Louisiana State University
Louisiana's flagship land-, sea- and space-grant university, set among live oaks near the Mississippi in Baton Rouge.
- Acceptance rate
- 69%
- First-year students entering fall 2025 (LSU Fall Facts 2025); SAT/ACT ranges and GPA from the fall 2024 Common Data Set (2024-25), the latest CDS LSU has published
- Students
- 44,115
- 35,643 undergraduates
- International
- 4%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 21:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $29,403
- From · 2026-27
About LSU
Louisiana State University opened on January 2, 1860, near Pineville as a military seminary with William Tecumseh Sherman as its first superintendent, and moved to its present Baton Rouge campus, dedicated in 1926, on a plateau beside the Mississippi River. It is the flagship of the LSU System and one of a small group of universities holding land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant designations. In fall 2026 it enrolled a record 44,115 students, including 35,643 undergraduates, counting LSU Online.
Undergraduates enter colleges including Agriculture, Art and Design, the E. J. Ourso College of Business, Coast and Environment, Engineering, Human Sciences and Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Manship School of Mass Communication, Music and Dramatic Arts, and Science, while students still choosing a major start in University College. The Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College took 1,035 first-years in fall 2026, and the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and School of Veterinary Medicine sit on the same campus.
Admission is broad rather than highly selective: LSU accepted 37,920 of 54,716 first-year applicants for fall 2025, and scores are optional for students with a weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher. It suits students who want a big SEC campus with a strong in-state core (about 62% of new first-years are from Louisiana), generous merit aid for out-of-state applicants, and access to research on coasts, energy and the environment.
Why students choose LSU
Out-of-state first-years can receive merit scholarships of $13,000 to $23,000 a year, awarded automatically through the Common App review.
Stamps and Chancellor's Alumni scholars receive the full cost of attendance for four years, with Stamps adding up to $14,000 for enrichment experiences.
The Ogden Honors College offers a smaller community inside a large university, with a fall 2026 cohort averaging an ACT of 31.3.
SEC game days in Tiger Stadium, Mike the Tiger's habitat and more than 450 student organizations give campus a strong sense of identity.
Admissions
First-year students entering fall 2025 (LSU Fall Facts 2025); SAT/ACT ranges and GPA from the fall 2024 Common Data Set (2024-25), the latest CDS LSU has published
37,920 admitted from 54,716 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
8,214 degree-seeking first-years enrolled in fall 2025. The previous Common Data Set (fall 2024) reports 34,513 admitted of 47,065 applicants (73.3%). LSU reviews every application comprehensively and has no minimum test score.
Typical entry requirements
| U.S. high school curriculum | College-preparatory core required (CDS 2024-25: 19 units including 4 English and 4 math); weighted GPA 3.5+ to apply without test scores |
|---|---|
| International secondary education | Equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma with a B average (3.0 on a 4-point scale) in academic subjects; official transcripts with English translations |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 Scores for automatic admission: TOEFL iBT 79 (paper 550), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 100. Exemptions include an SAT EBRW of 500 or ACT English of 18, four years of U.S. high school, or schooling in a country where English is the primary official language. Admitted international students take an English placement test before registration. |
Deadlines
- Priority deadline (scholarships) Non-binding Next deadline · In 56 daysDecember 1, 2026
Apply by this date for full merit scholarship consideration, including the Stamps Scholarship and Chancellor's Alumni Award (semifinalists notified in January; Scholars Weekend interviews on campus in early March).
- Regular Decision Non-binding In ~4 monthsFebruary 1, 2027
Final first-year deadline for fall 2027.
LSU's freshman page lists a December 1 priority deadline for scholarships and a February 1 regular decision deadline for 2027 entry terms; the years shown are the dates that apply to fall 2027. The international admissions page still showed the previous cycle's dates (fall 2025: April 15, 2025), and LSU asks international applicants to send documents at least 120 days before the semester.
How to apply
Common Application only (it also serves as the merit scholarship and Ogden Honors College application); $50 fee (waivable); grades self-reported through STARS or a transcript sent by the counselor; ACT or SAT if your weighted GPA is below 3.5; a letter of recommendation from an academic source is requested for scholarship consideration.
What admissions looks for
- Overall high school performance and your grade trend over time.
- Rigor of coursework, and performance in courses related to your intended major.
- ACT or SAT scores if submitted or required, used as one of several factors with no minimum score.
- For scholarships, achievements in and out of the classroom, family background and financial need, alongside grades and scores.
Tips for applying to LSU
- 1 Submit the Common App by December 1: it is the priority date for merit scholarships and the only way to be considered for the Stamps and Chancellor's Alumni awards.
- 2 If your weighted GPA is 3.5 or higher, decide on the Common App whether to include test scores; LSU superscores, so include them if they strengthen your file.
- 3 Self-report grades in STARS exactly as they appear on your transcript; you do not need to wait for materials before submitting the application.
- 4 International students: LSU has no scholarships specifically for international students, so budget for the full non-resident cost; only non-U.S. citizens attending a U.S. or American-curriculum high school are considered for freshman scholarships.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for Louisiana State University
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Merit scholarships are awarded through the Common App review: $500 to $4,600 a year for Louisiana residents (plus TOPS) and $13,000 to $23,000 a year for non-residents. The Stamps Scholarship and Chancellor's Alumni Award cover the full cost of attendance for four years. LSU does not currently offer scholarships specifically for international students.
