Graduate Application Information
- The ECE Graduate Program admits students only for the Fall and
Spring semesters.
- All applicants will automatically be considered for any available
awards but doctoral students are generally given first priority.
- Students should complete applications as early as possible for the
best chance of receiving available awards.
| Semester you are applying for. |
Application Deadline |
| Spring | October 15 |
| Fall | April 15 |
Applicants meeting the following requirements are eligible for admission to the ECE Graduate Program:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or the
equivalent from a foreign institution. A grade point average of at
least 3.00 (“A”= 4.0, “B”=3.0) on all
undergraduate work (or last half-degree requirement) and a 3.00
(“B”) GPA or better on any graduate work already
completed. International applicants must have at least a 3.00
(“B”) GPA, or equivalent, on all college-level work
attempted.
- Acceptable GRE scores. The ECE division does not have a minimum
GRE score but typically, most successful applicants have a GRE verbal
of at least 145 (new scale) or 400 (old scale) and a GRE Quantitative
of at least 155 (new scale) or 700 (old scale). GRE scores are
required for admission in the ECE graduate program and must be
received before a student's application will be evaluated for
admission. GRE scores should be submitted electronically through ETS
using institution code 6373.
- Satisfactory TOEFL or IELTS Scores (See For International
Applicants). TOEFL or IELTS scores should be submitted electronically
through ETS using institution code 6373.
- Statement of Purpose Statement of student's intentions for
graduate study in ECE and should clearly identify an area of interest
(Communication, Computers, Electronics, Power, Systems)
- Resume The resume should highlight the applicant's academic,
professional, and research history. This can be submitted using the on-line
application and a hard copy is not required.
- Three Letters of Recommendation Three (3) letters of recommendation
from a professor (or supervisor) who is able to comment on your
qualifications for graduate study. Letters of recommendations are
required for admission in the ECE graduate program.
- Recommendation for Graduate Studies Supplemental Form
http://www.ece.lsu.edu/grad/pdf/recommend.pdf
- A supplement to be
submitted along with each recommendation letter. It addresses
significant factors that could help determine your admission to our
program and your chance for financial assistance.
NOTE: A scholarly writing sample (as noted on the on-line
application) is NOT REQUIRED for admission into the ECE Graduate
Program.
Students wishing to enter the ECE graduate program should
apply on-line using
the
LSU graduate school application site.
The
following application materials will be collected:
- Official transcripts
- GRE Scores (through ETS using institution code 6373)
- TOEFL or IELTS Scores (through ETS using institution code 6373)
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose
- Letters of recommendation
- The recommender can submit the letter through the on-line
application or
- It can be mailed in a sealed envelope with the signature of the
recommender across the seal to: The Graduate School, Louisiana State
University, 114 West David Boyd, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
- If the recommendation is returned to the applicant, it must
remain sealed from the recommender to be accepted.
- NOTE: Original letters not required if the recommendation was
submitted using the on-line application.
- Recommendation for Graduate Studies Supplemental Form
- The recommender can scan and upload the form
along with the on-line recommendation letter or
- It can be mailed in a sealed envelope with the signature of the recommender across the seal to: The Graduate School, Louisiana State University, 114 West David Boyd, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
- If the recommendation is returned to the applicant, it must remain sealed from the recommender to be accepted.
- The RECOMMENDER can also send this form to the ECE graduate office email at eceapply@lsu.edu.
The division and the University offer a number of financial awards
to new students, including assistantships, fellowships, scholarships
and tuition waivers. When you apply to the ECE division, we will
automatically consider you for all available awards. You are also
encouraged to contact individual faculty members for research
assistantship information. Decision on financial awards can take some
time and you will be contacted if you receive a financial
award.
Please also see the Financial Awards
and Opportunities page.
[See International Applicants section of Prospective
Student Information at the LSU Graduate School
Webpage]
- International applicants are advised to submit the application and
supporting documents at least ten months in advance of the start of
the semester they are seeking admission.
