Least square spectral element method based on discrete-ordinates equation is extended to solve multidimensional radiative heat transfer problems in semitransparent graded index media. Chebyshev polynomial is employed as expansion set for the spectral element discretization. Five various test problems were taken as examples to verify the least square spectral element formulation for solving radiative heat transfer in semitransparent graded index media. The predicted distributions of temperature and radiative heat flux are determined by the least square spectral element method and compared with data in the references. The results show that the least square spectral element method has good accuracy for solving multidimensional radiative heat transfer problems in semitransparent graded index media. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.