Skip to main content

Welcome to Michigan Colleges 


Alliance

Your Gateway to Study Abroad

Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA) program, an innovative approach to college education for ambitious students. The MCA program is a collaborative effort between 14 leading independent, four-year colleges and universities in Michigan. The program is grounded in a liberal arts and sciences tradition, designed to broaden college choice and access in Michigan, and foster career outcomes for MCA graduates.

NCFE School - Michigan Colleges Alliance

24 Credits

14 Member Collages

Connected With 500 Global Companies

WHY MCA

College applications continue to increase Total volume is up by 21.3% over last two years International applications are up by 33% US remains the desired first choice for international students. This trend has been going on for a long time. A Better Way to College The volume of applications has increased 350% since 2000. Yet the size of the average admissions offices is only up by 50% Admissions is increasingly become a matter of chance. 

Solution: Access MCA (Michigan Colleges Alliance)

An alternative way to start college, after or even during high school, bypassing the broken admissions process.
NCFE School - CBSE School in Bangalore - Study Abroad

Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA) Program

NCFE School - Access MCA Programme Overview

Program Overview

The MCA program offers students a unique opportunity to begin their college education as early as Grade 9, and complete their first year of college online while remaining in their home country. Upon completion of this first year, students bypass college admissions and enter a member college as sophomores, bringing all their courses with them. This allows them to continue as full-time undergraduates on campus. Ambitious students who begin as early as Grade 9, taking one course per semester, will finish high school having completed a first year of college, and will be able to enter college as sophomores, bypassing admissions.

Professor's View on the Program

"I have been a professor at a member college of the MCA program for over 10 years, and I can say without a doubt that this program is a game-changer for students. It provides them with access to high-quality education and a unique opportunity to begin their college education early. The program fosters a sense of community among students, as they work together to achieve their academic and career goals"

In conclusion, the Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA) program offers students a unique opportunity to begin their college education early and bypass college admissions. The program provides access to high-quality education, a broad range of academic options, and fosters a sense of community among students. For parents, the program can save both time and money, while for schools, it can help broaden college choice and access for students. We encourage you to learn more about this innovative program and how it can benefit ambitious students.

About the Michigan Colleges Alliance

NCFE School - CBSE School in Bangalore - Abroad Education

Michigan Colleges Alliance (MCA) works to strengthen the shared capacity of 14 leading independent, four-year colleges and universities grounded in a liberal arts and sciences tradition, to broaden college choice and access in Michigan, and foster career outcomes for MCA graduates.

Highlights

  • 14 top private universities and colleges (many ranked as nation’s best by US News and World Report)
  • Degrees offered in virtually every field of study (engineering, business, computer science, health professions, and more)
  • Curricula grounded in broad based arts and sciences and humanities disciplines (with high employer demand)
  • Small class sizes and student-centered culture (courses taught by tenured faculty who are leaders in their fields)
  • Safe and picturesque residential settings in one of the county’s most beautiful states (both urban and rural locations)
  • Supported by collective nationally recognized career development programs (including deep connections with Fortune 500 global companies for internships and full-time placements)

How Access MCA Works

Whether students start the program in Grade 9 or in Grade 12 or even Grade 13, the program is basically the same. Students complete a first year of college online while remaining in their home country. Upon completion, students bypass college admissions, and enter a member college as sophomores, bringing all their courses with them. Students continue as full-time undergraduates on campus. Ambitious students may begin as early as Grade 9. By taking one course per semester, they will finish high school having completed a first year of college and will be able to enter college as sophomores, also bypassing admissions.

Benefits to Students

NCFE School - CBSE School in Bangalore - Study Overseas
  • Assistance to students in the application process wherever and whenever they apply
  • Concierge-style support to students who complete a full year online
  • Continued support to students after they matriculate at a member college or university
  • Strategic support to students as they progress towards a degree:
  • Transfer to other colleges
  • Internships and job opportunities
  • Graduate and professional school 

Program Fees 

Program fees for 2023-24 will be $27,000. This is a one-time fee, regardless of grade, that covers up to 30 course credits in Access MCA. Paying all at once provides insulation from inflation.

