University of Michigan

500-word limit; must be different from the academic statement of purpose. Read by the faculty members of the admissions committee.

Describes your education, work experience, research and teaching experience, professional affiliations, volunteer activity and community engagements, honors and awards. Uploaded to the online application.

Academic statement: your background, what drew you to Data Science, and your career goals; applicants enrolled in another graduate program explain why they want to change. No length limit is stated. Must differ from the personal statement.

Upload a scan of the official or an unofficial transcript (undergraduate and any graduate degree programs) for initial review. Official transcripts go to Rackham only if you are recommended for admission. Report your GPA on a U.S. 4.0 scale on page 5 of the online application; applicants from non-U.S. institutions convert it with the Scholaro GPA Calculator and upload the Scholaro GPA report with each transcript (Rackham). Explain anything about your transcript in the Statement of Purpose.

People in a position to judge your potential for successfully completing graduate studies in data science (application page). Letters don't all have to be academic, but the majority should be; applicants with work experience may ask a supervisor, project lead or anyone who oversaw them professionally (FAQ).

Two letters required; a third is optional. Recommenders submit online through the CollegeNET (ApplyWeb) system after you register their names and emails; letters sent by email or to the department are not accepted. Letters arriving within a few days of the application deadline are acceptable (FAQ).

No longer required. Applicants who have taken it may submit the score as additional information; it plays a minor and supporting role in holistic review. ETS institution code 1839.

The FAQ says Duolingo is not an acceptable test.

IELTS Academic: Accepted English proficiency test: IELTS Academic (including IELTS At Home), minimum overall 6.5; IELTS one-skill retake accepted. Scores are sent electronically to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, are valid two years and must be received by the program deadline.

TOEFL iBT: Accepted English proficiency test. Rackham minimum overall score for TOEFL iBT (including ITP Plus and Home Edition): 84 for tests before January 21, 2026; 4.5 for tests on or after January 21, 2026. TOEFL iBT Paper Test: section minimums Reading 23, Listening 23, Writing 21. Scores are valid two years from the test date and the official report must arrive from ETS (institution code 1839) by the program deadline. A score below the minimum leads to automatic rejection. The MDS FAQ states the minimum as 84 on the internet-based test. MET (59) and ECPE (Certificate of Proficiency) are also accepted.

Waiver / exemption: Exempt if any one applies: native speaker of English; applicant from Puerto Rico; all undergraduate education completed and undergraduate degree earned at an institution where the language of instruction is English only (degree completed before U-M classes start); all graduate education completed and graduate degree earned at an English-only institution (same condition); current U-M student. A one-year graduate degree, or a research-only master's with no academic classes, does not qualify. Applicants self-assess at application and upload documents confirming the language of instruction with their transcripts; files recommended for admission are reviewed. The FAQ adds that the test can be waived in certain cases for non-native speakers under Rackham guidelines, and that the department cannot waive a below-minimum score.

Not on the list of accepted tests: the FAQ names TOEFL, ECPE, IELTS and MET as the accepted tests for Rackham Graduate School.

The school’s pages disagree. Confirm with the school.

How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan? For example, if you grew up in a community where educational, cultural, or other opportunities were either plentiful or especially lacking, you might discuss the impact this had on your development and interests. This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.

The school’s pages disagree. Confirm with the school.

How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan? For example, if you grew up in a community where educational, cultural, or other opportunities were either especially plentiful or especially lacking, or are undocumented or DACAmented, you might discuss the impact this had on your development and interests. This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.

The Statement of Purpose gives you an opportunity to tell us about yourself and your reasons for wishing to pursue a graduate degree in Data Science at Michigan. You should tell us about your background, motivating influences that aroused your interest in Data Science, and your career goals and objectives. If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program elsewhere, you should tell us why you wish to change institutions or degree programs.