Admission

Semester Plan

Louisiana State University at Alexandria operates on a two-semester plan with an additional summer term. Qualified applicants may apply at the beginning of any term. In addition, the university offers seven week courses that are offered 100% online during regular semesters (fall and spring) and during the summer.

Courses that are offered in formats that are more concentrated are open to all students who meet course prerequisites. Because they are more concentrated, however, such courses may be of particular use to certain students (e.g., students who are in the military or students who have onerous employment obligations).

Admission decisions are made in accordance with state requirements and with university regulations and are based on evidence provided in the application form and in other, related documents. Students have the right to appeal admission decisions through the Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management.

Individuals seeking additional information about applying to LSUA should visit Admissions at 112 Abrams Hall, call (318) 473-6417, or e-mail admissions@lsua.edu.

Application for Admission

Students seeking admission to LSUA should apply at http://www.lsua.edu/Admissions/Apply and follow the appropriate application procedure outlined in this section of the catalog. Applicants who meet the university’s requirements are considered for admission to both associate and baccalaureate degree programs.

Application Fee

Students who apply to the university are charged a nonrefundable application fee. Students who have previously applied for admission but failed to register are required to pay the application fee when they reapply. The fee is transferable if, before the first day of classes, the applicant requests that the fee be transferred to a different semester; it may be transferred only once, however. The application fee is waived for LSUA Faculty, LSUA Staff, US veterans and active-duty military personnel. LSUA accepts NACAC and ACT Fee Waivers for qualified students. Contact the Admissions Office for appropriate documentation required to receive a waiver code.

Application Deadlines

Priority Deadlines for Early Decisions:

Fall Semester: December 1
Spring Semester: October 1
Summer Session: March 1

Students who apply by the priority deadline and are admitted to the university can participate in early registration and are the first to be considered for scholarships.

Regular Deadlines:

Fall Semester: August 1
Spring Semester: December 1
Summer Session: May 1

Deadline for Documentation to be received by Admissions: 2 weeks prior to the start of the semester.

Registration Deadline for New Admits: 1 week prior to the start of the semester.

Requests for exceptions to the these deadlines can be made to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management.

Students enrolled in 100% online degree programs have different application deadlines.  Students should visit online.lsua.edu for information about application, documentation, and registration deadlines.

Provisional Admission

Provisional admission, pending receipt of complete and official academic records, may be granted when it is impossible to obtain such records before scheduled registration dates and if unofficial transcripts are received by Admissions. Note: Provisional admission may be cancelled, however, if complete and official academic records are not received by Admissions before the first day of classes, or if it is determined upon receipt of such records that the applicant does not qualify for admission. Financial aid is not processed for students in provisional admission status.

Applicants Receiving Financial Aid

Students who expect to receive financial assistance (grants, loans, scholarships, etc.) should ensure that their admission applications and all supporting academic materials are on file in Admissions by the priority deadline published on the admission application form. Failure to comply with this requirement may adversely affect and delay the awarding of financial aid.

The following categories of students are not eligible for federal financial aid or VA benefits:

• Auditing Students;
• Non-Degree Seeking Students;
• Preparatory Students (currently in high school);
• Provisionally-Admitted Students;
• Visiting Students; and
• POST Students.

For additional information about financial aid, consult “Financial Aid and Scholarships .”

English Proficiency

A student who is not a native English speaker is required to show evidence of English proficiency by attaining acceptable scores on the TOEFL examination, IELTS examination, GTEC examination, or Duolingo examination. If the student has graduated from a U.S. high school and is not seeking a student visa, however, he or she is exempt from this requirement. A student who is transferring to LSUA from a U.S. college or university with a cumulative college GPA of 3.0 or higher is exempt from providing English proficiency exam results.  For more information about TOEFL, IELTS, GTEC, or Duolingo consult below. 

Residency Status

The residency status of an applicant or student is determined in accordance with LSU regulations and is based upon evidence provided in the completed application for admission and in other, related documents. The regulations are based primarily on the location of the applicant’s or student’s home and his or her place of employment.

A resident student is defined as one who has abandoned all prior domiciles and has been domiciled in the state of Louisiana continuously for at least one full year (365 days) immediately preceding the first day of classes of the term for which classification as a resident is sought.  Any student who answers NO to the question on the application regarding living in Louisiana for the past two consecutive years and wishes to be considered as a resident student must provide documentation showing the student has been in Louisiana one year prior to the term in which they plan to begin.  