Payment plans - Families may split the payment over several years, depending on student grade.


Grades 9 and 10 Students
Option 1: $27,000 in Year 1
Option 2: $15,000 in Years 1 and 2 Option 3: $11,000 in Years 1, 2, and 3

Grade 11 Students
Option 1: $27,000 in Year 1 Option 2: $15,000 in Years 1 and 2

Grade 12 or 13 Students
Option 1: $27,000 in Year 1

Scholarships & Payment 

NCFE School - CBSE School in Bangalore - International Education

Scholarships. Program fees for Access MCA Associate Schools represent a 10% scholarship reduction over standard program fees for non- associate school students. Students who complete the program and matriculate at an MCA member institution will be eligible for tuition scholarships of at least 25%.


Payments -  Depending on your school, payments will in one of two ways:

1. Directly to Access MCA via bank transfer 
2. Indirectly through the school

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Access MCA?

Access MCA is a unique program offered by the Michigan Colleges Alliance to US and international students specifically designed to provide a better way for students to approach college admissions.  Access MCA removes the stress and confusion of traditional college admissions where students are evaluated based solely on their history and instead provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do in actual courses taught by actual faculty.  Because students earn real credit the program provides not only a way to show colleges why you belong, but lets you accelerate your path towards graduation.  Access MCA replaces time spent cramming for standardized exams and wasted on completing laborious applications with time actually spent learning.

Who is Access MCA for?

Access MCA is for students from high school graduates to those as early as Grade 9. The Accelerated Program allows students near the end of high school, or who have recently graduated, to complete a full year of college leading to automatic admission with sophomore status at MCA universities and colleges. The Scholars Program allows high ability students as young as Grade 9 to spread the program over four years. Students completing 6-8 courses (24 credits) also receive automatic admission and sophomore status. Students may also transfer credits to other colleges.

Who will teach the courses?

Courses will be taught by the faculty of the MCA colleges

How will courses be conducted?

Courses will be conducted using a combination of asynchronous support materials and synchronous video conferencing seminars (e.g. Zoom) following established models that have proven successful for almost 20 years in delivering  high quality education to students around the world.

Are the courses the same as those offered on campus?

Courses are equivalent to courses taught on the campuses of MCA colleges to first-year students, with appropriate modifications made to adjust for the fact that courses are being taught online.  Success in these courses means that students would have been successful in the on-campus version of the course.

How does success in this program equate to success on campus?

The goal of these courses is to provide students with rigorous online versions of what they would have received in person so that success in these courses provides a meaningful indicator of their true capability to do college work and to be successful in MCA colleges.

Do students receive credit? Who provides the transcript?

Students will receive credit for each course they take from the MCA university or college that provides the course.  Students will receive transcripts from those universities and colleges showing the courses completed, the credits earned, and the grades received

When are classes taught?

Class times are dependent on where students live. Classes typically occur during both the early morning and the mid-to-late evenings. Most classes will meet as real-time video conference seminars two days a week, with additional office hours available on other days. Typical class sessions are 90 minutes to 2 hours.

When do students start and when does the program end?

• Students may enter at any point in high school or in the year after they graduate.
• Students will be able to take up to 30 credits of coursework during their term of enrollment.
• Students completing at least 24 credits of course will be guaranteed admission to at least one of the MCA member colleges or universities.
• Participation in the program ends upon completion of 30 credits, matriculation at any college or university, or after one year has passed since the completion of high school

Are recordings available?

All classes, including lectures and seminars, are recorded and the recordings are available to enrolled students during the term.

Equipment needed?

Students are expected to have standard modern computers capable of using standard office productivity suites and video conferencing.  Students are required to have high-speed internet.

