If you were not among the one-in-five freshman applicants to be accepted into the University of Michigan, your dream of becoming a Wolverine is not over. In fact, the UMich transfer acceptance rate is higher than you may think. Another positive fact is that the school welcomes 2,000+ transfer applicants to campus each year. If you bring stellar grades from a community college or other 4-year school, ending up in Ann Arbor is a realistic possibility. This blog will share the University of Michigan transfer acceptance rate as well as other essential pieces of information like the University of Michigan transfer deadline, the requirements/checklist for applicants, the University of Michigan transfer decision date, and much more.

University of Michigan Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available UMich transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

In the fall of 2021, the University of Michigan received 4,942 applications and accepted 2,051 individuals. This means that the University of Michigan transfer acceptance rate is 42%. If we break this down by gender, the acceptance rates are as follows:

  • Male transfer applicants: 40%
  • Female transfer applicants: 44%

As with their first-year admissions, UMich favors Michigan residents in the process. They do not release their in-state and out-of-state transfer figures. However, for the Class of 2025, first-year applicants from in-state were accepted at double the rate of non-residents.

When trying to get the complete picture of how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to also look at historical data. Many schools have wild fluctuations in transfer acceptance rate from year to year. Yet this is not the case at UMich which has been remarkably consistent over the last few years.

Historical transfer rates are as follows:

Year Acceptance Rate
2020 46%
2019 42%
2018 39%
2017 38%

 University of Michigan Transfer Deadline

The university offers both a fall and winter transfer option. The University of Michigan transfer deadline for fall applicants is February 1. Winter applicants have an October 1 deadline.

University of Michigan Transfer Requirements

The University of Michigan transfer requirements are as follows:

  • University of Michigan uses the Common App for Transfer
  • Final high school transcripts (noting graduation)
  • Official college transcripts
  • List of all current and future courses.
  • SAT/ACT (optional in 2023)
  • Letters of recommendation, college report, and mid-year report are all optional, unless requested.

Students who have the best chance to gain admission to the University of Michigan have done the following:

  • Earned mostly A’s in their first year at a community college or 4-year university.
  • Successful LSA applicants will have taken courses that satisfy distributional requirements.
  • Engineering applicants need to have taken Calc I, Calc II, Calc-based Physics, Chemistry, and a computing course.
  • Possess a strong high school record as well.
  • Have strong SAT/ACT and AP/IB results (even though they are test-optional)

University of Michigan Transfer GPA

Last year, the school reported that the average GPA among enrolling transfers was 3.80. Typically, an even higher GPA is going to be needed as an out-of-state applicant.

University of Michigan Transfer Writing Supplement

Personal Statement

The personal statement helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want admissions readers to know about you that is not reflected elsewhere in your application? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay using the prompt to inspire and structure your response (1,250 – 3,250 characters, approx. 250 – 650 words).

The prompt choices for this essay are the same as the Common App Essay Prompts.

Essay #1 (1,500 character max)

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.

Essay #2 (2,750 character max)
Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?

Essay #3 (1,500 character max)

Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.

University of Michigan Transfer Decision Date?

University of Michigan transfer decisions are made on a rolling basis. Fall decisions are made beginning in the middle of March. Winter decisions are released as early as the start of November.

Final Thoughts – UMich Transfer Acceptance Rate

Last cycle, 28% of enrolled transfers hailed from community colleges. Seventy-two percent came from other 4-year institutions. Of the 2,051 admitted transfers, 1,407 went on to enroll at UMich.

As the UMich transfer acceptance rate indicates, getting into Michigan as a sophomore or junior student is a very doable proposition. If you earn spectacular college grades you will be given serious consideration to join this prestigious university.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to the University of Michigan as a first-year student, you may find the following blogs to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages/blogs:

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).