- Submit a copy of the name page of your passport to the graduate
school. For identification purposes in the U.S., the spelling and
order of your names on your LSU application and the U.S. non-immigrant
documentation (Form I-20/Form DS-2019) must match the names on your
passport. If your names on your LSU admissions application do not
match your passport, please send a brief letter of explanation.
- A completed
Affidavit of Support form and supporting financial
documents are required in order for International Services (IS) to
process a Form I-20 (for F-1 student visa) or Form DS-2019 (for J-1
exchange visa). IS cannot process your non-immigrant documents
without this information. (IMPORTANT: The Affidavit of Support is
required only for those individuals who are pursuing F-1 or J-1
student visa status.)
An Affidavit of Support form can be found at the
LSU
International Services page.
NOTE: You can
wait to submit the Affidavit of Support after an admission decision
has been made for you. Your application for admission will be
processed by the admissions staff even if your financial documents are
not included.
- Test score requirements: International applicants must provide an
official TOEFL score of 79 on the internet-based test, 550 on the
paper-based test or 213 on the computer-based or 6.5 on the IELTS test
to be considered for admission. All test scores, including the GRE,
must be submitted prior to admission. Though test scores must be sent
directly by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to be official, you
may submit unofficial copies of your test scores to speed the
processing of your application.
International “OFFICIAL” Documents: Documents submitted to
the Graduate School must be written in the language used for
instruction (original language). An English translation of all
documents submitted must also be included. Documents must be prepared
by the institution which prescribes the curriculum of study. For
applicants from countries whose institutions do not issue official
copies to other institutions, the applicant may provide copies of the
records for review purposes only. The applicant must prove that the
provided documents are official before the admission process is
finalized.
“Official documents” are defined as official records of
transcripts and degree statements in original language AND the English
translations prepared by the institution. These documents must be
sealed in the institution's official envelope with the official stamp
across on the envelope. The individual pages of all documents must be
printed on the institutions letterhead or stamped with the official
logo/signatures of the proper authority. Any document not received in
this manner is considered unofficial. (Signatures of a professor,
government officials other than Ministry of Education, and/or notary
public are NOT accepted as official.)
- For applicants from countries whose institutions do not issue
official copies to other institutions, the applicant may provide
copies of the records for review purposes only. The applicant must
prove that the provided documents are official before the admission
process is finalized.
- Once the Graduate School and the ECE division have approved
admission, and sufficient financial responsibility has been verified,
the International Services Office (ISO) is notified. ISO will then
prepare and issue the appropriate immigration documents to you.
IMPORTANT TIP: It is recommended that all international
applicants visit the International Services
website for additional information regarding visas and
procedures for admitted international students.
When a virtual application is processed by the Office of Graduate
Admissions at the LSU Graduate School, the materials submitted with
the application are immediately viewable by the
division. Transcripts and other official documents sent by mail to
the LSU Graduate School are processed and are also made available to
the division with the virtual application.
The ECE graduate program office will monitor the application until
all required documents are
received, then processes the application to be evaluated review by the
ECE Admissions Committee.
Once the ECE Admissions Committee has completed the evaluation, the
division notifies the LSU Office of Graduate Admissions of an
admission recommendation.
The ECE Admissions Committee evaluates the application and the
division notifies the LSU Office of Graduate Admissions of an
admission recommendation (this can take several days to several weeks
depending on the time of year and faculty schedules).
The LSU Office of Graduate Admissions then conducts the final
evaluation and posts the official decision on the applicant's
account created at the on-line application
site. An e-mail notification is automatically sent to
the e-mail address that was provided by the applicant on the
application.
You can determine the status of your application from the on-line application site.
If the status of the application is “Under Department
Review” you can send an inquiry to
eceapply@lsu.edu to check on
the status of your application in the division.
Students interested in taking ECE graduate level courses as a
non-degree/non-matriculating student should apply for graduate
non-degree admission to the LSU Graduate School using the
the
LSU graduate school application site.
The LSU Graduate School makes all
decisions on non-degree admissions. The division has no opinion on
non-degree admission decisions.