What courses will be offered?

The courses offered are common across the different MCA universities and colleges and that either meet general education requirements or introductory requirements in popular major fields of study.  A full list is provided elsewhere.

How will laboratory courses work?

For classes that require a laboratory component, students will use a combination of online simulations and physical labs offered on MCA university and college campuses during the summer session

Am I allowed to visit the campuses of the MCA universities and colleges?

You will be able to visit campuses both during the official summer programs and also as part of organized trips that will occur during the year.  Students wishing to visit campuses individually may do so.  Program staff members are available to help arrange the details of such visits

How are exams held?

Exam mechanics are under the discretion of the instructor.  Students may be required to use in-person or online proctoring services or to take exams live during class time.

Counseling and support

Access MCA students will receive comprehensive academic counseling and student support through academic advisors and success coaches.

What are Success Coaches?

To ensure that students in Access MCA are successful, each student will be assigned to a “Success Coach.”  These individuals are drawn from the ranks of MCA university and college undergraduates, who are familiar with the academic programs within the MCA and who have received six-months of training in the neuroscience of resilience.  The Success Coaches help students navigate courses and culture while helping to prepare them for the transition to on campus life within the MCA.  Success Coaches will meet individually with students several times a month and collectively with small groups of students each week.  Success Coaches will be responsible for ensuring that students receive all the support they need to be successful in the program.

What are Language Coaches?

Language coaches provide additional English-language support to students whose mother tongue is not English or who have not previously attended schools in which English is the primary language of instruction.  Language Coaches help to ensure that language is not a barrier to learning and success

What are Subject Coaches?

Subject Coaches provide subject specific support to students who need additional support in specific subjects. They are either current upper division students or recent graduates and as such are well familiar with what is required to be success in MCA universities and colleges

What is Logistics Support?

Navigating any bureaucracy can be challenging.  Logistics Support personnel provide a single point of contact designed to help you get the answers you need without getting lost in the maze.

Who can benefit from the Access MCA Program?
  • Students who have just completed 12th grade who see Access MCA as a way of spending a year demonstrating their capabilities before going to college.
  • Students who have completed 11th grade, taken the ICGSE, ICSE, CBSE, IB, or equivalent exams, and who wish to move forward with college studies a year earlier rather than spend a year cramming for national/board examinations, or for A levels.  
  • Students just entering 11th grade, or even 9th or 10th grade, who need college level coursework and want to earn real credit in courses taught by real professors.
  • Students looking for real college courses rather than IB, AP, ICGSE or other “fake” college courses.
  • Students in any of these groups are welcome to apply to join Access MCA.
What materials do I need to apply?

To apply students complete a short application which includes a personal statement and some short answer questions.  Students also need a letter of recommendation and their academic record from their current school.

Will I Need to Take a Standardized Test?

Depending on your application, you may or may not be asked to take a standardized test. While not required, Access MCA takes a “documentary evidence” approach to admissions. We will review all material submitted and will factor it into the admissions decision. We do not require standardized tests for admission, but may request them if the admissions decision needs further evidence.

What are the differences between the Accelerated Program and the Scholars Program?

Students in the Accelerated Program generally complete the program in one calendar year, completing 24-30 credits during that time. Students in the Scholars Program may take up to 4 years to complete their studies typically taking 1 or 2 courses in most semesters. Students in both programs are able to ultimately complete a year of university coursework and earn guaranteed admission.

What is the tuition for Access MCA?

Tuition for Access MCA is $30,000. The tuition is the same for the Accelerated Program and the Scholars Program, since the main difference between the programs is how quickly students intend to progress from start to finish. Depending on the circumstances students associated with specific schools, companies, or programs may be eligible for scholarships and grants that will reduce the tuition. Information about such affiliations will come directly from the school, company, or group.

Are there additional fees or expenses?

