FAQs | International Services

LSU Graduate School applicants can check their application status through the Graduate School's website. If you need clarification about your application status, contact the Graduate School at gradadmission@lsu.edu.

Undergraduate applicants can access their myLSU account for information about their application status. (Your myLSU login and password were emailed to you immediately following submission of your application.) If you need clarification about your application status, contact your admissions counselor at intrntladm@lsu.edu

Note: If you have forgotten your myLSU password, click here. If you are still unable to access your account by following the instructions listed there, you can email the ITS Service Desk at servicedesk@lsu.edu. In your e-mail, explain the problem that you are having in trying to access the myLSU account and indicate that you are a newly admitted international applicant. If you are outside of the United States, you also should state that in your e-mail to the ITS Service Desk.

International Services does not have the capability to defer your admission in the LSU system. To request that your admission is deferred,

• Graduate applicants should contact the Graduate School (gradsvcs@lsu.edu) and your academic department.
• Undergraduate applicants should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at intrntladm@lsu.edu.

Note: Applicants are only allowed a certain number of times in which they can defer to another semester before needing to re-apply for academic admission. Contact the academic admissions staff for more details

Yes, your admissions application will be processed by the academic admissions staff office even if your financial documents are not provided with your application. It is recommended that you submit your completed Affidavit of Support and proof of funding to International Services as soon you can so as to not delay the processing of your I-20 or DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility.

First time LSU students cannot register for classes and pay tuition and fees until after they arrive at LSU, take the Michigan English Placement Test (if applicable), submit an immunization form, meet with an academic advisor, etc. (You can click here to read basic information about these topics, but you will get further instructions at the International Student Orientation program.)

For payment options, please visit Bursar Operations’ website and click on “Registration Information.” If you have any further questions, you can e-mail their office at bursar@lsu.edu.

International Services does not have the ability to prevent students from registering for classes. We also do not have the ability remove course registration holds. These are the LSU offices that can lift holds:

• English Department
• Department/College advisor
• Student Health Center
• Undergraduate Admissions (for undergraduate students who have been provisionally admitted)

For the current list of international students’ estimated expenses that are listed on the I-20/DS-2019, please visit the Finances page of this website. Some students need more money to live here and others need less; however, due to the high number of international students who are admitted to LSU each semester, International Services is unable to customize each student’s I-20/DS-2019 to reflect his/her living accommodations and spending patterns.

Note: The estimates for tuition/fees are based on the minimum credit hours needed to maintain full-time enrollment, which is required by U.S. Immigration for F-1/J-1 students. For information about costs per credit hour, please visit the Office of Budget and Planning’s website to view the fee schedules.

If you need to apply for or continue in the F-1 or J-1 student status, you should complete the Affidavit of Support form, which can be downloaded here.

You can either submit the Affidavit of Support and proof of funding with your application materials, or you can wait to submit them after an admission decision has been made. (Your application for admission will be processed by the admissions staff even if your financial documents are not included.)

However, you will be required to submit your Affidavit of Support and proof of funding before International Services could process an I-20/DS-2019 for you. For information on qualifying for an LSU I-20 or DS-2019, click here.

International Services is required by U.S. Immigration to verify that prospective F-1 or J-1 students have sufficient funds to cover all of their estimated expenses for at least one academic year before an I-20 or DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility is issued. You also will need to provide the same proof of funding when you apply for the U.S. student visa at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy.

All applications for graduate-level financial assistance (like assistantships) begin with an LSU department. You can find more specific information on the LSU Graduate School’s website under "Prospective Students."

LSU scholarships for undergraduate applicants are academically competitive, restrictive and extremely limited in number and value. LSU Financial Aid and Scholarships is in charge of the selection of scholarships for undergraduate applicants, and you can e-mail scholarships@lsu.edu with any questions about LSU scholarships.

If you are awarded an LSU scholarship, you will be notified by e-mail from LSU’s Scholarship division. If you have any additional questions about LSU undergraduate scholarships, e-mail scholarships@lsu.edu.

Yes, you will have to submit an Affidavit of Support for at least the balance that the scholarship does not cover.

Yes. It is mandatory that all F-1 and J-1 students purchase health insurance that meets University criteria. For more information, click here.

LSU offers a health insurance plan for which F-1 and J-1 students are automatically charged on their fee bill each semester when they register for classes (unless a private insurance plan is approved). The LSU medical health insurance plan for the 2016-17 year costs $2,125 annually ($844 for the fall 2016 semester and $1,281 for the spring and summer 2017 semesters).

Details on the LSU health insurance plan and waiver options will be presented at International Student Orientation program. More information can be found on the insurance page, including information about pre-existing conditions and pregnancy visits. Dependents of enrolled students are eligible to purchase similar insurance coverage via International Services.

Yes. You do have an option of substituting the LSU medical health-insurance plan with a private medical health-insurance policy, but please be aware that the private policy must meet or exceed all LSU criteria for F visa status holders, and LSU and DOS criteria for J visa status holders. For more information on the Private Medical Health Insurance Option, click here.

