Admission & Registration - Admission FAQ
STOP! Please review the department's latest admissions update with relation to the Covid-19 pandemic before proceeding as some of the below information may not be currently applicable. If you have any questions, please email the Graduate Coordinator (cegrad@lsu.edu).
How much does it cost to attend a Louisiana State University graduate program?
- All potential students can and should review the LSU fee schedule here: http://www.bgtplan.lsu.edu/fees.htm
- All international students should review the International Services' Office page on Estimated Expenses.
Is there a GRE Prep Course available?
- LSU Test Prep in Continuing Education coordinates a GRE Prep Course.
- You can also find out information about the GRE exam at https://www.takethegre.com/
Does the CEE graduate program provide unofficial reviews of a person’s credentials prior to the submission of an application?
No. Unfortunately this would be too time-consuming. Applicants must carefully review the Graduate School and CEE graduate program admission requirements to determine if they (at least) meet the minimum requirements for admission.
What is the deadline for applying to the CEE graduate program?
The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering follows the application deadlines set forth by the LSU Graduate School. Applications for the summer semester are highly discouraged.
| Applicant (On-Campus) | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Students | June 30 | November 15 | May 1 |
| International Students | April 15 | October 1 | April 15 |
| Non-Degree Seeking Students | August 23 | January 17 | May 16 |
Please note that, especially for international applicants, it is in your best interest
to apply as early as possible. We suggest that you submit the application and supporting
documents no later than 3 months prior to the semester in which you wish to enroll.
Iranian applicants
Iranian applicants must plan on applying and getting admitted to LSU well in advance (we suggest a year in advance of the semester in which you would like to be admitted). During the visa application process, all applicants from Iran are subject to additional security clearances which take several months to complete. It is therefore critical for Iranian applicants to apply as early as possible.
Can the application fee be waived?
No. Though we understand that the application fee may be a financial burden for some, this is a university requirement. The application fee cannot be waived.
Should any documents be mailed directly to the CEE graduate program?
No documents should be mailed directly to the CEE graduate program. Paper documents are discourages, but if necessary, admission documents and scores can be mailed directly to the Graduate School. Documents received by the Graduate School will be reviewed and then uploaded to your application for the department to view.
How can I get my GRE/TOEFL/IELTS score re-sent to LSU?
- If the Graduate School did not receive your official test score from ETS, you will have to contact ETS and ask them to re-send the score to LSU (school code 6373).
- If you have any questions regarding your GRE Report of Scores or want them to re-send your scores to LSU, call Educational Testing Service (ETS) at 1-609-771-7670 or 1-866-473-4373 (toll free for test takers in the U.S., U.S. Territories, and Canada) between 8:00 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. EST or email gre-info@ets.org
Does the CEE graduate program require a writing sample?
No, the CEE graduate program does not require a writing sample to be submitted with your application. However, if an applicant wishes to submit a writing sample, they are welcome to do so.
How can I be considered for financial assistance?
All applications received by the CEE graduate program are considered for both admission and financial assistance at the same time. If you would like to be considered for financial assistance, please make sure that you indicate that on your application. Decisions regarding funding are made by the faculty in charge of the grants from which our graduate assistants are paid. Therefore, we recommend contacting faculty whose research interests align with yours to see if anyone is interested in hiring you as their graduate assistant. View our faculty organized by research area.
Note: There is no departmental form for financial assistance. While some other programs may have a form for financial assistance, we do not.
How much time is required for the department review of a completed application?
Please refer to the application deadlines listed above. Applications received after the application deadlines may be deferred to the next review cycle. Therefore, early applications are strongly encouraged. All faculty in our department issues an admission recommendation for applicants in their area of research. Therefore, it may take a little longer than other departments to review applications. Please allow 1-2 months for departmental review. We then welcome you to email the Graduate Programs Coordinator (cegrad@lsu.edu) to inquire about your application status.
For international students, does the CEE graduate program mail I-20s via express mail?
No, the department no longer express mails I-20s to incoming international students. Once admitted, an international applicant will receive an email directly from the LSU International Services Office (ISO) with instructions regarding the issuance of the I-20. They will also provide you with a way to coordinate the mailing of your I-20 and documents.
Once admitted, how can one get advised about courses and research prior to arriving on campus?
Once our department concludes our review of an application and recommends them for admission, we will email a departmental acceptance letter to the applicant informing them of our recommendation as well as providing them with the information about their assigned faculty advisor. Applicants can contact that faculty member directly with questions regarding course scheduling and research. Also, applicants can search the faculty listings in our website.
Are there any orientation programs for admitted students?
Yes. There are two orientation programs for admitted students:
- The LSU Graduate School hosts a Fall semester orientation for all new graduate students.All new graduate students are strongly encouraged to attend. Please check the Graduate School website for information about their orientation day. Please note that there is no Graduate School orientation for the Spring semester. However, students beginning the program in a Spring semester are strongly encouraged to attend the Fall semester orientation the following academic year.
- For new international students, there is a New International Student Orientation hosted by the LSU International Services Office. This orientation is mandatory. for all new international students. You should receive information about the date, time and location of this orientation with your I20 package is mailed to you. We are aware that some students may not be able to attend the orientation program due to circumstances beyond their control (for example, visa delays, inability to secure a flight for before that date). These late arriving students MUST report to International Services (Room 101 Hatcher Hall) immediately upon their arrival to campus. Failure to do so could potentially prevent them from beginning their employment (if they have received an assistantship offer) and/or losing their lawful immigration status.