Application Frequently Asked Questions

SEAS offers a Master of Science (MS) program in Environment and Sustainability, a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program, and a Doctoral (PhD) program in Environment and Sustainability. 

Most SEAS students are enrolled in the MS program, which features seven specializations. 

All SEAS programs and specializations are interdisciplinary and incorporate natural sciences and social sciences.

Graduate education at SEAS is highly customizable to each person’s interests and aspirations. All of our faculty and students come from a diverse array of academic, professional, and personal backgrounds. SEAS offers the most interdisciplinary environmental and sustainability education, which utilizes the unique skills and experiences of each individual student.

SEAS offers many formal dual-degree opportunities via our partnerships with the U-M Ross School of Business, the College of Engineering, the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the School of Public Policy, and Michigan Law School. 

SEAS students may also pursue self-initiated dual degrees through the other 18 schools and colleges at Michigan, including in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Public Health, Social Work, and many more.

SEAS MS and MLA programs are considered professional master’s programs, primarily geared toward equipping students to enter the workforce in their chosen domain. 

However, SEAS and the University of Michigan in general are deeply rooted in academic research as the basis for practice, so the intersections of theory, research, and practice are crucial elements of all of our academic programs.

SEAS MS and MLA students may also pursue more research-oriented pathways within their program. This is generally achieved by first establishing relationships with faculty members who can supervise a student’s research work.

The SEAS PhD program is an academic, research-based program intended to train graduates for a career in academia or applied research. Graduates of our program pursue jobs at universities, government labs, international organizations, and non-profit organizations requiring research leaders.

Yes! While every MS applicant may submit an application for one specialization, MS students may add additional specializations to their MS degree after their first semester in the program. Because all specializations are a part of the same degree program, enrolling in multiple specializations does not require students to complete more credit hours to graduate.

If, after reading through our program and specialization offerings, you are still unsure which route would be the best fit for you, please feel welcome to contact a SEAS Admissions Coach via [email protected]. We would be happy to help you figure out the best path for you.

Yes, absolutely! Many SEAS students do not have a background specifically in environment and sustainability. What all of our students do have in common is a passion for creating a more sustainable and just world and an idea for how they can utilize the skills and experiences they do have to work towards that goal.

The SEAS MS program is structured to require two academic years (four semesters) of full-time study. 

Dual-degree enrollment will generally require 2.5 to 3.5 years of study, depending on the programs.

The MLA program is a three-year program for most students, but students that have completed a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree may qualify for enrollment in a two-year, non-accredited MLA program.

The PhD program is structured to be completed in five years of study, and funding for PhD students is guaranteed for those five years.

No, all SEAS graduate programs are residential and require in-person coursework.

While part-time enrollment is currently possible, we generally advise against it, as the program is structured for full-time enrollment. Additionally, most funding opportunities are not available to part-time students and there are few opportunities to complete courses outside of normal working hours.

Our “How to Apply” page provides a description of all materials needed to apply and the deadlines for submission. This page also provides instructions on how to draft and submit these materials. 

You will need to submit a Statement of Purpose and a Personal Statement as part of your application process. The Statement of Purpose for Ph.D. applicants should be approximately 1000 words, outlining your research ambitions and how they align with the goals of SEAS. Additionally, all applicants may choose to respond to an optional essay that pertains to diversity involvement and leadership.

Note on the Use of Generative AI: Be aware that the use of generative AI in your application materials is subject to specific guidelines from the Rackham Graduate School. They can be accessed here. 

Applicants will need to provide copies of their unofficial transcripts and a current resume or curriculum vitae (CV).

These documents should be uploaded to the application portal. Your resume should be no more than one page in length, but your CV can be three to five pages in length. 

International applicants can convert their grades to a U.S. GPA using the Scholaro GPA Calculator if your institution provides the cumulative average grade (e.g., 88/100, 8.5/10, or 4.6/5.0) on your academic record/transcript. If your institution does not provide the average or you attended more than one institution, calculate your average using the following formula for each institution you attended:

• Add all the numerical results for courses taken during your undergraduate study.
• Divide the sum total number by the number of courses taken. This is your average result.
• Take this average and convert using the Scholaro GPA Calculator.

All applicants must obtain, via the online application portal, letters of recommendation from three letter writers.

You will register their letter writers via the online application system, which will generate an emailed set of instructions (sent to each letter writer) to upload their letter electronically.

Choose your letter writers wisely! Recommendation letters are one of the best ways for the faculty and staff who review your materials to learn about your strengths and understand how you stand out. Choose recommenders who work in your area of interest and can vouch for your capacity to work on team projects and/or conduct research. Make sure your recommenders feel capable of writing a strong letter for you and give them plenty of time to complete the task (four weeks, if possible).

Please ensure your recommenders submit their letters by the application deadline. 