For LSU’s Health Insurance Requirements, click here.

After being officially admitted to LSU, you can apply for on-campus housing through the Department of Residential Life’s website: www.lsu.edu/housing. Space for on-campus housing is limited, so you should apply as early as possible. Housing assignments are decided on a first-come, first-served basis. For any questions regarding on-campus housing, e-mail housing@lsu.edu.

The University offers general information about living off-campus at Off Campus Housing. Please note that there are many apartments in Baton Rouge. You may want to locate an apartment near campus and near the bus route to and from LSU if you do not plan on purchasing a car.

The International Cultural Center (ICC) on campus offers limited, temporary housing. For more information, click here.

Louisiana State University and A&M; College is the full and complete name of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU has three other Louisiana campuses in addition to the one in Baton Rouge. They are in Alexandria, Eunice and Shreveport. If Baton Rouge is the university campus that you applied to attend, then your I-20 is correct.

No. Students cannot come to the U.S. after the last day to register because of the University’s academic calendar. Students must be registered and enrolled for classes in order to maintain their F-1 student status.

You may want to consider deferring your admission to the next semester of enrollment if you are unable to arrive at LSU before the last day to enroll. To receive instructions on how to defer your admission, you will need to contact the admissions office. (Graduate students can e-mail gradadmission@lsu.edu. Undergraduate students can e-mail intrntladm@lsu.edu.)

The I-20 form that you have (with the signature on the first page only) is a valid I-20. The reason why there is no signature in the “Travel Endorsement” section on page two of your I-20 is because that area is signed after you arrive in the U.S. and want to travel for a short period of time outside of the U.S. This signature for travel will allow you to re-enter the U.S.

Yes. Louisiana state law requires proof of dates of immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus-diphtheria, and meningitis for all LSU students.

You can download the Immunization Compliance form from the LSU Student Health Center’s website.

The LSU Student Health Center needs to receive your completed immunization form. (Their contact information is on the bottom of the second page of the form).

LSU requires that certain students be tested for past exposure to tuberculosis (TB), depending on their country of origin or recent travel. For information about TB testing requirements, contact the LSU Student Health Center directly at immunization@lsu.edu.

You are strongly encouraged to undergo tuberculosis (TB) testing prior to departing for the United States. If you wait to complete TB testing and treatment after your arrival to LSU, it could cost you about $550 USD, depending on your TB test results and any further medical evaluation that may be required. Please be aware that these additional expenses may not be covered by insurance or any other source other than your own personal funds.

Also, if you wait to be tested or treated for TB until you are in the U.S., you will NOT be allowed to register for classes until all necessary testing/treatment is complete. The testing/treatment process can take up to 4 weeks and would delay your course registration for the same amount of time. Failure to timely register for courses will affect your lawful student status with U.S. Immigration and your ability to remain in the U.S. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to undergo tuberculosis testing prior to departing for the U.S. You will need to provide documentation of the tuberculosis skin test results and treatment for a positive skin test on LSU’s Immunization Compliance form. At risk students will not be exempted from tuberculosis screening or treatment under any circumstances.

For the most part, all graduate and undergraduate non-native speakers of English who are new to LSU are required to take the Michigan English Placement test. For more details, click here.

The TOEFL or IELTS rates your English proficiency. The Michigan English Placement test is used to determine what (if any) additional English writing courses you may need to take while at LSU so that you can be a successful student in all of your courses.

All F-1 and J-1 students who have never attended LSU must attend the International Student Orientation program. This is the venue in which you will report to International Services at LSU by completing immigration paperwork. (Reporting is required to maintain your F-1 or J-1 student status.)

NOTE: International students who are not in F-1 or J-1 status are not required to attend International Orientation but are welcome to attend if they choose.

Yes. All F-1 and J-1 students who have never attended LSU must attend the International Student Orientation program, which is different from the freshman/transfer orientation. International Orientation is where you will report to International Services at LSU by completing immigration paperwork. (Reporting is required to maintain your F-1 or J-1 student status.)

There is no cost to attend the International Student Orientation program.

Registration is not required to attend the International Student Orientation program.

Registration is required for the Freshman or Transfer orientation programs. All questions regarding the Freshman or Transfer Orientation should be directed to experience@lsu.edu.

For information about the Graduate Orientation, click here.

There are various student groups on campus that can put you in contact with LSU students from your home country. To find registered student organizations at LSU, click here. Most international students’ organizations can be found using the categories filter: “cultural.” Or you can use the “search” function to see if your home country/region of the world may have an organization. Please note that some countries’ representation at LSU could be small. For example, searching for ‘Haiti’ may not bring up an organization but searching for ‘Caribbean’ may.

If your home country does not have a registered organization, you can always reach out to the International Student Association on campus as it represents all international students.

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System website has information on local schools.