The Lebanese American University is committed to the advancement of its students. In its Student and University Policy, LAU “seeks to develop responsible students with leadership skills and community awareness.” It also “shall provide its students with opportunities to develop academically, physically, intellectually, socially, and morally, in order to meet the challenges they may face in life.”

Campus and student life at LAU is dedicated to helping students, staff, and faculty experience university life at its fullest. There is a profound commitment to the diversity of university community and a focus on creating an environment where one can thrive. Through the wide array of programs and services, LAU provides opportunities and experiences that build the community, help students grow personally and professionally, and create a place that they may call home now and throughout life.

Office of the Dean of Students

Drawing its inspiration from LAU’s mission to educate the whole person, the Office of the Dean of Students is charged with providing students with opportunities for academic growth and personal development in order to enrich their overall experience at LAU. Each student is seen as a professional-in-training, deserving high-quality service and personalized attention.

New Student Orientation

The New Student Orientation & Registration Program (NSORP) is organized twice annually by the Office of the Dean of Students, at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.

The New Student Orientation & Registration Program aims to:

• introduce students to various academic programs, services and activities that support their academic and personal success,
• acquaint new students with university life and further encourage them to become active members of the LAU community,
• familiarize students with the main resources available online and on campus, and
• address issues and problems that students may face as they strive to become active members of the LAU community.

Academic Advising Services

Academic Advising Services aim at assisting all students in understanding the purposes, opportunities and challenges of higher education. The Academic Advisors assist students in developing and implementing an educational plan consistent with their interests, abilities and careers. They also strive to:

• communicate to prospective and current students’ relevant information on the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs, admission requirements, course selection, academic regulations and requirements,
• provide one-on-one advising to newly admitted students and help them register their courses
• follow up on all freshman students to ensure they sit for SAT II, obtain their freshman equivalency to the Lebanese Baccalaureate, and declare their major,
• propose strategies and create a trusting relationship with students to promote student retention and academic success,
• provide students with sound academic advice and assist them in identifying their areas of weakness,
• identify students with academic difficulties, evaluate their academic situation, advise and encourage them to implement educational and action plans, and propose mentoring activities using all available resources within the University,
• assess students’ need for non-academic support and direct them to other specialized staff when necessary (e.g., to the university counselor in case of test anxiety, anger, depression),
• coordinate with career advisors to assess students’ interests through career assessment tools, and empower them to develop and implement an educational plan consistent with their interests and abilities, and
• help students chart a path to their degrees and ensure that they meet the requirements of their major toward graduation.

Advising and Registration for newly admitted Students

Advising and Registration for newly admitted Students occurs before the beginning of each semester and it aims at dividing students in small groups of 20-25 students. During these sessions the Academic Advisors

• Make sure that the new students understand the basis academic information needed to select the right courses,
• Review and approve their course selection
• Answer all their questions related to their major, registration for courses or any concern that may arise 
• Connect them to other services on campus

Academic Success Center

The Academic Success Centers provides free of charge tutoring services to students to help them achieve their full academic potential. It provides tutoring sessions for several introductory, intermediate and advanced courses in many disciplines in most Schools. Tutors are academically excelling students from various majors and they are appointed by their respective departments.

Career Development Services

Graduate and undergraduate students and alumni benefit from the Career Development Services. Career advisors encourage students to explore career options, develop effective planning skills, create job plans, and identify career goals. Career advisors help students:

• clarify their academic and career interests and choose the right major,
• identify connections between each student’s major and career options,
• determine a course of action to meet career objectives,
• write effective résumés and cover letters,
• explore job search strategies,
• prepare for interviews, and
• research and evaluate job offers from potential employers.

The Career Development Services strive to cultivate strategic partnerships with local, regional, and international to employers for graduates’ employability purposes. In this regard, the Career Development Services organizes an annual Career & Internship Fair in which local and international companies offer LAU students full-time or part-time employment, as well as internship opportunities. In addition, the Career Development Services Office holds professional development workshops and other career guidance events on a regular basis throughout the academic year, and collaborate with the Alumni Relations Office to organize an Annual Business Networking Reception that connect employers and graduates.

The Career Development Services facilitate liaison between students, alumni, career  advisors, and employers through JobTeaser – the LAU International Career Portal.

For more information and upcoming events, click here.

Student Life Services

Under the mentorship and coaching of the Student Life Office, LAU students plan and participate in extracurricular activities through a variety of student-initiated campus clubs. Clubs such as Astronomy, Social Work, UNESCO, Red Cross, Event Organization, Nutrition, Music, International Affairs, Debate, Engineering, etc., serve as practical arenas for students to further develop the skills they learn in class.

The Student Life Office coordinates the formation of clubs, while faculty advisors provide assistance toward achieving their objectives. By creating venues to recruit student involvement, the office helps in the development of marketing, management, leadership, creativity, and productivity skills on campus and beyond.

Through these means the Student Life Office works on establishing an atmosphere where students develop skills to be leaders, champions, and responsible citizens, and exercise their mind, body and soul in a fair and harmonious environment.

For more information on LAU’s activities, visit the the Club Webpage.