Only PhD applicants are expected to provide a writing sample. This sample should be about 30+ pages in length and be self-written.

Applicants to the Landscape Architecture program may opt to submit a portfolio to highlight any previous creative design work. 

No. SEAS does not require nor do we review GRE scores as part of the admissions process. If you have your GRE scores sent to U-M, they will not be visible to the review committee.

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency via TOEFL or IELTS scores, unless they meet the Rackham Graduate School criteria for an exemption.

TOEFL scores are sent by ETS electronically to institution code: 1839

Domestic applicants to SEAS graduate programs will not be asked to pay a fee, nor will they have to provide any form of waiver code. 

International applicants to SEAS graduate programs will be asked to pay a reduced fee. There are no waiver options.

All SEAS applicants are reviewed on a holistic basis. This means that we factor in an applicant’s academic background, professional experience, research experience, and writing skills.

A holistic admissions review also ensures that we take every individual applicant’s unique background and circumstances into consideration, with the knowledge that access to educational and professional opportunities is not distributed equitably across all populations.

We recommend taking a strengths-based approach to your application, highlighting your own unique strengths, experiences, and perspectives, and articulating how these will support you on your graduate school journey.

None of our programs have any specific coursework prerequisites for admissions consideration. We welcome applicants from all academic backgrounds to apply to SEAS programs.

We do, however, check to make sure that you have a sufficient academic foundation for the topic(s) and method(s) you intend to study at SEAS. For example, we prefer that Ecosystem Science and Management applicants have completed at least some coursework in natural sciences.

SEAS is working to diversify its online offerings. Some of our current MOOCs might be of interest to you. Students who intend to pursue the MS degree in Sustainability and Development might find the MasterTrack Certificate useful. Students can earn credits toward the MS degree in Sustainability and Development if admitted. Currently the transfer limit is 6 credits counted towards Core or Elective course requirements in the MS program. 

There is no GPA minimum requirement to apply to SEAS. While we factor in each applicant’s GPA during the application review process, we also understand that GPA is not the sole indicator of academic and professional potential.

If your GPA was significantly and negatively impacted by external factors (i.e. health issues for you or a family member, or any other form of personal crisis), then you are welcome to address this in your application to the extent of your comfort. We guarantee that this information will be confidentially accessible to admissions readers and program staff, and no one else.

• SEAS graduate programs application is currently open
• December 2, 2024: Final deadline for SEAS Ph.D. program applications
• December 16, 2024: Priority funding consideration deadline for master's applications
• January 15, 2025: Final funding consideration deadline for master's applications
• April 1, 2025: Final application deadline for master's applications (international applicants)
• April 30, 2025: Final application deadline for master's applications (domestic applicants)

Applicants that submit their materials by the priority funding consideration deadline will be considered for all funding packages for which they are eligible. They may also confirm that their application is complete prior to the university closing for winter break.

Applicants that submit their materials by the final funding consideration deadline will be considered for most of the funding packages for which they are eligible.

Both sets of applicants will be reviewed for admission immediately following the January 15 deadline.

We highly encourage all applicants to apply by the December 16 priority funding consideration deadline to maximize their chances of being offered funding as an admitted student to SEAS.

MS and MLA applicants are not expected nor required to contact faculty members before applying to the program. They are, however, welcome to do so if they have specific interest in an individual faculty member’s work and wish to learn more.

It is essential that PhD applicants contact SEAS faculty members prior to submitting an application. It is important to establish a connection with faculty members to discuss mutual research areas. These interactions are helpful in determining fit with our faculty and SEAS. Faculty research profiles and their contact information can be found here. 

Most of our funding decisions are based solely on the contents of an applicant’s application materials. For these awards, no additional materials are necessary for consideration.

Some funding sources, such as the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship and the AmeriCorps Education Award, will require additional materials to be submitted with the application.

Yes, if you are applying for admission to a dual degree program, you will apply to both programs separately, and they will be reviewed independently of each other by each program.

If you are applying to two Rackham programs (i.e. SEAS MS and the Ford MPP), you will need to submit one application before moving on to the next.

If you are applying to SEAS and a non-Rackham program (i.e. the Ross MBA), then you may have both applications open simultaneously.

We are happy to use the letters of recommendation you received for a different University of Michigan graduate program application as part of your SEAS application. Simply have the program’s admissions office email your letters to [email protected], and we will manually attach them to your SEAS application.

Similarly, we will gladly share your letters with another University of Michigan graduate program to be included in your application upon your request.

A master’s degree (completed or in-progress) is not required to apply to the SEAS PhD program. However, admission to our PhD program is highly competitive, and most applicants admitted to our PhD program will have a master’s degree completed before beginning their doctoral studies.

