Midwest Student Exchange Program

The Midwest Student Exchange Program, or MSEP, is a multi-state tuition reciprocity program. Through the MSEP, public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs; private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates. All enrollment decisions are made at the discretion of the receiving campus and the campus may exercise its right to limit participation or set specific admission requirements for MSEP.

UPDATE: Illinois has moved to inactive status in the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP). According to the MSEP State Participation Agreement, General Conditions, section 4 states, “MSEP programs in public institutions shall be available to students only at the degree level at which the student’s home state agrees to receive MSEP students.” Currently Illinois does not have any participating MSEP institutions which is mandatory for this reciprocal program. All MHEC programs are voluntary. As a result of this decision, Illinois resident students will no longer be able to receive the MSEP discounted tuition rate at non-Illinois institutions participating in the program. The MSEP Council approved and agreed upon a transition period allowing new students from Illinois to be eligible to receive the MSEP discount for the fall 2021 and spring 2022 semesters. Starting in fall 2022, new students from Illinois will no longer qualify for the MSEP discount.

Current students who are Illinois residents 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.