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GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
updated 8/8/2007

A student must have completed a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university in order to be considered for admission. The undergraduate major need not be mathematics, but a student should have mastered material roughly equivalent to the undergraduate mathematics major at The University of Michigan including:

  • three semesters of calculus
  • one or two semesters of differential equations
  • one semester courses in modern algebra, linear algebra, geometry or topology
  • advanced calculus of one and several variables

In addition, a student should have completed at least three additional mathematics courses and at least two courses in related fields such as statistics, computer science, or the physical sciences. Students with strong records in less comprehensive programs will be considered for admission but should expect to spend the first one or two semesters in graduate school completing their undergraduate preparation in mathematics.

APPLICATION

An application to the Graduate Program in Mathematics consists of the following:

  • Rackham online application with fee

  • Statement of Purpose (included in the Rackham online application). The Statement of Purpose should be a concise, well-written essay about your mathematical background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives.

  • Personal Statement. This is different from the Statement of Purpose in that we ask that you write about things not captured by the application or the Statement of Purpose. Tell us about where you grew up, when you first decided you wanted to study mathematics, what challenges you faced and how you overcame them in your pursuit of mathematics.

  • Official Transcripts from all post secondary Institutions are submitted to the Rackham Graduate School and the Department of Mathematics. (In addition, please upload unofficial copies of your transcripts when you complete the Rackham online application)

  • Official GRE general scores; GRE Mathematics subject scores (subject scores not required for AIM program)

  • 3 letters of recommendation (submitted online)

  • Official TOEFL or IELTS Scores for all non-native English speakers

  • International students whose native language is not English and who are applying for financial support should submit an extra letter of reference concerning their ability to conduct classroom instruction in English. This letter must be written by a native English speaker who is familiar with university mathematics and the challenges that teachers who utilize English as a second language face.

HOW TO APPLY (Step by Step)

  • Applications may be submitted by using the Rackham Graduate School Online Application.

  • Please register your recommenders for the electronic Letters of Recommendation in this application. If your recommender would prefer a paper copy of the Recommendation form (PDF format), they may be downloaded here.

  • Submit your Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement with the Online Application.

  • Submit official GRE general scores; GRE Mathematics subject scores (subject scores not required for AIM program). Request ETS to send official scores directly to the Rackham Graduate School - subject scores not required for AIM program
    • The ETS school code for the University of Michigan is 1839.
    • The ETS code for the GRE test for Actuarial Science is 0701; AIM is 0702; and Mathematics is 0703.

  • Submit official TOEFL English test scores (for all non-native English speakers - request TOEFL to send official copy to Rackham Graduate School).
    • The ETS code for the TOEFL test is 72.

  • Unofficial copies of your transcripts should be uploaded while completing the Online Application. Send 1 copy of all Official transcripts to the Department of Mathematics and 1 copy to the Rackham Graduate School.

Rackham Graduate School
Attn: Transcripts
915 E. Washington Street
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1070

Department of Mathematics
Attn: Graduate Admissions
University of Michigan
530 Church Street
2082 East Hall
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043

REQUIRED FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students whose native language is not English and who are applying for financial support should submit an extra letter of reference concerning their ability to conduct classroom instruction in English. This letter must be written by a native English speaker who is familiar with university mathematics and the challenges that teachers who utilize English as a second language face.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

International Applications - January 15, 2008

Domestic applications - January 22, 2008

IMPORTANT ITEMS TO REMEMBER

Because of the processing time (often more than two months), the GRE and TOEFL or IELTS tests should be taken by October, 2007 and in no case later than December, 2007. Note that for pure mathematics both the GRE aptitude (general) and GRE advanced (subject) mathematics tests are required (subject scores not required for AIM program). While there are no minimum acceptable GRE scores, a high standard is expected. No admission action will be taken without the official results, but please include your unofficial results in the Rackham Online Application.

Letters of recommendation play an especially crucial role in the admission process. Applicants should choose as recommenders people who know their strengths and weaknesses relevant to graduate study in mathematics. The most useful letters are those which list in some detail the accomplishments of the student and make direct comparisons with other students who have succeeded at major U.S. graduate schools. Foreign students already in the U.S. should submit letters from their U.S. institution, whenever possible.Please register your recommenders for the electronic Letters of Recommendation when using the Online Application.

Those students who will have completed a Master's degree in Mathematics by the time they begin studies at The University of Michigan must apply to the Ph.D. program. Others may apply to either program. It is possible, but not automatic, to move from one program to the other.

ETS CODES

  • The ETS school code for the University of Michigan is 1839.
  • The ETS code for the GRE test for:

    • Actuarial Science is 0701
    • AIM is 0702
    • Mathematics is 0703

  • The ETS code for the TOEFL test is 72.

Note: All credentials submitted for admission consideration become the property of the University of Michigan and will not be returned in original or copy form.

ADDITIONAL ADMISSIONS INFORMATION

Please visit the admissions page of the Rackham Graduate School for additional information regarding admission including:
Minimum graduate school requirements, residency, application fees and submitting transcripts.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

All entering students who request financial support will be considered for Graduate Student Instructorships, which normally require four classroom hours of teaching per week plus additional office hours during the Fall and Winter terms. The stipend for such an appointment in 2007 -- 2008 is $7,599 per term. In addition, Graduate Student Instructors receive a full tuition waiver. Teaching duties may involve teaching a section of a first-year calculus or pre-calculus course or serving as an instructor for recitation sections attached to a faculty lecture in multivariable calculus or elementary differential equations.

Most students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Mathematics receive some sort of financial support. The Department offers aid in the form of Fellowships, Graduate Student Instructorships, and Research Assistantships.

The Department of Mathematics has many fellowship opportunities, including the Copeland, Glover, Rainich, and Shields Fellowships which provide a stipend of at least $10,000 plus full tuition for one or two years and a reduced teaching load.

Applicants who are U.S. citizens or Permanent Resident Aliens are eligible for Regents' Fellowships, which provide at least $25,000 plus full tuition for three years. No teaching duties are required the first year. Regents' Fellows teach four classroom hours per week for one term during the second and third years.

Other fellowships administered by the Rackham Graduate School can be found at their Fellowships office.

The University of Michigan is part of the CIC consortium, which also awards fellowships to outstanding minority applicants. Also available are prestigious Rackham Science Award’s given out by the Rackham Graduate School.

AFTER ADMISSION

All new Graduate Student Instructors are required to attend an orientation and training program which is held the week before classes begin. New Graduate Student Instructors whose native language is not English must pass an English Evaluation which tests the specific oral skills needed for classroom teaching and are required to attend a three-week cultural orientation program in August.

Research Assistantships are awarded mainly to senior Ph.D. students to relieve them of teaching duties during the final part of their dissertation research. Students at this point may also compete for Rackham Dissertation Fellowships, which provide full support for one year, or Research Partnerships. A small number of positions as paper-graders for the larger advanced courses is available each term.

Some additional funds are often available for support during the summer. More advanced students who are actively involved in research may be supported from NSF grants awarded to faculty members. For other students there is a limited number of Departmental fellowships and a few teaching positions are available. No advanced graduate courses are offered in either the Spring or Summer half-terms and students are encouraged to spend some of their summers working in government or industry.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact the Department of Mathematics
at (734)764-7436 or (734)615-3439. You can also e-mail us at:

math-grad-admissions@umich.edu

   

Department of Mathematics   |   2074 East Hall   |   530 Church Street  
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043
Phone: 734.764-0335   |   Fax: 734.763-0937
The page last modified Friday, 07-Sep-2007 07:10:35 EDT
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