Requirements & Deadlines
2024 Minimum University Requirements
Admission to graduate study is a two-step evaluation process:
Below are the steps for the Application Evaluation Process. Please refer to your Application Checklist for required materials and contact your department for their specific requirements.
Step 1:
The Office of Graduate Admissions determines eligibility for admission to LSU. The
Graduate School evaluation entails a review of:
- Resume or Curriculum Vita (CV)
- Transcript*
- TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE Scores (for international applicants)**
- Degree certificates/Diploma (for international applicants)
Step 2:
The academic department or college determines admissibility to the degree program. Departmental evaluation may include a review of the items listed below; however, students should contact their department of choice for specific departmental requirements.
- Recommendation letters
- GRE scores
- Transcript*
- Statement of Purpose
- Writing Sample
*Transcripts are required from each university attended.
** TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years after the test date. Applicants with expired scores will need to retest and provide updated
scores.
Note:
Final admission to the University is subject to approval by the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Applicants who do not meet one or more of the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School or Departmental requirements for regular admission may be admitted on probation, provided additional evidence of capacity to do satisfactory work is presented.
Minimum University Requirements
The following application materials must be submitted for Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School review; however, please refer to your graduate degree program for additional departmental requirements:
- A conferred baccalaureate (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited college or university by the expected date of entry into the graduate program. The Pinkie Gordan Lane Graduate School requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 GPA scale in the previous undergraduate degree (or in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate degree coursework); and if applicable, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 GPA scale in any previous graduate coursework.
- Transcripts are required for each college or university attended. This includes dual enrollment credits, post-secondary colleges, and schools where a degree was not earned.
- In addition to transcripts, international applicants are required to submit degree certificates/diplomas
- Curriculum vita (CV) or resume with a complete and accurate chronological outline
of all previous college-level education
NOTE: A cover letter is not an acceptable replacement for a curriculum vita or resume.
Applicants may upload application materials to the Slate Application Portal.
Applications missing any required Graduate School or Departmental materials will be
considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.
Submitting Transcripts
*Please submit transcripts to the LSU Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School and not the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded to the Slate Application Portal for review; however, it will be considered unofficial but can be used to process your application for admission. Applicants who qualify will be admitted on a provisional basis until official transcripts are submitted. The official transcripts will be compared to any unofficial documents used for admission. If discrepancies are identified, your admission may be rescinded.
Current or former students at the Louisiana State University and A&M College in Baton Rouge do not need to request transcripts. All other schools in the LSU System are required to submit official transcripts.
LSU reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admission process and to rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between unofficial and official transcripts are found.
Official vs Unofficial Transcripts
An official transcript, whether a physical copy or a secure .pdf document, ensures authenticity and content accuracy. Official transcripts must contain the University's seal and the signature of the University Registrar, Principal, Controller of Examinations, or Minister of Education. You must provide transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions for us to process your application. A transcript is considered official if it is sent directly from the applicant's home institution to the Pinkie Gordan Lane Graduate School in one of the following ways:
- Electronic: We accept electronic submissions of official transcripts over a secure network from a service such as Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, SPEEDE, eScript-Safe, or your institution’s electronic delivery system. If using one of these services, please have transcripts delivered to gradtranscripts@lsu.edu.
- Mail: A sealed original transcript sent from the issuing institution by postal mail directly
to graduate admissions. Transcripts sent directly to departments must be submitted
to graduate admissions sealed from the applicant or department representative.
Official hard copy transcripts can be mailed or hand delivered to:Louisiana State University
Office of Graduate Admissions
114 West David Boyd Hall
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 - In-Person: Applicants or departments may hand deliver with sealed copies of their official records
to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Envelopes which have been opened or appear to
have been tampered with will be considered unofficial. Students are strongly encouraged
to schedule an appointment (see button below) to drop off documents.
schedule a document drop off appointment - LSU Departments: Official transcripts sent directly to academic departments must follow the transcript submission requirements. Unsealed transcripts submitted from prospective students to academic departments are not considered official. If a department submits an unsealed official transcript, graduate admissions must verify the transcript was sealed upon receipt.
- LSU A&M Current/Former Students: Applicants who have previously attended LSU A&M (LSU Baton Rouge) do not need to request their LSU A&M official transcript. All other LSU system schools transcripts must be submitted.
- Final Transcripts: If at the time of admission, we do not have an applicant's degree conferral or there is coursework in progress, a final transcript will be requested.
Applicants can submit unofficial transcripts to expedite the admissions process. Please note, these copies of transcripts are not considered official. All admitted students are required to submit official transcripts. Applicants may qualify for admission to the Graduate School on a provisional basis until official transcripts are received. All provisionally admitted students must submit official transcripts within 30 days after classes begin in the semester of entry. If official transcripts are not submitted 30 days after the first day of class, an admissions hold will be placed on the admitted student's academic record preventing future registration.