Athletics Office

The Athletics program plays a vital role in the academic and extracurricular life of students. The mission of the program is to provide sports training, education, and competition opportunities for LAU students. The Athletics Office oversees a wide range of sports and extra-curricular activities that are well suited to the needs of students and the LAU community as a whole.

LAU Athletics, under the circumstances, currently offers, for both male and female students, the following sports as extracurricular activities: free play basketball, cheerleading, fitness, swimming, table tennis, and tennis, while aerobics, badminton and yoga are still suspended. Varsity sports include, basketball, futsal, swimming, table-tennis, tennis, track and field, soccer, volleyball, handball (all for both genders except handball).

Throughout the year, the LAU Athletics Office organizes intercollegiate, intramural, high school (currently suspended due to the pandemic), and, whenever possible, international tournaments, in addition to coordinating student athletes’ participation in many other local, regional and international events. Most of the varsity teams are exposed to high-level competition locally and internationally, and participate in the Lebanese Federation of University Sports’ (FSUL) sanctioned championships, the USC League (University Sports Conference), as well as competing against all officially recognized universities and colleges in Lebanon. At the end of each academic year, LAU Athletics holds an Annual Awards event to recognize and honor LAU’s best and most dedicated athletes and coaches.

LAU Athletics also offers partial athletic scholarships to talented and deserving high school athletes and LAU awards winners.

In addition to the many activities, the athletics office organizes the LAU Fit Fair - a platform for strength and conditioning professionals in the region; the LAU Fun Day - a stress-free day for all students to enjoy; the “LAU Are You In” event in celebration of the “International Day of University Sport” (during September). Again, under normal circumstances, it also organizes the LAU Alumni Athletics Day, a fun-filled event that brings back former varsity alumni to compete and have fun on campus.

For more information, visit Athletics.

National Cultural Clubs

With the different nationalities represented on its campuses, LAU has developed programs to help international students adapt to the Lebanese way of life and fully integrate into the LAU community. Through various national cultural clubs, students’ network with peers from their countries, while learning to appreciate diversity. Both LAU and the students celebrate the richness of such diversity through annual activities.

Counseling Services

Counseling is designed to help students address academic, personal, and emotional concerns. Counselors meet with students on a regular basis to:

• provide informal assessment for an array of psychological issues and set up appropriate intervention and evaluation plans,
• offer prevention programs for students who are at risk of academic failure, suspension, or dropping out,
• provide intervention in crisis and emergency circumstances throughout the academic year,
• establish prevention and intervention strategies related to mental health and learning disabilities,
• offer referrals, as needed or requested by students, to external professionals for services that exceed the scope of care of the office,
• offer consultation services for faculty, staff, and students who are trying to help another person through difficult times,
• refer students, as needed, to the numerous services available through the Dean of Students’ Offices,
• deliver workshops to students and faculty to promote awareness of mental health, wellness topics, and preventive measures, and
• organize awareness campaigns in collaboration with different constituencies.

All consultation and medical records are kept strictly confidential. No information is ever released to or discussed with anyone without the consent of the student.

For more information, visit Counseling.

Health Services

For more information on health services, please visit the LAU HEALTH Clinics.

Student Representation

The University Student Council (USC) and Campus Student Councils (CSC) in Beirut and Byblos are an executive authority recognized by the Board of Trustees, and are charged with representing the students and allowing them to communicate their views. Members of the council, elected through campus-wide elections, provide resources for the various student organizations and clubs, offering guidance and support in an attempt to build a generation that is established on the notions of teamwork, dedication and responsibility.

Council bylaws are written by a committee of students and university officials. The student councils:

• represent students in the regulation and coordination of all phases of student governance,
• promote LAU’s highest interests,
• cultivate the university’s culture as stated in its mission and vision,
• advance the welfare and concerns of the LAU student population,
• enhance LAU’s campus atmosphere and life through extra-curricular activities, and
• act as an effective liaison between students, faculty, staff and administration.

For more information, visit Student Councils.

Residence Halls

LAU provides residence halls for its students on both campuses:

• In Beirut, there are 2 off-campus residence halls. Santona is available and located within a seven-minute walk from the campus and SIRAN tower is available and located within two-minute walk from the upper campus side.
• In Byblos, there are two non-coed residence halls: Dorm B is conveniently located just across the street from the campus main gate and offers four types of accommodation and Dorm C is off campus just a few minutes’ walk. It offers apartment-style living.

On each campus, a residence hall supervisor and a team of assistants run the residence halls and provide social and extracurricular activities for resident students. The comfortable premises  support the students’ academic and social needs.

All settings provide comfortable accommodations that meet students’ academic and social needs. Rooms are neatly furnished with beds, desks, cupboards, safe boxes, bed sheets and covers. Cleaning, maintenance, 24-hours security are also provided as well as cable TV, Internet connection, and internal telephone lines. The buildings are equipped with kitchens and laundry rooms, also with heating and cooling.

Lounges in Byblos residence hall are equipped with TVs and Internet connections and other amenities provide social space and a venue for activities organized by the residence hall team. Students are also welcome to bring their laptops, dishes, and cutlery. Meals can be ordered from any of the surrounding restaurants.

Students who wish to reside in University housing must apply as soon as the online application is open.

For more information and application, visit Living at LAU.