The tuition for Access MCA is all inclusive of all fees related to academic programs, academic advising, and success coaching.  Tuition does not include costs for textbooks, any required course-specific software, and any costs associated with travel and residential expenses.  Tuition does not include costs associated with students electing to receive optional additional support or services that may be offered, such as language coaches and academic coaches. 

What is included for summer programs?

Online summer course expenses are included in the base tuition.  Residential summer course instruction is included in the base tuition.  Expenses associated with travel, room, and board, as well as extra-curricular activities, are not included

When and how is tuition paid?

After students are admitted to Access MCA they will complete an enrollment contract, an receive any scholarships or grants they have been awarded through their affiliations. The balance is payable upon commencement of the program. Students will receive a invoice from Access MCA with payment details

Is admission guaranteed to an MCA college?

All students admitted to AccessMCA, whether to the Accelerated Program or the Scholars Program are guaranteed admission to an MCA university or college. Students who successfully complete the program, earning a minimum of 24 credits, will be matched with an MCA institution and will be able to matriculate as a Sophomore.

What does it mean to successfully complete the program?

Because the courses students take are real courses, offered by real faculty, for real credit, on real transcripts, success in these courses is equivalent to success on an MCA university or college campus.  Students who complete their year of course work with grades of C or better in all of their courses, will have successfully completed the program, and will be allowed to continue into their sophomore year.  This is the same criteria used at the MCA colleges for students completing their freshman year on campus. 

How will I be matched to an MCA university or college?

In the matching process, students rank order their preferences for colleges and colleges rank order their preferences for students, and matches are made using a proprietary process that guarantees all students are matched with the college for which they are the best fit. All MCA universities and colleges will accept for full credit all courses completed in the program

Am I required to matriculate at my matched university or college?

Students are not required to matriculate to the MCA university or college to which they are matched.  Students are free to apply to schools outside the MCA system, although acceptance to those schools cannot be guaranteed.  Students are also free to transfer all courses completed in the program to whatever university or college they ultimately attend. The receiving institution will be the one to determine the applicability of the credit.

Can I transfer my credit to other colleges?

Students can transfer credit from Access MCA to any college.  Because the courses are taught by real faculty for real credit from leading Liberal Arts Colleges, they meet the gold standard of credit transferability. 

Why is this better than Advanced Placement courses?

Colleges are increasingly disregarding Advanced Placement courses as insufficiently rigorous.  While they may be good enough for placement, such courses often do not earn credit towards graduation or major courses of study.  Transfer credits from leading Liberal Arts Colleges do not have this problem.

Can I enter the MCA program at any grade level?

Yes, students can enter the program in Grade 9 or in Grade 12 or even Grade 13

Can I complete my first year of college online?

Yes, students can complete their first year of college online while remaining in their home country.

Will my child be able to receive high-quality education through the MCA program?

Yes, the MCA program provides students with access to high-quality education and a broad range of academic options.

Will my child be able to save money through the MCA program?

Yes, by completing their first year of college online, students can enter a member college as sophomores, saving both time and money.

Will my child be able to form a community of peers through the MCA program?

Yes, the program fosters a sense of community among students, as they work together to achieve their academic and career goals.

For Students

Can I enter the MCA program at any grade level?

Yes, students can enter the program in Grade 9 or in Grade 12 or even Grade 13

Can I complete my first year of college online?

Yes, students can complete their first year of college online while remaining in their home country.

Can I enter a member college as a sophomore?

Yes, upon completion of their first year of college, students can bypass college admissions and enter a member college as sophomores, bringing all their courses with them.

For Parents

Will my child be able to receive high-quality education through the MCA program?

Yes, the MCA program provides students with access to high-quality education and a broad range of academic options.

Will my child be able to save money through the MCA program?

Yes, by completing their first year of college online, students can enter a member college as sophomores, saving both time and money.

Will my child be able to form a community of peers through the MCA program?

Yes, the program fosters a sense of community among students, as they work together to achieve their academic and career goals.