An individual’s physical presence within the state for one year must be associated with substantial evidence that such presence was established with the intent to maintain a Louisiana domicile. Physical presence within the state solely for educational purposes without substantial evidence of the intent to remain in Louisiana is not sufficient for classification as a resident, regardless of the length of time spent in the state. In addition, individuals seeking residency must not have attended a post-secondary institution in the state of Louisiana during the year prior to the first day of the semester in which they plan to enroll in courses.

Special provisions have been made for adults moving to Louisiana for employment purposes, military personnel stationed in Louisiana, and international students with immigrant visas. An international student on a student visa is classified as a non-resident.

For more information about establishing residency in the state of Louisiana, contact the Admissions office or visit http://www.lsua.edu/docs/default-source/admissions/louisiana-residence-status-policy.pdf?sfvrsn=a14b1cb1_0.

To assist with the cost of non-Louisiana resident (out of state) fees, LSUA offers multiple options:

Four Star Promise: Students whose home state borders Louisiana (Texas, Mississippi, or Arkansas) and who are admitted by May 1 will have non-resident fees waived.

Academically qualified students who meet the following criteria will have non-resident fees waived:  First time students must have a mimimum 2.25 cumulative HS GPA, along with ACT Composite of 21 or SAT Total of 1030.  Transfer students must meet all regular transfer requirements and have a cumulative transfer GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Proof of Immunization Compliance

Louisiana law requires that all students provide proof of immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and meningitis.

Once admitted to the university, students will upload proof of immunization through the myLSUA portal prior to registration.

Preparatory, or Dual Enrollment, students do not have to provide immunization records, as these are on file at the appropriate high school.  Students enrolled in 100% online degree programs are not required to submit proof of immunization.

Selective Service Compliance

Act No. 185 of the 1985 Louisiana Legislature states that those individuals who are required to be registered under the provisions of the Federal Selective Service Act (males between the ages of 18 and 25 who are United States citizens or resident aliens) shall not be permitted to enroll in a post-secondary school until they have registered for the draft. Students are responsible for complying with this act before they enroll at LSUA. They can do so by visiting the Selective Service System website: www.sss.gov.

Academic Bankruptcy

Students who have interrupted their college attendance for a period of at least three consecutive calendar years and whose overall GPA is below 2.0 at the point of admission may declare academic bankruptcy. Under this policy, college-level course work performed at an earlier date is eliminated from computation of the grade point average and cannot be applied toward a degree at LSUA. Such work, however, is not removed from the student’s scholastic record and transcript. Coursework that was used to grant a degree cannot be part of academic bankruptcy. Students who have earned a degree are not eligible for academic bankruptcy.

Academic Bankruptcy must be declared at time of admission and can only be declared once, and once declared, may not be reversed. Students who declare academic bankruptcy are admitted on scholastic probation and in accordance with first-time freshman admission standards. Once admitted, they are academically eligible to receive financial aid for one semester. To continue to receive financial aid, however, they must make Satisfactory Academic Progress. The requirements that students must meet to demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress are presented on “Financial Aid and Scholarships .” For more information about these policies, contact Admissions.

Orientation

All new students with fewer than 30 earned credits must attend New Student Orientation prior to the beginning of their first LSUA semester. Orientation offers a full day of information and activities that help students become familiar with the campus and its policies and procedures. Students can register for Orientation by logging on to their myLSUA accounts or by visiting the orientation web page. Online orientation is also available for students enrolled in 100% online programs.

LSUA/LSUE/CLTCC Bridge Programs

LSUA works together with LSUE and CLTCC to offer developmental and beginning college-level courses to those students who do not meet criteria for regular admission to LSUA. Such students are referred to LSUE or CLTCC and allowed to enroll in appropriate courses offered on their campuses. When stuents have completed 12 transferable hours of college-level work, including three hours of freshmen-level English and three hours of freshman-level Math with grades of “C” or higher, and attained an overall grade point average of at least 2.0, they are eligible for admission to LSUA.

For further details about the LSUA/LSUE/CLTCC Bridge Programs, contact LSUA Admissions.

Dual Enrollment for High School Students

LSUA permits high school students to simultaneously earn high-school and college credit. LSUA is currently offering dual enrollment courses in several parishes in Louisiana, online, and on the university campus. For more information about this program, email Admissions at de@lsua.edu or visit www.lsua.edu/admissions/apply/dual-enrollment.

Admission to a Degree or Certificate Program

Some degree programs have admission requirements beyond the general requirements for admission to the university. For more information about such requirements, students should consult the catalog section that presents the degree program in which they are interested.

Categories of Admission

I. First-Time Freshmen

Applicants who have graduated from regionally-accredited Louisiana high-schools, accredited out-of-state high schools, or state-approved home-school programs; or who have earned a state-approved GED or passed the HiSET exam and who have not enrolled in a post-secondary educational institution after completion of high school or after passing the HiSET exam.

