International Admissions

International AUE Apply -Hero

Welcome to Short Term Non-Degree Programs at Western Michigan University!

Explore the exciting short-term study opportunities available at WMU. Our non-degree programs offer international students the chance to experience American culture, improve their English skills and engage in academic pursuits.

International Student and Scholar Services
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5246 USA
(269) 387-5865

American University Experience 1-2 Semesters

I3S AUE Program
The American University Experience is a short-term option for international students to enroll at WMU for one or two consecutive semesters to study in English. 

 

Benefits of American University Experience   (1-2 semesters)

American University Experience students can explore the campus, culture and community of Western Michigan University for one to two consecutive semesters.

American University Experience students with TOEFL scores between 52 and 70 iBT can enroll in the Center for English Language and Culture for International Students (CELCIS) and regular academic classes concurrently.

  • Undergraduate students—Cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • Graduate students—Cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • TOEFL score of 52 iBT (undergraduates) or 80 iBT (graduates) to enroll in at least some WMU academic courses.
  • TOEFL score of below 52 iBT (undergraduates) or 80 iBT (graduates) to enroll in WMU's Center for English Language and Culture for International Students (CELCIS) (ESL classes).
  • Exceptions can only be made with prior approval from the WMU Haenicke Institute for Global Education.

Review the specifics of English language requirements for study at WMU.

Program Fees Per Semester

Estimated program fees for undergraduate and graduate study are based on full-time status and do not include home-institution rates. 

Estimated Undergraduate Program Fee: 2025-2026
 ESL (CELCIS) OnlyDual Enrollment Pathway:
(ESL (CELCIS + University coursework))		University Coursework Only
(12-15 credits)
TOEFL iBT:
IELTS:
Duolingo:		Below 52
Below 5.5
Below 80		52 - 60
5.5*
85		61 - 70
5.5*
95		71 or higher
6.0 or higher
100 or higher
Tuition and program fees*
(Rate may be different for colleges with differential tuition)		$5,510$7,590$8,400$9,740
On-campus housing and meals (required)$6,620$6,620$6,620$6,620
Books and incidentals$1,200$1,200$1,200$1,200
Health insurance$700$700$700$700
Estimated program fee for one semester$14,030$16,110$16,920$18260
Estimated Graduate Program Fee: 2025 - 2026
 ESL (CELCIS) OnlyDual Enrollment Pathway
(ESL (CELCIS + University coursework))		University Coursework Only 
(6 credits)		University Coursework Only 
(9 credits)
TOEFL iBT:
IELTS:
Duolingo:		Below 52
Below 5.5
Below 80		52 - 60
5.5*
85		61 - 70
5.5*
95		80 or higher
6.5 or higher
115 or higher
Tuition and program fees*
(Rate may be different for colleges with differential tuition)		$5,510$9,160$7,740$8,000$11,400
On-campus housing and meals (required)$6,620$6,620$6,620$6,620$6,620
Books and incidentals$1,200$1,200$1,200$1,200$1,200
Health insurance$700$700$700$700$700
Estimated program fee for one semester$14,030$17,680$16,260$16,520$19,920

*Students with an IELTS of 5.5 and a writing subscore of less than 5.0 will be placed in Pathway 1. Students with an IELTS of 5.5 and a writing subscore of 5.0 and above will be placed in Pathway 2.

Program Fees Per Semester

Estimated program fees for undergraduate and graduate study are based on full-time status and do not include home-institution rates. 

Estimated Undergraduate Program Fee: 2025-2026
 ESL (CELCIS) OnlyDual Enrollment Pathway:
(ESL (CELCIS + University coursework))		University Coursework Only
(12-15 credits)
TOEFL iBT:
IELTS:
Duolingo:		Below 52
Below 5.5
Below 80		52 - 60
5.5*
85		61 - 70
5.5*
95		71 or higher
6.0 or higher
100 or higher
Tuition and program fees*
(Rate may be different for colleges with differential tuition)		$6080$7,830$8,890$10,730
On-campus housing and meals (required)$6,620$6,620$6,620$6,620
Books and incidentals$1,200$1,200$1,200$1,200
Health insurance$700$700$700$700
Estimated program fee for one semester$14,600$16,350$17,410$19,250
Estimated Graduate Program Fee: 2025 - 2026
 ESL (CELCIS) OnlyDual Enrollment Pathway
(ESL (CELCIS + University coursework))		University Coursework Only 
(6 credits)		University Coursework Only 
(9 credits)
TOEFL iBT:
IELTS:
Duolingo:		Below 52
Below 5.5
Below 80		52 - 60
5.5*
85		61 - 70
5.5*
95		80 or higher
6.5 or higher
115 or higher
Tuition and program fees*
(Rate may be different for colleges with differential tuition)		$6080$9,540$8,110$8,760$12,530
On-campus housing and meals (required)$6,620$6,620$6,620$6,620$6,620
Books and incidentals$1,200$1,200$1,200$1,200$1,200
Health insurance$700$700$700$700$700
Estimated program fee for one semester$14,600$18,060$16,630$17,280$21,050

*Students with an IELTS of 5.5 and a writing subscore of less than 5.0 will be placed in Pathway 1. Students with an IELTS of 5.5 and a writing subscore of 5.0 and above will be placed in Pathway 2.