- $39,446 Louisiana resident; $56,122 non-resident
- Cost of attendance 2026-27, living in a residence hall
- $13,000 to $23,000 a year
- Merit scholarships for non-Louisiana residents
- About $33,000 a year (resident) or $50,000 a year (non-resident), full cost of attendance for four years
- Stamps / Chancellor's Alumni award value
- $336,990,338 across 25,562 awards
- Undergraduate scholarships and grants awarded, 2024-25 (LSU Fall Facts)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College
A 1,035-student first-year cohort in fall 2026 with an average ACT of 31.3 and weighted GPA of 4.27.
College of Coast & Environment
LSU's sea-grant status and Louisiana's coastline make coastal land loss and environmental science a focus of teaching and research.
Manship School of Mass Communication
Its production facilities are shared with Tiger TV, the student-run television show, and alumni include author Casey McQuiston.
E. J. Ourso College of Business
Close to Baton Rouge's energy, chemical and healthcare employers, which LSU lists as sources of year-round internships.
College of Engineering
Alumni include Maxime Faget, the NASA engineer who designed the Mercury spacecraft.
Research
- Classified R1 (very high research activity) and holds land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant designations.
- Operates the J. Bennett Johnston Sr. Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD), a 1.3 GeV synchrotron radiation facility.
- The wider LSU System includes the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the LSU AgCenter, both in Baton Rouge.
Schools & faculties
- College of Agriculture
- College of Art & Design
- E. J. Ourso College of Business
- College of Coast & Environment
- College of Engineering
- College of Human Sciences & Education
- College of Humanities & Social Sciences
- Manship School of Mass Communication
- College of Music & Dramatic Arts
- College of Science
- Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College
- LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center
College Scorecard: median earnings of $61,251 ten years after entry and $49,218 six years after entry for federally aided students.
Student life
LSU is a big SEC campus with a strong Louisiana identity. All first-year students must live on campus, and LSU says 75% of its residence halls are new or renovated; about 9,500 students lived on campus in fall 2025, including residential colleges for agriculture, engineering and business. Football Saturdays at Tiger Stadium, known as Death Valley, are the centre of the fall calendar, and Mike the Tiger, a live tiger, lives in a habitat beside the stadium. There are more than 450 student organizations and a Greek system with sorority and fraternity houses on campus.
- Tiger Stadium ('Death Valley') game days and Mike the Tiger's habitat next to the stadium.
- 53 team national championships across LSU sports, 48 of them awarded by the NCAA (Wikipedia count).
- 450+ student clubs and organizations and 1,500+ on-campus events a year.
- Residential colleges for agriculture, engineering and business students.
- NCAA Division I athletics in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Housing. All first-year students are required to live on campus; in fall 2025 about 9,473 undergraduates lived in LSU residence halls, apartments and Greek houses.
Location
Baton Rouge is Louisiana's capital, a mid-sized city on the Mississippi River about an hour from New Orleans. The campus is south of downtown and shaded by roughly 1,200 live oaks, with the Parade Ground and Memorial Tower at its heart. The region's petrochemical, energy, healthcare and technology employers offer internships, and Cajun and Creole food and music culture are close at hand. Summers are hot and humid.
Nearest airport: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR); Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) has more connections
Notable alumni
- SO Shaquille O'NealHall of Fame NBA center; played for LSU 1989-92 and earned a B.A. in general studies from LSU in 2000
- JB Joe BurrowCincinnati Bengals quarterback; transferred to LSU in 2018 and won the 2019 Heisman Trophy and national championship
- JW Joanne WoodwardAcademy Award-winning actress; majored in drama at LSU
- HH Hubert Humphrey38th Vice President of the United States; master's degree from LSU, 1940
- LT Linda Thomas-GreenfieldFormer U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; B.A., 1974
- MJ Mike JohnsonSpeaker of the U.S. House of Representatives since October 2023; B.S. in business administration (1995) and law degree (1998) from LSU
- MF Maxime FagetNASA engineer who designed the Mercury spacecraft; B.S. in mechanical engineering, 1943
- JC James CarvillePolitical consultant and former senior adviser to Bill Clinton; attended LSU from 1962 to 1966 without graduating at the time, and later earned a BS and a law degree from LSU
Frequently asked questions
What is LSU's acceptance rate?
LSU accepted 37,920 of 54,716 first-year applicants for fall 2025, about 69%. For fall 2024 the Common Data Set reports a 73% admit rate.
Is LSU test-optional?
Partly. Applicants with a cumulative weighted high school GPA of 3.5 or higher can choose whether to submit the ACT or SAT; those below 3.5 must submit a score. LSU superscores and accepts self-reported scores.
When is the LSU application deadline for fall 2027?
The priority deadline for scholarships is December 1, 2026, and the regular decision deadline is February 1, 2027. LSU accepts only the Common Application for first-year students.
How much does LSU cost for out-of-state students?
For 2026-27, non-resident tuition and fees average $29,562, and the cost of attendance for a student in a residence hall is $56,122. Louisiana residents pay about $12,886 in tuition and fees, with a total of $39,446.
Does LSU give scholarships to out-of-state and international students?
Out-of-state students are considered automatically for merit awards of $13,000 to $23,000 a year when they apply. LSU does not currently offer scholarships specifically for international students.
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.
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