University in United States
East Lansing, MI, United States
University profile
Michigan State University (MSU) is a land-grant university in East Lansing, Michigan, about three miles from the state capital, Lansing. It offers more than 400 areas of study across 16 colleges, with a stated student-faculty ratio of 16:1 and more than 100 research institutes and centers. The campus covers 5,300 acres of park-like grounds and is organised as a walkable small city with residential neighbourhoods, dining halls, recreation facilities and green space.
Undergraduate study is organised through the university's colleges, including the Broad College of Business, and the Honors College admits invited first-year students. Graduate and professional study includes master's and doctoral degrees (MA, MS, MFA, MM, DMA, EdS, PhD), graduate certificates and professional degrees: the MD (College of Human Medicine), DO (College of Osteopathic Medicine), DVM (College of Veterinary Medicine), DNP (College of Nursing), MBA (Broad College of Business) and JD (College of Law). Graduate admission is decentralised, with each department or college reviewing its own applications.
The entering first-year class in fall 2025 numbered 9,376 students, and the Graduate School reports 10,833 graduate and professional students. Admission is competitive with no minimum requirements, and the university is test-optional for first-year applicants.
Student life centres on 27 residence halls grouped into five neighbourhoods; 99% of the first-year class lives on campus and a second-year on-campus requirement has been reinstated. Nine on-campus dining halls, four indoor fitness facilities and more than 1,000 student clubs and organizations support campus life, and the Spartans compete in Big Ten athletics. More than 300 education abroad programs are available.
International students apply through the Office of Admissions as international applicants, submit official transcripts and, where English is not their first language, proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, SAT, ACT and other accepted tests). The Office for International Students and Scholars supports students on F-1 and J-1 visas. All admitted international undergraduates are automatically considered for the MSU Non-resident Scholarship.
All admitted international students are automatically considered for the MSU Non-resident Scholarship, with award levels of President's ($18,000), Provost's ($15,000), Dean's ($12,000), 1855 ($9,000), Beaumont Tower ($5,000) and Global Community Scholars ($3,000). The Honors College Excellence Scholarship provides $13,000 annually over eight semesters to select international and non-Michigan Honors College invitees; Professorial Assistantships carry a stipend of about $3,500 a year. The Red Cedar Scholarship gives $1,250 annually to dependents or grandchildren of MSU alumni, and Presidential Study Abroad Scholarships are $3,000 or $5,000. Applying by Nov. 1 guarantees a decision by January 15; no separate application is needed. See international student scholarships.
Domestic students submit the FAFSA (available from October 1); MSU has no separate financial aid application and aid is awarded first-come, first-served. International students are not eligible for aid through FAFSA. The Spartan Tuition Advantage covers up to 18 credits of tuition per semester for qualifying full-time in-state first-year students who are Pell-eligible with household income of $75K or less. The Office for International Students and Scholars offers short-term loans up to $2,000, an Emergency Tuition Award and emergency assistance awards generally of $1,000 or less. See financial aid.
MSU Non-resident Scholarship (International Admissions Scholarships) →
Browse the scholarships listed for Michigan State University and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Michigan State University →Admission is competitive with no minimum requirements and is based on high school academic performance, strength and quality of curriculum, recent academic trends, class rank, leadership, talents, conduct and diversity of experience. The middle 50% of the fall 2025 enrolled first-year class had a high school GPA of 3.5-4.0, composite ACT 26-31 and total SAT 1100-1320. A college preparatory curriculum is recommended: four years of English, three of mathematics (two algebra, one geometry), three of social studies, two of science and two of a single foreign language. MSU is test-optional: applicants may apply without an ACT or SAT score, and those who submit scores have them considered (ACT code 2032, SAT code 1465); scholarship consideration does not require a test score. Applicants submit official transcripts, one essay of 250 to 650 words and a $75 application fee (or fee waiver); letters of recommendation are not required.
Early action (non-binding): Nov. 1, with a decision by Jan. 15 and automatic maximum scholarship consideration. Regular decision: April 1, with a Feb. 1 priority date and a decision by March 31 for complete applications received by Feb. 1; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Offers are accepted, with the acceptance fee, by May 1.
Credit or course waivers may be awarded for AP, IB Diploma Programme, CLEP, DSST and International A Level examinations (Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, AQA, CAPE and Singapore), plus dual-enrollment and early/middle college coursework.
Students who have enrolled at a college or university after high school apply as transfer applicants; transfer applicants are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores. Transfer credit is checked through transfercredit.msu.edu.
International students (non-citizens and non-permanent residents on or needing a visa) follow the same Nov. 1 and April 1 dates and $75 application fee. Official secondary transcripts for grades 9-12, plus external examination results (Cambridge, Pearson/Edexcel, IB, CXC and others), must be sent directly by the school or examining body; translations are required for non-English documents and emailed transcripts are not accepted. Applicants whose first language is not English must show proficiency: TOEFL iBT 79 with no subscore below 17 for regular admission (60-78 provisional) if taken before January 21, 2026; IELTS 6.5 regular, 6.0 provisional; Duolingo English Test, SAT and ACT are also accepted, or three years of US high school study with a 3.0 GPA. To obtain an I-20 or DS-2019 admitted students upload a signed affidavit of support and a bank statement.
Graduate admission is decentralised: applicants apply through the Graduate School application, pay the application fee and meet the requirements set by their department or college, which makes the admission decision. Up to two applications to different graduate majors may be submitted per semester. Professional degrees (MD, DO, DVM, JD) use separate applications; the DNP and MBA use the general graduate application.
Main campus, East Lansing, Michigan: 5,300 acres, three miles from Lansing, the state capital.
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