How to Apply for Graduate in Real Estate

Application Dates

For More Information

Admissions Eligibility

• Current UM Rackham graduate student (for instance, MURP, MPP, MS SEAS, Ph.D.)
• Current UM non-Rackham graduate student (for instance, M.Arch., MUD, MBA, JD)
• The program also considers applications from individuals who are not current UM graduate students. Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree and have work experience that has led to the need for more background in real estate development.
• As Visas cannot be given for Certificate programs, International Students that are considered “Stand Alone” applicants are not eligible to apply for the Graduate Real Estate Development Certificate.

Admissions Review

The admissions review for the Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development uses a holistic admissions process. We look at the entire applicant, considering all aspects of the materials: essay, transcript, grades, recommendation letters, academic/professional experience, and exposure to the real estate industry/field. Applicants should have achieved at least a B average (3.0 cumulative GPA) in undergraduate studies or graduate studies.

Application Materials

Students currently in any UM Rackham program must:

• Complete the Rackham online Dual Admission Application (located near the very bottom of the page)
• Submit via email to taubmancollegeadmissions@umich.edu the Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Essay Questions (Google Doc)
• Note: The program will obtain from the student’s home department:
  • Current UM transcript
  • Letters of recommendation submitted originally to the home department

Students currently in any non-Rackham UM graduate program must submit via the Rackham online application:

• Rackham online application
• Non-refundable application fee
• Official transcripts (submit to the Rackham Graduate School)
• Two letters of recommendation (if you prefer to use the recommendation letters from your application to your current program, please have the graduate coordinator send them via email to taubmancollegeadmissions@umich.edu)
• Real Estate Essay Questions (Google Doc) – submit via the online application

Application Process for “Stand Alone” non UM Students

Applicants who are not current UM graduate students must submit via the Rackham online application:

• Rackham online application
• Non-refundable application fee
• Official Transcripts (submit to the Rackham graduate school)
• Two letters of recommendation
• TOEFL (required for international students)
• Real Estate Essay Questions (Google Doc) – submit via the online application
• See the University Tuition and Fee Schedule to determine the cost of the program which for Stand Alone students is per credit hour
• As Visas cannot be given for Certificate programs, International Students that are considered “Stand Alone” applicants are not eligible to apply for the Graduate Real Estate Development Certificate.

Transcripts

Submitting your transcripts is a two-step process:

Step 1: TO APPLY, submit a scanned copy of your official transcript. Applicants must scan and upload an official transcript/academic record into the ApplyWeb online application. This transcript must display the institutional seal and signature of the Registrar or Recorder of Records.

Step 2: AFTER an offer of admission, submit your official transcript. Admitted students must submit to the Rackham Graduate School an official transcript/academic record, front and back, issued by the Registrar or Records Office for each bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree earned. For more information please see Transcripts.

Letters of Recommendation

Two (2) letters of recommendation are required and should testify mainly to your academic and professional capacity and promise. Letters should be substantive statements from academics and professionals familiar with your abilities and accomplishments. Letters must be submitted via the Rackham online application. You will be prompted to register recommenders using the online application, enabling recommenders to submit letters of recommendation electronically. If you are having recommendations sent from your university’s career center, no cover sheet from UM is required.

English Proficiency / TOEFL / IELTS

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency, unless they meet one of the criteria for an exemption listed below. Please contact one of the testing agencies shown in the following chart and have an official score report sent to the University of Michigan at least 6-8 weeks prior to the application deadline. The scores must be received from the testing agency no later than the application deadline. Language test scores are valid two years from the test date.  Photocopies and/or faxes of English proficiency scores will not be accepted.

English Proficiency Requirements

Taubman College does not admit students who have not met minimum score requirements. If you are close to the minimum scores outlined above we encourage you to retake the exam to meet the minimum requirement. Students who have submitted all required materials (including English proficiency exams) by the application deadline are given first consideration for admission. It may make you a less competitive applicant to not have your scores sent in by the deadline.

Rackham English Proficiency Exemptions

You qualify for an exemption from taking an English proficiency examination if one of the following criteria are met:

• You are a native speaker of English.
• You completed all of your undergraduate education and earned an undergraduate degree at an institution where the language of instruction is English only.
• You completed all of your graduate education and earned a graduate degree at an institution where the language of instruction is English only.
  • If you completed a Master’s degree that was strictly research and no academic classes, that degree does not meet the exemption. This type of Master’s degree is generally awarded at a non-U.S. institution.
• You are a current U-M student.

Please refer to the related Rackham webpage for additional information.

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