Campus Resources
Once you’ve settled in, there are some of the important University offices that can provide you with resources, information, and advice throughout your time as a graduate student.
- International Center
- Campus Information Centers (CIC)
- Campus Safety
- The Career Center
- Center for the Education of Women (CEW)
- Center for Research on Learning & Teaching (CRLT)
- Class Registration and Academic Advising
- English Language Institute
- Gayle Morris Sweetland Writing Center
- Health and Wellness
- MESA/Trotter House
- Rackham Graduate School
- Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD)
- Spectrum Center
- Students of Color of Rackham (SCOR)
- Student Organizations and Associations
- Office of Financial Aid
- Office of the Registrar
- U-M Libraries
- U-M Parking & Transportation Services (PTS)
International Center
The U-M International Center is located on central campus at 603 E. Madison St., between the Michigan Union and the West Quad Residence Hall. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The offices are closed during official U-M holidays and season days (see Key Dates & Holidays), and from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. the first Tuesday of each month for staff meetings.
The U-M International Center provides a variety of services to assist international students, scholars, faculty and staff at the University of Michigan, as well as U-M American students seeking opportunities to study, work, or travel abroad.
The International Student and Scholar Services team serves as a key resource to the U-M community in the following ways:
- Advises international students, scholars, their dependents, and University departments on compliance with U.S. immigration laws and regulations related to F and J visa categories
- Recommends and approves immigration benefits
- Verifies, tracks, and submits visa status notifications through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), as required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Advises on adjustment to U.S. society and American culture, academic concerns and community resources
- Processes DS-2019s, I-20s, travel signatures, and letters needed for travel, employment, maintaining status, social security numbers, and other immigration related matters
- Conducts workshops and orientation sessions for international students, scholars, and U-M departments
The International Center’s 2011 Summer Orientation will be held from August 15th through September 2nd. Students do not need to attend this entire period; rather, workshops repeat throughout this period to accommodate students arriving on different dates. Detailed program information will be posted on the International Center website as soon as it is available. If you would like to know what topics are generally covered during the Orientation, please review the workshop descriptions at http://www.internationalcenter.umich.edu/events/orientation_events.html.
Overall, it would be impossible to list all the extensive information and resources available on the International Center website, so make sure to explore it on your own at http://www.internationalcenter.umich.edu.
Campus Information Centers (CIC)
There are two Campus Information Centers: one on Central Campus, located on the first floor of the Michigan Union, and on North Campus, located in the lobby of Pierpoint Commons.
During the academic year, the hours of operation are Monday – Saturday, 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. ; Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. During the Spring/Summer, the hours of operation are Monday – Thursday, 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. ; Friday – Saturday, 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. , and Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
In addition to the International Center website, the CIC website is one of the most extensive and valuable online sources of information about U-M and Ann Arbor: http://www.umich.edu/~info. Also, as their website puts it, “Sometimes it’s nice to talk to a human being,” so you can also call 734-764-INFO(4636) with questions.
Campus Safety
- The University of Michigan Department of Public Safety (DPS) website contains information about our Police Services as well as Parking Enforcement, Communications Center, Criminal Investigations, and other units. For more in-depth information, please check http://police.umich.edu/
- The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) provides educational and supportive services for the U-M community related to sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, sexual harassment, and stalking. More information can be found at http://www.umich.edu/~sapac/
The Career Center
The Career Center is committed to preparing U-M students to be active, life-long learners in developing and implementing their career decisions. The Career Center facilitates clients’ overall development and provides resources to help them explore and pursue their career and educational goals.
Center for the Education of Women (CEW)
The Center for the Education of Women provides counseling and educational programs to women and men regarding academic, career and life issues; conducts social research on policy and gender issues; and advocates for improved policy and practice.
For more information, visit their website at http://www.umich.edu/~cew/index.htm
Center for Research on Learning & Teaching (CRLT)
CRLT partners with U-M faculty, graduate students, and administrators to promote a university culture that values and rewards teaching, respects and supports individual differences among learners, and encourages the creation of learning environments in which diverse students can learn and excel.
If an appointment as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) will be part of your graduate program, or if you are just interested in learning more about the process of pedagogy, the CRLT is a valuable resource, offering various courses and workshops, and maintaining a library of materials available to the public.
See their website at http://www.crlt.umich.edu/.
Class Registration and Academic Advising
The University of Michigan’s web-based class registration process (Wolverine Access) gives you the ability to search for the classes you want (http://wolverineaccess.umich.edu/). For specific information on class registration procedures, check Wolverine Access Online Help or the Registrar’s Office website.
To register for classes, you need a University uniqname and password. You will also need an appointment. You will receive an e-mail notification for your appointment time on Wolverine Access.
