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F A S T   F A C T S
Location | Muncie
Population | 70,000
Enrollment | 19,777
Language | English
Calendar | Semester
Canada | Home Payment

Term Dates
Fall | 08/21-12/15
Spring | 01/08-05/03

Ball State University

Muncie, IN

   
David Letterman famously called BSU (his alma mater) 'The Harvard of Muncie'
Home of Jim Davis (creator of Garfield the Cat) & Bob Ross' The Joy of Painting
A beautiful and accessible campus (#1 for students with physical disabilies)

About This Campus

Public state university in Muncie, Indiana (we call it Funcie!). Named in recognition of the generosity of the Ball brothers, a prominent Muncie family (the Ball glass jars folks!), who donated the property to the state. Our central message: Spirited and motivated, we learn, grow, and with Beneficence as our guide—We Fly. Academically, what makes BSU distinctive is a very consistent focus on Immersive Learning-- high-impact experiences that involve collaborative student-driven teams, guided by faculty mentors. Students earn credit for working with community partners to address challenges through the creation of a product that has a lasting impact. Immersive learning projects are housed in just about every academic discipline. We believe place matters, and that is particularly true on our beautiful, diverse, and inclusive campus. It also means that the relationship between BSU and the City of Muncie is very important-- we're about serving our neighbors and communities near and far.

Location Information

Muncie, Indiana is the heart of east-central Indiana. We're about an hour northeast of Indianapolis. Population 70,000ish, and we're the #1 most affordable college town (realtor.com). The famous "Middletown studies" from the 1920s were based in Muncie-- where Middletown was meant to suggest the average or typical American small city. While we might be about as typical-midwestern as they get, that does not mean Muncie is boring-- at all! This is a vibrant community with LOTS to do!

Helpful Information

BSU is the number 1 campus nationally for students with physical disabilities (College Magazine). Living-Learning Communities incorporate BSU's immersive learning approach into residence halls-- big population of students living on-campus. Food is good, dorms are nice, campus is lovely. BSU students might be described as down-to-earth, creative, warm.
2025-2026 Chance of Placement
Home Payment |Good
Understand Chances of Placement

Academics

Registration
  • Campus Catalog
  • When will I register? After campus students
  • Syllabus Request for Course Pre-Approval: Contact Host Coordinator for assistance
Notable Academic Programs
  • Entrepreneurship - Our undergraduate degree in entrepreneurship and innovation is one of the most challenging on campus and among the most rigorous entrepreneurship programs in the country. It was named the National Model Undergraduate Program at the 2013 U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) conference. Over the course of two years, you will develop a real-life business plan for a new venture and ultimately defend it in front of a panel of business professionals—all with your graduation on the line.
  • Media - Media majors learn to take their video, audio, and emerging media skills to the next level by developing, designing, and producing engaging content for diverse audiences. As a student, you’ll have access to real-world, resume-building opportunities, equipment, and facilities designed to enhance your portfolio and expand your post-graduation opportunities. Options include Sports production/ esports production
  • Theatre and Dance - The Department of Theatre and Dance is a nationally recognized program offering exceptional pre-professional training in a liberal arts setting. As a student, you’ll have opportunities to study abroad, take workshops with internationally renowned guest artists and industry professionals, and get involved in projects that have a real-world impact. Major options include Directing & Stage Management, Theatre Teaching, Theatre Creation, Design & Technology, Musical Theatre, Acting, Dance
  • Elementary Education - As an elementary education major, you'll have multiple opportunities to work with children and teachers in local schools and community organizations. While gaining a foundation in a wide range of subjects, you'll also choose a specific area of emphasis through one of 12 concentration areas.
  • Health Professions & Sciences - The College of Health prepares students for fulfilling and extraordinary careers in healthcare. Through interprofessional education and practice — in our simulation, research, and skill labs — we provide a safe environment for our students to become leaders in collaborating across disciplines in patient-centered healthcare and social services. Ultimately, our graduates improve patients’ and families’ experiences to maximize outcomes, reduce health disparities within communities, increase provider well-being, and make healthcare affordable.

