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USEK

Holy Spirit University of Kaslik

2026–27 informationApplications: apply.usek.edu.lb
Apply on apply.usek.edu.lb

Programs​

61

USEK was founded in 1938. It groups its programs under nine current academic units: the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (which now includes what were separate faculties of Letters, Philosophy and Humanities, Sciences and Agricultural and Food Sciences, plus the Institute of Liturgy), the Business School, the School of Engineering, the School of Architecture and Design, the School of Law and Political Sciences (which now includes the Higher Institute of Political and Administrative Sciences, ISSPA, kept as an affiliated institute), the School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, the Higher Institute of Nursing Sciences (ISSI), the School of Music and Performing Arts, and the Pontifical School of Theology. This replaces the 12 faculties and 2 institutes the 2025-26 page listed; the University Facts page counts 207 academic programs at all levels university-wide.

Instruction is primarily in English or French; Arabic-taught sections exist in some Arts and Sciences programs and in Theology. The main campus is in Kaslik, Jounieh. Of USEK's three Regional University Centers, only Zahle is currently active — Chekka and Rmeich have been suspended since Fall 2024 under the University's teach-out policy (see Contacts). USEK describes a modular, semester-based credit system; a standard undergraduate degree is built from 30 Freshman credits (automatically granted to Lebanese Baccalaureate holders and equivalents), 30 General Education credits and a program-specific component, with class standing (Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior) set by the percentage of total credits completed rather than by calendar year.

Accreditation: USEK holds institutional accreditation from evalag (Europe, valid to 2029) and NECHE (US, since 2026). At program level: ABET accredits Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology and all Engineering programs; evalag separately accredits 7 Social Sciences and Humanities programs; the Master of Architecture holds NAAB certification; Medicine holds TEPDAD accreditation; the Business School is pursuing AACSB — see SOURCES.md for every accrediting body's exact renewal date and scope.

Sources:USEK at a GlanceUniversity FactsAccreditationAdmissions Guide 2026-2027 (PDF)

Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS)30 programs​

  • Biology *FAS Life and Earth SciencesBS3 years96 creditsEN
  • Biochemistry — English SectionFAS Chemistry and BiochemistryBS3 years96 creditsEN
  • Biochemistry — French Section *FAS Chemistry and BiochemistryBS3 years96 creditsFR
  • ChemistryFAS Chemistry and BiochemistryBS3 years96 creditsEN
  • Cinema and Television *FAS Visual and Performing ArtsBA3 years96 creditsEN
  • Journalism and CommunicationFAS Journalism and CommunicationBA3 years96 creditsEN/FR/AR
  • Computer ScienceFAS Computer ScienceBS3 years96 creditsEN
  • Information TechnologyFAS Computer ScienceBS3 years96 creditsEN

Application​

Application Types + Windows​

USEK's Online Admission page publishes dates and deadlines for the Fall Semester 2026-2027 directly (the online application for that Fall semester opened January 30, 2026). As of Sep 27, 2026 the application portal shows the Fall 2026-2027 cycle closed and the Spring 2026-2027 cycle open for both undergraduate and graduate applicants.

Source:USEK Online Admission

Four admission types (USEK Admission Types page): (1) Regular Admission — the standard route for all undergraduate programs, based on academic qualifications, entrance-exam performance or SAT scores, and language proficiency. (2) Admission with Scholarship — offered only during the Early Admission period to outstanding Grade 12 students; requires the entrance exam and a minimum English level, and does not apply to the Foundation Program (see Scholarships). (3) Upgraded Scholarship Admission — lets an already-awarded scholarship increase based on Grade 12 ranking (documentation due by end of June) or an SAT score of at least 1350 (see Scholarships). (4) File Transfer Admission — for students transferring from other accredited institutions, evaluated on course-content compatibility, credit equivalency and academic record. Doctoral Studies runs two Comps Exams for Fall 2026-2027: Apr 29, 2026 (application deadline Mar 13, 2026) and Jul 8, 2026 (application deadline Jun 5, 2026).

Sources:USEK Online AdmissionAdmission TypesApply Online

Application Price​

FeeAmount (USD)

Registration feeNon-refundable; cash dollars. Charged for Fall, Spring and Summer.
$200/semester
Operational feeFall and Spring only; included in the first payment.
$400/semester
Initial paymentIncludes $600 in registration and operational fees.
$1,000
NSSF (social security)Students already affiliated with the NSSF or an equivalent fund (Cooperatives, military, judges and lawyers, Lebanese University, municipalities) submit an official paper instead; unaffiliated students fill an exemption form; both are due by the Academic Calendar deadline. Exempt if over 30.
$94/year

Source:University Fees

The Apply Now button at the bottom-left of this page opens USEK's application portal at apply.usek.edu.lb.

Tuition (AY 2026-2027)​

USEK charges per credit by the academic unit that teaches the course, not the student's home unit or program (a business student pays the language-remedial rate for a language course). Fees are reviewed every semester and can change; USEK notifies students by email, on its website and on MyUSEK.

Academic unitUSD per credit

Language Center (Continuing Education)
$220
Theology Center (Continuing Education)
$220
Music Academy (Continuing Education)
$160
Language Remedial Courses
$220
Languages and Literatures
$220
Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education
$220

Freshman-year credits are billed at the humanities rate (Freshman Arts) or the science rate (Freshman Sciences), as relevant. These rates apply at all USEK branches, including Zahle. Payment: four installments per semester (Fall, Spring), two installments (Summer Session). No refunds are granted except in case of deregistration under the academic regulations. USEK's Financial Aid Office processes tuition-discount applications for students facing financial difficulty, submitted within the deadlines on the Academic Calendar (see Scholarships).

Source:University Fees — Undergraduate Studies

Scholarships​

University-offered scholarships​

Admission with Scholarship is offered only to current Grade-12 students applying in the Early Admission period, based on their last two years of secondary results. Minimum averages:

  • 15/20 for the Lebanese, French and Technical Baccalaureates (SE and LH-track students ranked first in Grade 12 with an average below 15 may apply for a file study).
  • 34-35 predicted points, with no subject below 4, for the International Baccalaureate.
  • Three grade-A results over five IGCSE subjects (excluding languages and D grades), with Year 10-11 results, for the British Curriculum.
  • USEK Freshman students may apply once they finish their Freshman year with a GPA of at least 85 and meet the minimum high-school-average requirement (15 and above).

Eligible applicants must also sit the English Proficiency Test at a minimum of Level 2 (FENG102); a Level 1 result (FENG101) forfeits the scholarship and requires Foundation Program enrollment. Scholarship eligibility is decided after entrance-exam results, by file review (up to 3 weeks); it does not apply to the Foundation Program or to dual-degree programs.

Upgraded Admission with a Scholarship​

  • Grade-12 ranking: students who finish first in Grade 12 may receive a file study for up to 100% of the first year (excludes registration, operational, NSSF and Summer fees); the school must document the ranking and it must be submitted by the stated deadline.
  • Official exam results plus ranking: candidates who pass the Lebanese Baccalaureate with an average of 17 or above (16 or above for the French Baccalaureate) and rank first in Grade 12 receive a guaranteed 100% scholarship upgrade on the full program if they applied during Early Admission and meet the admission requirements (no exceptions); unofficial results are due by Aug 20, 2026 along with the ranking.
  • SAT scores: an additional 10% is added to an existing scholarship offer for SAT scores of 1350 or above, for applicants who applied during Early Admission and already received a scholarship offer.

Modification requests to a submitted application or scholarship are due by Jun 30, 2026; official exam results are due by Aug 20, 2026.

Reductions and Agreements​

USEK's Financial Aid Office (FAO) processes a broad range of tuition reductions; terms and conditions are set case by case. Categories include:

  • Need-based Financial Aid (apply through the FAO section).
  • Siblings simultaneously registered at USEK, and relatives (brother, sister, nephew, niece) of an OLM (Lebanese Maronite Order) member.
  • Alumni of OLM schools; USEK employees and their children; full-time and part-time USEK faculty and their children (several tiers, handled by HR).
  • Corporate and institutional agreements: INDEVCO and MTV employees and their children; the USEK/LA, USEK/ISF, USEK/GS, USEK/LC, USEK/SS and USEK/Judges agreements (USEK does not spell these out; by context they cover the Lebanese Army, Internal Security Forces, General Security and State Security); children of CHUNDS full-time staff and nursing staff; children of CCJ employees and teachers; OLM-school employees or teachers (Master's studies only).
  • The Student Job Program, the USEK Talents' Program, and membership of a USEK sports team.

For terms and conditions, contact the Financial Aid Office at supportcenter@usek.edu.lb. Fall 2024 figures (University Facts page): 70% of undergraduates received some discount and 25% of total tuition was discounted university-wide.

Sources:Scholarships and Financial AidUniversity Facts

Requirements​

SAT and entrance-exam exemptions​

USEK accepts SAT scores as a substitute for its own entrance exams. Applicants who fit one of the conditions below are exempted from the program-specific requirement (or may sit the USEK test instead):

Program groupSAT (Reading and Writing + Math, /1600)

ArchitectureOr USEK test: Math Entrance Exam ≥70/100
≥1200 (Eng ≥550, Math ≥650)
BusinessOr USEK test: Math Entrance Exam ≥70/100
≥1100 (Eng ≥550, Math ≥550)
Humanities and ArtOr USEK test: —
≥550/800 (single section)
EngineeringOr USEK test: Engineering Entrance Exam ≥75/100
≥1250 (Math ≥650)
Agricultural Engineering / Engineering Sciences – Food EngineeringOr USEK test: Math Entrance Exam ≥70/100
≥1100
SciencesOr USEK test: Math Entrance Exam ≥70/100
≥1100 (Math ≥550)

Source:USEK Online Admission

Entrance-exam samples are published on the Undergraduate Admission page.

High-school grades​

  • A recognized secondary-school certificate is required: Lebanese Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate, IGCSE/GCSE, Technical Baccalaureate (BT3) or equivalent.
  • Non-Lebanese curricula need an equivalence certificate from the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
  • Sophomore-year applicants (holders of the Lebanese Baccalaureate or an equivalent) are automatically granted the 30 Freshman credits.

English proficiency​

All students admitted to USEK must submit one of these standardized scores, or take the USEK English Proficiency Test (USEK-EPT):

TestMinimum score

SAT Reading and Writing
550/800 (or SAT Essay 16/24)
TOEFL iBT
80/120
TOEFL PBT
550/670
TOEFL CBT
213/300
IELTS
6/9
Duolingo English Test
120
USEK-EPT
70/100

Source:USEK Online Admission

Applicants who fall short of these scores are placed by USEK-EPT (or an equivalent score) into an English remedial course: Basic English (9 credits) for SAT 200-430 / TOEFL PBT ≤450 / iBT ≤56 / CBT ≤152 / IELTS ≤4.5 / USEK-EPT <55 (students taking Basic English may not start major courses yet); Remedial English (6 credits) for SAT 431-549 / TOEFL PBT 450-549 / iBT 57-79 / CBT 153-212 / IELTS 5-5.5 / USEK-EPT 55-70.

Contacts​

Office / ChannelPhoneEmailNotes
Admissions Office+961 9 600 050admissions@usek.edu.lbMonday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
WhatsApp — New applicants+961 81 124 984—8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
WhatsApp — Existing applicants+961 71 061 647—Application follow-up; 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Main Switchboard (Kaslik Campus)+961 9 600 000—Fax +961 9 600 100. Routes to all departments.
Financial Aid Office (FAO)—supportcenter@usek.edu.lbReductions, agreements and financial-aid terms
Zahle Regional University Center+961 8 932 132 / +961 8 932 232zahle@usek.edu.lbExecutive Director: Julie Abdelky Harmouch. Main Highway, Zahle, Lebanon.

USEK's three Regional University Centers were Chekka, Rmeich and Zahle; as of Fall 2024 operations at Chekka and Rmeich are temporarily suspended under the University's teach-out policy, and only Zahle remains active. No dedicated contact details are published for Chekka or Rmeich.

Mailing address: Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Kaslik Street, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.

Sources:Contact UsRegional University CentersUSEK Home