Lebanese University
الجامعة اللبنانية
Lebanon's only public university: near-free, mostly Arabic-taught degrees across 76 branches nationwide.
- Tuition
- LBP 60.6M
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1951
- QS World Ranking
- #626
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Mixed
- Three main university campuses plus 76 branches and sections nationwide
About LU
The Lebanese University (LU) was founded in 1951 after a student and popular movement, beginning with a general strike on 23 January 1951, pressed the government to create a national university. It is Lebanon's only public university and describes itself as providing higher education almost free of charge to Lebanese, Arab and foreign students. Arabic is the main language of teaching.
Because of travel restrictions during the civil war, LU spread out across the country. Today it has 76 branches and sections, organised around three main campuses: the Rafic Hariri campus in Hadath near Beirut, the Pierre Gemayel campus in Fanar and the Michel Suleiman campus in the North. It has 19 faculties and institutes, from Medical Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy and Dental Medicine to Law, Information, Fine Arts and Architecture, and Letters, plus three doctoral schools. The Hadath campus was bombed on 12 March 2026, killing two professors.
LU suits students who want a recognised public degree at very low cost and who can study in Arabic, the main language of instruction (check the teaching language of your specific programme with the faculty). Applied faculties charge a Competitive Entrance Exam (CEE) fee and select through faculty-specific entrance exams or admission tests, so for those programmes exam preparation matters more than paperwork.
Why students choose LU
Very low fees: about LBP 13.1-13.2 million a year for Lebanese and Palestinian bachelor's students, and about LBP 60.6-60.7 million for Arab and other foreign students.
A national network of 76 branches and sections, so many students can study close to home.
Applied faculties such as Medical Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy and Dental Medicine use faculty entrance exams (CEE) and admission tests, so admission rests on merit.
Over 500 active local and international agreements, including the CNAM-ISAE institute run with CNAM in France.
Admissions
2026-27 academic year (registration open now); 2027-28 dates not yet announced
Selectivity
No overall acceptance rate is published. Applied faculties and institutes select through faculty-specific Competitive Entrance Exams (CEE) or admission tests whose conditions vary by faculty and major; other programmes admit eligible baccalaureate holders within the registration dates.
Typical entry requirements
| Lebanese Baccalaureate | Required for all bachelor's programmes; CEE results decide admission to applied faculties |
|---|---|
| Foreign high school certificates | Accepted if they give access to higher education in the issuing country and are recognised as equivalent to the Lebanese Baccalaureate, with a copy certified by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education |
| English language | Teaching is mainly in Arabic. LU does not publish a university-wide English or French test requirement; a small foreign-language training fee is charged and an Office of Foreign Language Coordination supports language teaching. |
Deadlines
- Registration for the 2026-27 academic year (new and returning students) Non-binding Next deadline · In 45 days20 November 2026
Administrative Memo No. 7 sets the registration window from 3 September to 20 November 2026; doctoral schools stay open until the end of December 2026. Individual faculties set earlier dates for CEE registration.
Registration for 2026-27 opened on SISOL on 21 July 2026 and the dates were fixed by memo on 26 August 2026 (3 September to 20 November 2026). Dates for 2027-28 have not been announced. CEE dates are set by each faculty.
How to apply
Register online through LU's SISOL platform (sisol.ul.edu.lb) within the dates set each year by the faculty, then complete the file at the faculty office. For CEE majors, register for the exam first. International applicants submit a certified passport copy, a baccalaureate or equivalent certified by the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education, two ID photos and a LBP 50,000 postal stamp; a parent, sibling or embassy can follow up with a certified power of attorney if you cannot attend in person.
What admissions looks for
- A Lebanese Baccalaureate or a recognised equivalent that gives access to university in your own country.
- For applied faculties, a strong result in the faculty's Competitive Entrance Exam.
- For dorm places at Hadath, the baccalaureate or CEE marks, the distance from home and the type of study are all criteria.
- A complete, correctly certified file submitted within the faculty's registration dates.
Tips for applying to LU
- 1 Check your target faculty's CEE page early: entrance exam conditions differ by faculty and major, and the exam decides admission to the most popular programmes.
- 2 International students should get their school certificate recognised as equivalent to the Lebanese Baccalaureate before registration opens.
- 3 If you cannot travel to Beirut to register, arrange a power of attorney certified by the Lebanese consulate and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- 4 Apply for a dorm place at Hadath separately online (luc.ul.edu.lb); applications must be in Arabic and are limited to students under 25.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in LBP
LU keeps tuition almost free for Lebanese students and low for foreign students, with fees paid once a year. Undergraduates on the Hadath campus can apply for subsidised university dorms, allocated by distance from home, marks and study type.
