Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to our camp schedule.

You are eligible if you’re a high school student between the ages of 15 and 18. The majority of our participants are rising high school juniors and seniors. We welcome international as well as homeschool students.

Each camp costs $1250 and includes:

• one daily lunch;
• a journal;
• a tee shirt;
• a water bottle.

Optional housing costs $1500 and includes:

• two additional daily meals;
• a campus dorm room for the duration of camp;
• extracurricular and weekend activities.

Check out our website for up-to-date listings of current camp offerings, registration, and contact information. For specific questions, please call Harald Leder, Program Manager at 225-578-0524 or email summer-academy@lsu.edu.

Please refer to the opening session schedule.

Please refer to our daily schedule.

Yes. Please refer to our arrival/departure policy (see transportation).

Yes. When you register, you will have the option of purchasing an LSU parking permit.

We will provide you with this information when we issue your LSU dash tag.

The LSU Interactive Map is searchable by building and can provide you with directions from your current location.

Generally, you will spend time walking to your destinations, however, LSU also offers free on-campus transit.

Yes. LSU offers an On Demand service where riders can request to be picked up and dropped off at pre-determined, strategic locations across campus anytime during regular service hours.

The dining hall is approximately a 10–15 minute walk from your camp.

In addition to the vending machines that are available in most campus buildings, LSU Dining offers an array of choices throughout campus.

We recommend that you download the Find My Class app onto your smartphone.

All students should remain with their group, including members of the Summer Academy staff, at all times. In the unlikely event that you are somehow separated from the group, you may dial any staff‘s cell phone numbers, which we will provide you with during the opening session. 

Please refer to LSU’s Immunization Requirements.

If you get sick or injured, tell a counselor or staff member immediately.

We'll help you access medical care, like going to the University Student Health Center, an after-hours clinic, or a pharmacy. Sometimes, you might contact your own doctor, who can call in a prescription to a nearby pharmacy.

For minor issues, we'll assist you back to your dorm for rest. Major problems will lead to contacting your family and your departure from the camp.

Our staff can decide if you stay at camp, considering your health and the safety of others. In some cases, we may need to send you home.

LSU Mental Health Service

LSU Student Health Center

List of After Hours Care Centers

List of Local Hospitals

Please refer to our Prescription Medication policy [anchor].

Please refer to our inclement weather policy. [anchor]

We do not have an official dress code, but we do ask that everyone wear modest apparel for the sake of comfort and for focusing on learning.

You will walk a lot and engage in physical activity, so dress in a way that you will feel comfortable doing these things. 

In the past students said the following were useful:

• a pair of enclosed shoes and sandals;
• a pair of long pants; and
• a warm layer for wearing to class.

Do Not Bring the following items:

• Tobacco
• Alcohol
• Illegal drugs
• Weapons
• Valuables:
  
  • Tablets
  • Laptops
  • Portable gaming equipment

Neither LSU nor the Gordon A. Cain STEM Literacy Center, nor any Summer Academy staff is responsible for loss, theft, or damage to any item or valuable belonging.

No. Neither a laptop nor a tablet is not required for any of the Summer Academy offerings. 

To make the most of their camp experience, students are encouraged to:

• Remain professional, respectful, and attentive.
• Show interest and ask questions.
• Follow instructions during activities.
• Travel as a group or with faculty/staff.
• Eat with the group during mealtimes.
• Silence their cell phones (please refer to our cell phone policy)

In general, all that is required is a journal and either a pen or pencil. We recommend also toting a water bottle and either a jacket or a sweater.

In previous years, instructors have included LSU and Nicholls State faculty, staff, graduate students, as well as certified teachers from regional school districts. During our opening session, you and your family will meet your instructors and learn more about them.

Pleas refer to our weekday itinerary.

Residential students will have ample time to relax with other students and complete assignments. There are plenty of planned activities, from swimming and volleyball to playing games and field trips to nearby attractions. Resident Assistants plan additional activities, so offerings vary each year and often reflect the interests of the current staff.

Past off-campus trips have included the The World War II Museum in New Orleans, the LSU Museum of Modern Art, and the USS Kidd.

Some instructors might assign a problem or a project that you would work on during your free time.

We assign two students to each dorm room. All Summer Academy students live in the same dormitory. Room assignments consider the gender information you provide during registration. You may indeed request a specific roommate.

Summer Academy RA are undergraduate and graduate students at LSU who are chosen through a competitive interview process. Many have participated in Summer Academy in previous years.

With the exception of planned group outings, everyone will eat on campus in the dining hall. During down time, groups may walk to the LSU Union or the LSU Dairy Store for purchasing snacks. There are also vending machines in most campus buildings, so carrying a small amount of cash is generally recommended for this reason.

As a Summer Academy residential student, you may enjoy regular group trips to LSU UREC.

Yes, residential students will enjoy extracurricular activities. These will be announced during the opening session.

Please refer to our Free Time Guidelines. [anchor]

The LSU Student Union houses multiple ATM for various local and national banks.

Yes, your residential hall will provide a coin operated laundry facility and it costs $3 per load.