Important Information for Applicants for Graduate Study
in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN)
Michigan State University (MSU)

Applications for admission into our graduate programs are reviewed each month at a meeting of our graduate faculty. Minimum guidelines for admission are a 3.0 GPA in the third and fourth years of undergraduate work or a GPA of 3.0 in an appropriate MS program, if applicable, and competitive Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (approximately 1500 minimum combined score; verbal + quantitative + analytical). Letters of recommendation and previous work experience are also weighed in the application review process. If an applicant meets our minimum academic guidelines, one professor in FSHN must agree to act as major advisor for the student to be admitted. Therefore, not all qualified applicants can be admitted. Because of a recent change in policy, outstanding candidates may apply directly for the PhD program if they have obtained a BS degree. Decisions about direct admission into the PhD program will be made by the graduate faculty at the monthly admission review meetings.
Over 80% of the graduate students in FSHN currently are receiving financial aid which comes primarily from one of three sources: 1) Departmental assistantships (teaching and research) and fellowships; 2) grant support from individual professors; 3) funding from sources external to MSU (government, foundation, and other funding sources).
All applicants admitted to our graduate program are automatically considered for Departmental assistantships and fellowships which are assigned on a competitive basis. Each year about 8-10 Departmental fellowships and assistantships are available for recruitment of new graduate students. Candidates are compared with a pool containing all other admitted students to rank and identify those applicants most qualified for financial aid. Assignment of fellowships and assistantships is made in January, February, March and April for the Fall semester. Applications should be received before January 15 to receive optimum consideration for Departmental financial aid. Departmental assistantships and fellowships are assigned for a one year period. Financial aid is also available for students in later years of their graduate program. Complete details of the financial aid packages will be disclosed completely in discussions between the major advisor and the admitted applicant. Please visit our WWW home page for a current complete listing of financial aid available to students in FSHN: http://www.msu.edu/unit/fshn/ 
Outstanding applicants who wish to be considered for the MSU Hannah Distinguished Fellowship (4 years of stipend plus student health insurance and a tuition and fee waiver) must apply before December 31. These applicants are nominated by the Department for a campus-wide competition for a limited number of Hannah Fellowships (approximately 20 each year for the entire University).
Funding provided by the applicant’s major professor (provided by grant funds) or through sources external to MSU is arranged through personal contact with the major professor. An extensive listing of external funding sources for graduate education is provided by the MSU library at the following World Wide Web site: http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/grants.htm.
Financial assistance is also available to under represented minorities. Information on these financial aid packages can be obtained from: Dr. James Jay, The Office of Diversity and Pluralism, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, 121 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824-1039; phone 517-432-1349 (for applicants to Food Science) or the Affirmative Action Graduate Financial Assistance Program, Owen Graduate Hall, MSU, E. Lansing, MI 48824-1109; phone 517-353-1803 (for all applicants to Food Science or Human Nutrition).