II. First-Time Freshmen aged 25 years or older

Applicants who are 25 years or older seeking admission as first-time freshmen.

III. Transfer Students

Applicants who have attended other colleges or universities after graduating from high school but before seeking admission to LSUA.

IV. Re-Entry Students

Applicants previously enrolled at LSUA who have interrupted their LSUA attendance for two or more semesters (excluding summer sessions). Note: students who have taken courses at another university since their enrollment at LSUA are classified as re-entry students and not as transfer students when they return to LSUA. Note: Students who have taken courses at LSUA as dual enrollment students or visiting students are not classified as re-entry students.

V. Visiting Students

Applicants who have attended and are in good standing with another university and who desire to attend LSUA before returning to their home institution (Non-Degree).

VI. Auditing Students (Auditors)

Applicants who wish to enroll in courses and not receive credit (Non-Degree).

VII. Students with a Bachelor’s Degree (POST)

Applicants who have already earned a degree at the baccalaureate level or above and who wish to take courses as non-degree seeking students at LSUA (Non-Degree).

VIII. International Students

Applicants who are foreign nationals seeking student visas.

Admissions Criteria and Procedures

The criteria for each category of admission are presented here. Students who do not meet admissions criteria can be automatically considered under LSUA’s limited exceptions policy.

I. First Time Freshmen

Admission Requirements for first time freshmen are dependent on the high school curriculum completed, along with other bench marks for college readiness.

High School Curriculum:  Students must meet requirements of one of the following options:

1. High school college readiness curriculum that includes 19 core units with a 2.0 high school cumulative GPA. (in Louisiana, this is the TOPS University curriculum)
2. High school curriculum with 17 or 18 of the 19 required core units with a 2.0 high school cumulative GPA along with one of these:  HS Core GPA of at least 2.5 OR ACT composite of 23 or higher OR minimum of 12 dual enrollment academic college credit hours earned with a 2.25 cumulative college GPA OR two of the three additional requirements listed in next section.
3. High school curriculum with fewer than 17 of the required core units with a 2.0 high school cumulative GPA along with one of these:  HS Core GPA of at least 2.5 OR ACT composite of 23 or higher OR minimum of 12 dual enrollment college academic credit hours earned with a 2.25 cumulative college GPA.
4. Alternative HS Credential:  HiSET: 15 on any subtest AND 4 on HiSET Essay;  NRS: Score level 6 on NRS approved assessment.
5. Graduation from a non-US secondary institution must have completed a recognized secondary program comparable to a US high school preparatory curriculum.  Note:  international students must meet additional requirements.  See section on International Admission.

In addition to the requirements above, all students must also meet one of these:

1. High School Core GPA of 2.0 or higher
2. ACT Composite of at least 20 or SAT Total of at least 1030
3. Associate Degree earned while in high school
4. 12 Dual Enrollment college academic credits earned in high school with a minimum college cumulative GPA of 2.0

Students must also meet one of these requirements:

1. Meet minimum placement requirements for a standalone mathematics OR English course  (see Placement and Advanced Standing)
2. Meet minimum placement requirements for a two-hour-co-requisite mathematics OR English course (see Placement and Advanced Standing)

Application Steps for First-Time Freshmen

In order to be admitted, applicants must also complete each of the steps outlined below:

1. complete an application and submit the $20 application fee as early as possible before their intended enrollment date.
2. submit appropriate placement exam scores (see Placement and Advanced Standing). Although not always required for admission, ACT and SAT scores are used for scholarship consideration.  All first time students are highly encouraged to take the ACT or SAT and submit scores directly to LSUA. Current high school students should take the exams in the spring of their junior year of high school or as early as possible in their senior year. LSUA’s ACT code number is 1589 and should be specified by students at the time they register for the ACT.  LSUA’s SAT code number is 1632. The ACCUPLACER NG exams are administered on campus by LSUA Testing Services. ACCUPLACER NG scores taken at other test sites are also acceptable for admission and placement purposes. Applicants can schedule the exam by clicking on the link below: www.registerblast.com/lsua/exam. Students who take only ACCULPLACER NG are not considered for academic scholarships.
3. students who graduated from a regionally-accredited Louisiana high school before 2003 or from an accredited out-of-state high school or home-school should request that their high school mail an official transcript to LSUA. The transcript must contain an official date of graduation, rank in class, and overall grade point average. GED graduates should submit copies of their high school equivalency diplomas or a copy of the Louisiana State Department of Education test results; HiSet completers must submit the Department of Education test results with scores.
4. students who have earned Dual Enrollment credit from a regionally accredited institution must request official transcripts from each institution, regardless of whether credit was earned, be sent directly to LSUA Admissions once all final grades have been posted to the transcript.

II. First-Time Freshmen aged 25 years or older

Applicants who are 25 years of age or older will be considered for admissions under regular admission requirements. If they are not admissible under regular requirements, they can be considered for admission under the 25+ policy presented below:

Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalency diploma and meet the following additional requirements:

Meet placement minimums for ENGL 1001

• ACT English - 18
• SAT ERW - 500
• ACCUPLACER Writing - 250

Or

Meet placement minimums for MATH 1021.

• ACT Math - 19
• SAT Math - 500
• ACCUPLACER QRAS – 250

Note: Placement scores must be within the past five years to be considered.

In order to be admitted, applicants must also complete each of the steps outlines below:

1. complete an application and submit the $20 application fee as early as possible before their intended enrollment date.
2. submit appropriate placement exam scores (see Placement and Advanced Standing). Although not always required for admission, ACT and SAT scores are used for scholarship consideration.  All first time students are highly encouraged to take the ACT or SAT and submit scores directly to LSUA. Current high school students should take the exams in the spring of their junior year of high school or as early as possible in their senior year. LSUA’s ACT code number is 1589 and should be specified by students at the time they register for the ACT.  LSUA’s SAT code number is 1632. The ACCUPLACER NG exams are administered on campus by LSUA Testing Services. ACCUPLACER NG scores taken at other test sites are also acceptable for admission and placement purposes. Applicants can schedule the exam by clicking on the link below: www.registerblast.com/lsua/exam. Students who take only ACCULPLACER NG are not considered for academic scholarships.
3. students who graduated from a regionally-accredited Louisiana high school before 2003 or from an accredited out-of-state high school or home-school should request that their high school mail an official transcript to LSUA. The transcript must contain an official date of graduation, rank in class, and overall grade point average. GED graduates should submit copies of their high school equivalency diplomas or a copy of the Louisiana State Department of Education test results; HiSet completers must submit the Department of Education test results with scores.
4. students who have earned Dual Enrollment credit from a regionally accredited institution must request official transcripts from each institution, regardless of whether credit was earned, be sent directly to LSUA Admissions once all final grades have been posted to the transcript.

III. Transfer Students

Undergraduate students with satisfactory records from other post-secondary institutions are eligible to apply for admission to LSUA as transfer students.

Students who wish to transfer to LSUA must meet one of the following sets of criteria:

1. Have earned a transferable associate degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution;
2. Have earned at least 18 hours of college-level credit, including a college-level English and college-level mathematics course, with a grade of “C” or higher in each, and an overall GPA of at least 2.0;
3. Have earned from an approved freshmen bridge program at least 12 hours of college-level credit, including a college-level English and college-level mathematics course, with a grade of “C” or higher in each, and an overall GPA of at least 2.0; or
4. Meet freshmen admission requirements and be in good standing with their previous institution.

Transfer applicants who are currently on suspension from another college or university will not be considered for admission to LSUA until the duration of their suspension has expired.

Any transcript received with a notation that the student owes a balance to the university will be considered unofficial and will not be used to complete admission.

Application Steps for Transfer Students

To apply for admission, transfer students must follow the steps outlined below:

1. complete an application and submit the $20 application fee as early as possible before their intended enrollment date.
2. ask the Registrar of each college in which they have been enrolled to send an official transcript of record directly to LSUA Admissions. Transcripts are required regardless of whether credit was earned, attempted, or is being pursued at the other institution. Students who are enrolled in college when they apply should send at least unofficial transcripts with their applications and should ensure that official transcripts are sent at the end of the semester for which they are enrolled. Eligibility for full admission cannot be determined until an application and a complete, official transcript from each college or university attended has been received. Each college or university attended must be listed on the application. The registration of students who fail to acknowledge prior attendance at any other college or university may be canceled; such students may be dismissed from the university.

IV. Re-Entry (Former LSUA) Students

Former students who have interrupted their enrollment at LSUA for two or more semesters (excluding summer sessions) must apply to the university for readmission. Students should note that their enrollment is interrupted if, on or before the 14th day of classes, they have resigned from the university; had their schedule deleted due to nonpayment of tuition and fees; or been dropped from their courses because they have not met admission requirements.

Reentry applicants who have been suspended from LSUA or from another college or university will not be considered for admission until the length of their suspension has expired.