Unique Academic Programs

  • Acquatics - Established in 2002, the aquatics concentration was the first truly aquatic-specific program in the United States. Our well-rounded curriculum will prepare you for a diverse and satisfying career as an aquatic director, fitness trainer, coach, and many more opportunities.
  • Animation - Our nationally ranked program will prepare you for careers in industries such as film, television, video games, medical animation, architectural rendering, advertising, and product visualization. You’ll learn up-to-date animation techniques and how to use industry-standard animation software. The animation curriculum leads students through a classic arts foundation and then into a strong technical foundation guided by industry demands.
  • Game Design and Development - As a computer science major with a concentration in game design and development, you will be part of an interdisciplinary program that helps you build all the skills you need to design and implement original video games. You will follow player-centered design processes for creating original interactive media while taking cross-disciplinary courses in 3D animation and digital audio manipulation.
  • Glass Art - As a glass artist, you will work with extreme heat and discipline-specific tools, perfecting your ability to guide and shape the semi-liquid molten glass as it cools and hardens, creating forms that embrace your personal vision and creativity.
  • Meteorology and Climatology - This program meets the American Meteorological Society (AMS) formal qualifications for the job title "meteorologist" and the Federal Civil Service requirements for employment by the National Weather Service.

Options
Honors Access: Yes
Study Abroad Access: Yes

Undergraduate Majors Open to NSE Students

Accounting, Actuarial Science, Advertising... ++ show all

Conditions

GPA and Other Academic Requirements Exchange Preferences
  • Full-year exchange Accepted
  • Single term exchange Accepted
Non-Native English Speakers
  • TOEFL: must have a score of N/A paper or 42.00 Internet
  • IELTS: must have a score of 4.50
Summer Exchange
  • Not available
International Students (Visa Students)
  • Will accept on Home Pay
Canadian Students - learn more
  • Will accept Home Payment Pay

Tuition / Finances

Figures per Semester are current as of 05/14/24

Finances Tuition and Fees - Home Payment Students
  • Pay regular tuition to your home campus. No tuition/fees are paid to your host campus.
Maximum Credit Hours Per Semester
  • Home Payment: 18

Financial Aid for NSE Students
Regardless of Payment Plan, financial aid is awarded by and disbursed from your home campus.

Miscellaneous Fees - Per Semester

Purpose Amount Period Plan Status
Course Fees / MaterialsVariesSemesterHost & HomeMandatory

Important Notes: overload fee not applicable-- greater than 18 hours not permitted for incoming students.

Room / Meals

Figures are current as of 05/14/24

On-Campus Housing Per Semester Off-Campus Housing
  • Off-Campus Housing
  • Approximate monthly cost: $700
  • Proximity to campus:
  • Local Public Transportation Available to Campus
Notes About Housing
Housing requires a housing tech fee -- $100 per semester 3 tiers of housing available on campus -- $3013, $2761, $2499 per semester depending on tier for standard double room with double occupancy

Meal Plans

Notes About Meal Plans
21+ meal plan $3235 Also have 18, 14, 10 meal plan or Dining Cash only

Health

Figures per Semester are current as of 05/14/24

Important Notes about Health Insurance
For incoming Canadian Students: Students and scholars studying on a J visa are required by federal law to carry health insurance that meets certain minimums. Students on F (or other) visas do not have specific insurance requirements but are strongly recommended to carry health insurance as the United States does not have a nationalized health care system. Individuals and families in the United States are responsible for these costs themselves. If you need medical care and do not have health insurance, you may find yourself owing thousands of dollars. The health insurance system offers you protection against these costs.

Ball State University does not offer an international student health insurance plan. Students and scholars can choose their health insurance coverage. Student Medicover offers multiple options at various price points. More information about this plan, and enrollment options, can be found here: https://insurance.studentmedicover.com/

Link to BSU information about International Student Health Insurance: https://www.bsu.edu/about/administrativeoffices/riskmanagement/student-insurance/international-student-health-insurance

Exchange with Canada - Health Insurance
Students do not need to purchase health insurance.

Requirements

All data in this document is the responsibility of the campus and has been provided by the campus NSE coordinator.
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