Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

Applications to the accelerated options (master’s or certificates) open one (1) year before your intended start date (2 semesters before graduation) and up to two (2 years) after graduation. 

• If you are applying to an Accelerated Master’s program, you  must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA (for most programs, check your individual program requirements) at time of graduation.
• If you are interested in an Accelerated Certificate program, you must have a 2.75 or higher GPA at time of graduation.

You cannot be both a Graduate student and Undergraduate at the same time, you are not required to apply to a Michigan Tech Graduate program prior to taking your double-counted or senior ruled courses.

If you are planning to take senior rule courses, please consult the registrar’s office for their timeline to provide the senior rule form.

When in doubt, contact gradadms@mtu.edu to schedule a meeting to discuss your individual scenario

In order to be eligible to study online you must reside in the United States, Canada, or Australia at this time. Online programs are available to International students residing in the United States, Canada, or Australia as long as they are on a valid work visa that allows you to study for that respective country, or a Permanent Resident of the respective country and reside there for the duration of the program. Please reach out to us if you are unsure of your eligibility for online studies prior to applying.

If you attended a community college prior to your degree-granting institution, you will not need to add it as a previous college or request the transcripts if you had the courses transferred into your degree-granting institution. 

If the courses were not transferred into your degree-granting institution or were taken as a non-degree student, then you will want to add them as a previous college and include them in your materials uploaded.

We require our application to be completed online, while there is no fee to apply, we do require international applicants to pay a $10 processing fee.

Prior to paying your processing fee we will ask that you verify and understand the requirements of your individual program in addition to the requirements of the Graduate School on your portal. When paying the processing fee you are agreeing you understand the requirements and will provide all of them, including required test scores such as GRE or English Proficiency. If you are not interested, unable to provide required documents, or unable to pay the processing fee you will be able to request to withdraw your application in your portal. 

The international processing fee must be paid via a link in your portal once you have provided the initial application. The system requires the payment be made via credit card, debit cards are not accepted. There are no alternative payment options available. The processing fee is required for each application provided, it is not eligible for a waiver, transferrable to another application or refundable. 

You are allowed 15 days from the submission of the initial application to pay the processing fee. Failure to do so will result in your application being withdrawn.

If your application is withdrawn for failure to pay, you are welcome to provide a new application as long as you have not exceeded the maximum allowance for an open application cycle (3 applications).

If you have made a mistake in your application, email gradadms@mtu.edu with what needs to be fixed. Do not provide additional applications to try to fix the issue as it will only make it worse. 

If you are an international student (non-US citizen or not a permanent resident of the US) you most likely will need an I-20 or DS-2019 in order to attend. If you already hold a valid US visa that allows you to study in the US, you will not need an F1 or J1 visa in order to attend. B1/B2 visas are not allowed for study purposes, they are only for travel. If you are unsure of your current status and whether or not you will need a visa please email gradadms@mtu.edu.

There are a few pieces to consider depending on the type of status you entered into the United States on.

• If you are awaiting your green card/permanent residency - We require you to submit a copy of the physical green card. If you are awaiting the receipt of your Green Card, we suggest you wait to apply until you have it. While you are in between your previous status and receive your permanent residency, you are considered an international applicant.
• If you entered as an Asylee - You will need to provide us with proper legal documentation that you are permitted to be in the United States on a temporary status (typically a copy of the letter, decision of an immigration judge, Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, or approved Form I-730 Petition filed on your behalf that shows the date you were granted asylum as a derivative)
• If you entered as a Refugee - You will need to provide us with proper legal documentation that you are permitted to be in the United States on a temporary status (typically the I-94 arrival record)

If you are in the United States for another reason not listed above, please reach out to us for assistance, gradadms@.mtu.edu

Yes. Most departments make decisions on a rolling basis with all deadlines being recommended. You will need to review your program specific requirements to verify that admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. Departments will review all completed applications provided to them.

Yes. Graduate funding is competitive, and the majority of funding is awarded to PhD students.

• PhD students - typically, PhD students are considered for funding during the admissions process for internal funding through graduate assistantships.
• Master's students - in general, for funding, students are self-supported. If support is available it is considered during the admissions process. If your program only offers a coursework option or if you are accepted as a coursework student, funding is not available.

The majority of our self-supported students work hourly, on-campus, positions to offset their educational costs. Applicants may also apply for external funding opportunities, or inquire with faculty who have recently been awarded research funding about assistantship opportunities. 

It is not possible to informally review your materials to determine if you would be accepted to the program of your choice. Applications are reviewed using a holistic approach. Your entire application is reviewed, along with all others in the applicant pool, to determine which students will succeed at Michigan Tech and contribute to the research needs of the program. Some programs have admissions guidance to aid in evaluating your own materials. Students are highly encouraged to apply as our application is free. International applicants are required to pay a $10 per application processing fee.

We prefer that the majority of your recommendations come from someone in academia, former faculty or lecturer. Letters of recommendation should not come from a direct family member.

You must request your letters of recommendation from your initial application. You cannot submit your application without requesting the minimum number required. When the form is provided in the application, it automatically notifies the recipient of their next steps. Please notify your references before requesting them so they are aware of your application.

Our system does not allow for letters of recommendation to be uploaded to the portal or provided via email. The letters of recommendation must be returned via the link we provide to the reference. If your reference is experiencing technical difficulties with the letter of recommendation link they may need to clear their cache, use a VPN, or incognito browser.

Please refer to degree program admissions requirements if GRE is required. Most programs that require the GRE will not provide waivers. Please keep this in mind if you are interested in a program that requires it.

If you requested ETS to send your official GRE scores and it has been more than two weeks, email gradadms@mtu.edu for assistance.

If you are required to provide English proficiency scores, you will need to provide TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Scores. We do not accept Duolingo scores for Graduate Admission. They must also meet our minimum scores, scores less than our minimum will not be eligible for review (TOEFL - 79, IELTS - 6.5, PTE - 53). We do not offer provisional or conditional admissions for missing English proficiency scores.

When providing your initial application the system will check the requirements of the program you applied to, your previous institutions and citizenship and based on our waiver eligible countries list, and provide a waiver for English proficiency automatically if you are eligible. If your home country or country of education is not on our waiver eligible list, you will not qualify for a waiver. 

Our Master's of Business Administration program requires citizenship in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand for a waiver of English Language Proficiency. Other countries in the waiver eligible countries list will not be considered.

If you attended a US institution online as an international student, you do not qualify for waivers of English proficiency as the waiver is only available to those who physically study in the US.

Yes. All applicants are required to provide both Student Statements, which include a Statement of Purpose and a Student Statement. Both are character limited and will not allow you to submit a statement over the allotted length. You must review your Student Statements before clicking 'submit', as you only have 24 hours after submission for changes.

If your transcript has the grading information, just upload a single page containing it to the designated spot.

You need to include a university grading scale to help us and the program understand the marks. The grading scale can often be found on the backside of transcripts, on the university website, or via a student/university handbook.

A rough example of what we are looking for is as follows:

Yes. You will need to fill out an application form for each program you wish to apply to. Applicants are allowed a maximum of 3 applications for an open application cycle. Exceeding this allowance will result in your application being withdrawn. The maximum number of applications does not take into consideration the previous decision on those applications, regardless of a decision, each person is allowed 3.

We require any student who has previously received an admissions decision on an application to reapply. In addition, we will request that you provide us with new application materials per the requirements of the program.

If you have already received an unfavorable decision on an application for the same program you are reapplying to, you will need to provide additional university courses past your bachelor’s (and master’s if previously provided) from another university to be reconsidered.

If your previous degrees were incomplete when you applied previously, we can use the final year/semester of grades as long as they show an improvement in your GPA from the first time it was reviewed.

This is our holding place to ensure that we have the appropriate document we are asking for, typically it is there if we need additional courses past your current degree, a WES or ECE evaluation, or an official transcript directly from your previous institution. If you have this and are unsure, you can contact gradadms@mtu.edu.

Yes! We will notify you when you have provided all required documents and your application is being verified for correct documents. A second email will go out when your application is with the program for review.

Once your application is in review, we ask for a minimum of 8 weeks for a decision. This timeline can vary depending on program and degree level. PhD applications will take longer than master’s applications as programs are attempting to match an advisor to a student. Some programs will also do a committee review prior to the Graduate Director receiving the application so those decisions may be delayed.

If your application is with the program for more than 8 weeks you can reach out to the Graduate Program Director.

Once your application is in review, we ask for a minimum of 8 weeks for a decision. This timeline can vary depending on program and degree level. PhD applications will take longer than master’s applications as programs are attempting to match an advisor to a student. If your application is with the program for more than 8 weeks you can reach out to the Graduate Program Director.

After admission has been approved and all proof of funding documents and a copy of your passport are received and processed, visa paperwork will be sent via email or uploaded to your portal.

Depending on when you are admitted, you will be able to register for courses for the upcoming semester (Early November for spring registration, early March for fall registration). You can reach out to your program director for assistance in courses to register for. 

We would like you to notify us as soon as you know you would like to attend. For Fall semester we suggest April 15th, but will continue to have the Accept, Decline, Defer form available in your portal until the start of the semester.

