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Get started as soon as you’re ready

Start the first of every month

 you don’t have to wait for the beginning of a semester to start your education.

Connect with admissions

We know your future is a big investment. Get your questions answered and chat with one of our friendly team members today.

$55 application fee

Ready to get started with one of our globally affordable degrees? Completing your application requires a non-refundable $55 application fee.

We want you to succeed

We support you on every step of your learning journey. That starts even before you apply.

Our application process reflects our values: we’re fair, and we celebrate diversity and differences.

Our programs prepare learners of every nationality, race, gender, age and economic status for rewarding careers.

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“I’m happy to be part of the
movement towards the next
generation of education. And I
encourage others to join.”
Steve Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photography 2017
Are you MSU ready?
You may want to answer some questions to find out if you’re ready for success. You have the option to take our readiness tool to ensure that you have the right skills, tools, and mindset to maximize your potential.
Helpful tool tips
  • There are no right or wrong answers
  • With seven questions, the assessment isn't designed to take long
  • Answer honestly to get the best results
  • If you want to retake it, simply go back and edit your answers.

Admission requirements
Let’s start as we mean to go on: clear and simple. Here’s the information you need to start your application. There are general requirements which you’ll need to meet for all of our programs. On top of that, each of our programs has specific requirements.
Transcript

 

We need proof that you completed a bachelor’s degree at an accredited institution in a business-related field with a valid copy of your official diploma and transcript. Documents not in English must be accompanied by official translations, such as those provided by a validated institutional official or embassy.

At MSU , we make translating your transcripts and diplomas easy. We offer an in-house translation service for free. This simplifies the process for you, so you can concentrate on finding your documents. Just leave the translation to us.

We may ask you to certify that your undergraduate degree meets the university’s qualification standard and refer you to an external agency to evaluate your credit.
English proficiency

 

  1. Provide a valid diploma or transcript from a college or university in the US or its territories
  2. Provide MSU with an official letter from an approved institutional official from the credential granting institution which states that the primary language of instruction was English
  3. Provide a minimum passing score on an approved English qualification exam within the past two years. For instance, a TOEFL score. If you haven’t taken an exam, we’ll ask you to complete the EF Standard English Test, a free, online English test designed to meet the same high technical standards as the other standardized tests in the field, such as the TOEFL or IELTS.
  4. Minimum score required for English proficiency

     

    You will need one of the following:

    Resume
  5. MSU  learning is personalized to you and your ambitions. So you may wish to submit a resume and employment history as part of your application to help us to tailor your learning path.

    Foundation Courses
  6. Do you have a degree in business? You can enter your MBA directly.

    Don’t have a business degree? Choose between two pathways:

    1. Take four Foundation Courses, which provide the base business skills you need for our broader MBA. Each course takes 6-8 weeks; at the end you can start taking MBA core courses.
    2. Take the 20-question Peregrine Academic Leveling Course Assessment to demonstrate your business knowledge and map your skills. If you pass, you can enter your MBA core courses. If you don’t, you will have the opportunity to take our business Foundation Courses.
Proof of high school graduation

Or college graduation. Alternatively, proof of your General Educational Development certificate (GED) or equivalent exam, such as HiSET or TASC: valid copies of your official diploma and transcript in English. Documents not in English must be accompanied by official translations, such as those provided by a validated institutional official or embassy.

At Nexford, we make translating your transcripts and diplomas easy. We offer an in-house translation service for free. This simplifies the process for you, so you can concentrate on finding your documents. Just leave the translation to us.

English proficiency

Our programs are in English. We’ll need you to demonstrate that you’re proficient in the language in one of the following ways:

  1. Provide a valid diploma or transcript from a college or university in the US or its territories
  2. Provide Nexford with an official letter from an approved institutional official from the credential granting institution which states that the primary language of instruction was English
  3. Provide a minimum passing score on an approved English qualification exam within the past two years. For instance, a TOEFL score. If you haven’t taken an exam, we’ll ask you to complete the EF Standard English Test (EF SET), a free, online English test designed to meet the same high technical standards as the other standardized tests in the field, such as the TOEFL or IELTS.
Minimum score required for English proficiency

You will need one of the following:

Apply for the certificate and be accepted straight away: you won’t have to demonstrate prior learning, or answer detailed admissions questions.

