How to apply to Louisiana State University for biology: Biological Sciences in the College of Science, with majors in biological sciences (marine and secondary-education concentrations), biochemistry and microbiology, with admission and prerequisite guidance for U.S., international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants

Louisiana State University (LSU) is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Undergraduate biology is offered by the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science; the undergraduate office is in 101 Life Sciences Building, phone 225-578-5224. This guide follows the university’s website and covers U.S. students, international students and applicants from China, then transfer students, for 2027 entry. Chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering and the health professions are not covered here.

What was and was not available: the biology department home page, undergraduate program page, academic advising page, undergraduate research page (with the BIOL 3999 syllabus) and pre-medical and pre-dental page were read, along with the university’s admissions and cost pages. Detailed course requirements for each major are in the university catalog, which was not used; the major links on the department page point to the catalog, so required and elective course lists are given only as far as the department and pre-health pages show and are otherwise “not published on the pages read here”.

1. Degrees and options

• Majors (undergraduate program page): the department offers degrees in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Microbiology; Biological Sciences has a no-concentration option, a Marine Concentration and a Secondary Education Concentration; there is also a minor in biological sciences. The page does not say whether the degree titles are BS or BA; not published on the pages read here.
• Credit structure: the page says all degrees require 23 to 25 hours of core courses and a minimum of 14 to 17 hours of upper-division electives, with various limitations on the choice of upper-division electives depending on the degree.
• Marine biology: the department’s marine biology page notes that it is hard to immerse yourself in marine biology when you are hours from the ocean, and lists summer marine biology courses and programs elsewhere (such as the Institute for Tropical Marine Studies experiences, Salt Spray experiences with off-campus internships, research experiences in South Africa, SEA Semester at Woods Hole and the Pacific Whale Foundation), many with scholarships or financial aid, and advises checking whether credits transfer to LSU before paying; it also links to what is happening at LUMCON in Cocodrie.
• Biochemistry and Microbiology: their required and elective course lists are in the catalog and not published on the pages read here. The department page also links Data Science and the Introductory Biology Program; only the latter was read, and it says the program covers the introductory 1000-level biology courses for science and non-science majors.
• Other: dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing, public health and similar professional degrees are outside this article; pre-medical and pre-dental information is in section 3.

2. How admission works: you apply to the university; biology is in the College of Science and has no separate admission

• Apply to the university, not to a college: first-year applicants use only the Common Application, which is also the scholarship application. The senior-colleges page lists Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Microbiology under the College of Science; LSU divides its majors into 12 senior colleges. The pages read here give no separate admission line for the biology majors and do not say whether places are limited.
• Entry to the College of Science: the transfer page gives the College of Science entry conditions (section 9), including a C or better in BIOL 1201, BIOL 1202, CHEM 1201 and MATH 1550 for Biology, Biochemistry and Microbiology majors. How and when new first-year students meet them is not detailed on the pages read here. The College of Science freshman advising page says declared College of Science majors take SCI 1001 (Becoming a Scientist), a 1-hour course, in their first fall.
• Choosing a major at application, changing later: the freshman page says the review looks at “performance in courses related to your intended major” but does not say whether a major must be named on the application or when it can be changed; not published on the pages read here, so ask admissions or the College of Science (science@lsu.edu, 225-578-4200). Students still in University College (which includes “undecided”) later enter their senior college.
• Pre-med and pre-dental are not majors: the freshman advising page says pre-professional programs such as pre-medical and pre-dental are tracks, not official majors; students listed as pre-medical or pre-dental are advised on the Biological Sciences curriculum unless they have declared another major. College of Science counselors provide pre-health advising to all LSU students.
• Academic advising (department advising page): use the majors’ requirements and recommended paths as an “electronic advisor”; call the Office of Undergraduate Studies in Biological Sciences (101 Life Sciences Building, 225-578-5224, Dr. Donze); ask a research or classroom faculty member to advise you; or see the College of Science (124 Hatcher Hall, 225-578-4200) for degree requirements, residency requirements and graduation issues.
• Chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering and the health professions (medicine, dentistry, nursing, public health) are outside this article; see the website.

3. Prerequisites and course advice

• High school biology, chemistry and math: the freshman page gives no list of required high school courses, and the department pages do not give high school prerequisite advice; not published on the pages read here.
• Math placement (ALEKS): the College of Science freshman advising page says schedules are built from the declared major, college credit already earned (AP, IB, dual enrollment), ACT/SAT scores, the ALEKS math assessment and course availability. The appropriate ALEKS math score is the only prerequisite for MATH 1530, 1550 and 1551, and prior coursework and high ACT scores are not sufficient.
• Introductory biology: the College of Science transfer conditions name BIOL 1201, BIOL 1202 (called Biology for Science Majors in the pre-health table), CHEM 1201 and MATH 1550 for Biology, Biochemistry and Microbiology majors; the pre-health table lists Biology for Science Majors I and II as BIOL 1201 with lab 1208 and BIOL 1202 with lab 1209. The Introductory Biology Program page says the program covers the introductory 1000-level biology courses for science and non-science majors.
• AP / IB credit: the College of Science advising page says AP, IB and dual-enrollment credit is used in scheduling, and the international page says applicants with advanced-level exams or IB Higher Level should send certificates, transcripts and syllabi for possible advanced-placement credit. The score-to-course tables for AP Biology, AP Chemistry, IB Biology and similar exams are not published on the pages read here, so ask admissions.
• Pre-medical and pre-dental course table (the department’s pre-health page, for biological sciences majors; other majors should see the College of Science pre-health page): 8 hours of general biology with lab (BIOL 1201/1208, 1202/1209); 8 hours of general/inorganic chemistry with lab (CHEM 1201, 1202, 1212); 8 hours of organic chemistry with lab (CHEM 2261, 2262, 2364); 8 hours of general physics with lab (PHYS 2001/2108, 2002/2109); 3 hours of biochemistry (BIOL 4087 or 4093); 6 hours of English (ENGL 1001, 2000); and 3 hours of statistics (EXST 2201). Recommended courses include Cell Biology BIOL 3090, Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates BIOL 3152 and Developmental Zoology BIOL 3156, among others. The page says the department’s three majors include the courses required by most medical and dental schools.
• GPA and grade minimums: for each major these are in the catalog and not published on the pages read here. For students with fewer than 60 hours who want to enroll in 3000-level courses, the College of Science requires a GPA of at least 2.0 overall and at LSU, a C- or higher in math and science courses, a C- or higher in one of MATH 1022, 1023, 1530, 1550 or 1551, and credit in BIOL 1202, CHEM 1202 and MATH 1550 (BIOL 3999 syllabus).
• Labs, thesis or research requirement: lab requirements for each major are in the catalog and not published on the pages read here; research courses are below.
• Biology competitions: the pages read here do not say how competitions are viewed in admission, so nothing is claimed.

3 (continued). Undergraduate research and honors

• Getting started (undergraduate research page): the department has over sixty researchers who are often willing to take undergraduates. There are two main routes: part-time work in a laboratory (some students are supported by scholarships or work-study awards, some by a faculty member’s grant) or formal enrollment in the upper-division course BIOL 3999 with a research faculty member. Either way you first identify a mentor from the faculty research interests; all faculty except instructors can serve as mentors.
• BIOL 3999 Undergraduate Research (syllabus PDF): needs department permission and is restricted to juniors and seniors (at least 60 credit hours); the advisor must be a full or adjunct member of the department; 1 credit hour is earned for each 3 clock hours of research a week on average, 1 to 3 hours a semester, with a maximum of 6 hours toward a degree, of which 3 may be advanced BCH, BIOL or MBIO electives and up to 3 approved free electives; BIOL 3999 cannot be used as a laboratory course requirement; it is letter graded. Enrollment needs a course permission/plan-of-study form signed by the student and faculty advisor, sent to the Undergraduate Office or dropped off at 101 Life Sciences Building. The syllabus says students with fewer than 60 hours may take 3000-level courses only if they meet the College of Science conditions (above).
• Department honors: the research page says students who enroll in BIOL 3999 to gain research experience and/or to pursue “Upper Division Honors” can find the requirements in the linked BIOL 3999 syllabus; the syllabus as read here does not state specific honors requirements, so they are not published on the pages read here.

4. Deadlines and materials

• First-year deadlines (freshman page, which says the Common App for all 2027 entry terms is open): December 1 is the priority deadline for scholarships and February 1 the regular decision deadline.
• Platform and fee: first-year applicants use only the Common Application, which is also the application for LSU scholarships and for the Ogden Honors College; the fee is $50, with fee waivers for eligible students.
• Academic record: required from every high school attended: self-report grades through STARS (Self-reported Transcript and Academic Record System) in the LSU admissions portal after applying, exactly as they appear on the transcript; the counselor can also send the transcript through Parchment, the Common App, Slate.org, email or mail. The page says other materials need not be in before you submit the application.
• What is reviewed: the page lists overall high school performance, rigor of coursework, grade trend, performance in courses related to the intended major, and test scores if submitted.
• Essays and recommendations: the first-year page does not say whether they are required, or whether a science teacher’s letter is needed; not published on the pages read here, so ask admissions (the Ogden Honors College adds a writing sample, below).
• Tests: see section 5.

