How to Apply

2026-2027 Admissions

Emails

Due to the high volume of emails the program receives, faculty are unable to answer individual emails.  Emails sent directly to faculty may not receive a response.

Application Fee Waivers: In order to be considered for an application fee waiver, applicant must
1. have a record of superior academic achievement (e.g., grade point average, honors, or other designation);
2. are U.S. citizens or permanent residents or undocumented students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA); and meet one of the following Rackham's RFM Criteria:
3. Nominee has led and/or substantially engaged in activities that broaden the participation of individuals with diverse backgrounds in the academic, professional, or civic realm. By broadening participation, we mean efforts in the U.S. to specifically reduce educational disparities based on race, ethnicity, first-generation status, familial income, or gender.
4. Have experienced financial hardship as a result of family economic circumstances;
5. Have participated in programs in the Rackham application open to students from disadvantaged backgrounds;
6. Are first-generation U.S. citizens in their families;
7. Are first-generation in their families to graduate from a four-year college;Nominee is from an educational or geographic background that is underrepresented in their discipline in the U.S. or at U-M and/or holds membership in a federally recognized tribe.

Please complete the Fall 2027 PhD Fee Waiver Application Form to be considered for an application fee waiver. 

The Rackham Graduate School provides fee waivers for eligible MFA and PhD applicants, please review their webpage: Application Fee and Payment. Please contact Rackham, rackadmis@umich.edu, if you have any questions.

Make sure you have every document uploaded before you submit your application (excluding letters of recommendation), once you click on the submit button, you will not be able to go back into your application to make any changes.

GRE Scores

GRE scores are not required for admissions and any GRE scores sent will not be received by the Admissions Committee.

Deadlines

All materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received by the deadline in order to be considered.

PhD in English Language and Literature: December 10, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

PhD in English and Education: December 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

PhD in English and Women's Studies:  November 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm. 

Helen Zell Writers' Program (MFA):  December 10, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

Decisions 

Decisions will not be made until the end of February/beginning of March and applicants will be notified via email in early March.

Questions?

Please review our FAQ Page before contacting the graduate office with questions. If you still have questions after reviewing the FAQ section, please contact graduate.english@umich.edu.

Please do not email individual faculty members with questions, all questions should be directed towards graduate.english@umich.edu.