Study abroad at Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge is the historic state capital and major port city of Louisiana, situated on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River just 1 hour northwest of New Orleans. Famous for its Italian Renaissance-style State Capitol (the tallest in the US), rich Cajun and Creole cultural heritage, vibrant southern food scene, and major petrochemical corridor (ExxonMobil, Dow), Baton Rouge is home to Louisiana State University (LSU - founded in 1860, the premier flagship R1 Doctoral Research University of Louisiana with over 37,000 students and the famous 'Fighting Tigers'). LSU is internationally renowned for the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering (home to the world's only university-scale Petroleum Engineering Research & Technology Transfer Laboratory PERTT / full-scale training oil well), College of Engineering, E. J. Ourso College of Business, School of Coast and Environment, and School of Veterinary Medicine, alongside Southern University and A&M College (historic HBCU). Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations (AACSB, ABET, SACSCOC). International students benefit from affordable living costs, free Tiger Trails bus network, and direct F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support.

Tuition fees in Baton Rouge for international undergraduate students at Louisiana State University (LSU) range between $28,500 and $31,500 per academic year for Petroleum Engineering, Computer Science, Business, and Coastal Environmental Sciences, while postgraduate Master's and PhD programs range from $24,500 to $30,000 per year (with competitive graduate research and teaching assistantships GRA/GTA providing tuition fee waivers and monthly stipends). On-campus university residence halls (East Campus Apartments, West Campus, Residential Colleges) cost between $650 and $1,150 per month (inclusive of meal plans and utilities), while off-campus student apartments along Burbank Drive, Highland Road, and Nicholson Drive range from $550 to $1,050 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $800 and $1,400.

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement verifying first-year tuition and living expenses), LSU's International Services office (IS) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate.