International Applicants

International students are an important part of the SPH community providing valuable perspectives and contributions. To comply with the federal laws, applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States have to complete additional steps when applying to a program at U-M SPH. As a result, it is extremely important for international applicants to submit their applications early in the admission cycle.

STEM OPT Eligibility

 A degree in Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Nutritional Science programs are all STEM OPT eligible. However, a degree in Health Management and Policy or Health Behavior Health Education are not STEM OPT eligible. For a full list of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security STEM OPT eligible degree programs, please look here or visit our International Center.

MS and PhD Applicants

Students applying to residential MS, PhD, or online MS programs should refer to the Rackham Graduate School website. You should pay special attention to the transcripts and Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions and Tests webpages for clear instructions related to the required documents needed for review and the English proficiency requirements. If you have specific requirement questions, we suggest you contact a department program coordinator for additional insight.

MPH and MHSA Applicants

All applicants must have a U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution. If your degree is from a non-U.S. college or school, the institution must be recognized and approved by the Ministry of Education or Commission responsible for higher education in the country where the degree was earned. Applicants with transcripts from an international institution (non-U.S. university, college, or school)  must submit a World Education Services (WES) ICAP Course-by-Course evaluation of academic records from institutions outside the U.S. and English-speaking Canada (if applicable). More information on reporting your Foreign and French-Canadian Transcripts on SOPHAS's website. Michigan Public Health and SOPHAS only accept electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES), Inc. Paper WES evaluations are not accepted. SOPHAS applicants receive a WES discount when sending their report to SOPHAS (which we will receive).  If you have any questions regarding your evaluation report or degree equivalency, please contact WES directly.

SOPHAS considers English Canadian transcripts non-foreign.  They will verify those transcripts without a WES. Canadian transcripts in French must submit the WES evaluation to SOPHAS (as they consider those foreign).

*At this time, the University of Michigan's Master of Public Health in Population and Health Sciences can only be offered to admitted United States citizens and residents.

The hard deadline for all U-M SPH applications from international students is January 15th; no exceptions.

For MPH and MHSA Applicants

Applicants who are residents of the following countries and who have completed a rigorous full-time program of at least three years of post-secondary education in one of these countries are not required to submit a TOEFL language proficiency test. Countries that qualify for this exception are:

  • Antigua
  • Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Canada (except Quebec)
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • New Zealand
  • Seychelles
  • St. Kitts-Nevis
  • St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • US Virgin Islands

Language test scores are valid two years from the test date. The official scores must be received from the testing agency no later than the graduate program application deadline.  *School and department admissions reserve the right to contact applicants to request additional proficiency support if needed (i.e.- interviews, writing samples, test for exempt non-resident applicants). 

Test of English Foreign Language (TOEFL): Applicants must submit an official TOEFL score to BOTH the University of Michigan Institution Code (1839) as well as the SOPHAS code (5688).

  • The minimum acceptable TOEFL score required for admission is 100 Internet-based (iBT, including ITP Plus and TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition).

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Official IELTS scores are sent electronically to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

  • The minimum requirement is 7.0

SOPHAS doesn't accept IELTS scores. Official IELTS scores are sent electronically to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

There are only three scenarios where applicants do NOT need to submit TOEFL scores:

  1. They have completed a degree from an accredited U.S. institution.
  2. English is the sole official language of their native country.*
  3. They have an in-person (not online) Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an institution located in an English-speaking country, and that institution provided all instruction in English*

*Countries that qualify for this exception are:

  • Antigua
  • Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Canada (except Quebec)
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • New Zealand
  • Seychelles
  • St. Kitts-Nevis
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Kingdom
  • United States,
  • US Virgin Islands

However, applicants may still be required to have their English proficiency evaluated prior to registration. Re-evaluation of English proficiency may also be required prior to registration if:

  • TOEFL score is below 100 Internet-based;

Information and applications for TOEFL may be obtained online or by contacting  TOEFL/TSE Services-Princeton

Additional Resources

Nonnative speakers of English enrolled at the University of Michigan may take advantage of courses offered through the University of Michigan English Language Institute (ELI).

MS and PhD Applicants: Please refer to Rackham Graduate School pages

For MPH and MHSA Applicants: Non-U.S. applicants who have been admitted to the School of Public Health and have accepted the offer of admission must certify that sufficient funds are available for one year of study at the University of Michigan. It is required by U.S. federal law that the University of Michigan obtain proof of financial resources (exclusive of travel expenses) to cover university fees, books and supplies, living expenses, and health insurance for yourself and your dependents, if applicable, during the entire course of your program of study including non-enrolled vacation periods.

