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Registration and Scholarships

Registration for Grandparents University 2024 is closed.

Grandparents University Registration Details

Program Cost

  • Child: $250
  • Adult: $350

Program Cost Includes:

  • Three special Grandparents University classes
  • Two nights lodging in Holmes or Akers Hall
  • Unique evening programs
  • Six meals in MSU's award-winning dining services
  • Campus transportation

Adult/Child Requirements

Grandparents University is open to children ages 8-13 who are accompanied by a grandparent who is an alum or friend of MSU.
  • Due to the educational nature of the program as well as limited capacity, we cannot make exceptions to the 8-13 age limit for children.
  • Because this program is designed to bridge the gap between the generations, parents of children cannot attend in place of, or in addition to, a grandparent.
  • We recognize that there may be situations where a grandparent cannot attend, so please contact the MSU Alumni Office to discuss potential options. Requests must be approved in writing by the MSU Alumni Office prior to registration.

All children must always be accompanied by an adult, no exceptions.

  • No more than two children can be accompanied by one adult. If two children attend with one adult, everyone must attend the same classes and stay together as a group. In some classes, this may necessitate sharing equipment and working together as one.
  • If two children attend with two adults, each adult/child pair may attend a different class.
  • No more than two adults may accompany one child.

Physical Activity Level

Grandparents University is an active program with events that take place in a variety of locations across campus. Although there is bus transportation, walking is the primary means of getting around and walking distances may be up to several miles per day in various weather conditions. There are several buses that drive a set route around campus and stop at predetermined locations. While these buses do not offer door-to-door service, they reduce the amount of walking. Participants are not permitted to drive their own vehicles to classes and evening activities. See “Getting around campus” section in our frequently asked questions for additional details.

We strive to treat all participants fairly and equally and keep everyone safe while enjoying the program. We respectfully request that prospective participants honestly consider the physical activity level and whether this program is a good fit for them. If there are any questions, we encourage prospective participants to contact the MSU Alumni Office prior to registering for the program.

Accommodation

Michigan State University encourages all individuals to participate in our events and we strive to treat all participants fairly and equally and keep everyone safe while enjoying the program. Both Both Holmes and Akers Halls have a limited number of barrier-free rooms and classrooms are accessible. Any requested accommodation must be requested in writing during Step 1: Application. Requests may also be submitted or reiterated when completing the Expectations and Consent Form or by contacting the MSU Alumni Office by April 22.

The MSU Alumni Office cannot provide any ongoing assistance to participants, nor can the MSU Alumni Office accept responsibility for any participant who does not communicate such requests prior to the program. This will ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the program for all participants. 

Any requested accommodation will be kept confidential and shared only with relevant MSU Alumni Office and university staff to ensure participants’ requests are met to the best of our ability.

If there are any questions, we encourage prospective participants to contact the MSU Alumni Office prior to registering for the program.

Registration

Registration is completed online only. There are two steps to registration.

    • Step 1: Application. At this time, we collect pertinent information for each child and adult participant. 
    • Step 2: Enrollment. At this time, participants select their classes and evening activity and pay the registration fee. Payment of the registration fee must be completed at the time of enrollment and failure to pay will result in the participants' classes and evening activities being canceled.

We can only accept online credit card payments. All transactions are handled through the university’s secure, PCI-compliant server. The entire fee must be paid at one time – we cannot split payments between multiple persons or multiple credit cards.

Check out the guide to registration and enrollment. This how-to guide outlines important information about the program and how to successfully apply, enroll in your classes and evening activities and complete payment. Regardless of how many times you’ve attended GPU, we strongly encourage you to review this guide.

View the Guide to Application & Enrollment

This is an extremely popular program that frequently sells out in a matter of hours. Registrations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The MSU Alumni Office cannot "reserve" or "hold" a spot in advance of registration opening.

Classes and Evening Activities

The class catalog gives an overview of the class descriptions, class sizes and evening activities available.

View the 2024 Class Catalog

In advance of Step 2: Enrollment, we strongly encourage grandparents and grandchildren to review the class catalog.

  • Select four - five options for each class session and two - three options for the evening activity
  • Write down both class/evening activity name and number. There’s a Class Wish List Worksheet and an Evening Activity Wish List Worksheet at the back of the class catalog that you can use for this purpose.

Some classes and activities are limited in size due to the nature of the class or activity, availability of equipment and/or other factors. Having options will make the enrollment process more efficient, and you’ll be prepared in case an option isn’t available.

Program Handbook

The physical and emotional safety and well-being of participants at GPU are high priorities for the MSU Alumni Office and MSU. The Grandparents University Program Handbook specifies the Code of Conduct, Terms and Conditions, and Rules and Policies for Grandparents University.

  • All adult participants must review this handbook.
  • The parent or legal guardian of all child participants must review this handbook and go over the Code of Conduct with their child/children.

View the 2024 Program Handbook

To substantiate the Grandparents University Program Handbook, following application and enrollment, all participants are required to complete forms.

All forms are available online (and can be accessed by clicking the form names above) and must be completed by April 22. We cannot accept completed forms by mail, email or fax. Failure to submit forms by this date may result in participant’s classes and evening activities being canceled and/or dismissal from the program. 

Adult participants and the parents or legal guardians of child participants (as identified by the adult participant during GPU registration) also received an email the week of March 25 with this information.

Cancellation Policy

After the registration fee is paid, a request for a full refund must be made in writing by April 22 and will result in a $50 administrative fee per person. We cannot issue any refunds after this date since we've already incurred expenses for the program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about GPU? Check out our frequently asked questions.

Grandparents University Scholarships

We're pleased to be able to offer a limited number of scholarships for Grandparents University due to the generosity of previous participants. 

Scholarships cover the registration rates for one adult and one child. Scholarships do not include travel expenses or other costs incurred by participants. Incomplete applications will be returned and may impact eligibility if not received prior to the deadline.

The scholarship application period for the 2024 program is now closed. 

Questions

If you have questions about Grandparents University, see our frequently asked questions. Should you have additional questions, contact Nikki Hawthorne via email.