,·Public·Est. 1860
“Louisiana's R1 flagship land-grant research university on a 650-acre Italianate campus in Baton Rouge.”
Louisiana State University, founded in 1860 and chartered as a land-grant institution in 1869, is the flagship of the LSU System and one of the largest public research universities in the Deep South. With more than 41,000 students (about 34,000 undergraduates) drawn from all 50 states and more than 100 countries, LSU is home to the Tiger Nation — a Big-Easy-tinted SEC powerhouse known equally for Death Valley football, Mardi Gras culture, and a serious portfolio of nationally-ranked programs in petroleum engineering, mass communication, coastal sciences, and accounting. The 2,000-acre Baton Rouge campus, set along the Mississippi River with red-tile-roofed Italianate Renaissance buildings shaded by 1,200 live oaks, is consistently rated one of the most beautiful in the country. LSU operates through 14 academic colleges including the College of Engineering, E. J. Ourso College of Business, Manship School of Mass Communication, and the only Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Coast & Environment in the state. Tigers compete in the SEC, and Saturday-night football in Tiger Stadium — the seventh-largest stadium in the world — is a defining undergraduate ritual. For international students, LSU combines accessible admissions, low cost-of-living in Baton Rouge, and strong STEM-OPT-eligible programs (engineering, computer science, agriculture, geology) with a Big-12-meets-Big-Easy student culture. The International Services Office issues I-20s for students from more than 100 countries — India is the largest source, followed by China, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Research classification
Carnegie Classification
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourcePriority — Fall
Recommended for scholarship and housing consideration
Final — Fall
International applicants encouraged to apply ≥120 days before semester start
Spring
Final deadline for Spring 2026 entry
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$11,954
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$28,631
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
4 years
One of the nation's premier programs, with strong placement into ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and Halliburton. STEM-OPT eligible.
4 years
AACSB-accredited program with one of the highest CPA pass rates in the South and direct pipelines into Big-4 firms across the Gulf Coast and Texas.
4 years
Top-ranked PR program with hands-on agency-style coursework, the LSU Student Media network, and frequent placement at national PR firms.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $28,631
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