Academic advising for graduate students varies widely from school to school and from program to program. You usually see an advisor in your program or department to discuss course elections and progress towards a degree, and are usually expected to consult with your advisor before each term’s registration. Make certain you find out what kind of academic advising is available to you.
For more information on class registration and academic advising please check the link below and scroll down to the relevant sections. Information on Registering for Classes
English Language Institute (ELI)
The English Language Institute (ELI) is an independent unit offering credit-bearing courses within the College of Literature, Science and the Arts.
The ELI offers a variety of courses in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) for nonnative speakers of English enrolled at and visiting the University of Michigan. The courses are designed to enable students to enhance their linguistic and communicative skills in order to become effective, fully participating members of the academic community both during their time on campus and beyond.
Approximately 80% of ELI’s students are graduate students, with the remainder comprised of undergraduates and visiting scholars. ELI courses are taken concurrently with other courses.
In addition to the EAP courses during the Fall and Winter semesters, the ELI features a number of special instructional programs. These include courses and workshops for graduate student instructors (GSIs) and three full-time summer intensive programs: English for Academic Purposes, English for Business Studies, and English for Legal Studies. Other special services include an ESL Speaking Clinic, ESL Writing Clinics, and ELI Conversation Circles Program.
For more information, see the ELI website at www.lsa.umich.edu/eli.
Gayle Morris Sweetland Writing Center
The Sweetland Writing Center offers a variety of writing courses and support for graduate students. Among their services and courses, Sweetland faculty offer skillful, supportive advice to graduate students as they draft their course papers, projects, and theses. They act as an interested outside audience, direct students to resources, and give specific suggestions about organization, disciplinary modes, evidence, clarity, grammar, and style.
For more information, visit the Sweetland website at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/swc.
Health and Wellness
Staying healthy is an important part of life. Ann Arbor has many resources and services to keep you going strong.
Rackham maintains a website on health and wellness, which links to many organizations and resources on campus: /student_life/advice_support/health_wellness/.
Further information on health, wellness and fitness resources can be found at the links below.
Physical Health
University Health Service (UHS)http://www.uhs.umich.edu/
The University Health Service is committed to promoting and protecting the health of students and other members of the University community so that they may achieve their educational and personal goals.
Students pay a health service fee as part of tuition. This fee covers most services at UHS. Therefore students have few expenses at UHS. Students pay no additional fees for:
- Clinic visits (e.g. medical clinics, gynecology, specialty clinics, nurse visits, etc.)
- Eye care for medical problems (does not include routine eye exams, glasses, contact lenses)
- Health education
- Nutrition counseling
- Physical therapy
- Radiology
- Most laboratory tests
- Advice by telephone
- University of Michigan Health System (http://www.med.umich.edu/)
- Dental Services at the U-M School of Dentistry (http://www.dent.umich.edu/patientservices)
Please note: Only currently enrolled U-M students can use UHS, which means students who are currently taking regular classes on the Ann Arbor campus.)
Psychological Well Being
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) (http://www.umich.edu/~caps/)
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a variety of services aimed at helping students resolve personal difficulties and acquire the skills, attitudes, and knowledge that will enable them to take full advantage of their experiences at the University of Michigan.
CAPS services are free, confidential, and available to currently enrolled students. Services include: brief counseling for individuals, couples and groups; consultation to students, faculty, staff, and parents; assistance with referrals to community resources; and crisis interventions.
- Psychological Clinic (http://www.psychclinic.org/)
- Mental Health Resources (http://www.umich.edu/~mhealth/)
- Mi-Talk Website for U-M Students (http://mitalk.org/)
Fitness & Recreation
University of Michigan Department of Recreational Sports
Currently enrolled U-M students have access to all of Recreational Sports facilities (Central Campus Recreational Building (CCRB), North Campus Recreational Building (NCRB), and the Intramural Sports Building (IMSB)) when they pay their student activity fee each semester. A U-M student not enrolled for the current semester, but enrolled in the previous term or upcoming semester or who has a letter of acceptance for the upcoming semester, is eligible to purchase a Continuing Student membership. (http://www.recsports.umich.edu/)
- U-Move Fitness (http://www.umich.edu/~umove/)
- Intramural Sports (http://www.recsports.umich.edu/intramurals/)
MESA/Trotter House
The Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) and the William Monroe Trotter Multicultural Center (TMC) is a Division of Student Affairs (DSA) unit with two locations and a multiplicity of offerings. With the mission ‘To promote student development and emppower the campus community around issues of diversity and social justice through the lens of race and ethnicity’ we provide support to all students through programming and strive to meet the facility/multicultural center needs of students.
