Study in Baton Rouge, The United States

About Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge is the capital of the US state of Louisiana and lies on the Mississippi River. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city's population at 220,907 in 2024, slightly down from 226,926 at the 2020 census base. Student life is shaped by Louisiana State University, the state's flagship university.

For an international student, Baton Rouge means a mid-sized Southern city built around one big public university, with a warm, humid climate.

Studying in Baton Rouge

Our directory lists two schools in Baton Rouge: one university and one secondary school.

• Louisiana State University (LSU) grew out of the Louisiana State Seminary, which moved to Baton Rouge after its campus in Pineville burned in 1869. It is a public university with 41,705 students, 34,242 of them undergraduates, according to the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator. LSU states that it is one of 24 universities in the United States with land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant designations, and one of eight with a law school, dental school, medical school, veterinary school and an MBA programme.
• St. Joseph's Academy is a Catholic secondary school for girls, founded in 1868 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Its curriculum includes Advanced Placement, honours, dual-enrolment and college-preparatory classes.

Students who need to improve their English before a degree can ask about bridge or pathway programmes, which EducationUSA describes as combining English study with academic credit.

Student visa

An F student visa covers study at an accredited college or university and full-time English courses at an English language institute. After admission, the school's international student office sends you a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes) to present at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The academic year usually runs from September to May. University students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year with permission from the international student office.

Cost of living for students

For a first-year undergraduate at LSU in 2024-25, College Navigator gives $28,631 in out-of-state tuition and fees (the rate international students pay), $15,142 for food and housing on campus and $16,802 for food and housing off campus.

Local buses are inexpensive: the Capital Area Transit System (CATS) charges adults $1.75 per ride, and riders with a valid student ID card pay $0.35. A transfer can be used once within two hours.

Getting around and daily life

CATS runs the city's bus network, including route 47 along Highland Road to LSU. Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is the city's airport. Summers are long, hot and humid, and winters are mild: at the airport, NOAA's 1991-2020 normals give an average temperature of 52.0 °F (about 11 °C) in January and 82.9 °F (about 28 °C) in July, with average daily highs of 91.9 °F (about 33 °C) in July.

Frequently asked questions

Which university is in Baton Rouge?

Our directory lists Louisiana State University (LSU), the state's flagship public university, with 41,705 students according to College Navigator.

How much does it cost to study at LSU?

For 2024-25, College Navigator lists $28,631 in out-of-state tuition and fees for first-year undergraduates, plus $15,142 for food and housing on campus.

How much does the bus cost in Baton Rouge?

A CATS bus ride costs $1.75 for adults and $0.35 for riders with a valid student ID card.

What is the weather like in Baton Rouge?

Winters are mild, averaging 52.0 °F (about 11 °C) in January, and summers are hot, averaging 82.9 °F (about 28 °C) in July, according to NOAA's 1991-2020 normals.