International Applicants

Resources

Application Deadlines

  • October 31st
  • February 15th

International students are admitted for Fall semester only.

Submission Information
The MSU Office of Admissions has a mid-June deadline to admit international students. If we are unable to forward our recommendation of admission to the MSU Office of Admissions for lack of requirements, or if Admissions disapproves of the application for any reason, the offer of admission is automatically rescinded. If this happens, you may be able to defer to a future semester, but this is not always possible depending on the circumstances.

It is vital that international students apply and submit all requirements at least by the application deadlines listed above. Applications submitted after these deadlines will not be reviewed.

  • To ensure full consideration, all documentation must be received by or before the Packaging application deadlines listed above. Admission decisions for completed applications will be made as soon as possible after the application deadline.
  • Admitted students who do not enroll (arrive on campus) as scheduled will not be guaranteed admission at a later date. To ensure full consideration, the application for admission and all requirements listed above should be received by the School by or before the deadlines shown above.
  • International students must apply before the deadlines. Supporting materials need not be submitted all at the same time; the application form may be submitted prior to other materials becoming available.

International Admit Deadline

  • Applications from prospective international students must be received by or before the deadlines indicated above.
  • If the application for admission is approved, a certificate of acceptance to the University will be emailed to the student with instructions on next steps, including accepting or denying the offer. Then, a U.S. Department of Justice I-20 form will be emailed by either the MSU Office of Admissions or the MSU OISS. The School of Packaging does not handle I-20s. No prospective international student should plan to enter the United States before receiving both a certificate of acceptance and an I-20. It will be necessary to present the certificate upon application for a student visa, and again upon arrival at the University. The Office for International Students and Scholars issues these documents, following recommendation by the Office of Admissions, and will remain in direct contact with each applicant. For students entering the online program, no visa documents are needed, and none will be issued.
  • As of Spring 2017, if students are admitted on a provisional basis because of language proficiency requirements, they can be issued an I-20 for language studies only. This I-20 is limited to a maximum of two (2) years. The student would need to be tested at the English Language Center upon arrival and begin studying in the English level determined by that test. Once the student meets the departmental requirements for language, the student may be issued a degree-seeking I-20. If the student has not met the stated language proficiency requirement for department/program admission at the end of two years, the student cannot continue to enroll for courses.
  • The international student must provide evidence of financial ability to pursue a graduate program at MSU before the certificate of acceptance to the University will be mailed. Details of the procedures and amount required, as well as the Affidavit of Support for Graduate International Students, can be found at The Graduate School website under “financial proof”. MS students should not expect financial aid from the University. Financial proof is not required for online students.
  • International students who enroll in the University are required to buy the University student insurance, or to demonstrate that they have equivalent coverage. Details about requirements can be obtained from the Office for International Students and Scholars. Information about the student insurance program can be obtained from the MSU Human Resources Office. This requirement does not apply to international students in the MS Plan B: Non-Thesis program who reside outside of the U.S. For those MS Plan B: Non-Thesis international students residing in the U.S., a waiver should be completed through the Office for International Students and Scholars.
  • All applicants without full native fluency in English must demonstrate proficiency by submitting English Language scores. For information and testing agencies approved by MSU, go to https://grad.msu.edu/internationalapplicants.
  • For up-to-date information on minimum scores for both regular and provisional admission, go to https://grad.msu.edu/english-language-competency.
  • Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for provisional admission will not be admitted to academic programs. They may apply directly to the English Language Center for study of English only. Any questions about these requirements should be directed to the English Language Center at https://elc.msu.edu/.
  • It is vital that international students apply and submit all requirements at least by the application deadlines listed above. Applications submitted after these deadlines will not be reviewed. Complete the School of Packaging Supplemental Questions as part of your MSU application.

Required Documents

Application

Apply to our program and pay the application fee via MSU Admissions.

International Students: Please print your name on the application exactly as it appears in your passport. The information will be used to complete the necessary visa documents, so matching your passport information is critical.

Official Transcripts (Non-MSU)

Request the registrar of each college or university attended to send an official copy of any previous schooling (mark sheets, transcripts, diplomas, certificates, etc.) directly to the Graduate Program Coordinator, School of Packaging, in a sealed envelope that shows the school seal or stamp.

Graduate Program Coordinator
School of Packaging
Michigan State University
110 Packaging Building
448 Wilson Road
East Lansing, MI 48824-1223

    • If the college or university is using an electronic transcript service such as AVOW or eScrip-Safe, the transcripts must instead be sent directly to the MSU Office of Admissions. Electronic transcripts are not accepted by the School of Packaging from international institutions.
    • Official translations must be provided when originals are not in English. These will be recorded and forwarded to Admissions.
    • Documents must arrive in an envelope sealed by the university.
    • Documents issued to students and opened are not acceptable.
    • If the transcript does not indicate that the degree has been awarded, a copy of the diploma is also required.