Housing requirements for American University Experience students at WMU vary by program level.

Read More Housing Info

Before registering for classes at WMU, American University Experience students should carefully review available courses and complete the Course Selection form. This process ensures enrollment in preferred courses, meets visa credit hour requirements and follows university policies.

Read Instructions

Health insurance

  • All WMU international students on F-1 and J-1 visas must be enrolled in GeoBlue Health Insurance plan.
  • International students will be automatically enrolled in GeoBlue health insurance prior to the start of each fall and spring semester.
Read About GeoBlue

Attendance to the International Student Orientation is mandatory. 

All incoming AUE application materials and routine questions should be addressed to Yumi Takahashi-Ede at @email

American University Experience 2-8 weeks

AUE 2-8 weeks hero
The WMU Haenicke Institute for Global Education offers a variety of short-term program options — less than eight weeks in length — that enable international students and professionals to explore Western Michigan University. 

 

Benefits of American University Experience (2-8 weeks)

  • Explore U.S. American language and culture at Western Michigan University.
  • Short term: two to eight weeks!
  • Recreational and social activities on the WMU campus and in the Southwest Michigan community.
  • Virtual options available.
  • Free airport pickup from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.
  • Located in the Midwest.
  • Reasonable program fee.
  • Custom programming available!

Program Dates (options): 

  • Summer I: May 2, 2025 (arrival) - June 25, 2025 (departure)
  • Summer I & II: May 2, 2025 (arrival) - August 10, 2025 (departure)
  • Summer II: June 25, 2025 (arrival) - August 10, 2025 (departure)

Location: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A.*

*Students interested in attending virtually should select this option in the pre-application form.

Accommodations: On campus in a residence hall.

Visa Requirement: Student visa, or a visa waiver for eligible countries for programs 2-7 weeks in length.

Program Fee: varies depending on program.

Program Fee Details
IncludesDoes NOT Include
  • Airport transportation
  • Orientation and welcome event
  • Class fees 
  • On-campus activities and local excursions
  • WMU Student Recreation Center passes
  • Airfare
  • Visa expenses
  • Health insurance
  • Personal expenses
  • Books

Eligibility Requirements:

  • 18 years or older
  • High school graduate
  • Completed some English language training

Application: Interested students should complete the online application for English as a Second Language.

This virtual workshop series provides English-language instruction and practice to refresh the language skills of graduate students. Participants will attend a series of four workshops to review language skills, gain tools for success, build confidence and connect with other incoming international graduate students. Participants may attend synchronously (live) or attend asynchronously (recorded) via WMU’s Elearning course management system. 

Meeting Dates (virtual):

August 4, 2025
August 11, 2025
August 18, 2025
August 25, 2025

Location: Webex (WMU provides accounts for students).

Program Fee: $300 (scholarship and assistantship funds do not apply).

Custom programs are available upon request for groups of at least 10 participants. Programs can be designed for study, professional development or English language and culture. In-person and virtual program options available. Contact @email to begin developing a customized program.

Exchange Students from Exchange Partners

Students at Bronco Bash - I3S Exchange Hero
Exchange at WMU provides short-term options for international students to enroll at Western Michigan University. WMU highly values the mutual benefit drawn through student mobility and faculty exchanges and has active exchange agreements with over 20 international partners
View List of Partners

 

Benefits of Exchange at WMU

  • Study for one or two concurrent semesters.
  • Study in English.
  • Select courses not available at your home university from 150 undergraduate programs or from select graduate programs.
  • Pay tuition to home university.
  • Free airport pickup from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.
  • On-campus housing with WMU students.
  • Located in the Midwest.

Incoming exchange students must be nominated by their home institutions. Please work closely with the international office in your home institution to secure a nomination and to prepare your application materials, which will be submitted to our office through our secure online application system. Incoming exchange students must be nominated by their international office to be considered for exchange. 

  • Undergraduate students—Cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • Graduate students—Cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • One of the following English proficiency test scores:
 Unrestricted admission to WMU courses. Restricted admission* to WMU courses.
UndergraduateTOEFL: 71+ iBT
IELTS: 6.0
PTE: 48
Duolingo: 100		TOEFL: 61-70 iBT
IELTS: 5.5
PTE: 46
Duolingo: 95
GraduateTOEFL: 80+ iBT
IELTS: 6.5
PTE: 54
Duolingo: 115		N/A
Exceptions can only be made with prior approval from the WMU Haenicke Institute for Global Education.**

*Restricted admission: students must consult with WMU academic advisor regarding their course options. 

**Exchange students from the following countries are exempt from the English proficiency requirement: Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Germany.

 

Tuition and Fees 

WMU exchange agreements cover tuition for:

  • Undergraduate Students: 12 to 15 credit hours per semester
  • Graduate Students: 6 to 9 credit hours per semester

Credits beyond these limits are billed at the non-resident tuition rate per credit.

