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Application Procedures

Applications for Fall 2025 admission are now open!

Welcome!

Thank you for your interest in the Ph.D. Program in Sociology at the University of Michigan. Though a background in sociology is not required to apply, work in the social sciences or history is helpful preparation for the program. In addition, evidence of the ability to do high-level graduate work is necessary for a competitive application.

It may be helpful to know that applicants who have been admitted typically have undergraduate GPAs in social sciences courses of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 system, with the mean around 3.5. GRE scores are not considered in our admissions process. For students whose native language is not English, Rackham requires a minimum score of 84 on the TOEFL or 6.5 on the IELTS for admission. For more details, see Rackham's website.

 

Application Period

The application will be made available in August, and the deadline will be December 1st. All materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received by the deadline.

Applicants are responsible for making sure that their application materials arrive on time and that their application is complete. Late submissions will not be considered.

Please be sure to confirm your materials are correct and finalized before submitting your application, as we are unable to accept changes to application materials after they have been submitted.

Applicants will be notified of decisions in mid-February.

For information on joint program application procedures and deadlines, please visit the School of Social Work website or the Ford School of Public Policy website. 

Questions?

Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact soc-admissions@umich.edu with questions about the program or applying.

If you or your recommender need technical assistance regarding the application or recommendation systems please email ApplyWeb at help@applyweb.com. Include the following information: user name, full name, email address, and phone number. Please allow 24 hours for a response.