To improve our registration process and ensure a smooth online experience, we are implementing a lottery system for select OLLI at MSU programs that are heavily in demand and/or have limited enrollment.

We have designed this lottery to be as fair and transparent as possible. While not perfect, we are confident that this lottery-based registration will reduce the strain on the system and improve everyone’s registration experience.

Click or tap for current lottery programs

Our Goal: Improve Your Experience

Our goal is to reduce the pressure and rush to register for programs during the opening hours of registration. Rushing to register online or by phone on the morning when registration opens will NOT increase your odds of being selected by the lottery. There is no advantage to submitting an entry early in the lottery, and there is no penalty for entering late.

Reducing demand on our system on the first morning of registration will ensure a smooth, uninterrupted registration experience for everyone.

How OLLI Will Conduct the Lottery

  • Submitting an entry for a lottery-based program will enter you into the lottery for that program; it does NOT automatically guarantee your seat.
  • OLLI at MSU requires a current membership at the time of entry into lottery-eligible programs.
  • To enter a lottery, you will use the same online login information, selection system, and payment process as you previously used when registering for OLLI at MSU programs. You can also enter lotteries by mail and phone as long as all entries are received before the entry period closes.
  • The opening and closing of lottery entry periods will be communicated through the newsletter, semester catalog, and on the OLLI offerings page.
  • We will select lottery entries using a random number generator.
  • If your lottery entry is selected, OLLI at MSU will notify you by email that your seat in the program is secured. Tuition payment is due within 48 hours of notification of your lottery entry being drawn. If we do not receive your tuition payment within 48 hours, we will cancel your registration and draw a new entry from the waitlist to fill the space. Travel programs require payment at the time of entering the lottery.
  • If your lottery entry is not selected, OLLI at MSU will notify you by email that you have been placed on the program waitlist.
  • If a space becomes available in the program, OLLI at MSU will draw replacements from the waitlist using the random number generator. Tuition payment is due within 48 hours of notification that your lottery entry was drawn from the waitlist.
  • If a lottery entry period expires and a program is not filled, any remaining spaces in that program will be open for regular registration.

Key Takeaways

The lottery is only for select programs.

We expect the lottery to only apply to a limited number of popular courses, How It's Made tours, and Travel Programs each semester. Registration for all other programs will continue as it has in the past.

Sleep in!

There is no need to rush to register for a popular OLLI at MSU program. Rushing to log in or calling the office the moment registration opens will NOT increase your chances of getting into high-demand and enrollment-limited offerings. You will have the same odds if you register on the first or fifth day.

We believe in second chances!

OLLI will automatically add you to the waitlist if you are not selected in the lottery.

Equal opportunity for all!

This system, while different, is more fair. Everyone will have the same chance at a seat for high-demand and enrollment-limited courses, rather than those who manage to get through the registration process during an overload.

There is no penalty for being old school!

While we encourage you to register online, this system gives those who register by mail or phone the same odds as those who register online. Online registration is more efficient and does not rely on the Pony Express.

Frequently Asked Questions

OLLI at MSU will treat mail-in and phone lottery entries the same as online entries. To be eligible, OLLI at MSU must receive all entries by the lottery closing date.

All individuals must enter the lottery separately. When the lottery drawing occurs, if one of you makes it in and the other does not, the other person will be placed on the waiting list. If you wish to withdraw from the program because the other person did not make it into the drawing, please email or call OLLI staff, and we can move you to the waiting list.

The size of the classroom(s) we have available limits class sizes. Huge classes often reduce the ability to ask questions, engage in dialogue, or see the text on the screen.

The size of the spaces we visit limits enrollment for tours and travel experiences, including the vehicles we use for travel, the beds available for lodging, restaurant capacity, and the ability of hosts to accommodate large groups.

We seek to secure additional class sections and tours whenever possible.

Offering multiple sections of a course or other program depends on venue, instructor, or business availability and interest in teaching multiple times.

We love travel programs! We set up tours, speakers, and non-refundable deposits months in advance. If travel programs prove popular, committee members and staff will discuss repeating them in future semesters, where feasible.

Additional lottery drawings will occur if first-round entries cannot commit to the course or tour. If you cannot attend a class or tour, please notify us immediately so we can draw a new name from the waitlist and fill the roster.