Some standard registration fees may appear on a student's invoice but will be waived early in the semester based on the exchange agreement.

Students may also be responsible for course-specific fees, which depend on the classes they choose. These fees are charged at the time of course registration, and vary considerably for each exchange student depending on his/her choice of courses. These fees are unknown at the time we initially estimate our program costs for WMU students (at least a year in advance). Therefore, please advise your students that there may be some fees that will be their responsibility to pay.

Whether or not a student is responsible for these fees is determined by the contract the home university has with WMU. Students are encouraged to speak with their home university's international office to determine which fees are covered in the exchange agreement.

For a complete description of these fees and how they are assessed, please visit: http://www.wmich.edu/registrar/tuition-semester-fees.

Tax notice: U.S. law requires a 14% tax on scholarship funds beyond tuition. This will be charged to student accounts but may be refunded after filing U.S. tax forms late in January.

Housing requirements for exchange students at WMU vary by program level.

Read More Housing Info
  • Nomination required: Students must first be nominated by their home university.

  • Nomination Deadlines:

    February 1 (Fall)

    August 1 (Spring)

  • Application Deadlines: 

    March 1 (Fall)

    September 1 (Spring)

  • Graduate applicants: Exchange at the graduate level requires prior approval.

    Contact: @email

Only complete applications will be processed.

Nomination by Partner University

Partner submission: The partner university must submit the online nomination form (link provided directly to partners) along with supporting documents to: @email

Required documents:

  • Official transcripts in English (must include grading scale)

    Official English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) for non-native English speakers- scores must be less than 2 years old. Please see the list of Acceptable tests.

    Please note: English proficiency scores and official transcripts may be submitted later by the home university if the results are not available at time of nomination

Application by Students

  • Completing the Online Exchange Application: After the nomination and supporting documents are received, WMU will email instructions to each student for completing the application.

Before registering for classes at WMU, exchange students should carefully review available courses and complete the Course Selection form. This process ensures enrollment in preferred courses, meets visa credit hour requirements and follows university policies.

Read Instructions

Health insurance

  • All WMU international students on F-1 and J-1 visas must be enrolled in GeoBlue Health Insurance plan.
  • International students will be automatically enrolled in GeoBlue health insurance prior to the start of each fall and spring semester.
Read About GeoBlue

Attendance to the International Student Orientation is mandatory. 

All incoming exchange application materials and routine questions should be addressed to Yumi Takahashi-Ede at @email

Program Information

Bronco Wall Student Center
This section provides essential details about housing options and course registration procedures for American University Experience and Exchange students.

Undergraduate

Undergraduate American University Experience and Exchange Students are required to live on campus. Students should apply online for campus housing as soon as they have been accepted to Western Michigan University and have received their Bronco NetID and password. 

Please visit the WMU Housing and Residence Life site to apply for on-campus housing. Students may wish to read more about the Living Learning Communities and the residential neighborhoods before submitting their application. 

WMU's residence halls are home to nearly 5,000 students who enjoy the friendships, living-learning focus, and diversity of campus life. Residents can take advantage of hall activities, leadership opportunities, high-speed Internet, staff available 24 hours a day, close proximity to the dining halls, and many other campus conveniences designed to support busy college students.

Graduate

Graduate American University Experience and Exchange Students are strongly encouraged to live on campus during the program period. Although on-campus residency is not mandatory for graduate exchange students, please be advised that graduate students who opt to reside off campus bear sole responsibility for finding off-campus housing, contracting with private management companies and others, and abiding by conditions and terms. They may also find it difficult to lease an off-campus apartment for one or two semesters since most off-campus apartment leases are for a one-year (12-month) period. Breaking a lease is costly.

If graduate exchange students wish to live off-campus, they are encouraged to visit the website below for private apartment communities for more information: https://www.apartmentguide.com/apartments/Michigan/Western-Michigan-University/ .

WMU Room and Board Rates
WMU Housing and Residence Life

Course Selection for Exchange and American University Experience

Before registering for classes at WMU, students should carefully review available courses and complete the Course Selection form. This process ensures enrollment in preferred courses, meets visa credit hour requirements and follows university policies.

Course Eligibility and Requirements

  • Students may take courses in any WMU program if they meet the prerequisites and English proficiency requirements.
  • Some departments may require pre-approval before enrollment.

Recommended Credit Hours

  • Undergraduate: 12-15 credit hours (minimum 12 to maintain visa status)
  • Graduate: 6-9 credit hours (minimum 6 to maintain visa status)

Course Offerings and Deadlines

  • WMU course listings are posted:

    Late February for Fall

    Early October for Spring

  • WMU students register about two weeks after the schedule is released and classes fill quickly.
  • Submit the Course Selection form early to improve chances of preferred courses

Course Selection Form Instructions

  • The form must be signed by your home university's international office; unsigned forms will not be processed.
  • Attach learning contract or equivalent documents from your home university.
  • List twice the number of courses needed to allow for scheduling or capacity issues.
Course Offerings
Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs