Application Process

This page discusses aspects of the graduate admissions process that are particular to the Aerospace Engineering department. Please see Rackham’s Overview of the Application Process for a full list of the application process.

Sections

• Online application
• Transcripts
• Application statements and resume
• Letters of recommendation
• Tests
• After application submission
• Frequently asked questions

Online application

Name

The name used on the application should be your full legal name as it appears on your passport or other legal documents. To assure that your other application materials are correctly matched with your application please be sure to note any other name that appears on prior academic records or test score reports.

UMID number

UMID (University of Michigan identification) number will be emailed to you within five business days after completing page 5 of the online application. Please note your UMID number on all your application materials to ensure accurate and timely processing. If you need to submit your application before you receive your UMID number, please note your date of birth and the program’s name (ex. Aero MSE) on your application materials.

Application Fee

• United States citizens and U.S. Permanent Resident: $75
• Non-U.S. citizen: $90
• Current U-M Rackham student: $10

This application fee is non-refundable: see Rackham’s fee waiver and need-based grant information

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Transcripts

Submit transcript from all schools where a bachelor’s, master’s or professional degree was awarded. Submit your official transcript to Rackham before the deadline to allow time for your transcript to be received, matched with your application and the GPA converted to a 4.0 scale (if necessary). The Admissions Committee recognizes applicants may still be enrolled and transcripts may not include the current semester’s grades. Submitting your transcripts is a two-step process:

1. Upload your transcript(s) at page 5 of the online application. Aero Graduate Admission Committee uses this unofficial transcript during their preliminary review. This does not need to be an official transcript.
2. Send all official transcripts either as an e-transcript to Rackham or by mail to the Rackham Graduate School in an envelope sealed by the institution.

Rackham Graduate School 915 E. Washington Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1070 USA

To quickly match your transcript with your application:

Include a Transcript/Academic Record Submission Form OR Add a line to the Rackham’s mailing address above:

Attention: Transcripts/UMID# (if known) OR Transcripts/Date of Birth (formatted as mm/dd/yyyy)

See Rackham’s transcript instructions

Questions?

Have you received my transcript? Our department cannot confirm that transcripts mailed to Rackham Graduate School have been received. It typically takes a minimum of five business days for Rackham to upload transcripts after they have been received. See Track your application progress

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Application statements and resume

The academic statement of purpose, the personal statement, and a curriculum vitae (CV) or resume together give a fuller picture of your interests, motivations, and experiences.

Academic Statement of Purpose

The Academic Statement of Purpose should be a concise, typically no more than two pages, well-written statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how this graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. You can include information about potential research labs and faculty advisors in this statement.

Personal Statement

The Personal Statement should respond to the question: How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan? In this statement you can note additional information or extenuating circumstances specific to your situation. The statement should be about 500 words and different than the Academic Statement of Purpose.

Resume/Curriculum Vitae

The resume/ curriculum vitae is included in your application and should describe your education, work experience, research publications, teaching experience, honors and awards. We recognize that your resume represents a snapshot of your experiences when you submit your application. Although your experiences may change, we do not make updates to the online application.

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Letters of recommendation

A letter of recommendation should be current and written for purpose of the applicant’s program. The number of letters required are: PhD and MSE applications: 3 letters SUGS applications: 2 letters

Who should write my recommendations?

At least two of the three letters of recommendation should be from faculty who can speak to the student’s academic and research experience. One letter may be from a non-academic reference, such as an employer, especially if the student has been out of school for several years.

How do I register my recommenders?

Register your recommenders on the online application, being careful to correctly spell the recommender’s name and email. Each recommender will receive an email notification to complete the recommendation form through ApplyWeb. You may register your recommenders in ApplyWeb before completing your application by selecting “Submit Recommendation Request”. Then you may continue to work on the application.

What does it mean to waive your right?

Waiving your right to access a recommendation means that you will not be able to view the letter. It is advised that applicants check the waiver box “YES” for each recommender as many recommenders will not submit a letter if you select “NO.”

Have my letters been received?

Check the status of your letters of recommendation using the ApplyWeb Activity Page or track your application status

What if my recommender has not submitted my letter yet?

• Verify that the emailed invitation was not blocked or filtered into a junk/spam mail folder by your recommender’s email provider.
• Resend the notification email to your recommender using the ApplyWeb Activity Page
• Applicants may change a recommender at any time unless the recommender has already started the recommendation.

Will you accept letters that arrive after the application deadline date?

Yes, we will accept letters that arrive after the deadline date. We understand that a professor may not submit a letter by the deadline. However, please keep in mind that we still need to receive the missing letter in order to completely review your application.

Email submission of recommendation

We strongly prefer that all recommendations be submitted electronically. If it is necessary for a letter of recommendation to be submitted by other means, please contact the Aero Graduate Student Admissions Coordinator, Kathy Miller. Then the recommender will be asked to submit the letter and complete the paper version of the Recommendation for Admission form to the Aero Graduate Student Admissions Coordinator. See Rackham’s letter of recommendation information

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Tests

The GRE and TOEFL tests’ reporting code is 1839 (a department code is not required).

GRE

GRE scores are required to be submitted. GRE scores of up to five years old as of the application deadline may be used. See Aero’s Academic background of applicants for information about the typical test scores of admitted students.

TOEFL/IELTS Information

TOEFL (IBT) minimum score is 84. English language proficiency scores of up to two years old, as of the application deadline, may be used. Visit the Rackham website for information on Rackham’s English proficiency requirement

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After application submission

Track your application status

Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to application status inquiries. Applicants are able to check the status of application materials.

• Please wait five days after creating your account on Wolverine Access.
• Please allow several business days after BOTH your application AND your transcript/scores/letters have been submitted for materials to be processed and correctly matched to your application.
• Log into your U-M Friend Account in Wolverine Access and select “New & Prospective Student Business” to view the status of:

Tests scores submitted by testing agencies (GRE, TOEFL) Official transcripts received [Official transcripts will be noted as “received” if received by Rackham as an e-transcript or mailed in a sealed envelope issued directly by the issuing institution.] Letters of recommendation for recommenders registered on the online application

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if my materials have not been received by Rackham?

If it has been more than 5 business days since your material(s) and application were submitted to Rackham then contact Rackham rackadmis@umich.edu. In your email note your UMID, Aero graduate program and

• for GRE or TOEFL scores – attach a scanned copy of your ETS report
• for a transcript – note the institution, the exact phrasing of your name by the institution, and whether it was sent electronically or by mail

Late submissions

Not submitting your official transcript or test scores by the deadline to Rackham can delay the Admissions Committee’s review of your application materials and may adversely affect your chances of admission.

Late changes

Once the application is submitted, it cannot be modified. You should include all relevant information in your application before you submit it.

Admissions decisions

The Admissions committee will review all applications and begin making decisions around the end of January and will continue making decisions through April. If you are missing pieces of your application, we will contact you via email about the missing documents. The faculty begin making Fall term PhD admission offers in January with final decisions made by April 15. Admission decisions depend on the availability of projects, and most offers are made by mid-March. This is also when most MSE offers are sent. Winter term admissions offers are sent out in October. The department will notify you by email as soon as a decision has been reached. The admission decision may not appear on Wolverine Access for several days after the department’s email.

Apply subsequent term

If an applicant was not admitted and chooses to apply to the same program again, then a new complete online application must be submitted for the new term.

Admission deferral

An applicant receiving a Master’s admission offer may defer admission for up to one year under limited circumstances. If your circumstances meet these criteria, please send your request to defer admission along with an explanation for the request to the Graduate Student Admissions Coordinator after your admission has been finalized by the Rackham Graduate School.

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