Midwest Student Exchange Program

If you're a Minnesota resident (including eligible undocumented students), you're eligible for reduced tuition at a limited number of Midwest public and private schools and programs of study in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, and Ohio.

Minnesota residents interested in a Wisconsin or North Dakota public school and Wisconsin or North Dakota residents interested in a Minnesota public school must apply for tuition reciprocity rather than the Midwest Student Exchange Program.

If you're a resident of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri Nebraska or Ohio, you're eligible for reduced tuition if you attend a Minnesota public college or university through the Midwest Student Exchange Program.

*Illinois and Michigan no longer have any participating institutions in the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP). The absence of any participating institutions in MSEP moves the states into an inactive status for purposes of this program. The net result of this inactive status is that resident students from Illinois and Michigan will no longer be able to receive the MSEP discounted tuition rate at institutions participating in the program. Per the MSEP Council, starting in fall 2021 for Michigan and fall 2022 for Illinois, new students will no longer qualify for the MSEP discount. Residents of these states attending out of state MSEP institutions are grandfathered into their participation in the program as long as their enrollment is uninterrupted and continues to meet the MSEP participation requirements of the institutions they attend (i.e. satisfactory progress or approved leave status in the program admitted).

What Rate Do You Pay?

Students in the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) pay up to 150 percent of the resident tuition rate (which is still below the non-resident rate) at participating public schools or receive a 10 percent reduction in tuition at participating private schools.

When applying to a participating school, students must indicate that they are seeking admission as a MSEP student. The institution will evaluate the student's request for MSEP status and respond directly to the student.

Where Can I Get More MSEP Information?

Brochures listing eligible colleges, universities, and programs of study are distributed to high schools, and are available from the Office of Higher Education or online at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.