Freshman Admissions to Cooking School: How to Begin Your Culinary Education

Whether you are finishing high school, college, or considering a career change, you are about to make a significant transition. This transition requires serious consideration about what will come next. If cooking has been or is becoming a passion of yours, culinary school can be the perfect destination for your next step. With an intense work ethic, a drive for success, culinary school instruction, and an unshakeable commitment to become a professional chef, you have all the ingredients for a long-lasting and successful culinary career. 

A culinary arts degree at Louisiana Culinary Institute provides the skills, knowledge, and resources you’ll need to become a professional chef. Whether your interests lie in Advanced Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry, or Hospitality Management, the relationships you develop and networking opportunities you take advantage of at Louisiana Culinary Institute will provide a more robust field of professional opportunities.

Louisiana Culinary Institute offers 16-month degree programs in Advanced Culinary Arts, Advanced Baking and Pastry, and Hospitality and Culinary Management. Opportunities to enroll are available in the Fall, Spring, and Summer.

How to Gain Admission to Louisiana Culinary Institute

Prospective students must successfully complete the following eight components of the application process to gain admission into Louisiana Culinary Institute.

1. Have proof of high school graduation or an equivalent. Acceptable forms of proof include the following: high school diploma, official high school transcript, GED, HISET, high school equivalency documentation, or an acceptable home school certificate.
2. Complete an application and pay the non-refundable $25 application fee.
3. Provide three references who can attest to your professional character.
4. Complete a short essay (500-word maximum) explaining your desire to obtain a culinary arts degree.
5. Complete the Louisiana Culinary Institute developed culinary math test.
6. Successfully pass the Wonderlic Basic Skills / COMPASS test. (**Only required for applicants that do not hold an associate degree or higher or have official college transcripts showing credit with a grade of ‘C’ or higher in a college-level math or English course.)
7. Interview with the admissions panel.
8. Provide proof of citizenship. Two forms of identification are required (birth certificate, driver’s license, social security card, passport, etc.). One form must be a photo ID.

If accepted into the program, a $75 registration fee is required. Apply now for the next semester and pursue your culinary dreams!

Louisiana Culinary Institute is licensed by the State of Louisiana Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Commission of the Council on Education (COE), as well as the American Culinary Federation’s Accrediting Commission. LCI is also a member of the Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) and the National Restaurant Association (NRAEF).