Graduate & professional

One of the questions I get asked the most is “how do I get into a graduate engineering program at Michigan?” So I’m here to share a few ways that you can make your application more competitive. 

First things first. Set the stage. It sounds simple, but make sure you’re doing your research on the program that you’re applying to. Selecting a graduate program is an important decision, and it’s important to find the right program that’s going to be the best fit for you. 

Go to the department’s website and take a look around to find out what your options are. We offer a variety of different graduate degree programs from the traditional Master’s and Ph.D. to our professional Master of Engineering and Doctor of Engineering programs. A lot of students are surprised to find that you don’t necessarily need a master’s to be admitted to a Ph.D. program, and that our Ph.D. programs at Michigan are fully funded. 

Once you’ve thought about degree level, find what concentrations interest you and what that program is looking for in their applicants. Every program is structured a little differently and has different requirements for admission. Getting in touch with their graduate coordinator or a faculty member is the best way to start. 

Next up, let’s talk about the application materials. We utilize a holistic review process for all of our applications, which means we’re looking at more than just your transcripts and test scores. DONE

Don’t underestimate the importance of the academic statement of purpose and the personal statement. We don’t have a specific box that we want people to fit into. So take this opportunity to tell us who you are and highlight your strengths and achievements. We also want to connect you to faculty who may be a potential match. So make sure that you’re mentioning your specific faculty and research areas of interest within your academic statement of purpose. And if you’ve had academic struggles along the way, be honest about them and explain how you overcame them. Challenges happen, and that’s OK. Our faculty are interested in hearing about resilience in the face of challenges. So don’t be afraid to share these in your personal statement. 

Letters of recommendation are also a key piece of your application. It’s important that your recommender knows you well and can speak to your aptitude for success in graduate school. We recommend that at least two out of the three required letters be academic references. If you’ve performed research at the undergraduate or professional level, a letter from your research advisor is always recommended, especially if you’re applying for a Ph.D. And make sure to ask recommenders that you know will get it done by the deadline.

Now that you’ve gotten your materials ready, it’s time to submit your application. Make sure you check out our application deadlines on our website to make sure you’re submitting your application on time. And you don’t have to wait until the deadline to click the final button. 

We can’t review incomplete applications, so it’s important to make sure that all of your documents have been received. We recommend checking Wolverine Access to make sure that your transcripts and your letters of recommendation have been received. But be patient because it can take a few days for updates to show. Once you submitted your application. You cannot make edits or additions to your application. 

So make sure that you’re reviewing all of your documents before you submit. We cannot officially update applications on our own, but if you have an important development in your materials, such as a paper being accepted for publication, you can contact your faculty of interest and let them know.

So now you’ve applied and you’re wondering what life is like as an engineering graduate student at Michigan. The University of Michigan is multidisciplinary at its core, and Michigan engineering is no exception.

The convergence of disciplines across all areas means there are so many ways for our students to get involved. Michigan Engineering students benefit from the ability to connect with their peers across the campus, and our other top ten schools and colleges, including medical, law, public policy, public health, and even our Center for Entrepreneurship. We also have a variety of student organizations, co-curricular activities and clubs, both within the College of Engineering and the university as a whole. 

We’re committed to supporting our students not just professionally, but as people and have resources in all areas, including scholarships, advising, mental health and wellness and more. Our teams in our various centers, including the C.A.R.E. Center and the Engineering Career Resource Center, are here and ready to help you face any situation that you may come across in your graduate career. 

And best of all, we’re located right within the wonderful city of Ann Arbor, which is ranked the number one best college town by Forbes. From shops and restaurants, art and entertainment, parks and trails, Ann Arbor has something for everyone, which makes achieving that work life balance easy. 

It’s never too early to start looking at graduate programs, and we’re here to help you through every step of the process, so don’t hesitate to get in touch. The best way to connect with us is by filling out the Master’s or Ph.D. inquiry form on the College of Engineering website. 

Good luck with your application and go blue.