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International Student Essay Contest

Submissions for 2025 are officially open! You have until January 31, 2025, to submit your essay, or until we receive 60 submissions, whichever comes first. For more details, please check the drop-down sections below!


The International Student Essay Contest provides an opportunity for international students to reflect on their experiences and share their Spartan stories to encourage, inspire and educate others. 

By sharing your story, you can help fellow students and people in the greater Lansing community walk a mile in your shoes – to know and appreciate what it is like for you to be an international student at MSU today.

Share some of your experiences, encounters with cultural differences, insights and emotions during your time as an MSU student. 

Essay Topic

The topic for 2025 is:

A Letter to My Younger Self: Reflecting on My Time at MSU

As you think about your time at MSU to this point, reflect on your experiences and write a letter to your past self. We encourage you to center your letter on a theme that makes the most sense to your personal situation. You could address challenges you will face, ways to be successful/how to prepare for MSU, the important things you will learnthings you may regret/encouragement you will need or how you’ve changed.  

This essay should focus on how you have experienced MSU and what would have been helpful for you to know in advance of beginning your studies. 

Submission Guidelines

Eligibility

MSU undergraduate or graduate international students maintaining F or J status.

Length

No more than 750 words typed and double-spaced. Include your name and email address in the header on each page.

Font

Times New Roman, 12 pt

Due Date

Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 or when we reach 60 submissions. 

Permission Notice

By submitting an entry for the International Student Essay Contest, you grant permission to the MSU Office for International Students and Scholars ("OISS") to share all information herein provided with our panel of judges to review and determine the winning entries. You also grant permission to Michigan State University ("MSU"), OISS and other media organizations to publish all or parts of your essay in any presentation format. OISS cannot grant a request for anonymity. Additionally, OISS cannot unpublish your essay if it has already been published.

Prize

Three winners will be chosen, each winner will receive a monetary prize, as follows: 

Best overall essay: $1000
Best essay by an undergraduate student: $750
Best essay by a graduate or professional student: $750

Prizes will be deposited into your student account. The money will be applied to any balance due on your account. If you do not have a balance due, you will receive the award as a refund less any applicable taxes. 

Submit Your Essay

Submit your essay here

Reception

Join us in celebrating our 2025 International Student Essay Contest winners at a special Coffee Hour on Friday, March 21st from 4-6pm in Spartan Rooms B&C located within the International Center Food Court. Our winners will have the opportunity to read their winning essays aloud to the audience.