Reentry students, including LSUA graduates, who have interrupted their enrollment for only one regular semester, may complete a form that notifies the university of their return.  This form is found at www.lsua.edu/iamcomingback.  In order to take advantage of this simpler way to return, the form must be completed at least 10 days prior to the start of the term in which the student plans to re-enroll.  This process can take up to 48 business hours to complete.  If any coursework was earned during absence from LSUA, a RECORDS hold will be placed on the student record until appropriate documentation is received in the Admissions Office.

Students who resigned or who were not enrolled due to Active Military Duty will be given up to three years to re-enroll can complete the form above to return.  A copy of the military order must be submitted.

Application Steps for Re-Entry Students

To apply for readmission, students must

1. complete an application and pay the $20 application fee as early as possible before their intended enrollment date;
2. submit official transcripts from each college or university attended since their initial enrollment at LSUA, regardless of whether credit was earned, attempted, or is being pursued at the other institution.The registration of students who fail to acknowledge prior attendance at any other college or university may be canceled; such students may be dismissed from the university.

V. Visiting Students

Students who have been enrolled in another college or university and who are eligible to continue in that institution may enroll at LSUA as visiting students. Such enrollment does not in any way constitute or presuppose subsequent admission to the university as a degree-seeking student. Nor may visiting students receive financial aid from LSUA.

Application Steps for Visiting Students

Those who wish to seek admission as visiting students should complete the steps outlined below:

1. complete an application and pay the $20 application fee as early as possible before their intended enrollment date;
2. submit official transcripts from the last school attended or a letter of good standing from the registrar of the home institution.

Visiting students assume full responsibility for the selection of courses to be applied at the institutions at which they are pursuing degrees; such students are urged to seek guidance from those institutions. To register in courses with prerequisites, visiting students must provide proof that such prerequisites have been met. Visiting students who wish to become degree-seeking students in a subsequent semester must reapply and pay the application fee.

VI. Auditing Students (Auditors)

1. Ccomplete an application and pay the $20 application fee as early as possible before their intended enrollment date;
2. A student who wishes to enroll in a class or classes for audit only must obtain special enrollment forms from Admissions and receive written consent of the appropriate instructor(s);
3. Auditors will not receive degree credit for courses audited; nor will they be permitted to take advanced-standing examinations in the content areas of the courses they have audited. In a subsequent semester, however, they may take for credit courses that they have previously audited;
4. Change in registration from audit to credit or from credit to audit requires permission from the chair of the department that offers the course(s);
5. Approval for change from audit to credit or credit to audit may be granted no later than the final date for adding courses for credit as specified in the Academic Calendar;
6. Students who wish to make such changes should contact their advisors for assistance;
7. Students who wish to audit a course more than once must obtain permission from the chair of the department that offers the course;
8. Students who enroll in courses for a combination of both credit and audit and students who enroll for audit only will pay the same amount in tuition and fees as students who schedule courses for credit only;
9. Students who are audit only and who wish to become regular students in a subsequent semester must reapply, pay the application fee, and submit appropriate documents to Admissions.

VII. Students with a Bachelor’s Degree (POST)

Students who have already earned a degree at the baccalaureate level or above may take courses for credit. To apply for admission, such students must follow the steps outlined below:

1. complete an application and pay the $20 application fee as early as possible before their intended enrollment date.
2. request that the registrar of the college in which they earned their bachelor’s degree send an official transcript to LSUA; eligibility for admission cannot be fully determined until an application and a complete, official transcript has been received.

POST Students are classified as non-degree seeking students and do not qualify for federal financial aid. If a POST student wishes to become a degree-seeking student, he or she must reapply and provide any additional required documentation to LSUA  Admissions. Post students are not enrolled in Post-Baccalaureate Certificate programs. 

VIII. International Students

International students with superior scholastic records and English proficiency are considered for admission as freshmen or transfer students.

Application Steps for International Students

To seek admission, international students must complete each of the steps listed below:

1.  Complete LSUA Application for Admission

Complete the application for admission and submit the non-refundable $20.00 application fee plus a $ 60.00 non-refundable international student fee (total fee - $80.00).  Please be sure to include a foreign address on the application.

2.  Submit Transcripts

To be considered for admission, the applicant must provide an evaluation of any non-US institution attended.  This evaluation must be evaluated by one of the following approved evaluation companies: the World Education Services (WES), Global Credentials, or InCred Evaluators. You may obtain information from these evaluation services from their respective web-sites.  Students are responsible for fees associated with this evaluation.

• InCred:  www.incredevals.org
• WES: www.wes.org
• Global Credentials: www.gcevaluators.com

Non-US high school credentials require a BASIC evaluation that includes Grade Point Average (GPA).  Non-US college or university credentials require a COURSE by COURSE evaluation.

Transfer applicants must have completed a college-level Mathematics course designed to fulfill general education requirements and be eligible to enroll in a college-level English course (based on ACT, SAT, or AccuplacerNG scores).  Student may bypass the ACT or SAT if the student receives credit for a comparable English course taught by a previous post-secondary institution.  Please contact admissions at admissions@lsua.edu to inquire about such credit.

3.  English Language Requirement

An applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate college-level English proficiency before admission through TOEFL (paper-based or internet-based), IELTS, or Duolingo. The chart below details minimum required scores for determination of English proficiency on each of these tests:

4. All First-Time Freshman and Students Transferring without English credit

LSUA highly encourages students to submit official ACT or SAT scores. Applicants should send their scores directly to LSUA from the respective testing agency.

LSUA ACT code: 1589
LSUA SAT code: 1632

Students who do not submit ACT or SAT scores may be asked to take the AccuplacerNG exam prior to meeting with an advisor and scheduling courses.

5. Complete the Confidential Financial Information Form and Affidavit of Support

International applicants are required to offer proof of the availability of sufficient funds to meet all costs while studying in the United States. They must return  the Confidential Financial Information Form with the appropriate signatures and supporting documentation of available funds. Currently, students should be able to show $26,000 per year in funds and support. 

6. Send Before the Deadline

All materials for admission must be on file in the Admissions Office at least 60 days before the beginning of the semester in which admission is desired. When all documentation is not received by this deadline, consideration for admission will be delayed until the following semester.

7. SEVIS Fee

F-1 non immigrants starting initial attendance or beginning a new program (as marked on the form I-20) will be required to pay a fee prior to applying for a visa when utilizing a form I-20 at the U.S. Consulate and or U.S. Port of Entry. Students may learn more about payment options and to complete your payment, please visit: www.FMJfee.com.   Please check with your country’s embassy for any other possible fees associated with obtaining a student visa.

8.  Required Student Visa Interview

Any person wishing to obtain a student visa to study in the United States must go through an interview process at the American Consulate or Embassy in his or her country. This interview must be scheduled after the I-20 is received. It may take a long time to get an appointment, so students should make this appointment as soon as the I-20 is received. note: I-20 forms will not be issued until students have been admitted to the university. 

Please note:  All international students are required to carry student insurance and are automatically enrolled through LSUA’s student insurance program.

For more information about opportunities for study at LSUA, international students should e-mail Admissions at admissions@lsua.edu.

Transfer Credit

All college-level courses from colleges or universities in candidacy status or accredited by any of the six regional accrediting agencies at the time the courses were taken will be accepted for transfer credit. Courses from non-regionally accredited institutions will not be accepted for transfer; however, a student will have the opportunity to appeal for credit through the Prior Learning Assessment policy.

Note: transfer credit will be posted only for currently enrolled degree-seeking students.

Evaluations of credits from other institutions are made by department chairs and/or appropriate faculty and are processed by the Office of the Registrar. These evaluations are not made until a student’s complete application and all official transcripts from each college and university attended are received.

Transfer courses are evaluated based on the catalog in effect during the academic year in which the student applies to the university. When transfer courses are taught at the lower (1000-2000) level at the sending institution but at the upper (3000-4000) level at LSUA, upper-level credit may be granted if the courses are determined to be equivalent by the departmental faculty and department chair. Such equivalencies are usually limited to differences of one level (i.e., 2000 to 3000). Exceptions to this general rule require the approval of the departmental faculty and department chair. A maximum of 15 hours of lower-level transfer credit that has been evaluated as upper-level credit at LSUA may be used to satisfy the upper-level course requirement for the LSUA baccalaureate degree being pursued.

Credit earned by departmental or institutional examinations at other accredited colleges and universities and listed on an official transcript is recognized in the same way as residence credit earned in those institutions is accepted. Such credit is generally not included in the computation of the grade point average.

Students who have taken subject examinations in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or who have participated in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board (AP) should have examination scores sent directly to Admissions. Official examination scores are then sent to the Office of the Registrar for review and posting on student’s transcript if applicable.

LSUA may award credit for learning that occurs outside of the college setting through its Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Policy.

Credit allowed by the Office of the Registrar for transfer is in all cases subject to review by the student’s department chair and to approval by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Inquiries about the evaluation of credit should be directed to the Office of the Registrar. Inquiries about the acceptance of credit for a particular degree program and about the length of time required for the completion of the requirements of a particular degree program should be directed to the appropriate academic department.