Applicants may only submit one SEAS application per admissions cycle. If you are unsure of which program/specialization to apply to, please contact [email protected] for support.

Applicants to the PhD program may indicate that they would like to be reviewed for admission to the MS or MLA program if they are not admitted to the PhD program. PhD applicants that select this option will be automatically reviewed for the master’s program/specialization they indicate on their application.

MS and MLA applicants that apply by the January 15 deadline can expect a decision by late February or early March.

MS and MLA applicants that apply after the January 15 deadline are reviewed on a rolling basis, and we aim to provide decisions within 6 weeks of receiving a completed application. Space in the incoming master’s class is reserved for students who apply by the January 15 deadline. Admissible students who apply after January 15 may be placed on a wait list.

PhD applications undergo an intensive review process through which applicants are notified of their decisions in different stages. We intend to offer admission to our top PhD applicants by the end of February.

SEAS admissions coaches are here to help! If you have any questions about the application process, please feel welcome and encouraged to email [email protected].

For most admitted students, the deadline to provide your enrollment decision will be April 15.

Admitted master’s students who applied after the January 15 deadline may be provided with a later deadline for their enrollment decision.

Enrollment decision deadlines will be provided in each admitted student’s letter of admission.

At SEAS, we are fully committed to community development between admitted students, current students, faculty, and staff. We provide a variety of opportunities for admitted students to engage with the community from all over the world.

If public and campus health circumstances permit, we will hold an in-person Admitted Student Visit Day on Saturday, March 15th. This event will feature a series of community building and networking activities for our admitted master’s students and is the best opportunity for admitted students to see what the school has to offer. SEAS will offer travel expense reimbursements of up to $700 per admitted student.

Because we recognize that traveling to Ann Arbor is not feasible for all admitted students, we will offer a series of virtual events and activities with the same informative and community building goals. 

If you would like to connect with a current SEAS student, please feel welcome to email [email protected] to request to be put in contact with some of our amazing current student representatives.

SEAS may offer enrollment decision deadline extensions for certain circumstances. To request a deadline extension, please email [email protected].

Most funding offers made to admitted MS and MLA students are contained in the student’s letter of admission. If you did not receive a funding offer within your letter of admission, then we were unable to offer you funding.

Additional funding offers may be made later in the admissions cycle, typically in the weeks immediately before the April 15 enrollment decision deadline.

SEAS will consider requests for a deferral of admission on a case-by-case basis.

Deferrals, when granted, will be valid for the following Fall semester.

Funding offers made to admitted master's students cannot be deferred, but deferred students will be considered for funding for the following admissions cycle.

A deferral of admission can be granted no more than once.

The Rackham Graduate School handles all immigration-related topics for incoming international SEAS students. If you have any questions about the immigration process as an incoming SEAS student, you should direct them to Rackham via [email protected].

Rackham provides some information about the required materials and deadlines for I-20s and visas on this page.

Please note that SEAS staff are not equipped to respond to immigration-related inquiries, as these must be handled by staff trained specifically on these topics.

We provide an overview of the funding opportunities available to SEAS students on this page.

A majority of the funding packages available to admitted and/or incoming master’s students are offered during the admission process. These are generally one-time partial tuition waivers. Applicants who submit their application by our funding consideration deadlines are automatically considered for these awards and do not need to submit anything additional. A separate application is required to be considered for the Transformative Food Systems Fellowship.

All students admitted to the SEAS PhD program are offered a full funding package for five years of study, which includes a tuition waiver, living stipend, and health insurance.

The best way to maximize your chances of receiving a funding offer as an admitted master’s student is to submit your completed application by the priority funding consideration deadline (December 16).

Because we review admissions application materials as the basis for our funding consideration, it is in your best interest to ensure that you submit the highest quality application you can. This means ensuring that your essays are especially well-written and that your letter of recommendation writers are well-equipped to speak positively about you in great detail.

Upon being admitted to the program, continue to be engaged with the SEAS community, especially with the admissions office and with your assigned faculty advisor. This way, if additional funding becomes available, you will have demonstrated continued interest in the program.

Admitted SEAS master’s students are not automatically considered for graduate student assistantship (GSA) opportunities. Incoming and current master’s students must pursue these opportunities independently.

It is uncommon for first year master’s students to hold GSA positions. These positions are generally held by second year master’s students and doctoral students.

While incoming students may have the opportunity to pursue a small number of GSA positions, we do not recommend that incoming students plan on being offered such a position.

Only enrolled graduate students may apply for GSA positions.

We provide tuition rates and expense estimates on this page. Please note that these rates are yearly rates, and include two semesters of tuition (one full academic year).

Tuition rates are updated annually every July.

All matters pertaining to in-state residency are handled by the central University of Michigan Registrar’s Office. Questions about applying for in-state residency and in-state residency eligibility can be sent directly to [email protected].