program of interest for specific departmental requirements.
- Recommendation letters
- GRE or GMAT scores
- Statement of purpose
- Writing sample
Bachelor's Degree
Admission to the Graduate School requires all applicants to possess a conferred bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution, by the expected date of entry into the graduate program.
A comparable degree from a foreign academic institution must be equivalent to at least 4 years of U.S. undergraduate level work.
GPA Requirements
A grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on all undergraduate work and a 3.0 or better on any graduate work already completed. Applicants from schools that do not follow 4.0 grading scales are required to have a B average.
Standardized Test Scores
Applicants may be required to submit standardized test scores, depending upon their program requirements. Applicants should contact their program of interest to inquire about specific test scores needed score expectations, or waivers.
Program Requirements
Programs and departments have rigorous admission requirements beyond those required from the Graduate School. Applicants can upload required and supplemental documents within the application or on the application portal after submitting the application.
Please note, some programs expect these materials to be uploaded in the application prior to submission. Be sure to check with your program of interest for expectations.
Final University deadlines are listed below; however, most academic programs have earlier deadlines than those established by the University or may admit only for a specific term. Prospective applicants must contact their program of interest for those deadlines.
|
Applicant (On-Campus) |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Domestic Students |
July 1 |
November 15 |
May 1 |
|
International Students |
May 1 |
October 1 |
February 1 |
|
Non-Degree Students |
First day of semester* |
First day of semester* |
First day of semester* |
*Please note that the non-degree dates fluctuate as the deadlines are the first day of each semester.
Additional Deadlines:
LSU Online sets deadlines for online modules. Visit the LSU Online website for more information.
The Office of Global Engagement works with admitted students on immigration documents and deadlines. Please visit their website for additional information.
Before beginning your application, you will want to retrieve and prepare the necessary application materials. It is important to allow ample time to gather these materials to ensure your application and all required materials are submitted prior to the program’s application deadline. You'll be asked to attach supplemental materials while filling out the application so do not delay.
Below are the most common required materials and expectations:
Official and Unofficial Transcripts
Applicants must submit college and university transcripts. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded within the application. These are considered unofficial, but can be used to process your application for admission. Applicants who qualify for admissions with unofficial transcripts will be admitted under provisional status and satisfactory official transcripts are required to maintain enrollment.
Application Tip:
- Official transcripts can be ordered and sent directly to LSU Graduate Admissions. If you are nearing graduation, please keep in mind that we require a degree conferral to be listed on the transcript for it to be considered final. Most transcript request services have an option to “hold for degree.” This is recommended to avoid being required to order the transcript multiple times.
Letters of Recommendation
Please check with your program of interest for department specific letter of recommendation requirements.
If recommendation letters are required by your program of interest, you will be required to input the recommender information at the time of filling out the application and prior to submission. A link is immediately emailed to each recommender with detailed instructions on how to submit the letter directly to the Graduate School.
Application Tip:
- Contact your recommenders well in advance and confirm their availability to provide a positive letter of support for your application. You don’t want the first time they see the request to be an automated email from our system.
- Many recommenders need ample time to supply the letter of recommendation. Ask well in advance of the application deadline to ensure your letters are received prior to the deadline; you can start an application and input their information to begin the process before having to submit your final application.
Curriculum Vitae/Resume
We require a resume or CV to be submitted with the application.
Application Tip:
- Nearly every college campus in America has a career center that supports current students and alumni with resume or CV building. Plan a visit to the career center if you would like support in forming or refining your resume or CV.
Degree Program Admission Requirements
Individual academic departments or colleges may require additional admission materials. These can include but are not limited to a statement of research interests, personal statement, standardized test scores, or interviews/portfolios/auditions.
Application Tip:
- Spend time on the program website to determine program specific requirements and deadlines as well as faculty you may be interested in working with. Many programs ask who you are interested in working with on our application.
