#182 in the world · QS 2027

Michigan State University

The pioneer land-grant university: a 5,200-acre Big Ten campus with small residential colleges inside it.

East Lansing, Michigan, United States Public land-grant research university Founded 1855 Official website

Photo: Jeffness at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 2.5

Acceptance rate: 83%; Fall 2025 first-year entrants (Common Data Set 2025-26); deadlines are for fall 2027 entry
Students: 51,838; 41,415 undergraduates
International: 9%; of students
Student–faculty: 17:1; ratio
Tuition: $45,040; 2026-27

About MSU

Michigan State University was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan and became the first land-grant college after the 1862 Morrill Act. That origin still shapes it: MSU is a public research university and member of the Association of American Universities with real strength in applied fields such as agriculture, veterinary science, education, business and engineering. It enrolled 51,838 students in fall 2025, 41,415 of them undergraduates, on a 5,200-acre campus along the Red Cedar River in East Lansing.

MSU offers more than 400 programs of study across 16 degree-granting colleges, from the Eli Broad College of Business and the College of Engineering to the Colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Two residential colleges, Lyman Briggs (science and mathematics) and James Madison (public affairs), give students a small-college experience inside the big university, and the Honors College invites high achievers to join after admission.

Admission is broad rather than ultra-selective: MSU admitted about 83% of its 62,965 first-year applicants for fall 2025, is test-optional and sets no minimum requirements. It suits students who want a big-campus, Big Ten experience with serious research close at hand, including the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, and who are ready to seek out the smaller communities within it.

Why students choose MSU

Supply chain management is ranked No. 2 in the nation for undergraduates in the U.S. News 2027 Best Colleges, one of seven MSU undergraduate programs in the top 25.

The residential colleges, Lyman Briggs and James Madison, put classrooms, advisers and faculty offices inside the residence halls for a small-college feel.

Early action applicants (by November 1) receive maximum scholarship consideration, and the top awards, such as the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship, cover tuition, fees, food and housing.

MSU reports that 93% of Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates were working or continuing their education, and that 77% of undergraduates complete an internship.

Admissions

Fall 2025 first-year entrants (Common Data Set 2025-26); deadlines are for fall 2027 entry

52,411 admitted from 62,965 applicants

SAT 1100–1310

1000120014001600

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

ACT 25–31

2024283236

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

MSU states that admission is competitive but there are no minimum requirements. For fall 2025, 25,102 applicants were in-state, 30,768 out-of-state and 7,095 international; 9,355 first-years enrolled.

Testing Test-optional for fall 2027: applicants may apply without an SAT or ACT score. Of fall 2025 enrollees, 51.5% submitted SAT and 6.8% ACT scores.

Grades The average high school GPA of fall 2025 first-years was 3.74 (CDS). The admissions page gives a middle-50% GPA of 3.5-4.0 for the fall 2025 enrolled class, with slightly different test ranges (ACT 26-31, SAT 1100-1320).

Typical entry requirements

Recommended high school curriculum	At least 4 years of English, 3 of mathematics, 3 of social studies, 2 of science and 2 of a single foreign language; gaps are considered, but a less rigorous curriculum is a disadvantage
Honors College (by invitation)	Typical invitees rank in the top 5% of their class, with an average ACT of 32 or SAT of 1410, plus leadership, research interests or community service
English language	IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 TOEFL iBT 79 with no subscore below 17 (for tests taken before 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110 or PTE Academic 53 for regular admission; lower scores (e.g. TOEFL 60-78, IELTS 6.0) can qualify for provisional admission. SAT ERW 510+ or ACT English 18+ can also meet the requirement.

Deadlines

Early Action Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 days

November 1, 2026

Non-binding; decisions released January 15, 2027. Gives maximum scholarship consideration, including invitations to the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship competition.
Priority deadline Non-binding In ~4 months

February 1, 2027

Guaranteed decision by March 31; applications after this date are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Final deadline Non-binding In ~6 months

April 1, 2027

The enrollment deposit (acceptance fee) is due May 1.

MSU's dates page lists November 1, February 1 and April 1 for the fall 2027 first-year application, which is now open. The page gives no years, so they are taken from the fall 2027 cycle.

How to apply

Apply with the MSU Application, the Common App or the Coalition application on Scoir (submit only one). Required: one essay of 250-650 words from seven prompts, official transcripts from all schools attended, a major preference (or Exploratory preference) and the $75 fee or a fee waiver. Letters of recommendation are not required and test scores are optional.

What admissions looks for

Academic performance in high school, with attention to the strength and quality of the curriculum.
Recent academic trends and class rank.
Leadership, talents, conduct and diversity of experience.
SAT or ACT scores, only if the applicant chooses to submit them.

Tips for applying to MSU

1 Apply early action by November 1: you get a decision by January 15 and maximum scholarship consideration, and invitations to the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship competition go to outstanding applicants who apply by that date.
2 MSU does not require recommendation letters, so put the effort into your one 250-650 word essay.
3 Take a full college-prep load every semester: MSU says a less rigorous curriculum puts an application at a disadvantage, even though there are no minimums.
4 If you are a Pell-eligible Michigan resident with household income of $75,000 or less, file the FAFSA early to be considered for the Spartan Tuition Advantage.

What are your chances?

