Central Michigan University is a public research university in Mount Pleasant, in the centre of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. It is best known for business, engineering, computer science, health professions, education and its medical school, with a large residential campus and some of the lowest costs among Michigan's public universities. Choose it for an affordable American campus experience with a strong business school.
Mount Pleasant, United States
Official website: cmich.edu
#1201
R2 — high research activity
AACSB-accredited, with a top-ranked logistics programme
Around 14,000 students on the main campus
$20,000 – $26,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$11,000 – $14,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on cmich.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Information Systems
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MBA (College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Logistics Management
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
College of Business — logistics, accounting and entrepreneurship with Detroit's automotive links.
College of Medicine — a community-focused medical school opened in 2013.
Residential campus — most first-year students live in halls on a compact site.
Low cost — tuition below most Michigan public universities.
Graduates join Ford, General Motors, Dow, Auto-Owners Insurance and Michigan's logistics and health firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Logistics graduates move into supply chain roles at Detroit's automakers and suppliers.
Health professions alumni enter hospital systems across the Midwest.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 480-acre campus sits south of Mount Pleasant's centre, with Warriner Hall and the library at its core, the business and engineering buildings nearby and residence halls arranged around the edge.
Mount Pleasant is a small college town of about 25,000 people with very low rent, cold, snowy winters and lakes and forests nearby. Detroit and Grand Rapids are each about two hours away.
Form I-20 issued by Central Michigan
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Undergraduate admission is rolling, with a 1 December 2026 priority date for fall 2027 scholarships; international applicants should apply by June to leave time for the visa. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most computing and business master's closing between 1 March and 1 July for fall.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August), spring (January) or summer (May). Most master's programmes, including computer science, information systems, the MBA, data science and engineering, admit for both fall and spring. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The Office of Global Engagement issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, information systems, the MBA, data science and engineering attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 2.7-3.0, TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5; the GRE and GMAT are optional for most programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades.
Yes. International undergraduates are automatically considered for merit scholarships based on their grades when they apply by the priority date, and awards can reduce the non-resident rate substantially. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in computing, the sciences and business.
