A 20-member study abroad group that traveled to Peru returned on Saturday minus one student.
MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said a female student remained behind when her study abroad group left Peru to return to Michigan late Friday night.
"Our number one concern is the safety of the student," Denbow said. "She is safe, she has been safe and she will be home (today)."
University officials would not release the identity of the student.
The student's passport was lost or stolen the day they planned to leave, and she had to stay behind, said Kathleen Fairfax, director of the Office of Study Abroad.
"We always have students whose passports are stolen or lost, but I can't recall it ever happening the day of departure," Fairfax said. "The timing of the incident makes it less fortunate because it happened on a Friday, so the American Embassy was closed until Monday."
The student was able to spend Friday night in the hotel because it had already been paid for by the program, but other accommodations had to be made on Saturday.
MSU contacted an alumni family that lives in Lima who helped the student get her passport and immigration papers, a return ticket and gave her a place to stay.
"MSU has contacts all over the world so whenever we're in a bind, we can find an alumnus who can help us out," Fairfax said.
MSU President Lou Anna Simon said the student's privacy was a top concern.
"This is a matter that I've been informed of since its occurrence," Simon said. "It is a matter of great importance to me and to this institution. We are continuing to review the situation while respecting the student's privacy."
Twenty students left on the Dec. 19 program to visit Bolivia, Lima, Machu Picchu and other Incan sites, said Marcelo Siles, a visiting professor involved in the program.
But Siles had no comment on the student who remained behind.
The students in the study abroad program enrolled in courses with the Academia Latinoamericana in Cuzco and with La Universidad Agraria La Molina in Lima.
During their stay, they lived with Peruvian families.
The program allows students to earn credit with the Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Social Science.
