Office of Global Engagement
The Office of Global Engagement (OGE) office at LSU is tasked with leading and supporting LSU’s global presence and increasing LSU’s international profile in teaching, research, and learning in alignment with today’s global challenges. Complementing Louisiana’s rich international history, OGE is the port of global connectivity for LSU faculty, staff, and students. In addition to guiding the internationalization process for the university, six OGE units facilitate global learning experiences on campus and abroad. The Office of Global Partnerships (OGP) develops and manages global initiatives and partnerships; Study Abroad(OSA) provides study abroad, international research, international internships, global service-learning, and study away experiences for students. International Student Services (ISS)provides immigration guidance and advising to LSU’s international student community; International Faculty & Scholars Office (IFSO) provides immigration advising to LSU departments, faculty, staff, and visiting scholars; the Global Community Center (GCC) oversees international student engagement and intercultural activities; and the Global Travel, Safety, & Security Office (GTSS) manages and supports all aspects of international travel risk management, safety, and security for students, faculty, and staff engaged in global travel.
Through its six units, OGE seeks to:
- Support and promote global learning, research, and scholarship.
- Ensure that global learning and research experiences are accessible, inclusive, and ethical.
- Promote campus-wide engagement in international educational experiences both on campus and abroad.
- Create a welcoming campus environment for international students and scholars.
- Foster mutually beneficial international partnerships in line with university strategic priorities.
Study Abroad
The Office of Study Abroad (OSA) provides opportunities for global learning and engagement through study abroad, international internships, international research, global service-learning programs, and study away domestic programs. Students can participate in short-term, semester-long, and academic year-long programs while earning credits toward their LSU degree. Increasingly, employers and graduate schools seek graduates with international experiences, agile thinkers, and innovative problem solvers. Through study abroad, students learn how to engage with others from around the world while being immersed in learning their discipline in a global context, gaining hands-on research and internship experience, learning foreign languages, and forging new relationships. While abroad, students develop global competencies that help them to differentiate themselves in the global marketplace, earn higher salaries, and gain admission to graduate schools.
LSU students can select from exchange or direct enroll programs at preeminent universities or study abroad with our outstanding faculty who lead study abroad programs. Qualified students who enroll in study abroad for a semester or academic year may use TOPS and most LSU scholarships and federal financial aid. Other scholarship opportunities specifically for study abroad are also available.
International Student Services
International Student Services (ISS) provides immigration advisory services to international students regarding their educational, financial, immigration, and personal concerns. International Student Services is responsible for providing the U.S. student visa-related documents of F and J nonimmigrant students based on financial and immigration eligibility after university admission. ISS is responsible for the university’s federal regulation compliance with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration, and other federal agencies.
All F and J non-immigrant international students seeking permission to work off campus must receive approval from this office through U.S. federal regulations.
ISS 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 support funds through the University valued at $1500 or less depending on availability.
All F and J visa status holders are automatically billed for the mandatory university International Student Status Compliance(ISSC) fee and the LSU Student Health Insurance Plan each semester of registration.
International Faculty & Scholars Office
The International Faculty and Scholars Office (IFSO) serves as the university’s resource for immigration support and compliance for international faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scholars. The office provides guidance on employment-based immigration processes and facilitates participation in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program for visiting scholars.
IFSO works closely with LSU departments to prepare and issue all required visa-related documentation for nonimmigrant faculty and scholars. This includes ensuring that petitions are accurate, complete, and submitted in a timely manner to support hiring and continued employment.
In addition to case processing, IFSO is responsible for ensuring the university’s compliance with federal regulations governed by agencies such as the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This includes maintaining accurate records, monitoring immigration status compliance, and advising departments and scholars on regulatory requirements and institutional policies.
IFSO offers support for several common visa classifications, including:
- H-1B (Specialty Occupation Workers)
- TN (Professionals under the USMCA agreement for Canadian and Mexican citizens)
- J-1 (Exchange Visitors, including visiting scholars, interns, and professors)
- Permanent Residence (I-140 prepare for green card application)
Through these services, IFSO helps facilitate the hiring and retention of international talent while ensuring LSU remains compliant with all applicable immigration laws and regulations.
Global Community Center
The mission of the Global Community Center (GCC) is to foster global understanding and awareness, and enhance internationalization efforts throughout the LSU and Baton Rouge community. The GCC does this by providing institutional support and engagement for international students and scholars as well as offering meaningful programming and international experiences on campus to all students, faculty, staff, and the greater capital area community. The GCC’s programming supports students from orientation to graduation, bolstering the international community through each step of their journey at LSU. The GCC’s educational, cultural, and social support and programming contributes to greater global awareness, understanding, and exchange at LSU.
The GCC also offers its space for rent throughout the year to the LSU campus and capital area community. Situated close to the University Lakes, the GCC is an ideal location for a variety of events, from meetings to workshops to social programs. Rental fees are dependent on the requestor’s association to LSU and can be found on the GCC’s website.
The GCC envisions a welcoming campus environment where students, faculty, staff, and Baton Rouge residents actively engage in our global community.
Global Travel, Safety, & Security
The Global Travel, Safety, and Security (GTSS) office serves as the central hub for managing and supporting all aspects of international travel risk management, safety, and security for students, faculty, and staff engaged in global travel. GTSS works alongside the International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) and the International Crisis Response Team (ICRT) to review proposed high-risk travel and respond expeditiously to emergencies impacting LSU constituents traveling outside the U.S.
GTSS develops university policies and procedures that govern international travel to ensure compliance, consistency, and best practices; assesses and manages global risks; and leads incident and crisis management, coordinating with internal and external partners.
GTSS also works with Risk Management and General Counsel to ascertain international travel insurance/assistance and political/natural disaster evacuation and specialized insurance needs to ensure that all LSU constituents can travel, study, and engage overseas safely, responsibly, and in alignment with institutional and global standards.
Global Partnerships
The Office of Global Partnerships (OGP) encourages, supports, and cultivates ethical and impactful international partnerships and global engagement. OGP uses its resources to elevate LSU’s visibility as an innovative, collaborative, and globally impactful university.
OGP manages the international agreement process in concert with the Office of General Counsel and all risk and compliance offices on campus. OGP also facilitates funding opportunities to support global engagement for faculty, staff, and students.
OGP fosters cross-department collaboration and works in partnership to promote a diverse, vibrant, and welcoming campus. OGP coordinates inbound student and scholar exchange and provides support services, such as pre-arrival orientation and advising, in collaboration with the Global Community Center and International Student Services. OGP provides similar services for international visiting scholars, welcoming them to the LSU campus and to the greater Baton Rouge community.
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