- LBP 13.1-13.2 million per year
- Bachelor's fee, Lebanese and Palestinian students
- LBP 60.6-60.7 million per year
- Bachelor's fee, Arab and foreign students
- LBP 500,000
- Competitive Entrance Exam fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Academic years (semesters), registration September to November
Medicine (Faculty of Medical Sciences)
Selective entry by competitive exam at a fraction of private-university fees, linked to a Neuroscience Research Center.
Engineering
A CEE-based applied faculty, including the Roumieh campus, with specialised graduate studies.
Law and Political and Administrative Sciences
Former president Michel Suleiman and journalist Marcel Ghanem both studied in this faculty.
Fine Arts and Architecture
One of LU's faculties, grouped with Law, Letters and Economics among its human and social sciences units.
Applied economics (CNAM-ISAE)
The Higher Institute of Applied Economic Sciences works in cooperation with CNAM in France.
Research
- Three doctoral schools cover humanities and social sciences; law, political, administrative and economic sciences; and science and technology.
- LU runs a National Center for Monitoring Bioequivalence, Generic Medicines and Drug, Food, Water and Chemicals Quality.
- 196 research centres, labs, teams and platforms; faculty published 1,501 papers in 2017-2018 (Facts and Numbers).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Medical Sciences
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Dental Medicine
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Public Health
- Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences
- Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
- Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture
- Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences
- Faculty of Information
- Faculty of Pedagogy
Student life
Most LU students commute to the branch nearest their home, so student life is local and faculty-based rather than centred on one campus. The biggest hub is the Rafic Hariri campus in Hadath, which has university dorms for undergraduates from further away. LU has a Sport Activity Unit, a Center for Careers, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Centre MINE), a university medical centre with specialist clinics, and 62 libraries. An elected National Union of Lebanese University Students represents students.
- The Rafic Hariri campus in Hadath is LU's largest, with dorms and many faculties on one site.
- Centre MINE supports careers, innovation and entrepreneurship.
- The Sport Activity Unit runs university sport.
- Students elect the National Union of Lebanese University Students.
Housing. Undergraduates enrolled at faculties on the Hadath campus can apply online for university dorms, allocated by distance from home, marks and study type, for up to three years and to students aged 25 or under.
Location
LU is spread across Lebanon, with its main campus in Hadath near Beirut, a second in Fanar and a third in the North, plus 76 branches and sections in total. Tuition is very low, but students should follow the current security situation: the Hadath campus was bombed by the Israeli Air Force in March 2026.
Nearest airport: Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY)
Notable alumni
- MS Michel SuleimanPresident of Lebanon (2008-2014); BA in political and administrative sciences
- ME Majida El RoumiSinger; BA in Arabic literature
- E ElissaSinger; political science degree
- MG Marcel GhanemPolitical talk-show host; Bachelor of Laws (1987)
- NS Najat SalibaAtmospheric chemist and member of parliament; bachelor's degree (1986)
- JF Jawad FaresPhysician-scientist; MSc in neuropsychology
Frequently asked questions
Is the Lebanese University free?
Almost. Lebanese and Palestinian bachelor's students pay an annual enrolment fee of about LBP 13.1-13.2 million, and Arab and foreign students pay about LBP 60.6-60.7 million, plus an LBP 8.4 million health fee.
What language is the Lebanese University taught in?
Mainly Arabic, which LU lists as its teaching language. Check the language of your specific programme with the faculty before applying.
Can international students apply to the Lebanese University?
Yes, if your high school certificate gives access to university in your country and is recognised as equivalent to the Lebanese Baccalaureate. You register through SISOL and complete the file at the faculty, in person or through a certified representative.
Do I need an entrance exam for the Lebanese University?
For applied faculties, usually yes: they select through faculty-specific Competitive Entrance Exams or admission tests (LBP 500,000 fee), with conditions that vary by major. Other programmes admit eligible baccalaureate holders.
When is the Lebanese University registration deadline?
For 2026-27, registration for new and returning students runs from 3 September to 20 November 2026. Dates for 2027-28 have not yet been announced.
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.
- Lebanese University: History
- Lebanese University: Facts and Numbers (Arabic)
- Lebanese University: Facts and Numbers (English)
- Lebanese University: Admissions and Dorms
- Lebanese University: Foreign Students (documents, procedures, enrolment fees)
- Lebanese University: Administrative Memo No. 5, registration opens for 2026-2027 (Arabic)
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