Rackham Graduate School
Rackham Graduate School is the most important resource on campus for graduate students. Rackham works with faculty, students and staff across the University of Michigan to promote excellence in graduate education for over 7,000 students in 108 Ph.D. and 83 master’s programs. The offices of Graduate Student Affairs and Graduate Student Success coordinate numerous programs, events and workshops designed specifically for graduate students. The Graduate Fellowships Office provides prospective and current graduate students and programs with information about fellowship opportunities and other available funding. Also, Rackham provides a welcome orientation and resource fair for new graduate students at the beginning of each Fall and Winter semester.
Specifically for international graduate students, the Graduate Student Affairs division of Rackham coordinates not only the I-Connect program, but also a variety of other internationally-themed workshops and social events throughout the year, which are open to international graduate students and their family members.
Make sure to explore all the information available through the Rackham website, particularly the New Student section, with web videos covering such as topics as “Transitioning to Graduate School,” “Where to Live in Ann Arbor,” “Your Advisors and Mentors” and “Keeping a Work/Life Balance. “
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD)
The University of Michigan takes great pride in the academic and personal achievements of its many students with disabilities. The University is committed to providing equal and integrated access for students with disabilities. At the SSWD website, you can:
- Look up helpful resources on disability concerns
- See what accommodations are available for registered students
- Locate and print necessary disability forms
SSWD services students with both mental and physical health conditions. See their website at http://www.umich.edu/~sswd/.
Spectrum Center
The University of Michigan Spectrum Center provides a comprehensive range of education, information and advocacy services working to create and maintain an open, safe and inclusive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and similarly-identified students, faculty, and staff, their families and friends, and the campus community at large.
For more information, visit their website at http://spectrumcenter.umich.edu/
Students of Color of Rackham (SCOR)
SCOR is a network for Rackham graduate and professional students at the University of Michigan. SCOR is dedicated to the social, cultural, and academic well-being of students of color of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American descent. SCOR welcomes students of other cultures, ethnicities and international origins to become a part of the SCOR community. SCOR promotes, supports, and sponsors efforts to enhance and improve the quality of our students’ academic, professional and social lives, respectful of cultural, disability, gender and sexual orientation.
Student Organizations and Associations
The over 1000 student organizations at the University Michigan provide an excellent way to meet people, find others with common interests, backgrounds and/or goals, and get involved in the U-M community.
The full listing of student organizations, can be found at http://uuis.umich.edu/maizepgs/.
For a listing of specifically international student organizations and associations, see the International Center’s website.
Many international student organizations assist new international students with airport transportation, housing arrangements, regional food and grocery shopping tips, and other areas of specific cultural adjustment.
U-M Office of Financial Aid
Financial assistance for graduate students is somewhat limited – and assistance for international graduate students even more so – compared to assistance available to undergraduate students. Private or alternative loan sources are available, but students must apply for these programs separately. For scholarship, grant, and fellowship programs, please contact the academic department or professional school in which you are enrolled or plan to enroll.
The Graduate Student Financial Aid Information page explains how to apply for aid, what aid programs are available to graduate students, etc.
Office of the Registrar
Located in the LS&A Building on Central Campus, the Registrar’s Office is a key administrative hub and the first place to go for information about the academic calendar, registration and enrollment, exam schedules, transcripts, residency requirements, student rights and records, tuition fees, etc. Before going to the actual office, check out the Office of the Registrar website.
U-M Libraries
The University of Michigan Library is actually comprised of 20 libraries, each with unique collections and materials. For example, the Hatcher Graduate Library contains humanities and social sciences collections, as well as government documents and maps collections. Other important libraries to graduate students include the Art, Architecture & Engineering Library, the Taubman Medical Library, the Fine Arts Library, the Public Health Library & Informatics, the Shapiro Science Library, the Social Work Library, and the administratively separate Law Library and Kresge Business Library.
For more information about Library services available for graduate students, see http://www.lib.umich.edu/services-undergraduate-students/library-services-graduate-students
The University Library collections are represented in the library catalog, Mirlyn. Graduate students are eligible to borrow materials from all U-M libraries; they can also utilize the Inter-Library Loan (ILL) service to obtain materials held by other lending institutions, and the 7-Fast document delivery service to have materials delivered (for free!) to their department mailbox or electronically as PDF files. To learn more about the ILL and 7-Fast services, see http://www.lib.umich.edu/ill/.
U-M Parking & Transportation Services
Whether your interest lies in bus options, vanpooling, parking permits, visitor parking, patient parking, or University vehicle leasing, the U-M Parking & Transportation Service web page is full of useful information. You’ll find maps, bus routes, schedules, parking permit and vehicle lease options; as well as brief construction updates that may affect your commute to the U-M.
See http://pts.umich.edu.