- Non-degree admission is restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
- Requires a 2.50 GPA on all undergraduate work completed and a 3.00 GPA on all graduate work completed.
- No more than 12 hours of combined credit transferred from other schools and earned as an LSU extension or nonmatriculating student may be applied toward a master's degree at LSU.
- Courses taken in an undergraduate classification cannot be transferred into graduate credit
- Course work is taken for academic credit, and all rules and regulations for graduate students apply.
- When can I apply?
- The ECE division admits new graduate students during the Fall
and Spring semesters. New graduate students are not admitted during
the Summer.
- Why has my application status said “Under department
review” for some time and I still do not have a decision?
- “Under department review” status indicates that the
file is complete in the Graduate School and has been forwarded to the
division for review. A file considered complete in the Graduate
School does not necessary mean that the file is complete in the
division. An application in the division in “under department
review” status can either be:
- File is under consideration and pending an admission
recommendation with the division.
- Missing required documents in the division, usually letters of
recommendation. Applicant's needing to contact the division about an
incomplete application should send an email to eceapply@lsu.edu.
- How long does it take for the division to make an admission
recommendation?
- It usually takes several days to several weeks depending on the time
of year and faculty schedules. You can send an inquiry to
eceapply@lsu.edu to check on the status of your application in the
division.
- How do I defer or change my admission to another semester?
- You can contact the LSU Graduate School or you can send you request to
the ECE Graduate Program Office at www.eceapply@lsu.edu. We will send
your request graduate school to have your application updated to the
following semester.
- How long is my Graduate School application valid?
- Your application to the Graduate School will expire in one year. You
must reapply at APPLYYOURSELF and pay the application fee. Depending
on how soon you reapply, you may not need to resend any supporting
documents.
- What types of financial awards are available to incoming students?
- The ECE division offers fellowships and teaching assistantships
to highly qualified incoming students. It also nominates qualified
incoming students for other awards (such as diversity fellowships). In
general, these awards are made to doctoral students joining the
division during the Fall semester. Individual faculty may also offer
research assistantships.
- What are the application deadlines?
- To receive full consideration, the deadlines for students who are not seeking an assistantship are October 15 (for the Spring semester) and April 15 (for the Fall semester). Students are not admitted during the summer and assistantship awards are normally made during the Fall. To receive full consideration for an assistantship you must apply by January 15. There may be separate deadlines for some awards. In all cases, your application must be complete within 30 days of the application deadline.
- What are the minimum GRE, TOEFL/IELTS scores required for admission?
- There is no minimum GRE score. It is one of several considerations used to arrive at an admission decision. Typically, most successful applicants have a GRE verbal of at least 400 and a GRE Math of at least 700.
If required, the minimum TOEFL scores are Internet (79) Computer (213), Paper (550) and the minimum IELTS score is 6.5.
- What are my chances of being admitted to the ECE Graduate Program?
- The admission decision depends on a number of factors including
your academic record, GRE score, TOEFL score, Letters of
Recommendation and your research interests. We do not have a GRE
minimum and an overall aggregate of all of your credentials are taken
into consideration. We cannot evaluate your chances until you have
applied
online to the LSU Graduate School
and we have received your
application materials. Without your application, we are not in a
position to respond to queries concerning your chances of admission.
- I have been admitted and want to know if I will receive financial assistance.
- Graduate assistantships are offered on a competitive basis. If you receive an assistantship, you will be notified by the ECE Graduate Office as soon as a decision has been made.
- How does the admission process work?
- Once we have received all
required application materials, a division committee evaluates
the application (this can take several days to several weeks depending
on the time of year and faculty schedules). The division then, makes
an admission RECOMMENDATION, and notifies the LSU Office of Graduate
Admissions. The LSU Graduate School makes the FINAL decision on
admission and notifies the applicant. The official decision is posted
on the applicant's on-line application account and an e-mail
notification is automatically sent to address that was provided by the
applicant on the application. You can find more information at the LSU Graduate School Web
site.