Absolutely, you can defer your admission for up to one academic year. You can request the deferral in your portal up to the first day of the semester you are planning to attend. What are my next steps now that I am admitted?

Upon acceptance to Michigan Tech, you are now required to provide adequate proof of funding in order to receive a full admission and next steps to enroll. You will need to provide a bank statement, certification of finances form (found on your portal), a copy of your passport and any dependent passports (if applicable). 

All funds listed must be documented by official bank statements and/or funding letters. Please limit your file size to no more than ten (10) pages.  Official bank statements must be on the bank institution's letterhead and include an official stamp/seal with the signature of a bank official and are valid for six months from the date of issue.

If you are providing an educational loan as your primary source of funding, it is encouraged to also include secondary personal or family funds to aid in the visa interview process.

We do not accept the following items: Fixed deposits, cryptocurrency, proof of stock or security holdings, insurance, property, investment accounts, retirement plans, provident fund accounts, US Government for I-134 or verification of employment income. If you are unsure if your form of funding will suffice, send an email to gradadms@mtu.edu.

You can refer to the Certification of Finances form in your portal for the total amount needed to obtain an I-20/DS-2019. This form takes into consideration your semester start, program of study and if you need to include dependents or not.

The funding documents you provide to receive your immigration document, will be expected to be used when you arrive on campus. It is not in your best interest to wait until you arrive to get additional funding for your education. 

By providing funds, you are showing you have adequate funding for at least 1 year to be in the US studying. There is no guarantee that you will be provided Michigan Tech support at a later date and should be prepared to self-support for the duration of your program, if necessary. 

In order to bring your spouse and/or minor children with you on a dependent visa we will need you to include them in your Certification of Finances form and upload your dependent passports as well as a copy of your child(ren)'s birth certificate and marriage license/certificate for your spouse in the portal. In order to bring your spouse and/or minor children you will need to show additional funds available. A spouse requires additional $4,000 and each child requires an additional $2,500.

If you are issued dependent I-20/DS-2019s with your student I-20/DS-2019, your dependents will be expected to arrive in the US with you. 

Yes! All international students are required to pay a one-time, non-refundable Graduate Enrollment Surcharge of $100 USD. There is no waiver available for the surcharge, an I-20/DS-2019 will not be issued without the surcharge payment. If you fail to attend Michigan Tech for any reason, you will not be refunded this amount.

After you have successfully paid your surcharge, we will notify you when we have received it again and when the I-20/DS-2019 process has started. We issue immigration documents weekly, so please be patient. When your I-20/DS-2019 is ready we will email you and you will locate the document in your portal.

Once you have your I-20/DS-2019 you will not begin the formal immigration process. Please verify all information on your document is accurate and notify us immediately if there is incorrect information. 

You will need to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee via FMJfee.com, retain a receipt, and start looking for a visa appointment time. 

We do not typically change the source of funds provided on an I-20/DS-2019 once issued. We will change the source of funds if you are provided Michigan Tech Support or have to defer your admission to a future semester. We will not change the source of funds from personal, family/friends, educational loan because of a previous visa decision. We will always enter the highest source of funds first as your primary on the I-20/DS-2019. 

If you choose to provide a combination of funding, personal funds will be listed separately, all other sources (educational loans, family, or friends) will be listed as Multiple Sources on the I-20/DS-2019. 

We are not allowed to reach out to the embassy on your behalf to schedule an interview, request further information from the embassy, or plea your case to receive a visa. Once we issue you the I-20 or DS-2019, you are responsible for attending and obtaining a valid US visa.

We know administrative processing can take time to complete. As we approach the start of your intended semester we would ask that you defer your admission if you have not heard from the embassy by the first day of the semester. 

No, we do not issue emergency visa appointment letters. Your situation is no different than any other student attempting to schedule a visa interview and come to the US. You will need to continue to try for an earlier appointment and if you cannot get one, defer your admission (if available).

You are allowed to enter into the US 30 days before the semester starts. This date will be provided on your I-20 as the earliest entry date. If you attempt to enter prior to this date, you will be returned to your home country. If you choose to enter into the US before your contract/housing start date you will be responsible for a place to live until your housing is available

Absolutely! But you must be physically in Houghton by the first day of the semester. You are not eligible to be online or remote as an F1 student.

Michigan Tech has both on-campus and off campus housing options. You can review the on campus options via Residents Education and Housing Services. On-campus housing is not guaranteed and highly competitive. There is an extensive wait list, so please consider secondary options.

You can review the available off campus housing options on the Michigan Tech Off-Campus Housing Marketplace.

You cannot sign up for on-campus housing until you have a full admission. We do not encourage you to pay a housing deposit for off campus housing until you have a valid US visa. 