5. U.S. students

• Testing (freshman page): applicants whose cumulative weighted high school GPA is below 3.5 must submit an ACT or SAT score for admission and merit scholarships. Those with 3.5 or higher may choose on the Common App whether scores are considered; if not, the admission and scholarship decision ignores scores and you are not viewed negatively. There is no minimum score, and when scores are considered the highest score is used with superscoring. Codes: ACT 1590, SAT 6373. Admitted-class profile (excluding test-optional students): GPA middle 50% 3.6 to 4.1, average 3.9; ACT 24 to 29, average 27; SAT 1170 to 1350, average 1250.
• Tuition (2026-27 undergraduate tuition PDF, which says totals include required fees and that the Board of Supervisors may change them at any time): the differential tuition FAQ lists Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Microbiology in the differential-tuition second tier (Tier 2). Tier 2 for fall 2026 at 15 hours is $6,483.75 for residents and $14,825.75 for non-residents; at 12 hours $6,353.35 and $14,695.35; spring 2027 (preliminary) at 15 hours $6,481.75 and $14,816.75. The differential tuition FAQ says students still in University College are charged Tier 1 plus an $8-per-credit-hour advising fee and move to their major’s tier once admitted to their senior college; differential tuition applies in fall, winter intersession and spring but not summer; students with two majors pay one rate, based on the primary program. The undergraduate “Total Required Fees” line is $1,692, which the tuition table says is already included in its totals. Fall 2027 tuition and housing and meal costs are not published on the pages read here.
• Scholarships: the freshman page says the Common App is also the LSU scholarship application and December 1 is the priority date. The College of Science says freshman scholarships are decided by a committee from the information in the LSU application, with students who meet the university priority deadline considered; continuing-student scholarships and outstanding-student awards are applied for in LSU’s Blackbaud award system. Amounts are not stated on the pages read here.
• Ogden Honors College (honors admissions page): highly competitive, based on high school GPA, ACT or SAT and a writing sample; the recommended criteria listed are a 3.5 high school GPA, a 30 ACT composite with 30 in English or a 1360 SAT with 670 in reading and writing, and the writing sample is due by December 1 for full consideration.
• Scholarships of the Department of Biological Sciences: the biology pages read here list no department scholarships for incoming students; see the College of Science scholarships above. The department’s research page says some students are supported by scholarships or work-study awards that fund campus jobs in research laboratories, and sometimes by a faculty member’s research grant.
• In-state residents: in-state and out-of-state tuition differ (above); priority or guaranteed admission for residents is not stated on the pages read here.

6. International students

• Who counts: anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; anyone with international secondary or post-secondary credentials follows the international requirements regardless of citizenship, immigration or visa status.
• Applying: online application with a $50 non-refundable fee. The international page lists deadlines of April 15, 2025 for fall 2025, October 1, 2024 for spring 2025 and March 15, 2025 for summer 2025, which are out of date; they sit alongside the first-year page’s 2027 Common App with December 1 and February 1 dates, so ask admissions which deadline applies to you. The page says all documents should be sent at least 120 days before the start of a semester.
• Transcripts and credentials: after applying, send official transcripts from every secondary school, college and university attended (in the original language with an English translation, in the school’s sealed envelope) to admissions; the Office of Enrollment Management alone evaluates international credentials and grading scales. First-year applicants need the equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma with an average equivalent to a B (3.0 on the 4-point scale), computed from academic courses only; the page strongly encourages ACT or SAT scores. Applicants with advanced-level exams, IB Higher Level exams or schooling beyond the 12th year should send official certificates, transcripts and course syllabi for possible advanced-placement credit.
• English: applicants whose native language is not English, or who were educated in a country or province where English is not the only official language, need TOEFL or IELTS; scores for automatic admission are TOEFL paper 550, TOEFL web 79, IELTS 6.5 and Duolingo 100. Exemptions: a U.S. high school diploma after four years in the U.S.; a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution; an SAT EBRW of 500 or ACT English of 18; qualifying U.S. transfer work; or secondary or tertiary education in a country where English is the primary official language. Admitted international students (except transfer students with qualifying English credit from an accredited U.S. institution) take an English placement test before registration.
• Proof of funds: not stated on the pages read here; ask admissions.
• International scholarships and aid: the pages read here have no international-specific scholarship section; the freshman page says the Common App is also the LSU scholarship application, and whether it applies to international students is not stated, so ask admissions.

7. Applicants from China

• The admissions pages have no China-specific page or gaokao note. Whether the gaokao is considered and how, and the exact requirements for Chinese high school transcripts and huikao materials, are not published on the pages read here; under the general international rules you submit sealed official transcripts in the original language with an English translation, and LSU’s Office of Enrollment Management evaluates the credentials itself.
• English requirements are in section 6; email admissions@lsu.edu to confirm the materials for Chinese applicants.
• For IB or advanced-level coursework, the page only says to send certificates, transcripts and syllabi for evaluation and gives no score table.

