International Programs

HECTOR ZAPATA
Interim Associate Vice Chancellor

 The role of International Programs at LSU is to provide and facilitate global activities that lead to learning, discovery, diversity, and engagement in keeping with the spirit of the LSU Flagship Agenda. Complementing Louisiana’s rich history of global commerce, International Programs is the port of connectivity to a world that is becoming increasingly flatter and easier to navigate. We establish and maintain partnerships with international universities and institutions through which we develop opportunities for students and faculty to achieve a higher level of global awareness, competency, and engagement. Four IP units facilitate the mobility of students and faculty around the world. Academic Programs Abroad provide study abroad experiences for students; International Services and the International Cultural Center serve LSU’s international students, scholars, and faculty; Development and Outreach establish the legal framework that enables exchanges of students, faculty, research, and expertise worldwide.

Through its support of all aspects of international education, International Programs contribute to the formation of human capital that makes LSU students and faculty more globally competent and competitive by:

• Making internationalization an integral part of learning, discovery, diversity, and engagement activities;
• Promoting the involvement of all students in significant international education experiences;
• Creating and maintaining an inviting and stimulating environment for academic and cultural experiences for international students and scholars;
• Facilitating an increase in participation by faculty and professional staff in international activities;
• Assisting academic units in internationalizing their curriculum;• Assisting academic units in internationalizing their curriculum;
• Promoting and facilitating interdisciplinary collaborative research and scholarship; and
• Enhancing international awareness as part of an appropriate balance in student and faculty engagement.

Academic Programs Abroad

Students participating in Academic Programs Abroad (APA) travel worldwide to study for a summer, semester, or academic year. Students earn credit toward LSU degrees and return to LSU to complete their degree. Study abroad is open to all majors.

Through overseas study, students are immersed in foreign languages and cultures, have access to course work unavailable on the home campus, develop personal independence and global awareness, and enjoy academic and travel opportunities that enrich their general education. Many students find that studying abroad gives them an advantage in the job market and in applying for graduate school. Others discover routes to international careers in business, government, law, the arts, and engineering.

Students select from a variety of options. Many join group programs led by LSU faculty, to such locations as London, Paris, Beijing, and Buenos Aires. Others participate in exchange and junior year abroad programs, which place students directly in overseas universities where they study alongside natives of the host countries. Others participate in domestic exchanges to over 170 U. S. universities in places such as New York, California, and Hawaii. Some students join programs offered by other U. S. schools or enroll directly at a foreign university.

Summer programs are open to all students with a 2.5 grade point average or better, regardless of classification. International semester or year-long exchanges are open to juniors with a 2.75 grade point average or better. Domestic exchanges are open to sophomores who have a 2.5 grade point average or better.

Students receive academic credit for study abroad. In LSU faculty-led programs, students receive regular credit in LSU courses, just as they would on campus. In exchange programs and direct-enrollment programs, students earn the credits at the host institution and transfer them to LSU. Prior approval of course selection is required of all students who desire credit for overseas course work. During the period students are away on exchange, they are concurrently enrolled at LSU. Only students who are enrolled at LSU the semester prior to the semester of study abroad are eligible for concurrent enrollment.

Students scheduled for full-time studies abroad may use TOPS and most LSU and federal financial aid for their programs. Other scholarship opportunities specifically for study abroad are also available.

The best time for students to begin thinking about study abroad is during the freshman year. At this time, students can select courses to take abroad and those to complete at LSU. They can also prepare for any language or other skills necessary for the overseas experience.

Academic Programs Abroad also provides information on work and internship opportunities overseas.

Interested students are urged to contact Academic Programs Abroad, 103 Hatcher Hall, or call 225-578-6801 for information and an application.

International Services

International Services (IS) provides advisory services to international students regarding their educational, financial, immigration, and personal concerns. Similar services are available to international faculty, staff, and research scholars. International Services is responsible for approving the U.S. visa clearance of F and J nonimmigrant students based on financial and immigration information. This office prepares documentation and processes electronic records necessary for F and J international students to achieve and/or maintain proper nonimmigrant F and J student status in the U.S. It organizes orientation programs for all new international students and employees. IS is also responsible for the university’s federal regulations compliance with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration.

All F and J nonimmigrant international students seeking permission to work on or off campus must receive approval from this office.

The IS assists with the coordination of the university’s international student services and programs with community organizations, faculty, campus and student groups, and governmental and private agencies. At this office, international students may apply for very small, short-term personal emergency loans.

All F and J visa status holders are billed for the mandatory university student status compliance charge each semester of registration.

International Cultural Center

The International Cultural Center (ICC) is a cultural and activity center largely funded and governed by international students. Typical ICC programs include social events and excursions, workshops, music, satellite television delivery of live sports from around the world, and theater productions. Space is also available for short-term and emergency overnight accommodations for newly arrived international students and other international guests on a first-come, first-served basis. The ICC also provides pickup services for new international students at the airport or bus station, as well as assistance when needed in finding housing and obtaining a social security number.

With its computer mini-lab and new wireless connection to “LSU Secure” throughout the building, the ICC offers ideal study space until closing time at 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The ICC is also an occasional venue for rental by the general LSU and Baton Rouge community for events related to the ICC’s mission of enabling international students to have a truly multidimensional experience at LSU and to promote international understanding.

Development and Outreach

Development and Outreach promotes an international presence for our university and our faculty through internationally oriented study, research, and projects on campus and abroad.

The staff works with faculty to secure funding from government and non-government agencies to develop mutually beneficial outreach projects that support economic development in Louisiana and other parts of the world.

Serving as the major campus resource for best practices in comprehensive internationalization, the unit also establishes international bilateral and multilateral agreements that serve as the vehicle for research, faculty, and student exchanges abroad. This engagement encourages use of LSU faculty expertise to address real-world issues and strives to make LSU students more competitive in the post-graduate world.