Admission deferrals are only allowed for students actively trying to attend Michigan Tech. If you did not provide proof of funding, you are not eligible to defer your admission. If you have provided proof of funding, we also expect that you have paid your international surcharge ($100), paid your SEVIS fee ($350), scheduled an appointment, and either tried for an emergency appointment or attended a visa interview.

If you are eligible to defer your admission you will be permitted, with departmental approval, to defer one semester at a time for up to 1 academic year.

If you are not eligible to defer, you will need to decline your admission in your portal and reapply to a future semester. 

Deferrals are due by the first day of the semester you are admitted, failure to request a deferral by that timeframe will require a new application for admission and to be reconsidered.

Late arrivals are only permitted for incoming, first-time students with visa delays. Late arrivals must be approved by each individual department. Most will only allow students to arrive up to one week late. In order for us to request a late arrival we must see proof of a visa appointment dated on or before the Friday before semester starts. If you are not eligible for a late arrival you will be asked to defer your admission (if available).

Our International Programs and Services office can assist new international students with arrival to campus to a certain extent. You can review their options from their website. The closest international airport for us is Chicago O’Hare. If you choose to fly to Houghton (CMX) County Memorial Airport, there are limited flights daily.

You can also consider Greyhound bus options. Under no circumstances should you plan to take a taxi, Uber or Lyft from the airport you land to Houghton, unless you are flying into Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX).

International students must be registered full-time (9 credits) for each fall and spring semester until their degree is completed. Students can petition for reduced course load, if necessary, with International programs and services. 

Domestic/online students can register for how many credits they deem to be a good fit for their degree completion, work-life balance, etc. Full-time is 9 credits with the maximum number of credits allowed at 13.

Students offered Michigan Tech support (Tuition and Stipend) must enroll in the minimum set forth in the offer letter.

You can find your student bill in your MyMichiganTech at this time. This will be moving to a new location in the near future. Your student bill will only show for the number of credits you have registered. 

If you are planning to pay via flywire or paymytuition, you will need to take into consideration they can take up to a week to show on your Michigan Tech bill. Late fees will not be waived for students whose money is received after payment deadline.

In order to confirm your enrollment you will need to pay your student bill in full, once that is showing on your student bill you will have the option to click confirm my enrollment. 

Yes! All Graduate Students enrolled must have valid Health Insurance. Please contact Student Health Insurance for further information on qualified insurance. If you received full tuition and stipend, the department will cover your health insurance costs as long as you are supported by them. You will still need to fill out appropriate paperwork with the Student Health Insurance office to claim the insurance.

All students are required to provide us with their official transcript(s) and proof of degree(s) for all previous degree(s) received that are Bachelor’s level and higher. Transcripts provided during the application process, uploaded to the portal, are not considered official.

• For international colleges - we prefer that you bring your official transcript(s) and proof of degree(s) with you in a sealed envelope and provide them during a schedule date/time sent to you a month before the semester starts.
  • If your previous institution will only send them directly to us, we will accept them via mail or electronically to gradadms@mtu.edu
  • We do not accept provisional certificates in place of the official diploma.
  • All transcripts must be formally translated to English, when they are not originally in English.
• For domestic (US colleges/universities) - we prefer that the transcripts are sent directly from your previous institution to the Michigan Tech Graduate School either electronically (gradadms@mtu.edu) or by mail. If you are a recent graduate of the institution, you will want to make sure the conferred/awarded date is available when you request the transcripts.

Yes! If your application documents included unofficial TOEFL, PTE or GRE Scores, you are required to provide them directly from the testing agency to us. 

IELTS scores are verified in our office and not expected to be sent directly from the testing agency.

If you are using an educational loan to finance your education, you will not have immediate access to the additional funds available. You must ensure that you have at least some money to pay first month's rent, buy food, as well as household items to get you started. The university will require you to complete the following steps before the funds can be disbursed electronically.

1. Register for courses
2. Pay your bill
3. Confirm Enrollment
4. Set up a US bank account
5. Provide a non-payroll direct deposit account in BANWEB

Each of the above must be completed prior to receiving your funds. 

Yes! International students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week on campus. Off campus is not available until you are eligible for internships or co-ops.

Domestic students are allowed to work as they see fit. General suggestion is 20 hours to account for courses, labs, and homework.

Absolutely! Our international students must be enrolled in 2 consecutive semesters prior to participating in an internship or co-op program. Please contact Career Services and IPS for further information.

Domestic students are not required to meet a minimum semester eligibility prior to attending a co-op or internship, we always suggest checking in with your program directly if you have any questions, as well as career services.