How to apply to Louisiana State University for engineering: apply to LSU with an engineering major, then enter the College of Engineering automatically with 24 hours, a 2.00 GPA and a C in calculus, with admission routes and prerequisites for U.S., international (including Chinese) and transfer students

At Louisiana State University (LSU, Baton Rouge), undergraduate engineering is offered by the College of Engineering. Here is what you need to know, based on official LSU information, for U.S. students, international students and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Engineering majors

• Eleven undergraduate majors: the programs page says the college offers 11 undergraduate fields of study: biological, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, mechanical and petroleum engineering, plus computer science and construction management. Computer science is covered in a separate guide.
• ABET: the site says the college’s engineering programs are ABET accredited and lists biological, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, mechanical and petroleum engineering and computer science; construction management is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE).
• College features: the parents page mentions an engineering residential college (Camellia Hall, for first-year students with a declared College of Engineering major), a German for Engineers program, and the Distinguished Communicator Certification; online programs are also offered.

2. Admission: apply to LSU, then enter the college automatically

• Choose the major when you apply to LSU: first-year students apply only through the Common App. The parents page says applicants not currently enrolled apply through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and select the desired engineering major.
• Entering the College of Engineering: the future-student FAQ says students in University College (the Center for the Freshman Year, UCFY, and the Center for Advising and Counseling, UCAC) with a declared engineering, computer science or construction management major are admitted to the college automatically once they have:
  • 24 or more semester hours of earned credit in courses numbered 1000 or above;
  • LSU and cumulative GPAs of 2.00 or better;
  • a C in one of MATH 1550 (5 hours), MATH 1551 (5 hours), or both MATH 1530 and MATH 1540 (6 hours); construction management majors may also use MATH 1431 (3 hours).
• Petroleum engineering adds a 2.8 GPA on all courses applied to the petroleum engineering degree.
• How it is processed: the parents page says a program is run after each semester to admit eligible University College students automatically.
• Guarantee and limits: the pages say students who meet the criteria are admitted automatically and mention no enrollment cap or what happens if criteria are missed (not published; contact Engineering Student Services, engr@lsu.edu, 225-578-5731).
• Coming from other LSU colleges: the FAQ encourages students to meet with the college’s Student Services (Patrick F. Taylor Hall 2228). The transfer page lists slightly different senior-college criteria for engineering: 24 hours at the 1000 level or above, a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a C or better in MATH 1550, plus a 2.8 engineering GPA for petroleum engineering. The two pages cover different groups of students and the GPA thresholds differ (2.00 and 2.5); we give both, and the college can confirm which applies.

3. Prerequisites

• High school preparation: the parents page recommends high-level math (preferably calculus), physics, chemistry, computer science and engineering courses. The site does not list required high school course counts; admissions reviews overall performance, rigor, grade trend and performance in courses related to the intended major.
• Math placement (ALEKS): the Department of Mathematics says an appropriate ALEKS PPL score is the only prerequisite for MATH 1510, 1530, 1550 and 1551, and that prior coursework and high ACT scores are not sufficient; ALEKS can be taken up to 5 times a year. Under the placement chart effective December 2025, an ALEKS score of 76 or higher places into MATH 1550 (or 1510 or 1530), and 81 or higher into MATH 1551 (honors).
• AP, IB and CLEP credit (math department page): AP Calculus AB 4+ (or the AB subscore on BC), AP Calculus BC 3, IB math 5 or CLEP Calculus 56+ earn credit for MATH 1021 and MATH 1550 (8 hours) with placement into MATH 1552/1553; AP Calculus BC 4+ earns MATH 1021, 1022, 1550 and 1552 (15 hours) with placement into MATH 2057/2058. AP Calculus AB 3 or IB math 4 earn MATH 1021 and either 1431 or 1530 (6 hours) with no direct placement; to take 1530, 1550 or 1551 you use the ALEKS chart. The page says only “IB math”, without HL or SL. Whether credit counts toward a given engineering degree plan is shown on the flowcharts.

4. How and when to apply (freshmen)

• Application: the Common App only, which also serves as the application for LSU scholarships; $50 fee, with fee waivers available.
• Dates: the Common App for 2027 entry terms is open. The freshman page gives a scholarship priority deadline of 1 December and a regular deadline of 1 February; the College of Engineering’s scholarship page gives 15 December as the priority deadline for college scholarships. We give both. Required materials need not be in before you submit the Common App.
• Testing: applicants with a cumulative weighted high school GPA below 3.5 must submit the ACT or SAT; those with 3.5 or higher may choose. There is no minimum score and LSU superscores. The admitted class profile on the page gives a middle 50%: GPA 3.6–4.1, ACT 24–29, SAT 1170–1350 (excluding test-optional students; a university-wide figure, not engineering-specific).
• Transcript and recommendation: transcripts can be self-reported in STARS or sent by your counselor. The freshman page lists no recommendation letter, while the scholarship page says to submit a letter of recommendation from an academic source; the two disagree, so follow what LSU tells you. The site does not mention an engineering-specific essay.