Unsealed transcripts submitted from prospective students to academic departments are not considered official. If a department submits an unsealed official transcript, the Office of Graduate Admissions must verify the transcript was sealed upon receipt.
Photocopies or other duplications of a transcript, such as notarized copies, faxed, or scanned documents are not considered official.
Please Note: The official transcript requirement will remain "Outstanding" on your Slate application checklist. However, this will not prevent your application from proceeding to "Departmental Review."
Official transcripts will be compared to any unofficial documents used for admission. If discrepancies are identified, your admission may be rescinded.
Admission Requirements for International Students
Please visit International Applicant Requirements section to learn more about international student admissions and other resources.
Admission Requirements for Non-Degree Seeking Students
LSU offers admission to students desiring to take graduate courses without pursuing a graduate degree. Minimally, the Graduate School requires non-degree applicants to meet the same admission requirements previously listed. We advise you to contact the specific graduate program for guidance on admission requirements and which courses are eligible for non-degree registration.
Currently, the non-degree seeking option is not available for LSU Online.
Please note that enrollment as a non-degree student does not guarantee subsequent admission to a degree program.
Readmission
Readmission only applies to students previously enrolled in a graduate program at LSU. Former students must apply for readmission if they do not enroll for three consecutive terms, including a summer term. All readmission applicants must meet the current admission requirements of the college or school they expect to enter. Readmission is not guaranteed and is subject to availability. Consult the graduate program’s admission requirements.
Please Note: If you are currently enrolled or have been enrolled within the past 12 months, in an LSU A&M graduate program, you are not required to submit an application for admission. You must submit a Request for Change of Degree Program Form located on our Forms Webpage. All application fees are non-refundable. Please email Academic Services at gradsvcs@lsu.edu.
Graduate Degree Program Requirements
Graduate degree programs have admission requirements, often more rigorous than those set by the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School. Applicants can upload the required documents, such as; standardized exam results, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, a writing sample, or an application for a graduate assistantship in SLATE.
- The Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School does not require the submission of official standardized admission test scores from nationally standardized graduate admission test, such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or an equivalent test. Because these tests are required by departments rather than by the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School, contact the program of interest for more information.
- These scores are considered official only when they are sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the testing agency. Examinee copies are not considered official.
- Please use ETS Institution Code 6373 to have the agency send scores to LSU.
- Note: Although there is not a grad school option, we can access your scores if the correct institution code is used.
- GRE/GMAT
- If applying to MS in Athletic Training using ATCAS. use the following code: 4927 (LSU-MS Athletic Training-ATCAS-Grad)
English Language Proficiency
LSU requires every international student to submit official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Pearson's Test of English (PTE). Minimum score requirements for admission to the Graduate School are:
- TOEFL
- Internet-Based Minimum Score: 79
- Paper-Based Minimum Score: 550
- Computer-Based Minimum Score: 213
- IELTS
- Minimum Score: 6.5
- PTE
- Minimum Score: 59
Important Details:
- TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years after the test date. Applicants with expired scores will need to retest and provide updated scores.
- The minimum score to satisfy the English proficiency requirement must be acquired in a single test.
- The Graduate School does not recognize Superscoring or MyBest Score as a valid cumulative score for admission purposes.
- Duolingo is not accepted.
English Language Proficiency Exemptions
U.S. Post-Secondary Degree
Applicants may be exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE requirements if they have completed one of the following:- A bachelor's degree earned from an accredited U.S. institution
- A college-level degree showing the completion of post-secondary education in a country listed below where English is the primary official language
Country of Origin
International applicants from official English language-qualifying countries are not required to submit English language proficiency score. The country of origin list is subject to change. Contact Graduate Admissions with specific questions. Exemption Note: With few exceptions, international students (including those who were exempted from English proficiency requirements) are required to sit for an English Placement Exam.
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- Recommendation letters are a departmental requirement. The recommender can be added during the application process.
- A link is emailed to each recommender with detailed instructions on how to submit the letter directly to the Graduate School.
2024 Application Deadlines
The University deadlines are listed below; however, most academic programs have earlier deadlines than those established by the University or may admit only for a specific term. Prospective
applicants must contact the academic program for those deadlines.
| Applicant (On-Campus) | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Students | June 30 | November 15 | May 1 |
| International Students | April 15 | October 1 | April 15 |
| Non-Degree Students | August 23 | January 17 | May 16 |
Additional Deadlines:
International Services (ISO) deadlines can be found on their website.