The actual length and cost of programs may vary because of 1) deficiencies in English language and/or academic preparation, 2) the scheduling and availability of courses, and 3) any extra course work required by the department. If your financial support is being provided by a sponsor, please ask the agency to send a letter indicating the amount and duration of sponsorship. If you obtain a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) or Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA) position, you must provide a copy of the offer of employment letter from that unit.

View Tuition Information

International students are admitted to the School of Public Health with the understanding that they have sufficient funding to cover the entire length of their program of study. View information on possible sources of aid.

International students and their accompanying dependents are required to have health/hospitalization and accident insurance coverage during their enrollment. If you intend to bring dependents to the U.S. you must certify sufficient funding support for all dependents. Health insurance must also be paid for dependents.

International students applying for F-1 visas must show sufficient financial support for an I-20 to be created by U-M SPH. If you are having your tuition paid by a sponsor, please make sure your sponsor(s) is aware of the two year length of the MPH/MHSA programs and that their commitment and support is for the potential duration of the program and not just the initial I-20 request. If your sponsor's funding suddenly becomes unavailable, we cannot guarantee emergency funding as a school, which could jeopardize your ability to register for courses and your visa status for your program. It is your responsibility to confirm that your sponsor is aware of the financial responsibility of funding a two-year MPH/MHSA degree.

Applicants who will be applying for a Student Visa will need to submit a copy of their passport and Proof of Funding documentation before any I-20 requests can be processed. Proof of Funding documentation and passport copies may be mailed to the University of Michigan School of Public Health Office for Student Engagement and Practice, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029. The deadline for providing Proof of Funding or submitting financial documents required for I-20 processing is June 1.

 To enter the United States, international students must obtain a passport from their government and visa from a United States Consulate. To apply for a visa, students will need their passport and either a Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility) for a student visa or a Form DS 2019 (formerly IAP-66) for an Exchange Visitor visa. Other documents such as evidence of adequate financial support, English proficiency, and previous academic records may be required. Canadian citizens do not need a passport and visa stamp to enter the U.S. However, they must have a Form I-20 or DS 2019 (formerly IAP-66) in their possession when they approach the U.S. border. All students seeking F-1 or J-1 visa status must pay a SEVIS fee to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security prior to applying for a visa and requesting entrance to the U.S.

Students coming to the U.S. enter with one of the two following visas:

  1. Student Visa (F-1 status): Students coming to the U.S. specifically for the purpose of study usually apply for this visa. To obtain this visa the student takes the Form I-20 to the U.S. Consulate. Students with F-1 status must be enrolled for a full course of study during the academic year. They must obtain permission from the International Center and/or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service to accept off-campus employment. The accompanying spouse or child of an F-1 student enters the U.S. on an F-2 visa and may not seek employment.
  2. Exchange Visitor (J-1 status): This visa is intended chiefly for exchange professors and postdoctoral scholars. However, it is appropriate for certain students, particularly those sponsored by agencies, foundations, or their home governments. It is only granted upon the presentation of a DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility (Form IAP-66). Exchange visitors may accept employment on or off campus only with permission from their sponsors (usually the International Center). The accompanying spouse or child of a J-1 Exchange Visitor enters the U.S. with a J-2 visa, which may, in some cases, permit employment with approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. It is important to note that in many cases, an Exchange Visitor must leave the U.S. at the conclusion of the program, may not change to certain visa statuses, and may not be eligible for an Immigrant Visa until a two-year home country residence has been completed.

Special Note for International Online Students: Academic units cannot provide services, including online education, to individuals located in comprehensively sanctioned countries or regions as administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, the university or its partners may block access to additional countries and regions where there are near-comprehensive sanctions and a perception of increased risk for export control violations. The list of countries and regions where the university does not currently offer services, which may be subject to change, is as follows: Crimea, Cuba, Donetsk, Iran, Luhansk, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and Venezuela.

All conditionally admitted online students, regardless of their location, will need to complete a certification form as a condition of enrollment. In this form, conditionally admitted students will certify that they will not access course content or any U-M services from a country or region on the “blocked” list described above.

Useful Resources for International Students