Procedure for Appealing Transfer Credit Evaluations

When a course equivalency evaluation is questioned by a student, the Office of the Registrar will review the current course documentation on file to determine if the evaluation is correct. If an error is found, the evaluation is corrected. If no error is found, the request is forwarded to the appropriate faculty member to review the course equivalency for possible update if appropriate. The student is notified by the Office of the Registrar of the final decision.

Placement and Advanced Standing

Advanced standing permits students with superior ability to demonstrate academic competence through examinations. Students may qualify for advanced standing credit in the ways listed below:

• ACCUPLACER NG. Used by LSUA to place students in appropriate freshmen English and Math courses, ACCUPLACER is a suite of tests that quickly, accurately, and efficiently assesses reading, writing, math, and computer skills. Score requirements are presented below.
• ACE (American Council on Education). ACE’s Military Guide presents credit recommendations for formal courses and occupations offered by all branches of the military. These credit recommendations appear on the service member’s Joint Services Transcript (JST). ACE credit recommendations are used by LSUA to determine whether credit will be accepted for transfer.
• ACT (The American College Test). ACT scores are used by LSUA for placement and for granting advanced-standing credit in freshman English and mathematics. Score requirements and credit awarded are presented below.
• ALEKS PPL. Used by LSUA to place student in appropriate math courses.
• AP (The Advanced Placement Program of the College Board). Advanced Placement credit will be granted by LSUA in appropriate subjects to admitted students who earn grades of 3, 4, or 5 on Advanced Placement subject examinations. 
• ASPIRE. Used by LSUA to place students in appropriate freshmen English and Math courses.  Aspire is an assessment system that measures academic achievement in English, math, reading, science, and writing in grades 3-10.  Score requirements are presented below.
• CLEP (Subject Examinations of the College Level Examination Program). LSUA awards credit based on scores on CLEP subject examinations . Information about score requirements and credit awarded is presented below.
• Credit Exams (Departmentally Administered LSUA Credit Exams). Students of superior ability and preparation and students who have already obtained a fundamental knowledge of subjects offered at the university may be permitted to take a credit examination in a specific course, which, if passed with satisfactory grades, will enable them to receive degree credit. Additional information is presented below.
• Credit for Approved Specialized Certification or Training Programs. In very limited cases, students may receive credit for specialized professional certifications. Generally, any such credit awarded will require presentation of an official copy of the certification award or transcript from a recognized training provider or licensing authority. The awarding of such credit also requires approval by the department in which the credit is granted, by the Registrar, and by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Additional information is presented below.
• LEAP 2025. Used by LSUA to place student in appropriate English and math courses.  LEAP 2025 is a Louisiana assessment program for students in grades 3 through high school to measure student knowledge and skills in key courses such as ELA, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
• SAT (College Board) The SAT is a globally-recognized college aptitude test that LSUA uses to place students in and/or award credit for freshmen English and Math courses. Score requirements are presented below.

  The tables below indicate required scores for placement and awarding of credit for freshmen English and Math courses.

Dual Enrollment Students have separate placement guides. Please visit the LSUA Dual Enrollment website for more information on placement. Dual Enrollment students are not permitted to take MATH 1000, MATH 1008, ENGL 1100, or ENGL 1999.

Students will not be granted ACT credit for courses that they have already earned grades in (A, B, C, D, or F). Students who have withdrawn from courses, however, can subsequently be granted ACT credit for those courses.

Advanced Placement Examination of the College Board (AP)

The Advanced Placement Program of the College Board allows high schools to offer well-qualified students the opportunity to take college-level courses while they are still enrolled in high school. Each May, advanced placement examinations are administered by the College Board to students who have participated in the program. The following list shows credit awarded by LSUA and the score requirements.

For more information about general program data and policies, contact Advanced Placement Program, The College Board, 45 Columbia Avenue, New York, NY 10023-6917.

College Level Examination Program of the College Board (CLEP)

LSUA grants college-level credit on the basis of scores earned on certain CLEP subject examinations. The exams, required scores, and credit awarded are provided in the table below. LSUA does not offer credit for CLEP general examinations. Additional CLEP subject examinations, not listed in the table below, may be accepted for credit.

LSUA also administers CLEP subject examinations. Students interested in taking such examinations at LSUA should contact Testing Services at (318) 427-4492.

Other Examinations

The Society of Actuaries offers a battery of exams that are required to become an Associate (ASA), a Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst (CERA), or a Fellow (FSA) of the Society.  SOA exams are administered periodically throughout the year.  The following list shows credit awarded by LSUA and the score requirements for SOA administered exams.

