Application

OS Application

The Winter 2013 application is now closed.  Admission decisions will be e-mailed to applicants the week before Winter Break.

Please allow enough time to complete the program application. The online application opens in the Fall semester, and the application deadline is in mid-January of each year. This allows students an entire term to assemble their application materials. Application materials do not need to be submitted together. They can start arriving as early as the Fall preceding the application submission deadline and the OS office will assemble an application file with an applicant's materials.

Complete the online application form.  Remember that students are strongly encouraged to apply during the sophomore year. Students will need to be registered on the Ann Arbor campus for at least three semesters following the term in which they are admitted.

Submit the application essay. The essay is an important part of the application, so it should be carefully prepared. The program's policy prevents from providing any advice about the essay to prospective applicants. The Admissions Committee is not looking for any particular answer to the essay questions. They wish to read students' original and thoughtful responses.

Submit an updated resume. The Admissions Committee is looking for students' interest outside of the classroom.  Students should highlight any professional or academic extracurricular activities they have done thus far.

Arrange for all external transcripts to be mailed to the OS office. Students must submit an original transcript for courses taken at other institutions which credit was transferred to the University of Michigan. Students do not need to submit transcripts for courses that were not transferred onto the UM record. To ensure that external transcripts are received by the application deadline, please request the transcripts by late November.

Arrange for your official UM transcript to be sent to the OS office. We encourage students to have their UM transcripts sent directly to the OS office once all grades have been posted for the Fall semester preceding the application due date. Submitting your U-M transcript in early January significantly speed application processing.  Follow the steps below to authorize campus mailing of an official UM transcript.   

1. Log in to Wolverine Access
2. Click on "Order Transcript" under "Academic Record"
3. Check off box states "After grades are recorded for Fall term"
4. After reading directions, click on "Place Order"
5. Click on "Send to Third Party"
6. Under Transcript Type menu, choose "Official Undergrad/Graduate"
7. Under Delivery method, choose "Electronic (PDF)"
8. Under Delivery Information, type in OS address:  org.studies@umich.edu

Admissions Notification.  Students will be notified by email typically the week before students leave for spring break. This will permit students the opportunity to plan their following fall semester based on the outcomes of the Admission Committee's decision.