Lebanese American University
الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية
A US-accredited, English-language university with campuses in Beirut and Byblos that began as a college for women.
- Students
- 9,765
- 8,250 undergraduates
- International
- 11%
- of students
- Tuition
- $16,590
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1924
About LAU
The Lebanese American University traces its roots to a girls' school founded in Beirut by American Presbyterian missionaries in 1835. Its university story starts in 1924 with a junior college for women, which became Beirut College for Women, chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York in 1950. It admitted men from the 1970s, opened its Byblos campus in 1991 and is institutionally accredited in the United States by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
In fall 2025 LAU had 9,765 students, 8,250 of them undergraduates, split almost evenly between its Beirut (51%) and Byblos (44%) campuses, plus online learners. It teaches in English through seven schools: Arts and Sciences, the Adnan Kassar School of Business, Engineering, Architecture and Design, Pharmacy, the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing. Many programmes carry US accreditation, including AACSB for business, NAAB for architecture and ACPE for the Doctor of Pharmacy.
Admission is American-style: SAT scores, school grades and English test results, with freshman and sophomore entry routes depending on your diploma. LAU suits students who want a US-style liberal arts education and professional degrees in the Arab world, and it backs that with a large aid budget: over $100 million in awards in 2024-25.
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield
University motto
Why students choose LAU
LAU is ranked 251-300 in the THE World University Rankings 2026 and first in Lebanon, and joint 477th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
US accreditation runs through the institution (NECHE) and key programmes: AACSB for business, NAAB for architecture (the first in Lebanon), ABET for computer science and ACPE for the PharmD.
Financial aid is extensive: 7,725 students received aid worth about $103.8 million in 2024-25, including entrance, merit, honor and athletic scholarships and need-based grants.
85% of 2022-23 graduates were employed 12 months after graduation, and the six-year bachelor's graduation rate is about 81%.
Admissions
Fall 2027 entry (applications open 15 September 2026)
Selectivity
LAU does not publish an overall acceptance rate. It states that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission and that only complete applications are reviewed.
Typical entry requirements
| Lebanese Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, Tawjihi, IB Diploma, German Abitur | Sophomore (second-year) entry; non-Lebanese diplomas also need the Lebanese Ministry of Education equivalence |
|---|---|
| A-levels (British system) | Sophomore entry with five O-levels and three A-levels (or six AS-levels) at grade D or above, excluding second languages; e.g. A-level Maths plus AS Physics and Chemistry for engineering, A-level Biology and Chemistry plus AS Maths for pharmacy. Five O-levels plus one A-level (or two AS) gives freshman entry |
| US high school diploma / IB certificate | Freshman entry (a foundation year in Arts or Science before declaring a major) |
| IB Diploma subject requirements | e.g. HL Maths and SL Physics for architecture, HL Maths with SL Physics and Chemistry for engineering, HL Biology and Chemistry with SL Maths for pharmacy |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 Minimums: TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS 6.5, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 460, ACT English/Writing 7, Duolingo 115 or LAU EEE 102. Scores at these minimums place you in the non-credit Remedial English course; IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 90 starts you in Academic English I. Lower scores (IELTS 5.5-6.0) lead to the Intensive English Program. |
Deadlines
- Phase I admission for fall 2027 Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Complete file including grades 10 and 11, with the SAT taken no later than October 2026.
- Admission for spring 2027 Non-binding In 55 daysNovember 30, 2026
Spring start; financial aid applications for spring close November 15, 2026.
- Phase II admission for fall 2027 Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
Complete file including grades 10 and 11, with the SAT taken no later than December 2026.
- Merit Scholarship for fall 2027 Non-binding In ~4 monthsJanuary 31, 2027
Financial aid for fall 2027 closes April 30, 2027; athletic scholarships May 30, 2027.
All applications for fall 2027 open on September 15, 2026. Deadlines are LAU's published 2026-27 dates.
How to apply
Apply online through the LAU application or the Common App ($60 application fee), uploading ID or passport, transcripts for the last three years, certificates, official SAT scores and an English test score. You then activate the LAU Portal to track your decision, apply for financial aid, scholarships and housing, and book the English Entrance Exam if needed. International students contact the International Services and Programs Office after acceptance.
What admissions looks for
- School grades for grades 10 and 11 (and the final year when available) from an accepted diploma.
- Official SAT I scores (SAT or ACT for sophomore applicants).
- English proficiency at or above LAU's minimums, which also decide your first English course.
- For sophomore entry, the right grade 12 subjects for your major, such as Maths and Physics for engineering.
Tips for applying to LAU
- 1 Take the SAT by October 2026 to qualify for Phase I (November 1 deadline); Phase II requires the SAT by December 2026.
- 2 Check whether your diploma gives freshman or sophomore entry: A-levels and the IB Diploma can let you skip the freshman year.
- 3 Aim for IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 90 rather than the minimum, so you can skip the non-credit Remedial English course.
- 4 Apply for the Merit Scholarship by January 31, 2027 and for need-based aid by April 30, 2027; aid is open regardless of nationality.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
LAU offers need-based financial aid (LAU grants, programme grants and donor grants) regardless of nationality, plus entrance, merit, honor, athletic and talent scholarships; scholarships are also available for international students. In 2024-25, 7,725 students received aid worth about $103.8 million, most of it as grants ($60.6 million).
- $103.8 million; 7,725 students aided
- Total financial aid, 2024-25
- 6,444 awards worth $60.6 million
- LAU grants, 2024-25
- 793 awards worth $3.2 million
- Entrance scholarships, 2024-25
- Byblos from $1,680 per term (double); Beirut $5,470 per term (shared) or $8,335 (single)
- Residence halls, 2026-27
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (fall, spring and summer)
Bachelor of Architecture
NAAB-accredited since 2019, the first in Lebanon and the third outside the US, and recognised in France as equivalent to the Diplome d'Etat d'Architecte.
Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
LAU says it is the only PharmD outside the United States accredited by the ACPE.
B.S. in Business
Taught in the AACSB-accredited Adnan Kassar School of Business, LAU's largest school with 3,203 students.
Petroleum Engineering (B.E.)
LAU reports a 51-100 world placing for Petroleum Engineering in the QS 2026 subject rankings.
B.S. in Computer Science
Accredited by ABET's Computing Accreditation Commission.
B.S. in Nursing
CCNE-accredited and the lowest-cost undergraduate programme, at $8,295 per term for new students.
Research
- LAU reports a 180th global place for interdisciplinary science in THE's 2025 rankings, first in Lebanon.
- LAU ranks 55th globally in the THE Impact Rankings 2026, including 3rd for SDG 1 (No Poverty).
- LAU places 201-250 in the world for Engineering and for Medical and Health in THE's 2026 subject rankings, first in Lebanon in both.
Schools & faculties
- School of Arts and Sciences
- Adnan Kassar School of Business
- School of Engineering
- School of Architecture and Design
- School of Pharmacy
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine
- Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing
85% of AY 2022-23 graduates were employed 12 months after graduation.
Student life
LAU runs two main residential campuses: an urban campus in Ras Beirut, whose first building, Sage Hall, dates from 1933, and a hillside campus at Blat overlooking the historic port of Byblos, opened in 1991. Both have residence halls, with Byblos offering standard rooms and apartments at much lower cost than Beirut. Students can join clubs and activities, play in LAU's athletics programme (205 athletic scholarships were awarded in 2024-25), vote or run in student elections, do community service and study abroad through exchange partners.
- Two residential campuses, Beirut and Byblos, plus an academic centre in New York.
- Athletic and talent scholarships for students who compete or perform.
- Study abroad and exchange with partner universities, including Erasmus projects.
- SINARC programme for learning Arabic at the Beirut campus.
Housing. Residence halls cost from $1,680 per term for a double room in Byblos to $8,335 per term for a single room in Beirut in 2026-27.
Location
The Beirut campus is in Ras Beirut, the western part of Lebanon's capital, where the college moved in the 1930s. The Byblos campus sits on a hill at Blat overlooking the historic port town of Byblos, north of Beirut, and opened in 1991. LAU lists its fees in 'fresh' US dollars and publishes separate housing rates for each campus.
Nearest airport: Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY)
Notable alumni
- JA Joseph AounPresident of Lebanon since 2025 and former commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces; bachelor's degree in political science
- MH Mona HatoumInstallation and multimedia artist; studied graphic design at Beirut University College
- SR Saloua Raouda ChoucairPioneering abstract painter and sculptor; graduated from the American Junior College for Women in 1936
- EN Emily NasrallahNovelist and women's rights activist; graduated from Beirut College for Women in 1956
- JK Jomana KaradshehCNN international correspondent; studied journalism at LAU
- SG Sethrida GeageaMember of the Lebanese Parliament; began her political activism as an LAU student
Frequently asked questions
What is the SAT requirement for the Lebanese American University?
Freshman applicants must submit official SAT I scores (sophomore applicants SAT I or ACT). LAU does not publish an average score, but SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing of 460 or more also meets its English requirement.
How much is LAU tuition per year?
For 2026-27, undergraduate tuition is charged per term, which works out to about $16,590 (Nursing) to $25,180 (Pharmacy) a year; most engineering programmes are $23,552 a year.
What IELTS or TOEFL score does LAU require?
The minimums are IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 80 (or Duolingo 115). At those scores you start with non-credit Remedial English; IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 90 lets you start with Academic English I.
When is the LAU application deadline for fall 2027?
Phase I closes on November 1, 2026 and Phase II on January 15, 2027; applications open on September 15, 2026.
Does LAU offer financial aid to international students?
Yes. LAU says aid is available regardless of nationality, and scholarships are available for international students; it awarded about $103.8 million in aid in 2024-25.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to LAU in the QS World University Rankings 2027.