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in USD

Michigan residents, first-year tuition (2026-27 sample freshman budget); plus $466 fees and taxes Tuition $17,656

+ food and housing (double room, silver meal plan), 2026-27 sample freshman budget $13,574 ≈ $31,230 per year

Out-of-state first-year tuition (2026-27 sample freshman budget); in 2025-26 international students paid the same tuition as out-of-state students Tuition $45,040

+ food and housing (double room, silver meal plan), 2026-27 sample freshman budget $13,574 ≈ $58,614 per year

Tuition Food and housing (double room, Silver meal plan), 2026-27 sample freshman budget

Official cost of attendance $38,346

Financial aid

Domestic students apply with the FAFSA, and aid is awarded first-come, first-served until funds run out. The Spartan Tuition Advantage covers up to 18 credits of tuition per semester for Pell-eligible Michigan residents with household income of $75,000 or less, and merit awards go up to the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship (tuition, fees, food and housing). International students cannot receive FAFSA aid, but MSU gave institutional aid averaging $18,450 to 1,054 undergraduate nonresidents (CDS 2025-26).

$38,346 in-state; $67,030 out-of-state. MSU's 2025-26 budget for international students was $70,725; its 2026-27 international budget was not yet posted.
Estimated first-year cost of attendance, 2026-27: 79%
Undergraduates receiving gift aid (2024-25): 22.8%
First-year students paying $0 tuition after aid (2024-25): 55%
Undergraduates graduating with zero loan debt (2024-25): $22,034
Average in-state first-year cost after aid (tuition, food and housing)

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters

Supply Chain Management (Eli Broad College of Business)

Ranked No. 2 for undergraduates in the U.S. News 2027 Best Colleges, after being No. 1 in the two previous editions.

Lyman Briggs College

A residential college for the natural sciences and mathematics that also studies the social contexts of science, with classes and labs where students live.

James Madison College

A residential college for political, legal, social, economic and environmental issues, with small classes inside a big university.

Communication Arts and Sciences

Founded in 1955 as the first college of its kind in the US; communication is ranked 5th in the world in the 2025 Shanghai subject rankings.

Education

MSU's graduate elementary and secondary education programs have been No. 1 in U.S. News for 31 straight years, and education is 13th in the world in QS subject rankings 2026.

Agriculture and Veterinary Science

QS subject rankings 2026 place MSU 12th in the world for agriculture and forestry and 20th for veterinary science.

Research

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, a U.S. Department of Energy facility on campus completed in 2022, supports research in nuclear science and astrophysics.
MSU reports $992 million in research expenditures in 2025 and more than 100 institutes and centers.
MSU scientists developed the cancer drugs cisplatin and carboplatin in the 1960s, and botanist William J. Beal made the first documented hybrid corn crosses in 1877.

Schools & faculties

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
College of Arts and Letters
Eli Broad College of Business
College of Communication Arts and Sciences
College of Education
College of Engineering
College of Natural Science
College of Social Science
College of Nursing
Lyman Briggs College
James Madison College
Honors College

Graduation rate

81%

First-year students who return

91%

93% of Class of 2025 bachelor's graduates were working or continuing their education (26% in further study), per MSU's Career Network, based on a 73% knowledge rate. College Scorecard median earnings 10 years after entry: $67,253.

Student life

MSU has a two-year live-on requirement: students who start as first-years live on campus for their first four semesters, in residence halls grouped into neighborhoods that share dining and services. The campus is one of the largest and greenest in the country, with the Red Cedar River running through it and Beaumont Tower marking the site of the college's first building. The Spartans compete in the Big Ten, and campus sport ranges from 23 varsity teams to one of the largest intramural programs in the country. More than 300 education abroad programs make it easy to spend a semester away.

Big Ten athletics: 23 varsity teams, and men's basketball has made 27 straight NCAA tournaments, including 10 Final Fours.
A two-year live-on requirement, with gender-inclusive, substance-free and dietary housing options.
More than 300 education abroad programs.
Game days revolve around the green and white and the mascot, Sparty.

Housing. Incoming first-years submit a housing application and contract by May 5 and their preferences by June 12, and the housing office assigns rooms under MSU's two-year live-on requirement.

Location

East Lansing is a college town immediately east of Lansing, Michigan's capital, and MSU's campus is about three miles from the Capitol. The city has around 49,000 residents, so the university shapes much of daily life, from game days to the shops and restaurants next to campus. MSU also runs programs in Detroit and medical school campuses in cities across Michigan.

Nearest airport: Capital Region International Airport, Lansing (LAN)

Notable alumni

E"
Earvin "Magic" Johnson

NBA Hall of Famer; won the 1979 national championship with Michigan State
GW
Gretchen Whitmer

49th governor of Michigan; bachelor's in communication and JD from MSU
SR
Sam Raimi

Director of the Evil Dead and Spider-Man trilogies
RF
Richard Ford

Novelist who won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Independence Day
EB
Eli Broad

Businessman and philanthropist; MSU's business college is named after him
EG
Ernest Green

Member of the Little Rock Nine who went on to attend Michigan State
DG
Draymond Green

Four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors

Frequently asked questions

What is Michigan State's acceptance rate?

For fall 2025, MSU admitted 52,411 of 62,965 first-year applicants, about 83%. Admission is competitive, but MSU says there are no minimum requirements.

Is Michigan State test-optional for fall 2027?

Yes, you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Among fall 2025 enrollees who submitted scores, the middle 50% was 1100-1310 on the SAT and 25-31 on the ACT.

When is the MSU early action deadline?

November 1, 2026 for fall 2027 entry. Early action is non-binding, decisions come out January 15, and it gives maximum scholarship consideration. The priority deadline is February 1 and the final deadline April 1.

Does MSU require letters of recommendation?

No. MSU requires one essay, transcripts and the application fee (or a waiver), but not letters of recommendation.

How much does Michigan State cost?

For 2026-27, MSU's sample first-year budget puts tuition at $17,656 for Michigan residents and $45,040 for out-of-state students, and the total cost of attendance at $38,346 in-state and $67,030 out-of-state, including food and housing.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.