Prospective Students
All prospective Michigan State University graduate students must submit an application through the MSU graduate student portal. All documents should be submitted directly through the portal except for bachelor’s degree transcripts, which must be sent directly from the institution. Before you start, please go over the information on this page to make sure you have everything ready.
Application reviews will begin in spring for the next term (Fall, 2023).
Successful applicants for research-intensive programs, such as the Master of Science in User Experience, usually have a 3.0 or higher GPA, although applications are reviewed holistically. Résumés, portfolios, and personal statements are carefully considered by the committee to assess clear connections to our areas of focus.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition and fees are set yearly and vary based on residency and college level. Please use the MSU tuition calculator to find current costs.
What you Need to Apply
1. To apply for any master’s program at MSU, students need to have the equivalent of a 4-year bachelor’s degree. Per MSU requirements an official copy sent directly from your institution to:
Director of UX M.S.
Department of Media and Information
404 Wilson Road
Room 409
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
2. 1-2 page statement. This is your opportunity to tell the M.S. Committee about yourself, your background, your passion and professional interests and aspirations. In addition, this is the opportunity to communicate to the M.S. Committee any factors that may have contributed to prior academic performance and anything you would wish for the M.S. Committee to take into consideration during the review of your application.
3. 1 letter of recommendation
4. An optional portfolio.
International Applicants
English Language Competency
MSU has TOEFL/ IELTS minimum scores of 80, our department has a minimum TOEFL of 85. No subscore below 19 for reading, listening, and speaking and no subscore below 22 for writing. The minimum average score for IELTS is 6.5 with no subscore below 6.0. Duolingo scores must be 105 or higher. See MSU Graduate Studies website for more information. Our International students who have a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution do not need a TOEFL/IELTS score.
All international students are required to take the MSU English Language test at the MSU ELT center. These test are free to admitted students and need to be taken before enrolling in MI 800 level classes. Those who are accepted into the program will be advised to set up a test with the center before the start of classes. Students need a score of 85 in each subsection (writing; reading; speaking & listening) to enroll in MI 800 level classes. Students who get lower scores will be enrolled in the appropriate Advanced Academic English (AAE) classes.
A Financial Affidavit
This is required by the United States government. More details and instructions are at this page.
Further Details
These pages at the Graduate School website give more details for international students.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
U.S. Citizens or permanent residents may apply for federal and needs based loans by filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Visit their site for more information.