CompTIA offers …

Credit Examinations

Students may apply for credit examinations at anytime after they have been admitted to LSUA. To initiate credit examinations, students must obtain permission from the appropriate instructor and from the chair of the department offering the course. Tests will be given subject to the following conditions:

1. The student must have been admitted to LSUA (not in provisional status) and must be in “good standing.” If the examinations are taken before the student has enrolled at LSUA, credit will be granted after registration for resident study. NOTE: non-degree seeking students (e.g., summer only students, POST students) are not eligible for credit examinations.
2. To initiate the examination, permission must be obtained from the appropriate instructor and from the chair of the department that offers the course. After such permission is granted, Admissions will issue an official permit. No instructor may give a credit examination until the official permit has been received.
3. If a grade of “C” or higher is earned on the examination, a mark of “P” and advanced standing credit in the course are entered in the student’s record. If a grade lower than “C” is earned, the fact that the examination has been attempted will be recorded and a mark of “NC” entered in the student’s record; credit will not be granted. A student may take a credit examination in a particular course only once.
4. Students are not permitted to schedule credit examinations in courses they have audited, in courses in which they have earned unsatisfactory grades, or in courses from which they have withdrawn and received a “W”.
5. Credit earned through credit examinations will not be used in the computation of the student’s grade point average.
6. Students must pay a fee for each exam taken (material fees apply in some courses). For more information about testing fees, call Testing Services at (318) 427-4492.
7. No more than 25% of the total number of hours required for a degree can be earned by credit examination.
8. Credit earned by examination cannot be applied to the total number of hours that students must earn at LSUA in order to be eligible for a degree.

Prior Learning Assessment

Purpose

Louisiana State University at Alexandria (LSUA) recognizes that learning occurs outside of the college setting and that the outcome of this learning is sometimes the acquisition of skills and/or knowledge that may be equivalent to learning that occurs at LSUA and other institutions of higher education. LSUA may award credit for this learning through its Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Policy.

General Policy

• PLA credit may be awarded only to students who have been admitted to LSUA as degree-seeking students and who are enrolled in courses.

• PLA credit cannot duplicate credit already awarded to students.

• PLA credit can be awarded only for college-level learning that is documented and that falls within the regular curricular offerings of the institution or that can be applied as elective credit.

• PLA credit cannot be awarded for a course that has been previously attempted (either as an audit or for credit).

• PLA credit cannot count towards enrollment when a student’s financial aid status is being determined.

• Once PLA credits have been applied to a transcript, they will not be removed. PLA credits in excess of degree requirements may adversely affect a student’s financial aid eligibility.

• PLA credit cannot be counted towards LSUA’s residency requirement. The residency requirement requires that at least 25% of the hours applied to a degree be earned in courses taught by LSUA.

• PLA credit for experiential learning (e.g., CLEP, credit exam, portfolio assessment or other faculty‐determined assessment methods) cannot count for more than 25% of the credits required for a degree. For example, no more than 30 hours of PLA credit for experiential learning can be applied to a bachelor’s degree (120 hours).

• The awarding of PLA credit must be consistent with the policies of LSUA’s institutional accrediting agency (SACSCOC) and its various program accreditors.

Types of Prior Learning Assessment

• Credit Examinations

• Portfolio Evaluation

• Third-party test scores (e.g., AP, CELP)

• Certifications and/or documented learning from third-party programs or institutions.

• Military Service

• Police Academy Credit

Transferability of PLA credits

• Prior learning assessment credits awarded by LSUA may or may not transfer to other institutions of higher learning. Acceptance of such credits is subject to limitations imposed by the receiving institution based on that institution’s academic policies.

• Students should check with the institution to which they wish to transfer regarding the transferability of PLA credits awarded by LSUA.

• LSUA requires official copies of scores before it can award PLA credit based on third-party transcripts, test scores, or assessments (e.g., AP, CLEP) even if other institutions attended by the student have awarded credit on this basis.

Awarding and Posting of PLA Credit

1. The awarding of credit for prior learning is not guaranteed.

2. PLA credits will be awarded only if materials and documents submitted for consideration of PLA credit comply with LSUA policies on Prior Learning Assessment.

3. All materials and documents submitted as part of the PLA assessment process become part of the student’s academic record and are not returned to the student. 

4. The student is responsible for providing the appropriate documentation as required by the guidelines and/or criteria established by the faculty member and/or department chair for the awarding of PLA credit.

5. PLA credit that has been awarded to a student will be posted on the student’s transcript after Census Day.

6. PLA credits will be designated on the student’s transcript by the appropriate course prefix, course number, course title and number of credits awarded.

7. PLA credits will be identified on transcripts as “Earned via PLA.”

For more information about LSUA’s Prior Learning Assessment Policy, visit the web page of the Office of the Registrar.