8. Outcomes

• The department home page says it has more than 80 faculty and instructors and more than 1,000 students seeking a Biological Sciences degree (both sourced to the LSU College of Science). The undergraduate page says each degree gives a comprehensive background for graduate study, secondary education and professional programs in medicine, dentistry, optometry and veterinary medicine.
• The pre-medical and pre-dental page says the department’s three majors (Biochemistry, Biological Sciences and Microbiology) include the courses required by most medical and dental schools; between 155 and 175 LSU graduates were admitted annually to U.S. medical schools over the last four years, and more than 80% of them earned degrees in the department; and College of Science students have a success rate above the national average. These are the department’s statements; the pages read here give no overall placement rate or salary for LSU biology graduates.

9. Transfer students

• LSU transfer requirements (transfer page): 30 or more transferable (academic, non-remedial) credit hours from a regionally accredited institution; a 2.5 academic GPA on all transferable work attempted; and a C or better in a college-level general-education English course and in a college-level general-education math course. Or completion of the LSU Pathway Program (through LSUE), or an Associate of Science or Associate of Arts degree. Only students with fewer than 30 transferable hours by the start of the term need to send a final high school transcript; ACT/SAT are not required but may be reported. LSU recalculates the transfer GPA itself, which may differ from the transcript. Students who change majors on transferring still have all coursework checked against the transfer requirements.
• College of Science entry conditions (the College of Science entry in the transfer page’s senior-college requirements): 24 hours in 1000-level courses or higher; a 2.0 LSU and cumulative GPA (2.5 for transfer students); a C or better in ENGL 1001; a C or better in all math and science courses; a C or better in any one of MATH 1022, 1023, 1550 or 1551; Biology, Biochemistry and Microbiology majors also need a C or better in BIOL 1201, BIOL 1202, CHEM 1201 and MATH 1550; a 2.5 LSU and cumulative GPA for the secondary-education concentrations in biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics and physics. Contact science@lsu.edu, 225-578-4200.
• How to apply: Common App (transfer version) only, $50 fee; ask each institution attended to send official transcripts; the transfer page prints no deadline, so check the website.
• International transfer students: for international institutions, all transferable credit needs the equivalent of a 3.0, and applicants with under 30 hours must also meet the first-year requirements; for regionally accredited U.S. institutions a GPA of at least 2.5 and 30 hours including English and mathematics; with both, a 3.0 for the international part and 2.5 for the U.S. part, or a combined GPA of 2.5 or higher with C-equivalent grades in the international courses. ESL, native-language and vocational or technical courses earn no transfer credit.
• Credit transfer: the transfer page has “How credits transfer” and the Tiger Transfer Tables, which were not read here; ask admissions and the Department of Biological Sciences how biology courses transfer.

Checklist

U.S. students:

• Apply by December 1 (scholarship priority) or February 1 (regular) through the Common App; $50 fee; self-reported grades (STARS) and counselor transcript; SAT/ACT required if the weighted GPA is below 3.5
• After admission: take the ALEKS math assessment, schedule with the College of Science guidance, take SCI 1001; ask the biology undergraduate office (101 Life Sciences Building, 225-578-5224) about research and advising

International students (including applicants from China):

• Common App or the international online application (check the deadline with admissions); $50 fee; sealed transcripts in the original language with an English translation; TOEFL web 79, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 100 (unless exempt)
• Applicants from China: gaokao use and transcript requirements are not published, so confirm with admissions; take the English placement test before registration

Transfer students:

• 30 or more transferable hours, a 2.5 GPA, and C or better in general-education English and math (or the LSUE Pathway Program / an associate degree); Biology, Biochemistry and Microbiology majors also need C or better in BIOL 1201, 1202, CHEM 1201 and MATH 1550; check the deadline with admissions

Sources: Louisiana State University, Department of Biological Sciences; Biological Sciences undergraduate program; Biological Sciences academic advising; Biological Sciences undergraduate research; BIOL 3999 syllabus; Biological Sciences marine biology; Biological Sciences pre-medical and pre-dental information; Introductory Biology Program; Transfer credit eligibility; College of Science: incoming freshman advising; College of Science: scholarships; Majors by senior college; Freshman admissions; International admissions; Transfer admissions; Ogden Honors College admissions; 2026-27 undergraduate tuition; Required fees; Differential tuition FAQ. Costs are for 2026-2027 and application dates are for 2027 entry. Check the LSU website for the latest.