We recommend that you have a good command of English, so you can benefit from the course content.

If you’re taking an advanced certificate, you should already have some general business knowledge.

Apply for the course and be accepted straight away: you won’t have to demonstrate prior learning, or answer detailed admissions questions.

We recommend that you have a good command of English, so you can benefit from the course content.

If you’re taking an advanced course, you should already have some general business knowledge.

Application process
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Apply

 

Apply any time you want. Complete the online application, upload the supporting documents or email them and pay the one-off fee of $55 – via credit or debit card. Take advantage of our free official evaluation of your international transcripts and diplomas, saving you up to $200+ plus delivery fees, based on competitive international evaluation agency rates. Also benefit with our in-house translation service for your transcripts and diplomas at no cost.

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Wait for your offer

 

We'll tell you within seven days whether you've been accepted, or if we need more information from you. If you're accepted, the next step is enrollment. If you're not successful, we'll communicate why – and if and when you should re-apply.

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Enroll

 

When you're accepted, you have 30 days to return your enrollment agreement and make your tuition payment. Please note that we ask that you pay three months in advance, so you never have to worry about falling behind with your payments.

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Assess your skills

 

At this stage, you have the option to take a free online self-assessment — the Diagnostic Assessment and Achievement of College Skills (DAACS) during your application. DAACS helps you self-assess important areas, such as your level of comfort with an online environment and your English language communication skills — all essential skills for your success.

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Complete orientation

 

Once you've completed these steps, you'll be ready to start MSU Orientation. Orientation is designed to help you:
  • Learn about MSU online learning environment, where you'll take academic courses, view your records, and make tuition payments
  • Discover MSU academic programs, including advice on choosing the right academic path for you
  • Understand our academic and code of conduct policies
  • Find out about the different kinds of support resources, from faculty course-based advising to your dedicated Success Advisor.
“I really can't think of a better Admissions Team than MSU : prompt, attentive and meticulous! I can now commence my MSU MBA program application!”
Albert John MBA. in Management Science 2018
A human voice our success is your success
Choosing the right program at the right time is a big decision. We’re here to help you make the right choice. Any time you need advice or answers, contact our Admissions Team.
FAQs
Got a specific question? Check out our most popular FAQs.

Madison State University is a mission-driven organization established as a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). This means while we’re for-profit, we prioritize public benefit over profit. MSU only becomes profitable at scale, which means that we’ve designed our business model to sustain financial losses over a number of years in exchange for public benefit and long-term profits.
In addition to our mission, we’re affordable thanks to our customer-centric model, how efficiently we operate and how we leverage cutting-edge technology. MSU was established to make exceptional higher education more accessible. You only pay for the time you’re enrolled at MSU , not for each course you take. This means if you take two courses at a time you’ll pay the same fee you’d pay if you were taking just one –saving money. Finish your program faster, you’ll pay even less. And we won't slow you down. If you’re performing well and your grades are good, we encourage you to progress as quickly through your program as you can, depending on how you're doing. After all, we want you to succeed.

Online institutions vary in quality, so you're right to ask the question. MSU is trustworthy and legitimate because it has been reviewed by and granted a license to operate as an institution of higher education by the District of Columbia Higher Education Licensure Commission. We're also accredited by Accreditation Service for International Colleges, which is an international accreditation. If you're a learner in the US, you wouldn't be granted federal aid at MSU . It’s worth adding that our pricing model is designed to eliminate the need for federal financial aid in the first place!

MSU graduates are just as qualified as any traditional university degree holder, and they’re also likely to have more relevant competencies. The kind that modern employers urgently require. Our academic programs are designed based on industry and employment needs. We align with real employers to equip you with the skills to thrive in today’s workplace. For specifics on your market or if you'd like us to build a relationship with your employer

Yes, we do. Potential, talent and drive exist in every corner of the world. But right now, opportunity doesn’t. That’s why we’re making it easier for you to achieve your goals with MSU scholarships.

Scholarships help learners who are academically prepared for college but who lack the financial means to attend.

Read more about scholarships. Please note that you’ll need to meet the criteria and our admission requirements.

You’re on the right page for the full admission requirements: check them out!

Unlike traditional universities, with their quarter or semester systems, MSU  academic calendar enables you to complete just as many courses, in a similar timeframe, but to do so without taking all of them at once.

Not having to take three or four courses at the same time allows you to really focus on each course and thoroughly master its content.  It also means you can balance your studies with other areas of your life.  And if you are able to pursue an Accelerated Learning Path by taking multiple courses concurrently, it enables you to move very rapidly through your program.

Every MSU  course is structured as a series of six ordered modules, with each module building on the one before. In addition to course assignments, at the end of each module, you must also complete an assessment to demonstrate your mastery of course content.

When you begin your course, all six modules will be open to you so you can see what lies ahead. However, you’ll be expected to complete all six modules, including their assessments, in order – and you must complete all six before you can start the last component of the course. Every course culminates with a major final project that ties all your learning together and focuses on a relevant real-world scenario.

Everything you need to know about any course, you’ll find on the syllabus posted on the course website. And if anything is unclear, don’t worry.  You’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask your course advisors questions.

What’s course-based advising? Simply this: there are people in your courses who you can reach out to any time to discuss questions or concerns you may have, whether they be minor ones. Who are your course advisors? Your professors! Who better to support you than the people who are expert in the subject matter you’re studying, and guiding your learning experience. In much of the world, the relationship between professors and learners is a distant one. But not at MSU .

We won’t be able to provide updates on your application while it’s still under review. However, we guarantee you’ll learn the outcome of your admission review within just seven days of when you apply.

The EF Standard English Test is a free online English test designed to meet the same high technical standards as the other standardized tests in the field, such as the TOEFL or IELTS. The test takes just 50 minutes and you don't need to do any preparation work. If you pass, you’ll receive an internationally recognized EF SET certificate.

Here are some tips to help you:

  1. The test may begin with difficult reading or listening questions – but don’t worry! Just move on if the questions are too hard
    2. You won’t lose points for wrong answers, but try to decide on the best choice
    3. Don’t spend too long on one reading or listening task – remember you have 25 minutes to complete each section and within each section, you'll have multiple questions.

Yes, of course you will! Before you join MSU global community, you'll get to know our learning environment, our academic programs, and our extensive support resources. MSU Orientation is inspired by a typical MSU class, divided into six modules and built in MSU online learning environment, NEO. Each module focuses on a different subject and features various informative videos. After completing a module, you’ll complete a short assessment to see if you understood the information covered – don’t stress; they’re only there to help you focus. The purpose of our orientation is for you to feel confident and comfortable before starting your first class at MSU .

MSU is trustworthy and legitimate because it has been reviewed by and granted a license to operate as an institution of higher education by the District of Columbia Higher Education Licensure Commission. We're also accredited by Accreditation Service for International Colleges, which is an international accreditation. If you're a learner in the US, you wouldn't be granted federal aid at MSU at this stage. It’s worth adding that our pricing model is designed to eliminate the need for federal financial aid in the first place! To see the total cost of your tuition, view our tuition page.

We also offer scholarships to help learners who are academically prepared for college but who lack the financial means to attend.

Read more about scholarships. Please note that you’ll need to meet the criteria and our admission requirements.

Our Admissions Team can also advise you on localized financial support.

Invest in your future, not in a campus. Having a MSU campus would increase our costs and, therefore, we would need to raise your tuition. Our learners are our main concern. We keep our operating costs low by being a 100% online, next-generation university. This way, we don’t need to maintain expensive classroom buildings, a campus you don’t need, and other expensive add-ons.

Yes! We know that graduation is a time to celebrate your success with your friends, family and loved ones, so while our programs are 100% online, you’ll have an opportunity to celebrate at a ceremony close to home. We won’t ask you to travel, get a visa or pay expensive fees to join in with this celebratory event!