University Advising
Office of Undergraduate Education
This page brings together a curated collection of video tutorials, step-by-step guides, and other resources to support academic advisors in navigating commonly used MSU systems. Resources are available for the Student Information System (SIS), Electronic Student Academic Folder (ESAF) and Office of the Registrar resources, and Transfer Credit Equivalency System.
Explore the collections below to find tutorials, guides, and other tools to help you work confidently and efficiently in each system.
Start with some of our most frequently used guides and resources.
This guide provides an overview of the EASE Report process, including timelines for submitting and responding to EASE reports, sample messages and email templates, and advisor and instructor perspectives.
Refer to this guide to learn how to locate, review, and submit the academic advisor portions of SAP appeals.
Learn how to access and retrieve appointment data using the SIS Reports function.
The Campus Solutions Student Information System (SIS) is a vital resource that serves the entire academic community, facilitating essential administrative processes that are pivotal for the matriculation and graduation of Spartans every year. Within the SIS, students and advisors are provided with comprehensive support throughout the student’s academic journey, which includes tasks such as managing financial aid offers, accessing MSU's Class Search, overseeing enrollment, submitting grades, and facilitating degree conferral.
Select the tabs below to access job aids, guides, and video tutorials on a wide range of components within the Student Information System.
The Office of the Registrar manages security requests for Student Records Access in Campus Solutions. Resources include security roles and rows, TDX forms resources, an dFERPA training/Ability resources.
The Electronic Student Academic Folder (ESAF) is a system designed to record and track interactions with students, obtain student data including EASE reports and Satisfactory of Academic Progress (SAP) appeals information, and progress toward degree completion.
Access video tutorials and guides related to using ESAF below, as well as additional resources shared by the Office of the Registrar.
This video is designed to help you become familiar with the ESAF system. Topics covered relate mainly to preparing for student appointments.
The Transfer Equivalency System serves as a valuable resource that assists advisors and students in accessing information regarding MSU course equivalencies at other educational institutions. The content in this section is to provide an understanding of the systems used to view transfer credit equivalencies.
Learn how to review and locate transfer credit equivalencies using the Transfer Credit Equivalency System.
Academic Advisor Dashboard
Student Services Center (Advisor View)
SIS Student View Tutorial
Creating and Managing Student Appointments
Creating Individual Impromptu Appointments
Editing Impromptu Appointments
Bulk Upload for Impromptu Appointments
Creating NSO Appointment Blocks
Video Tutorial for Students to Schedule NSO Appointment
Obtaining Appointment Data in SIS
Advisors can access a students' transfer credits through the Student Information System, which includes details about the number of credits transferred and the specific MSU equivalencies to which the transferred courses are applied. Watch the video below to learn how you can view a student's transfer credit details in SIS.
Service Indicators
Student Groups
Batch Milestone Processes
Degree Audit Tutorial for Undergraduate Advisors
Degree Audit Tutorial for Graduate Advising
Unmet Degree Requirements Report Job Aid
Hiding Degree Requirements
Substitutions Job Aid
What If Reports Tutorial
Degree Clearance Job Aid
Make Student Eligible for Graduation
Move Expected Grad Term/Application
Remove a Student's Graduation Application
CPP Overview Video Tutorial
CPP Job Aid
CPP Overview D2L Self-Paced Course
Class Search
Class Roster
Enrollment Request Search and Student Enrollment Appointment Video
When a graduate student is admitted, matriculated, and becomes eligible to enroll for classes, they will not have an advisor assigned to them. This video provides instructions on how staff assign an advisor, change an advisor, or assign multiple advisors to a student in the Grad career.
This guide has been created to assist academic advisors in documenting student interactions.
This video will guide you through creating queries and obtaining student data through the Student Information Generator (SIG).
This guide provides an overview of the EASE Report process, including timelines for submitting and responding to EASE reports, sample messages and email templates, and advisor and instructor perspectives.
Refer to this guide to learn how to locate, review, and submit the academic advisor portions of SAP appeals.
This short guide is designed to help educators understand options for postponement of grading, with a primary focus on the a commonly used option: the Incomplete grade. This guide reviews postponement of grading policies and procedures in detail, followed by an overview of other academic policies that may be more appropriate for students in certain situations.
Students should be instructed to complete the Registrar Appeal form for tuition refund requests to initiate the committee review process. In situations where the department needs to reach out on a student's behalf (i.e. avoid retraumatizing), please be aware the required documents associated with reasons are still expected. Staff does not have access to the form and should attach the required documents, details of circumstance, and personal statement in an email to roreview@msu.edu.
The following video will walk you through the process of accessing and examining transfer credits and transcripts within ESAF.
In fall 2023, the RO launched town hall sessions where campus partners can join to learn, view demonstrations, and ask questions about the RO processes being presented.
With ongoing goals of defining and refining practices, the Office of the Registrar has implemented an updated transcript key as of January 1, 2026.
The previous transcript key was printed on the back of each transcript in its entirety, lacked crucial information, and was only viewable in PDF format on the RO’s website. Now, the back of each transcript includes a summary of important information which includes a link to the entire, updated transcript key on the RO’s website in a webpage format to make it more accessible.
Improvements to the transcript key itself include providing clear guidance and outlining items such as definitions, grading systems, withdrawal, etc. more effectively. Additional information about professional colleges has been added as well.
The Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) Forms System supports the submission, review, routing, approval, and tracking of transfer course equivalency requests.
The system serves as the official system of record for all transfer course equivalency decisions and directly supports student progression, institutional data integrity, and operational efficiency.
The updated platform is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Most requests can be completed using the guided prompts within the system.
The following video will walk you through the process of accessing and examining transfer credits and transcripts within ESAF.
Advisors can access a students' transfer credits through the Student Information System, which includes details about the number of credits transferred and the specific MSU equivalencies to which the transferred courses are applied. Watch the video below to learn how you can view a student's transfer credit details in SIS.
Students can earn credits by exam, including Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSST), and International A Level examinations. Certain scores in these exams may lead to course waivers or the award of course credits. Please watch the following video to learn more about credit by exam, and review the important reminders below: