University of Michigan - Flint

As an international student you must be full-time for two full semesters. Full-time for an undergraduate student is 12 credit hours.
For a graduate student, full-time is 6 credit hours for all programs, except the Master of Public Administration and the Master of Liberal Studies which is 8 credit hours. Additionally, particular graduate programs may require students to take more than the 6 credit hours to meet program requirements. Most international graduate students take approximately 9 credit hours/semester in order to finish the degree requirements in a reasonable amount of time.
A student does not have to be full-time during the spring or summer semester if they have taken a full credit load during the Fall and Winter semesters.

The Fall semester at UM-Flint goes from late August – December. The Winter semester goes from January – April. The Spring semester runs from May – June. The Summer semester is from July – August. Please visit the academic calendar for more information.

Any program at UM-Flint is available for international students that can gain acceptance into the program, except for any program that is done primarily online (including the MBA NetPlus, or Masters in Educational Administration Online). Please visit the Academic Majors site for more information. For specific academic program requirements and detailed course information, please visit the University Catalog.

Michigan has four seasons. Winter is very cold and can get down to 0F (-18C). Spring can sometimes be rainy and have temperatures from 40 – 70F (4 - 21C). Summer is very hot and the temperatures range from 75 – 95F (24 - 35C). Fall is sometimes windy and it can be about 30 – 50F (-1 - 10C). Michigan weather is very unpredictable so plan to pack for all seasons!

Yes. The Univeristy of Michigan – Flint requires the originals of the Affidavit of Support, bank statements and transcripts. Original academic certificates and diplomas are not required.

An applicant who holds a degree that is not the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree may be granted conditional admission to a degree program on the recommendation of the program director of the graduate program concerned and the concurrence of the Dean of Graduate Programs. Such an admission decision will be based on a careful evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications, acceptable evidence of the institution’s competence in the student’s principal areas of preparation, and other relevant factors. If granted conditional admission, the student may be required to complete a number of hours of graduate or upper-level undergraduate qualifying course work.

Yes. The International Student Organization on campus is one of the most active student organizations on campus. It organizes many educational and social events including, Detroit Pistons games, amusement park visits, volunteer events and cultural workshops.

Yes. You may only work on the campus of UM-Flint. You can work up to 20 hours per week during the Fall or Winter semesters and up to 40 hours a week during holiday breaks and Spring/Summer semester. There are many departments on campus that enjoy hiring international students.

International students are generally not eligible for Financial Aid, though they are eligible for scholarships for which they meet the requirements.
There currently are not any scholarships for first time undergraduate students at UM-Flint but there are several scholarships after the first year as a student.
International graduate students are eligible for any Graduate Program scholarship which does not require Michigan Residency.

It is important very important for all international students visiting a United States Embassy to be relaxed and confident when going to get a F-1 visa. It is important that you speak English well and that you can prove to the Embassy that you will be going back to your home country after you receive your degree from the United States. For more information, please read the visa page of this website.

The I-901 (SEVIS) fee of $100 (USD) (as of September 2004) has been implemented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This fee must be paid and fully processed prior to your visa interview. Citizens of Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas and other islands must pay and process this SEVIS fee before appearing at the Port of Entry. Please visit the visa page of this website.

Currently, the University does not have dorms or residence halls. There are many apartments and houses available for students to rent, both in walking and driving distance. For more information about housing please visit the housing page of this website.

Yes. The Honors Program offers enriched core courses and a funded off-campus study semester. Students enjoy a friendly atmosphere as they share common goals and a commitment to academic excellence across the disciplines. Of the Honors Graduates, 100 % of those who apply to medical, professional, and graduate schools are accepted. Students have excellent opportunities for undergraduate research, working one on one with professors, and for presenting papers at undergraduate and professional conferences.

Yes. The International and Global Studies Program sponsors several study abroad trips each year. UM-Flint faculty members lead students to countries all over the globe, including Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, India and China. In addition, the International and Global Studies Program maintains an academic minor in international and global studies and sponsors a guest lecture series.

Yes. Canadian citizens who are Ontario Residents are eligible for in-state tuition rates when they enroll at the University of Michigan – Flint. This is equivalent to paying approximately half the rate paid by out-of state students (graduate tuition rates may vary). The reduced tuition rate is valid for up to 5 years, providing students maintain full-time, uninterrupted enrollment in good academic standing. Click here to view Resident tuition and fees information.

The International Student Center Coordinator assists all international students (graduate and undergraduate) with support services at UM-Flint.

Many students choose to bring traveler’s checks. These can be ordered ahead of time from your bank in your home country. They are usually expressed in US Dollars.

Many students also choose to bring only an ATM card. This is a bank card that will work in an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), or bank cash distributor. Your ATM card should have a VISA logo, or another cash-network logo on it, and it should be used with a 4-digit PIN code. You can use this card to withdraw cash in Michigan. All students will open a bank account in Michigan. You can deposit money into this account, and write checks from the account to pay your tuition and rent. It is convenient to have a checkbook and an ATM card from a local bank with branches in Michigan.

Common banks you will find in Flint and around Michigan are:

Chase (formerly Bank One)

Citizens Bank

La Salle Bank (formerly Standard Federal)

Fifth-Third Bank

There are also more local credit unions and smaller bank branches in the area. Many larger banks such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, or others are not very common in Michigan.