Frequently Asked Questions about International Admissions

CMU's main campus is in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, a progressive city of about 25,000 residents located in the middle of Michigan. Mount Pleasant is approximately 70 miles north of Lansing, our state capital, about 1 hour and 15 minutes away by car.

From campus, you can take a walk to the downtown district that features specialty stores and boutiques of all types. Or you can walk to Mission Road to shop several well-known national brand stores. The city has many modern facilities. New governmental buildings, numerous churches, modern hospitals, a large community library, developed parks, and convenient shopping plazas are all near the campus.

Learn more about Mount Pleasant

CMU is a nationally distinguished university with 17,344 students. There are about 600 international students from 57 countries represented on our main campus.

Central Michigan University offers a virtual tour of campus to help you learn more about campus life. If you are in the Mount Pleasant area and would like to meet with us please contact us at 989-774-1619 or email us at ISR@cmich.edu. We would be glad to show you around campus.

Click here for a virtual tour!

Mount Pleasant has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter. Normal temperatures in January range from 10°F (-12°C) to 32°F (0°C); normal July temperatures range from 73°F (23°C) to 90°F (32°C).

Activities take place year-round on campus and you'll quickly get to know our campus. From our 175,000 square foot Student Activity Center to the tree-lined park around Warriner Hall is only a 15-minute walk.

Fall semester (August-December)
Spring semester (January-May)
First Summer semester (May-June, optional six-week session)
Second Summer semester (June-August, optional six-week session)

Visit our Academic Calendar

Central Michigan Normal School opened its doors on Sept. 13, 1892, with 31 students attending classes in a rented building in downtown Mount Pleasant. The school grew quickly, and by 1918 it had become a four-year public college with 450 students attending classes on a campus that consisted of 25 acres and five buildings.

Central Michigan University has evolved into a doctoral research public university that is ranked among the best in the Midwest. All students participate in hands-on learning in our state-of-the-art facilities with faculty who are dedicated to student-centered teaching and research. You can choose between almost 300 programs at the bachelor's, master's, specialist's and doctoral levels.

International students with University or College credit from OUTSIDE of the United States must have those credits evaluated by Educational Credit Evaluators (ECE) or World Education Services (WES). Credit evaluation is not mandatory for admission; however, transfer credit cannot be determined without the evaluation results from ECE or WES.

World Education Services

The General Education Program at CMU consists of two areas:

1. Competencies - a common set of academic skills

2. University Program - a well-rounded knowledge base for all students

Online Bulletin

GRADES HONOR POINTS PER SEMESTER HOUR
A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3
D 1.0
D- 0.7
E 0.3
CR Credit
N No grade submitted
NC No Credit
I Incomplete
W Withdrawal
X Audit
Z Deferred Grade
H Honors Program​

Undergraduate students will meet with an academic advisor during the two-day orientation for new international students. Graduate-level students should meet with their program advisors following orientation.

To have your official TOEFL score sent to CMU enter 1106 when asked for the institution code.

Students who have studied in the United States for 3 or more years are exempt from the English language requirement. Individuals from countries where English is the native language are also exempt.

SEE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY STANDARDS HERE

International applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of a TOEFL-exempt country must demonstrate English proficiency to be admitted to the
university for an undergraduate degree.

TOEFL Exempt Countries

Students who are accepted to CMU and then wish to have their enrollment deferred to another semester must notify the International Admissions Office of their decision and submit a $45 deferral fee. The International Admissions Office will provide the students with information on how to defer their enrollment, if eligible. At that time their file will be updated to reflect the new anticipated enrollment term and an updated admission letter and I-20 sent. Students will be required to submit a current bank statement if the account balance date is older than one year. Students who have already paid the SEVIS fee should notify the OGE as soon as possible, but no more than 30 days after the program start date as shown on the I-20, to prevent the record from terminating.

New International Student Orientation is mandatory for all new international students. The orientation session covers academic advisement and registration, cultural adjustment, immigration regulations, employment, and much more.

The CMU Police Department serves and protects members of the campus community 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The police officers are certified by the State of Michigan. CMU police officers patrol campus buildings and grounds to help ensure a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information on campus safety initiatives, please visit our emergency preparedness website.

Emergency Preparedness

The Rave Guardian app is a public safety smartphone app that works alongside the Central Alert system to connect students, faculty and staff with campus safety resources. Rave Guardian is available through the App Store for Apple devices and through Google Play for Android devices. Use your CMU global ID to download a version customized for CMU.

Twenty-five blue-light emergency phones have been strategically placed on the CMU campus to enable members of the campus community and visitors to report emergencies or crimes in progress or to contact the CMU police for any reason. Each phone is marked with a blue light and offers a direct line to the CMU police dispatcher.

Learn More about Blue-light emergency phones

CMU supports the laws of the state of Michigan and strives to create an environment that supports healthy decisions and lifestyles. CMU also respects the rights of individuals who choose to not use alcohol and not experience the impact of others' misuse of alcohol. Each residence hall has floors designated alcohol and tobacco-free (ATF). If you choose to live on an alcohol and tobacco-free floor you agree that you will not consume any alcohol or smoke or chew any tobacco at any time, on or off-campus. Central Michigan University promotes activities that are conducive to a healthy living and learning environment. For more information email reslife@cmich.edu or visit the Residence Life page.

Residence Life

The Office of Global Engagement offers suggestions on the best method of transportation depending on which airport you arrive at. The closest airports to CMU are the Lansing Capital Region International Airport (LAN) in Lansing, Michigan and the Midland Bay City Saginaw (MBS) airport. Other popular airports include Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DET) and Gerald R Ford Grand Rapids Airport (GRR).

It is not recommended to travel with large amounts of cash. A small amount of currency (USD$) can be brought for immediate needs such as meals at the airport or other incidental costs while traveling.​ There is a bank and ATM on campus as well as numerous banks in the town of Mount Pleasant. Most merchants will accept credit or debit cards, just ensure your cards are international and you are able to use them in the USA.