MSU Transcripts

Please upload a copy of MSU transcripts to your application.

Note:  Admission to a graduate program requires completion of a level of education comparable/equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree. Michigan State University does not accept three-year bachelor’s degrees, diplomas or certificates as comparable to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree. Exceptions are made by the Office of Admissions in the case of Indian students who have earned both three-year bachelor’s degrees and two-year master’s degrees. A Post Graduate Degree is not equivalent to a Master's.

Letters of Recommendation

Three (3) letters of recommendation in support of the application.

    • To set up your Letters of Recommendation you will log into your Graduate Student ApplicationPortal.  You will need to “Register Recommender” with their first and last name and their email address.  Your recommenders will automatically receive an email with the link and password to log in and submit their recommendation for you.
    • Please make sure the email you are entering for them is correct. You cannot update their email address at a later time.

Official Graduate Record of Examination (GRE) - Optional

Although optional, GREs are highly encouraged. If you have taken the GRE and wish to include them with your application, please request that ETS send your scores to MSU electronically. MSU code is 1465 and there is no subject code for Packaging; use the code for “other".

Major Professor at MSU - PhD Applicants

Admission is contingent on acceptance of the applicant by a faculty member willing to serve as the applicant’s major professor. Applicants are encouraged to correspond with faculty working in their areas of interest who they would like to have as their major professor, to let faculty know of their interest and qualifications. Acceptance by a major professor does not guarantee admission or funding. Go to https://www.canr.msu.edu/packaging/our-team/ for a list of faculty and their information.

Supplemental Questions

Complete the School of Packaging Supplemental Questions as part of your MSU application.

Video Essay

International applicants must complete the online video essay.

Academic Statement

The Academic Statement should include interest areas and a brief plan of study, if possible. If a research-based program is planned the subject of the research must be within the capabilities of and consistent with the goals of the School at the time of application. (See application form for guidelines for Academic Statement, stating your plans for graduate study and your professional career. 

Personal Statement

The separate Personal Statement should include those aspects of your background and experiences that motivate your desire to pursue the degree, as well as any factors that you feel make you worthy of special consideration for admission.

Resume

A current copy of your resume.

Affidavit of Support

The student must provide evidence of financial ability to pursue a graduate program at MSU before the letter of acceptance to the University will be mailed. International students must submit the Statement of Financial Proof (Affidavit of Support) for the academic year you are applying for. Additional information is found under "financial proof" at International Applicants | The Graduate School.

Financial proof must be provided in order to comply with U.S. Government regulations. Final admission will not be granted until the Office of Admissions is satisfied that all documents are complete and correct. At that time, your immigration document will be issued.  The Affidavit of Support is available through the Office for International Students and Scholars at https://oiss.isp.msu.edu/forms.

English-Language Scores

All international applicants and applicants whose first language is not English must be able to be proficient in English as a condition for regular admission to Michigan State University. Such applicants will be required to demonstrate their proficiency by meeting certain minimum standards.

Applicants should have all test scores sent from the testing agency directly to Michigan State University. Most testing authorities are able to send scores electronically. In the rare case that a physical copy must be sent, it should be sent to; Office of Admissions; Hannah Administration Building; 426 Auditorium Road, Room 250; East Lansing, Michigan 48824-2604.

Provisional admission status will continue until university minimum language proficiency requirements for English (regular admission proficiency) are attained. Provisionally admitted students are required to take the MSU English Language Test (MSUELT) upon arrival at MSU. The results of the MSU English Language Test determine whether students will:

    • Enroll in full-time academic courses.
    • Enroll in full-time English Language courses through the English Language Center.
    • Enroll in a combination of both academic courses and English Language courses.

You may not enroll in full-time academic courses until you meet the university's minimum language proficiency requirement for English. Enrollment in English Language Center courses is NOT negotiable. Any questions regarding the university's minimum language proficiency requirements for English can be answered by the English Language Center; elc@msu.edu; 517-353-0800; https://elc.msu.edu.

English language tests for international students: Due to cancellations of many international English language proficiency tests, MSU will be temporarily accepting the following tests for international students applying for Spring 2022 and Fall 2022: Duolingo English Test, the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator tests

The English-Language requirement is automatically waived if:

    • the applicant has been awarded a Bachelor's degree earned in the U.S.
    • the applicant has been awarded a Master's degree earned at an AAU Institution on a U.S. Campus. For a  list of AAU members, go to https://www.aau.edu/who-we-are/our-members

 

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