Graduate International Students

Pursue a Higher Degree at UM-Flint

The University of Michigan-Flint welcomes applications from prospective international students who have earned a bachelor’s degree.

Programs completed in person on campus are open to students seeking an F-1 visa. Programs that are completed 100% online are not eligible for a student visa. Stand-alone graduate certificates are also not eligible for a student visa.

Additional information can also be found on the Center for Global Engagement.

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-U.S. institution, transcripts must be submitted for an internal credential review. Read the following for instructions on how to submit your transcripts for review at International Transcript Evaluation.
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 finance educational expenses for one year. Learn more about the costs for attendance at Tuition & Fees.

Financial Certification

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 at Center for Global Engagement Tuition & Fees.

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 Online Applicants

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 State Authorization for additional information.

IMPORTANT: Applicants who are currently in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status or have a non-immigrant 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.

Housing & Safety

UM-Flint provides safe, comfortable on-campus housing through two residential halls, First Street and Riverfront, located steps away from classes, dining options, and campus resources. Our residential communities foster a welcoming atmosphere with opportunities to connect with peers and engage in campus life.

The Department of Public Safety maintains a comprehensive law enforcement presence on campus, providing 24/7 services and support. All residents and visitors receive emergency alerts through our Emergency Alert System, and the university offers additional security services, including a Safe Ride program.

More information about campus safety, including crime statistics and university policies, is available in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. For housing inquiries, contact Housing & Residential Life at flint.housing@umich.edu or call the Department of Public Safety at 810-762-3300.

Global Graduate Merit Scholarship

The Global Graduate Merit Scholarship is 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 demonstrated high academic achievement. 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 that involve cultural sharing or community service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Frequently Asked Questions section offers answers to common questions international students ask.

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

Will need a student (F-1) visa to enter the United States OR
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 the fall and winter.

The minimum number of credit hours for international graduate students on an F-1 visa is six 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