5. U.S. students: costs and scholarships

• Fall 2026 tuition (15 hours, with mandatory fees): the differential tuition list puts the engineering majors, computer science and construction management in Tier 2: $6,483.75 for Louisiana residents and $14,825.75 for non-residents; University College freshmen pay the same figures. Spring 2027 is preliminary. The cost page’s average 2026-27 tuition and fees are $12,886 (resident) and $29,562 (non-resident).
• Estimated cost on campus (fall 2026 and spring 2027, including tuition, housing, food, books, transportation and personal costs): $39,446 for residents and $56,122 for non-residents. 2027-28 costs have not been published. Any additional engineering-specific fee is not listed separately.
• University scholarships: the Common App is also the scholarship application, with holistic review: Louisiana residents receive $500 to $4,600 a year plus TOPS; non-residents $13,000 to $23,000 a year. The Stamps Scholarship and Chancellor’s Alumni Award (apply by 1 December) cover full cost of attendance for four years (about $33,000 a year for residents and $50,000 for non-residents for Stamps).
• College of Engineering freshman scholarships: students who apply by 15 December, are admitted and list an engineering major are considered automatically, with offers made February to April. There are also a $1,500 Pre-Engineering Pathway Gold STEM Seal scholarship, a FIRST Robotics scholarship ($1,000 a year for up to four years) and a $1,000 VEX scholarship; the application deadline on the page for these is 15 April 2026, which is last cycle’s, so verify the 2027 date. The college’s home page says it awards about 1,600 scholarships totalling more than $3.5 million.

6. International students

• Education and grades: the equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma with an academic average equivalent to a B (3.0 or better on the U.S. 4-point scale); non-academic courses such as physical education, vocational, religion, art and music are excluded. ACT or SAT scores are strongly encouraged. Students with A-levels, IB higher-level exams or other study beyond year 12 should send certificates, transcripts and syllabi for possible credit.
• English: for non-native speakers, TOEFL web-based 79 (paper 550), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 100. Exemptions include four years of U.S. high school, a U.S. bachelor’s degree, an SAT EBRW of 500 or ACT English of 18, secondary or tertiary education in a country where English is the primary official language, or meeting U.S. transfer requirements. Admitted international students (except some transfers with English credit) take an English placement test before registration.
• Materials and dates: online application with a $50 fee; official transcripts from every school (original plus English translation), sent at least 120 days before the semester. The deadlines on the international page are for 2025 (spring 2025: 1 October 2024; summer 2025: 15 March 2025; fall 2025: 15 April 2025); they have not been updated for 2027, so confirm with admissions. The freshman page says first-year applicants use only the Common App, and the international page does not say whether international freshmen do the same.
• Proof of funds: not stated on the international page we read.
• Scholarships: LSU says it does not currently offer scholarship programs specifically for international students; an international entering freshman who attended a U.S. high school or an American school in another country can be considered for the regular freshman scholarships. The engineering scholarship page does not state eligibility for international students separately.

7. Applicants from China

• Records: the international page does not list requirements by country; it asks for transcripts in the original language with English translation, with LSU’s enrollment management office evaluating credentials and grading scales. Whether and how the overall Gaokao score is used is not published, and requirements specific to the graduation certificate (会考) are not listed.
• Country page, interview, evaluation agency: not published; contact LSU admissions or the college’s Student Services.
• Calculus: AP Calculus and IB math scores can earn credit for MATH 1550 (section 3), and students with A-levels or IB higher-level courses can submit certificates, transcripts and syllabi for possible credit.

8. Internships and co-ops

• The college’s internships page describes an internship as about three months in the summer and a co-op as four months in a fall or spring semester; the parents page says the Engineering Career Center helps with internships from the first year. Whether co-ops carry credit and whether international students may take them is not published on the pages we read.

9. Transfer students

• University criteria: 30 or more transferable academic credit hours, a 2.5 GPA on all transferable work, and a C or better in a college-level English course and a college-level math course; or the LSU Pathway Program, or an associate degree. Applicants with fewer than 30 hours also send their high school transcript; ACT/SAT scores are optional. The Common App is the only application; the fee is $50.
• Entering the College of Engineering: the transfer page lists 24 hours at the 1000 level or above, a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a C or better in MATH 1550, plus a 2.8 GPA in engineering coursework for petroleum engineering. Students with more than 60 hours who do not meet this may be eligible for the University College Center for Advising & Counseling. Students changing majors on transfer still have all coursework evaluated against the published requirements.
• Dates: the transfer page gives no specific deadlines (not published on the page we read).
• International transfers: credit from international institutions needs the equivalent of a 3.0; those with under 30 transferable hours must also qualify for freshman admission. Credit from U.S. institutions needs a 2.50 GPA and 30 hours including college-level English and math.

Checklist

U.S. students:

• Apply with the Common App and select an engineering major; 1 December for scholarship priority, 15 December for college scholarships, 1 February regular deadline
• Reach 24 hours, a 2.00 GPA and a C in MATH 1550 (or equivalent) for automatic entry to the college; place with ALEKS or AP/IB

International students (including applicants from China):

• High school average equivalent to a B (3.0); TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 100; the international page still lists 2025 deadlines, so verify
• Gaokao use is not published; transcripts in the original language with English translation

Transfer students:

• 30+ hours, 2.5 GPA, C in English and math; for the college add 24 hours, 2.5 GPA and a C in MATH 1550

Sources: Louisiana State University, College of Engineering undergraduate programs; ABET accreditation; Future student FAQ (entering the college); Parents page; Engineering freshman scholarships; Internships and co-ops; Freshman applicants; International students; Transfer applicants; Understanding costs; 2026-27 undergraduate tuition (PDF); Differential tuition FAQ (PDF); Incoming student scholarships; Math placement and credit (Department of Mathematics). Costs for 2027-28 have not been published; those quoted are for fall 2026 and spring 2027. The international page still lists 2025 deadlines. Check LSU’s website for the latest.