How to Apply

2025-2026 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
We will have a limited number of application fee waivers for applicants. If you meet criterias 1 and 2 below, contact graduate.english@umich.edu and include a copy of your transcript and a brief statement describing one of the criterias from 3, 4, 5 and 6 which you also need to meet.

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 or more of the following additional criteria:

3. Applicant is from an educational or georgraphic background that is underrepresented in their discipline in the U.S. or at U-M and/or holds membership in a federally recognized Tribe.

4. Applicant 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.

5. Have experienced financial hardship as a result of family economic circumstances

6. Are first generation U.S. citizens or first generation in their families to graduate from a four-year college.

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, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

PhD in English and Education: December 30, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

PhD in English and Women's Studies:  December 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

Helen Zell Writers' Program (MFA):  December 10, 2025 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