Tests necessary for admission are considered official only when they are sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the testing agency. Self-reported copies are not considered official. However, applicants can self-report test scores during the application process to be considered for admission. Official test scores that meet minimum requirements are required after admission to maintain enrollment.
There are two types of admission tests: Aptitude and English proficiency.
LSU's Institution Code is 6373.
If applying to MS in Athletic Training using ATCAS: please use the following code: 4927 (LSU-MS Athletic Training-ATCAS-Grad)
Aptitude Tests
The Graduate School does not require the submission of standardized admission test scores. Your program of interest may require test scores, such as the GRE or GMAT. Because these tests are required by departments rather than by the Graduate School, contact your program of interest for more information.
English Language Proficiency
LSU requires every non-native English speaker to meet English language proficiency requirements through the submission of English Language Proficiency test scores or by satisfying the requirement through education or citizenship.
Visit our International Admissions page to find out which tests are accepted or how you can provide documentation of meeting the requirement.
Application Processing Fee
The Graduate School application processing fee for domestic and permanent resident applicants is $50 and $70 for international applicants. Upon submitting your application, you will see instructions to pay the fee with a credit or debit card via a secure payment portal. An application processing fee is charged for each application submission.
The application fee is non-refundable.
There are a limited number of application fee waivers. More information on fee waivers is outlined below.
Application Fee Waivers
LSU offers a limited number of fee waiver options on a first-come, first-serve basis to eligible domestic applicants. International students do not qualify for Graduate School application fee waivers.
If approved, applicants can add the application waiver code to the application. The waiver code must be entered prior to submission; the system does not allow for fee waivers to be entered retroactively.
If you fit one of the categories below, please complete the Graduate Application Fee Waiver Request Form and upload the required supporting documents. If approved, a fee waiver code will be sent to the email address used to create your application. The fee waiver code must be added to the “Discount Code” application field at the end of the application, before submission. This will waive the application fee upon submission.
Some programs offer department discount codes to select, highly qualified applicants. If you are not eligible for one of the fee waiver options below or are an international applicant, it is suggested to reach out to your program of interest to determine if they offer department discount codes.
Service-Based Organization
Eligibility
- Certain service-based organizations provide fee waivers for their participants. If you believe you may qualify for an application fee waiver, please email gradadmission@lsu.edu.
Required Supplemental Documents
- A signed letter of support from the service-based organization
Financial Hardship
Eligibility
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Required Supplemental Documents
- Most recent year's FAFSA Student Aid Index report
- Official verification of participation in a low-income, government aid program.
U.S. Military Personnel & Veterans
Eligibility
- Active member or veteran of the U.S. Military
Required Supplemental Documents
- Completed Fee Waiver Request form
- Military ID
- Leave & Earning Statement (LES)
- DD-214: Military Service Record
LSU Online
LSU Online does not qualify for on-campus Graduate School fee waivers; however, they do offer fee waiver codes to applicants. Please contact LSU Online directly for further information.
Additional Information
- The final day to request a fee waiver is the application deadline for the term to which you are applying.
- Take the required actions for your request well in advance of your program's application deadline to allow for processing.
- The fee waiver does not apply to any additional fees required by the applicant's program of study.
- Late or incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
- You will receive an email response regarding the outcome of your request once processing is completed. We will contact you if we have additional questions regarding your submission.
It is suggested that you begin your application well before the deadline. You will want to have the application and all required materials received by the Graduate School prior to the deadline to ensure full consideration.
A completed application includes:
- Submitted Graduate School application
- All required materials (Graduate School and program specific)
- Application fee
Application Tip:
- Be sure that all the required materials are submitted and processed by our office prior to the application deadline. During peak application season, it can take 1-2 weeks for our office to process your materials after receiving them due to significant volume.
- Some programs require that all materials are received by their stated deadline for full consideration.
- Remember that funding deadlines are often much earlier than the final University deadline.
Interested in touring LSU before applying?
The Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School offers campus tours geared toward graduate applicants and the graduate student experience. To view available tour dates, click the button below.