Graduate international students

Requirements of all international applicants

In addition to materials required of all students, international students must provide additional documentation at the time of application:

• For any degree completed at a non-US institution, transcripts must be submitted for an internal credential review. Read the following for instructions on how to submit your transcripts for review.
• Certificate of graduation or diploma indicating conferral of the bachelor’s degree and the date it was conferred. (If you attended a college or university that includes degree information on the transcript or marksheet, a certificate or diploma is not necessary.)
• If English is not your native language, and you are not from an exempt country, you must demonstrate English proficiency.
• International students must be able to submit an affidavit and proof of financial support indicating the ability to financially educational expenses for one year. Learn more about the costs for attendance at Tuition & Fees.

Requirements for applicants seeking an F-1 visa

International students seeking an F-1 visa must submit an Affidavit of Financial Support with supporting documentation. This document can be accessed through iService, and is required to secure an I-20 required for F-1 status. The affidavit provides satisfactory evidence that you have adequate funds to support your academic pursuits at UM-Flint. For more information on tuition and fees for international students, please click here.

Acceptable sources of funding include:

• A bank statement including a current balance. Funds must be held in a checking account, savings account, or certificate of deposit (CD). All accounts must be in the name of the student or the student’s sponsor. For sponsor funds to be counted toward the I-20 requirement, the sponsor must sign the Financial Affidavit of Support. Statements must be no more than six months old at the time of submission.
• Approved loan documents including the total amount approved.
• If you have been offered a scholarship, grant, assistantship, or other funding through the University of Michigan-Flint, please submit the offer letter if available. All university funding will be verified with the department providing that funding.

Students may prove sufficient funding using multiple sources. For instance, you may submit a bank statement and a loan document equaling the total required amount. In order for an I-20 to be issued, you must provide proof of sufficient funding to cover the estimated international expenses for one year of study. Students with dependents accompanying them in the United States must also prove sufficient funding to cover the estimated expenses for each dependent.

Unacceptable sources of funding include:

• Stocks, bonds, and other securities
• Corporate bank accounts or other accounts not in the name of the student or their sponsor (exceptions may be made if the student is being sponsored by an organization).
• Real estate or other property
• Loan applications or pre-approval documents
• Retirement funds, insurance policies, or other non-liquid assets

Requirements for international applicants pursuing an online graduate degree in their home country

Students pursuing online degrees should note that some countries may not formally recognize foreign online degrees, which can have implications for students who later seek to enroll in other educational programs, or for those who seek employment with their home country’s government or other employers requiring specific credentials. Additionally, some countries may or may not require foreign higher education institutions to comply with distance education regulations. UM-Flint does not represent or guarantee that its online degree programs are recognized in or meet requirements to comply with distance education regulations in the student’s country of residence if it is outside the United States. It is therefore the student’s responsibility to understand current circumstances or special requirements surrounding whether this online degree will be recognized in the student’s country of residence, how the collection of student data may be used in said country, and whether the student will be subject to additional withholding taxes in addition to the price of tuition.

Refer to this page for additional information.

IMPORTANT: Applicants who are currently in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status or have a nonimmigrant visa status will need to apply using the International (Non-U.S. Citizen) New Graduate application. Select “Non-Citizen – Other or No Visa” for your citizenship status. List your citizenship and specify “Other Visa Type” or indicate your visa type for questions relating to visa status.

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Housing & Safety

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Global Graduate Merit Scholarship

The Global Graduate Merit Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship available to international graduate students who meet the selection criteria listed below. It is a competitive scholarship awarded to students admitted for the fall semester who have achieved a high level of academic success. The Office of Graduate Programs will consider entering international graduate-level students seeking an “F” visa; no additional application is required. Recipients must view themselves as cultural ambassadors and are encouraged to participate periodically in  UM-Flint activities where they engage in cultural sharing or community service activities. 

Guidelines

• Scholarship applicants must be newly admitted international “F” visa-seeking students at UM-Flint
• Admitted students will be considered starting May 1 for the following fall semester.
• Minimum recalculated incoming GPA of 3.25 (4.0 scale) 
• Students must be degree-seeking UM-Flint 
• Total scholarship value up to $10,000 
• Scholarship can be awarded up to two years (fall and winter terms only), or until  graduation requirements are met, whichever occurs first 
• Renewable with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at UM-Flint
• Students must maintain full-time status (at least eight credits)* during the fall and  winter semesters of the award year(s)  
• The total number of scholarships awarded will be dependent upon the funds available
• Scholarships will be applied directly to the student’s tuition account 
• International Students are expected to maintain lawful immigration status according to  the guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• If you withdraw or leave UM-Flint for any reason, your scholarship will automatically terminate. If you plan to leave for a study abroad program or for health reasons, you may write an appeal to have your scholarship postponed for up to one term 

Exclusions 

• Students, who are on an agency or government scholarship, where full tuition and fees  are covered, are not eligible for this award 
• Non-immigrants eligible for need-based financial aid are not eligible for this award

*Students who meet the following admission conditions must still enroll in at least eight credits as well:  

1. Enrolled in a Rackham Program (MPA, Liberal Studies, Arts Administration)  
2. Receive a Graduate Student Research Assistantship

The University of Michigan-Flint reserves the right to reduce and will restrict the awarding of university-funded scholarships and grants if a recipient is in receipt of scholarships and/or grants that cover tuition and fees (in full or part) regardless of the means by which the student is awarded.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Our Frequently Asked Questions offers answers to common questions asked by international students.

What is the policy on international students who have earned a 3-year bachelor’s degree?

Applicants with a three-year bachelor’s degree from an institution outside of the U.S. are eligible for admission at the University of Michigan-Flint if the course-by-course credential evaluation report clearly states the three-year degree completed is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

Who is considered an international graduate student?

An international graduate student is a student who wants to come to UM-Flint for graduate study and a) will need a student (F-1) visa to enter the United States OR b) is currently living in the United States on a visa (any type except B-1 or B-2). Students who are from another country but are considered Permanent Residents of the U.S. [by having a permanent resident or resident alien (“green”) card] and students who are refugees or seeking asylum are not classified as international students.

For how many courses must an international graduate student register?

Students on an F-1 visa must attend full-time in the first semester/term of the program. From then on, they must attend full-time in fall and winter.

The minimum number of credit hours for international graduate students on an F-1 visa is 6 hours per semester, with the exception of programs offered through the Rackham School of Graduate Studies (currently the MA in Liberal Studies, MPA, and Arts Administration programs). International students on an F-1 visa in a Rackham program must be enrolled for at least 8 credit hours. Some programs require students to take more than the minimum number of hours. Before an international student applies, they should check with their intended program of study to determine if they can attend full-time during their first term.

International students on other types of visas do not have to meet the full-time requirement for students on an F-1 visa.

Can an international student begin in any semester?

It depends on the program. Some programs only admit students for certain terms. Other programs do not offer enough courses in certain terms (e.g., summer) for an international student to attend full time (which is required). It is up to the student to check with their intended program of study to determine when they can begin.

What is the application deadline for international students?

International students on an F-1 visa must apply before the standard deadline for adequate time to process I-20 and VISA documentation.

• Fall semester: May 1
• Winter: October 1

What application materials are required of international students?

Visit our international admission requirements page for details.