Official Arrival Date: June 23, 2023
Official Departure Date: July 14, 2023

Immigration Requirements

To travel to the United States and participate in this program, you will need a valid passport and either authorization through ESTA or a tourist visa.

If you are a passport holder of a member country of the US Visa Waiver Program, you are eligible to apply for ESTA. ESTA is an electronic authorization waiving a visa that is affordable and electronically connected to your passport number. Don't delay - apply for your ESTA approval online now!

NOTE: If you are a passport holder of a country that is not a member of the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you will need a B1/B2 tourist visa to enter the US and participate in the program. If you apply for ESTA approval and are denied for whatever reason, you can also apply for a B1/B2 tourist visa. A member of the ASP team will contact you if your application indicated you are from a country that will require a visa. However, message us through your Traveler Dashboard at any time to discuss your options.

NOTE: Successfully obtaining ESTA approval or a visa for the United States is under the sole discretion of the US Consulate. The American Semester Program can only advise you on your application, but cannot guarantee receipt of ESTA or visa approval.

Arrival

You are required to arrive in East Lansing, Michigan on June 23. ASP will not directly provide transportation to campus. You may use the provided ride share voucher for a $20 credit toward your transport to campus from the locations bulleted below.  

• Michigan Flyer East Lansing Bus Stop (bus from Detroit Airport)
• Lansing Capital City Airport (LAN)
• East Lansing Amtrak/Greyhound Bus Station (for train/bus from Chicago)

As soon as you book your travel, please fill out the Arrival Form located in the Forms section in your online Traveler Dashboard.

It is recommended that students decide between:

• Flying to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) and take the Michigan Flyer Bus to East Lansing. NOTE: You must book your bus ticket online in advance. The Michigan Flyer bus is very convenient to board, with a stop right outside the arrivals terminal. The bus offers free Wi-Fi, water and a restroom (onboard). The ride will make a few stops before arriving in East Lansing (the duration of the trip is around 2 hours).
• The second-best alternative is to have a connecting flight to the Lansing Capital City Airport (LAN). This is a small airport located about 20 minutes from campus.

It is least convenient to fly to Chicago and take the Amtrak train to East Lansing. The connection from Chicago airports to the train station is not convenient, and it is very common for Amtrak trains to be delayed.

IMPORTANT: You may not move into your MSU housing until June 23. If you choose to travel in the United States before the program, or arrive in East Lansing before June 23, you are responsible for arranging your own accommodation and travel to your MSU housing on the arrival day.

Departure

Check out time from residence hall is 11:00 AM on July 14. The American Semester Program staff will not provide transportation from campus to departure locations. We suggest students seek out: Uber, Lyft or any Lansing-area taxis. Taxis and transportation apps (like Uber) are very affordable.

Approximate cost vary, depending on time of day:

• Taxi from Campus to Michigan Flyer Stop: around $10.00
• Taxi from Campus to Lansing Airport: around $30.00
• Using UberX will be slightly cheaper, unless surge pricing is in effect

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