The American Semester Program (ASP) allows students to experience MSU on a short-term basis, for one or two academic semesters.
American Semester students are fully integrated into university life with the opportunity to participate in student organizations, join intramural teams, or cheer on the Spartans at hockey, soccer, swimming, football, and basketball games.
While at Michigan State, ASP students take courses right alongside degree-seeking MSU students. The credits earned in these courses may be transferred back to a student’s home institution upon completion of the program.
Whether here for a just semester or for an entire academic year, all participants in the American Semester Program are provided with the resources to ensure their success in the program, such as on-site orientations and one-on-one health, safety, and academic support that extends not just through the duration of their stay here, but even after they return home.
For questions or inquiries about the American Semester Program, contact american@msu.edu.
Follow the five steps below to complete your application to the American Semester Program.
Step 1: Create Your Traveler Profile
Create a Traveler Profile in our online application system, viaTRM.
Step 2: Review Admissions Requirements and Gather Your Documents
Confirm that you meet all Admissions Requirements before beginning your application.
Once you have confirmed your eligibility, gather the following required documents to complete your application:
Note: all documents must be submitted in English.
Step 3: Select and Apply to Your Program
Once you have created your Traveler Profile and gathered all required application documents, browse our programs and apply to the program that corresponds to your academic level.
Select the appropriate program:
Estimated application completion time: 15–20 minutes.
Step 4: Pay the Application Fee
As part of the application process, you must submit a non-refundable application fee of USD $75.
Important: Your application fee must be paid before your application can be considered or processed.
To pay the fee, visit our Cashnet Storefront and follow these instructions:
Step 5: Monitor Your Application Status
After submitting your application, check back periodically for application updates.
Once you have been admitted, our office will provide additional instructions and information regarding next steps, including housing and course requests.
Important Information:
Who should use this application process?
The application process outlined above is for American Semester Program participants (semester and academic year) only. It does not apply to summer short course or exchange applicants.
Student Visa Information
By default, American Semester Program students will be processed under the U.S. F-1 visiting student visa.
If you have any issues with this visa or require a different visa (J-1 student visa), please inform our team immediately.
The American Semester Program (ASP) welcomes students from a variety of academic backgrounds. Review the admissions requirements below to determine your eligibility and prepare the necessary application materials.
The ASP welcomes applications from students at the following academic levels:
Students must be in good academic standing at their home university.
Please note that specific academic requirements and course prerequisites may apply to certain courses or academic departments at Michigan State University (MSU).
Standardized English language test results are required unless English is designated as the primary language of instruction at the student's home institution.
Applicants must meet the minimum score requirement for one of the following English language proficiency tests:
Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT)
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Duolingo English Test
Note: MSU accepts the TOEFL Home Edition test.
Additional information for graduate students: Graduate-level students may have different English language proficiency requirements depending on their intended coursework or academic faculty.
Students whose English proficiency levels fall below the minimum admission requirements are invited to explore programming through the MSU English Language Center (ELC).
Through this partnership, students actively studying English may enroll in the ELC's English for Academic Purposes courses.
This program focuses on improving international students' English language abilities through credit-bearing language coursework taught by ELC faculty.
To obtain a visa to study in the United States, all prospective students must provide documentation verifying that they have sufficient funds to support themselves throughout their studies at MSU.
Financial documentation must be included with the initial application.
Acceptable documentation may include:
All financial documentation must meet the following requirements:
For additional information about the required funding amounts and documentation, review the Program Fees tab on this page.
Need a document translated? Visit the MSU Translation Center website for translation assistance.
Applicants must submit a personal essay of 500 words or fewer addressing all of the following questions:
Be sure to address all four prompts in your essay while staying within the 500-word maximum.
Spring 2027 Semester:
Fall 2027 Semester:
Spring 2028 Semester:
See MSU's Academic Calendar for more information.
The following costs reflect the minimum amounts required to show before immigration documentation can be issued.
Please note these are not the actual charges that will be assessed. Actual rates are determined every July for the next academic year.
Fall 2026:
Undergraduate
Tuition = $14,884
Living expenses = $9,297
Health Insurance = $1,527
TOTAL = $25,708
Graduate
Tuition = $11,163
Living Expenses5 = $11,500
Health Insurance = $1,527
TOTAL = $24,190
Spring 2027:
Undergraduate
Tuition = $14,667
Living expenses = $9,297
Health Insurance = $2,486
TOTAL = $26,450
Graduate
Tuition = $11,000.25
Living Expenses = $11,500
Health Insurance = $2,486
TOTAL = $24,986.25
Additional costs:
All students will be required to pay a USD $100 non-refundable fee at the time of application. This must be paid before your application will be considered or processed. Visit our Cashnet Storefront to make this payment. Once there, select "Semester Program Payments & Registrations", then click "American Semester Program Application Fee" or "Exchanges Application Fee" and follow the prompts.
Other costs you may encounter include:
Cost of Living Considerations:
Studying in North America may, in many cases, be a rather expensive place to study abroad. Living expenses, insurance costs, and travel expenses are higher than many other destinations around the globe.
If you are concerned about financing your education abroad experience, please set up an appointment with your home university education abroad office to discuss your options in further detail.