Basic Admission Requirements
Are You Qualified to Apply?
All graduate applicants should have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited university or college, or its equivalent.
- Effective May 2026: UM-Dearborn is piloting a change in how we evaluate three-year bachelor’s degrees for graduate admission. Rather than relying primarily on the number of years completed, we will use a benchmarking approach to assess whether a three-year degree meets internationally recognized standards of quality and rigor.
- Some credentials may still not be considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree for graduate admission. Applicants who have completed additional qualifications, such as an honors degree, post-graduate diploma, or graduate degree in addition to an HND or three-year bachelor’s degree, may strengthen their eligibility.
- Applicants unsure about the equivalency of their educational credentials are encouraged to obtain a course-by-course evaluation from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or International Education Evaluation (IEE) with a benchmarking approach. UM-Dearborn will honor benchmarked three-year degree equivalency determinations by these providers.
Applicants who still need to complete their final year of study (e.g., finished up to the sixth semester in an eight-term program) to earn their degree may apply. The degree must be completed before the start of your first term in our graduate program. If applying with a three-year degree, grades from all terms prior to the final term must be submitted for consideration. A final, official transcript and proof of degree completion will be required as a condition of admission by the end of your first term of enrollment.
Additional Requirements
Additional requirements vary by program. UM-Dearborn graduate programs are all test optional for the GRE/GMAT. A summary of basic prerequisites (i.e. undergraduate degree or major required, prerequisite courses, work experience or other credential that might be required) can be accessed by clicking on the college where your program is housed below. Graduate Certificate requirements are outlined separately.
College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Admission Prerequisites
College of Business Admission Prerequisites
College of Education, Health, and Human Services Admission Prerequisites
College of Engineering and Computer Science Admission Prerequisites
A holistic review of each applicant is conducted. Admission is granted to applicants who have been recommended for admission by the program to which they have applied. Preference is generally given to students who have at least a B average (3.0 in a 4.0 grading system) in relevant undergraduate coursework or otherwise provide evidence of promise that is satisfactory to the admitting program.