Steps to Apply for an MS

The priority application deadline for Fall 2024 admissions for all School of Public Health Master of Science degrees is December 1, 2023. We encourage applicants from all programs to submit their application prior to the priority deadline to ensure funding consideration. Those who submit afterward are not guaranteed funding consideration. An additional application is not required for funding consideration.

Final application deadlines for Master of Sciences degrees are as follows:

• Biostatistics MS Degree: Applications accepted on a rolling basis after the priority deadline.
• Environmental Health Sciences MS Degree: Applications accepted on a rolling basis after the priority deadline.
• Environmental Health Sciences Accelerated MS Degree: January 15, 2024
• Epidemiology MS in Clinical Research: December 1, 2024
• Epidemiology MS in Computational Epidemiology and Systems Modeling: Applications accepted on a rolling basis after the priority deadline.
• Nutritional Sciences MS: May 15, 2024

Time management is a crucial skill for graduate schooling. It will be important to consider the deadline you are applying for and plan your personal timeline for ordering transcripts, preparing your materials, reaching out to individuals for your letters of recommendation, and finalizing your application - ideally allowing extra time for any unforeseen slowdowns.

The Rackham Graduate School requires that students applying to Master of Science or Doctoral Programs include an official transcript as part of their application. Official transcripts are an original or an attested copy of your transcript with an original institutional seal and signature of the Registrar or Recorder of Records.

• From a US Institution:
  • Upload an electronic version of your official transcript(s) for each Bachelor’s, Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree earned or in progress through your ApplyWeb application account. ​​​​​​​​​​
  • If you are recommended for admission, official transcript(s) must be submitted directly from your previous institutions’ Registrar or Records Office to the Rackham Graduate School. Recommended applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.
• From a Non-US Institution:
  • Review Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions for transcript/academic record requirements by country or region. Submitting transcript/academic records is a two-step process:
    1. Upload an electronic version of your official transcript/academic record for each institution attended through your ApplyWeb application account.
    2. At the time of application, you must also submit an official transcript/academic record for each institution attended. See Rackham’s detailed instructions on how to submit transcripts/academic records to the Rackham Graduate School.

More information on submitting official transcripts to Rackham can be found here. 

It is highly recommended that applicants upload a resume or CV that describes your education, work experience, research publications, teaching experience, professional activities, volunteer activities, community engagement, and awards or honors. This helps to provide reviewers a snap-shot into your background and achievements. When creating the resume or CV you will use in your application, give special attention to include details about any experiences that are especially relevant to the program and degree you are applying for.

Academic Statement of Purpose
This essay should be a concise, well-written statement about your academic and research background as well as your career goals. In addition, the content should communicate how this graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. This essay should be 1-3 pages and is typically double spaced.

Personal Statement
This essay should answer 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 and the School of Public Health? The personal statement should be different from your Academic Statement of Purpose. This essay is limited to 500 words.

Standard Quantitative Experiences Statement
Note: At this time, the Department of Biostatistics does not have a Quantitative Experiences Statement. 

In an effort to get a better understanding of your abilities, we require a statement for all graduate-level applicants as part of the application process. 

This short essay (limited to 500 words) asks you to summarize the strength of your analytical and quantitative skills by addressing the following (if applicable):

1. Discuss specific details and examples of relevant research, work, volunteer, or professional experiences that involved analytical and/or quantitative skills and tasks. You may also incorporate instances where you worked with data.
2. If you have experience with quantitative or qualitative data, describe how you used it to solve a complex problem and include how you communicated your findings. 

Three letters of recommendation are required as part of the application process. You should select recommenders who can discuss your ability to academically succeed and contribute to the public health profession. Depending on your background and specific situation, consider the following references:

• Faculty from your undergraduate institution in your major of study
• An employer or supervisor
• Academic advisor
• Professional mentor from a relevant volunteer or professional experience

A friend or relative is not an appropriate selection for a graduate school recommendation.

Tips for high impact letters of recommendation:

• You may have interacted with many people in academic or professional settings who could speak to your abilities. Carefully consider who can best communicate why you are a strong candidate. Together, these letters should paint a clear picture of your abilities from a variety of perspectives. Be sure to have a back up plan if one of your recommenders is not able to contribute.
• Make the process easy for your recommenders by providing ample time to write and submit (3-4 weeks), clear instructions, a deadline, and even a list of suggested items you would like referenced in your letter.
• Schedule 20-30 minutes to meet with your recommender and/or provide drafts of your resume and Statement of Purpose so that they can more clearly understand your specific goals and motivations for attending Michigan Public Health.
• Ask recommenders to use official letterhead along with a full signature including the writer’s company or professional affiliation, job title, and contact information.

Be sure to make your recommenders aware that they will be required to submit evaluations directly into ApplyWeb. You will be responsible for inputting your recommender's contact information into your ApplyWeb application. ApplyWeb then initiates contacting your recommender with instructions to provide their letter of recommendation.

More information on letters of recommendation can be found here.

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Information on Rackham’s English Proficiency Requirements can be found here. 

An application fee is due when you submit your application. This fee is non-refundable. The fee structure is outlined below:

• United States citizens and those with permanent resident visa status: $75
• Non-US citizens: $90
• Current Rackham student (regardless of citizenship): $10

In certain circumstances, you may be eligible for a fee waiver administered by Rackham Graduate School. You may review the list of fee waiver types administered by Rackham and the criteria here.

Before submitting, please double check each part of your application. After submitting, you can only make limited changes to your application and materials, so it’s important that your application is accurate and complete before pressing submit.

Upon submission, you’ll receive a confirmation email. You may monitor your application status in ApplyWeb.

We look forward to reviewing your application and understanding your unique interests and goals at Michigan Public Health!