Apply as a Graduate Student
Expand your potential with the power of a Michigan degree at a campus convenient to you. UM-Dearborn offers 75+ career-focused graduate degree and certificate programs, all designed to help you achieve success in your chosen field.
Review Admissions Criteria and Deadlines
Admission requirements and application deadlines differ by program. It’s important to be aware of the timeline for your specific area of interest.
How to Apply as a Graduate Student
- To apply, create a login with a valid email address using the provided links above and follow the prompts. You can save your progress, as the system allows you to return and finish your application later using your login information.
- Submission requires a $60 application fee. UM-Dearborn offers limited application fee waivers on a first-come, first-serve basis. The fee is nonrefundable and cannot be applied toward tuition or other fees.
- If you are a former applicant or current UM-Dearborn student and your account appears disabled, you may need to reactivate your portal account by contacting the UM-Dearborn ITS Helpdesk.
- You may apply to one program at a time. If you wish to apply to a second program after a decision on the first is made, you must submit a new application and fee, with coordination from Graduate Studies.
- You can disclose previous names within your application. Reporting any name discrepancies for supporting documents ensures all materials are matched to your application.
If you have any questions during the admissions process, connect with the Office of Graduate Studies. We are here to support you every step of the way.
Required Materials
As part of the application process, various supplementary documents are required to create a comprehensive admissions profile. Some items require direct upload in the Online Application in order to submit your application. If these items require updates after submission, you can provide an updated PDF via the personalized upload URL received via email after your application has been processed. Any items not marked as required can be submitted separately, but a complete admissions file is required for consideration.
Statement of Purpose/Letter of Intent
These graduate programs require a statement of purpose or letter of intent that reflects your post-graduation career plans, how your current education and experience aligns with these goals, and how UM-Dearborn will help you achieve them. The preferred length is about 500 words. Here is additional guidance for each individual program.
Briefly describe events or experiences that demonstrate your potential as an effective health care professional. You may include work or school experience, life experiences, personal philosophy or other relevant information.
Explain your motivation for pursuing the EdD and identify one or more questions related to educational curriculum, policy or practice that you wish to explore as a focus for advanced study and dissertation research.
You are also required to respond to an additional writing sample prompt (options are provided in the online application) related to a current education issue. Please use APA format for any references.
Identify your intended field or fields of research. You must also submit a personal statement describing your unique background and life experiences, including any cultural, geographical, financial or educational opportunities or challenges that motivate your decision to pursue a doctoral degree at the UM-Dearborn.
Include a research topic and a corresponding plan. It is strongly recommended that you identify a potential faculty advisor at the application stage, as this is required for enrollment after admission.
Resume or CV
A resume or CV provides a summary of your qualifications, including your education, work and research experience, professional affiliations and any notable achievements. Master’s applicants have a limit of two pages; doctoral or specialist applicants have a limit of four pages.
Letters of Recommendation
Supporting recommendations are required for most degree-seeking applicants. The number of recommendations varies by college and program. Appropriate recommenders are typically current or former professional supervisors, research supervisors or faculty instructors. If you have questions about whether a potential recommender is suitable, contact your academic program for guidance.
In the online application, you must enter your recommender's name and email address. The application system will automatically notify your recommender. We highly recommend that you contact your recommender before completing this section of the application.
Required recommendations by college:
- College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL)
- Clinical Health Psychology: 3 recommendations
- All other programs: 2 recommendations
- College of Business (COB) - 1 recommendation
- College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) - 2 recommendations
- College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS)
- Master's level - optional; we recommend submitting one if your GPA is below 3.0 or if you have a non-traditional background for your program of interest.
- Doctoral level: 3 recommendations
Required College/University Transcripts
To apply to the UM-Dearborn, you must submit transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended, including transferred credits. You may upload unofficial records with your online application for admission consideration.
Before you enroll, you will also need to provide official transcripts. Request your institution(s) to send official records electronically to [email protected].
- Records must be sent directly from the Registrar through an institutional domain or approved third-party services (e.g., Parchment, National Clearinghouse) to be considered official.
- Mail official records to: Office of Graduate Studies, 1145 Renick University Center (RUC), 4901 Evergreen Rd., Dearborn, MI 48128.
Note: If your documents are not originally in English, you must submit both the original and an official English translation. The translation should be precise and maintain the format of the original document. If your institution does not offer an official translation, a professional licensed translation is acceptable.
Test Scores
Our graduate programs do not require the GRE or GMAT. If you submit test scores, we will link them to your application file and the review committee may consider them during the admissions decision process.
If you choose to submit GRE or GMAT scores, official scores are required. GRE and GMAT scores are valid for five years from the test date. Here are the institution codes you will need:
Our ETS Institution Code for GRE registration is 1861. Individual department codes are not necessary for the GRE. As long as the institution code is used, your scores will be electronically delivered to us.
Our GMAC Institution Code for GMAT registration varies by program.
- Accounting (MSA): 1V5-HP-06
- Business Administration (MBA): 1V5-HP-19
- Business Administration (MBA) - Online: 1V5-HP-50
- Business Analytics (MS): 1V5-HP-93
- Finance (MS): 1V5-HP-12
- Information Systems (MS): 1V5-HP-38
- Marketing (MS): 1V5-HP-80
- Supply Chain Management (MS): 1V5-HP-71
- Dual Degree: Accounting (MSA)/Finance (MSF): 1V5-HP-22
- Dual Degree: Business Administration/Industrial & Systems Engineering (MSE): 1V5-HP-45
- Dual Degree: Business Administration (MBA)/Finance (MSF): 1V5-HP-58
- Dual Degree: Business Administration (MBA)/Health Services Administration (MHSA): 1V5-HP-56
- Dual Degree: Business Administration (MBA)/Information Systems (MS): 1V5-HP-40
- Dual Degree: Business Administration (MBA)/Supply Chain Management (MS): 1V5-HP-87
After Your Application is Submitted
Applications are reviewed once all required supplemental materials are submitted, reviewed and processed.
Stay informed about the admissions process timelines as you move through the process. To ensure your application is complete, refer to the instructions provided for submitting any outstanding checklist items. If you need to submit additional documents not explicitly listed, upload them as PDF files through the personalized URL sent to you via email after your application is processed. The Office of Graduate Studies will review your materials and notify you of any updates.
All applicants applying to a fully online program must complete a supplemental Online Student Disclosures and Certifications form that will appear in your UM-Dearborn applicant portal alongside your application checklist once the application has been submitted. This covers important Distance Education Student Information and Procedures and Export Control Regulations our campus must follow.
If you need to change your start term, submit a deferral request to the Office of Graduate Studies using the Graduate Admissions Deferral Request Form. It is recommended to send your request by the advisory deadline for your new intended term.
Applications remain valid for one academic year from your initial term of application (ex. Fall 2025 is valid through Fall 2026). Deferral requests for programs with hard deadlines are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the academic program.
All previously submitted documents will be transferred to the new term if your deferral is approved. If you attend another university during the deferral period, you must submit transcripts from that enrollment. Admitted students required to pay an enrollment deposit must do so prior to requesting a deferral.
Deferral requests are processed in order of receipt, with priority given to immediate upcoming deadlines.
International Students
Deferring your admission does not automatically defer your I-20. You must work with the OIA to receive an I-20 with an updated program start-date to coincide with the semester of your arrival on campus. If you have been previously issued an initial I-20, you must submit an I-20 Deferral eForm via M-International. If you have not yet received an initial I-20, then you must submit the Initial I-20 Request eForm via M-International.
Decision Timeline and Process
The timeline for application review varies by program type:
- Rolling and priority admission programs: Applications are reviewed within 2 to 3 weeks.
- Hard deadline programs: Applications are reviewed after the posted deadline, and decisions typically take several weeks. Doctoral program decisions typically take two months after the deadline.
Admission decisions are posted on the portal and emailed the next day.
My [research and teaching] experiences have reminded me of the importance of sharing knowledge, collaborating with others and pursuing research that has the potential to make a positive impact on society.
PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering