Current and Former Rackham Students

From subsection 2.9 of the Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies

Students may apply to change from one graduate program to another within the graduate school. This change requires full consideration by the new program’s admissions committee. The student must submit a new full application and should contact the new program for information about the supporting materials that may be needed. International students must supply documentation of additional funding if a change of program will result in the issuance of new immigration documents.

While doctoral students who receive a master’s in their field on the way to the doctorate do not need to apply for this degree, students who wish to change from one degree program to another within the same field of specialization, such as from the master’s program in economics to the doctoral program in economics, must apply for a change of program following the new full application procedures described above. Candidates applying to another doctoral program will revert to precandidacy status.

Eligibility

Current first-year Rackham PIBS program student seeking enrollment in one of Rackham’s 14 doctoral programs of specialization (e.g., admitted to the PIBS program this past fall and seeking enrollment in the Rackham doctoral program in biological chemistry).

• Must be a current Rackham PIBS student.
• Must complete one academic year (fall and winter) in the PIBS program prior to the term of application.
• Must meet with the program advisor of the Rackham Ph.D. program of application prior to submitting the application.
• Must submit to Rackham Admissions an official and final U.S. or equivalent bachelor’s degree academic record prior to submitting the application.
• If you received your undergraduate degree from U-M Ann Arbor, you do not need to request the registrar to send an official transcript to Rackham.
• You are not required to submit an application fee.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary by program. Check with your program’s graduate coordinator or look up your program’s deadline in our Programs of Study.

Application Submission

The Declaration of Ph.D. Program Application is available online. No application fee is required.

Begin the Declaration of Ph.D. Program Application

Contact

Please contact Rackham Admissions if you have questions about the Declaration of Ph.D. Program Application.

Eligible Applicants

Former Rackham students who seek to re-enroll in a Rackham certificate, master’s, or doctor of musical arts (D.M.A.), pre-candidacy level, program after not registering in the program for more than 12 months.

Example of an Eligible Applicant

• A Rackham student enrolls in the M.S. program in statistics in the fall of 2008.
• The student discontinues attendance in the program at the end of winter 2009 without receiving the M.S. degree.
• The former student seeks to return to the same master of science in statistics program in the fall of 2012.
• This former student submits the online Application for Readmission for the fall 2012 academic term.

For more information refer to Section 2.3.3 of the Graduate School Academic Policies, Readmission to a Master’s or D.M.A. Program.

Exceptions (applying for readmission is not required to re-enroll)

• Rackham master’s and doctor of musical arts (D.M.A.), pre-candidacy level, students returning from detached study and seeking to continue enrollment in the same program. Refer to Section 2.3.1 of the Graduate School Academic Policies, Detached Study for D.M.A. and Master’s Students.
• Rackham D.M.A. doctoral candidates seeking to continue study in the D.M.A. program should contact the program and a Records Evaluator for assistance.
• Rackham doctoral pre-candidates and candidates in all programs other than the D.M.A. must apply for reinstatement. Contact the doctoral program and a Records Specialist for assistance.
• Rackham students seeking to enroll in a “new” Rackham program (no previous attendance) must submit the Rackham Graduate Program Application.

Deadlines vary by program. Check with your program’s graduate coordinator or look up your program’s deadline in our Programs of Study.

Application Submission

The Readmission Application is available online. Students may apply for readmission once per twelve months. Be prepared to complete or include the following:

• A uniqname and password which are required to apply for readmission.
  • Information and Technology Services will assist you with creating or reactivating a uniqname and choosing a password. Please refer to Getting a Uniqname and Directory Profile-Students on the Ann Arbor Campus for instructions and help desk contact information.
  • If your mailing address, email address, or phone number needs to be updated, log into Wolverine Access to update your contact information.
• Readmission Application (there is no processing fee).
• Admissions Conduct Code.
• Narrative responses to questions about discontinuing enrollment and returning to active status in a Rackham graduate program of previous attendance.

The Dual Admission Application is only appropriate for current Rackham students who are seeking dual admission by adding a Rackham master’s degree or certificate to their current Rackham program on the Ann Arbor campus.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a current Rackham master’s or doctoral student to apply.
• Will have completed at least one academic term in the current Rackham program with a cumulative GPA equal to or above a 3.0 before the proposed term of application.
• Must meet with your current program advisor or graduate coordinator prior to submitting the application to add a degree or certificate.
• Must complete the Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission and obtain a signature of approval from the authorized signer in your current graduate program before you apply. Without approval and an authorized signature on the form, your application will not be processed. You will be required to upload the completed and signed Pre-Approval Form in the online application.
• If you are applying to graduate during the current term and it does not appear as a choice in the dual application, consult with the graduate coordinator in your proposed program on how to apply.

For more information, refer to Section 6. of the Graduate School Academic Policies, Dual Degree Programs.

Examples of Eligible Applicants

• A Rackham student enrolled in good standing in the master’s program in creative writing in the fall of 2025 seeks to add the Rackham master’s in educational studies in winter 2026.
• A Rackham student in good standing in the doctoral program in sociology in the fall 2025 seeks to add the master’s program in computer science and engineering in the winter of 2026.
• A Rackham student in good standing in the doctoral program in sociology and the master’s program in computer science and engineering in the fall 2025 seeks to add the certificate in computational discovery and engineering in the winter 2026.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary by program. Check with the graduate coordinators of the current and proposed programs or refer to our Programs of Study for deadlines.

Graduate Program Requirements

Applicants should check with the current and proposed Rackham programs to determine program-specific requirements.

Application Submission

Current Rackham students complete the Dual Admission application using an ApplyWeb account. Be prepared to include the following documents in the online application:

• The required $10 application fee payable via Visa or MasterCard. A very small number of graduate programs offer a fee waiver, check with the proposed graduate program.
• You must meet with your current program advisor or graduate coordinator prior to submitting the application for dual admission. Upload the completed and signed Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission in the online application.
• Program specific information on page four of the online application—if required by program.
• Dual/Joint Degree Election Form—if required by the proposed program.

Apply for Dual Admission

If your situation is described below, follow the specific instructions.

• If you are a current Rackham student seeking a single Ph.D. across two Rackham programs, complete the Student-Initiated Doctoral Program Application. Please email Rackham Academic Records and Dissertations or call 734.763.0171 if you have questions about the form or process.
• If you are a current Rackham student seeking admission to a non-Rackham program, you are required to submit the appropriate non-Rackham application and application fee. Example: adding an M.B.A. to your current Rackham program.
• If you are a current Rackham student in a Rackham master’s or certificate program seeking to add a Rackham doctoral program, you must submit the online Rackham Graduate Program Application and application fee in order to provide full application materials to admission committees.
• If you are a current non-Rackham student at the University of Michigan, seeking admission to a Rackham degree or certificate program, you must submit the online Rackham Graduate Program Application and application fee.
• If you are a current Rackham student seeking one of the following program changes you must contact your current program directly for consideration:
  • You are enrolled in a Rackham Ph.D. program and need to change to a Rackham master’s program in the same department. Contact your current program for instruction.
  • You are enrolled in a Student-Initiated Degree Program and are required to change to a single Ph.D. program in one area of specialization. Contact your current program from instruction.
  • You are enrolled in a Rackham degree program and are required to change to another Rackham degree program at the same level and in the same field of specialization (requires preapproval by Rackham Admissions and the proposed graduate program). Contact your current program for instruction.