Transfer Bridges to Michigan is an opportunity for GRCC students interested in transferring to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan.

To learn more about the support available on GRCC's campus, visit the Transfer Bridges website at Grand Rapids Community College. 

Benefits of joining Transfer Bridges

Tailored Support and Advising

Through individual advising conversations, online resources, and workshops, your professionals from the Transfer Bridges team will help you develop your academic plan, choose courses to maximize transfer credit, and set your professional goals.

Pre-Transfer Academic Advising

The LSA Transfer Bridges Coordinator will help you create your academic plan that maximizes your transfer credit and help you connect to all the amazing learning experiences available to you as a Transfer Bridges student.

LSA Opportunity Hub
Schoolcraft students can make an individual appointment with a U-M Career Coach to help you learn more how practical a liberal arts degree can be. The LSA Opportunity Hub Partners with students to form their professional identity by exploring the connection between a liberal arts education and aspirations. Students have access to coaching, courses, internships, funding, mentoring, networking with employers and LSA alums in their broad array of industries.  

Transfer Mentorship

As a member of the Transfer Bridges program you can choose to be matched with a Transfer Student Ambassadors who also transferred from Schoolcraft to LSA as a mentor. They will help guide you through the exploration and application process while providing the student perspective on what it is like to be a U-M student transferring from a Michigan community college.

Learning and Social Experiences

optiMize
optiMize is a student-led organization that offers workshops, mentorship, and funding for students to create self-directed projects that make a positive impact. Transfer Bridges students can take part in storytelling workshops, visits to Ann Arbor, and participation in social innovation challenges while they are still enrolled at GRCC.

optiMize moMentum is for community college students pre-transfer. optiMize aMplify is for transfer students at Michigan. Both are led by UM students who recently transferred, and both connect you with some of Michigan's most valuable resources.

The moMentum fellowship gives you the opportunity to spend two days exploring the University of Michigan—either in Ann Arbor or at a site closer to you—exploring everything that UM has to offer in the way of resources, social innovation, and entrepreneurial skills. Plus you will meet a lot of amazing fellow community college students and receive a $500 stipend for participating.

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)
UROP engages students in research and creative inquiry by providing opportunities to work on research and creative projects with U-M researchers and community partners in all academic disciplines. UROP offers three research fellowship programs for community college students that you can apply to.

Detroit River Story Lab
A one-day experience in which you will join UM-faculty to explore the Detroit River aboard a schooner with a focus on the river as a vital natural resource and a cornerstone of Detroit's community heritage.

Field-based courses at the University of Michigan Biological Station
Michigan community college students are invited to immerse themselves in nature through field-based courses at the University of Michigan Biological Station in Pellston along Douglas Lake. Students can apply to be funded through Transfer Bridges for the humanities-based courses in Summer term or apply to to be funded through the Bio Station with the opportunity to take any of the classes offered in either Spring or Summer terms.

Culture Corps
Culture Corp gives you the opportunity to explore careers in the arts and humanities by participating in paid internships within arts and cultural organizations in Michigan.

Program Eligibility

• This program is open to any GRCC student interested in transferring to U-M's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
• Participation in the Transfer Bridges program does not guarantee your admissions to the University of Michigan.

Want to Learn More?

Connect with Elena Wong, the LSA transfer advisor for GRCC students

1. Fill out this form to request information.

• Elena will then contact you to schedule an online appointment to get you started on your transfer plans.

2. Chat with Elena on GRCC's campus

• Check back for our visit dates for 2026

3. Attend an online LSA Transfer Information Session  

• These online group information sessions cover all the basics about transferring.