University of Michigan

Published on: August 23, 2024

The University of Michigan (U-M, UMich, or Michigan) is a public research university based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. UMich is home to more than 51,000 students, out of which 8,861 are international students from 130+ countries. International students make up more than 17% of the overall student population. U-M has steadily maintained its position among the top 25 universities globally since 2019. According to the QS World Rankings 2024, the University of Michigan ranking is #33.

UMich is one of the best public research universities that offers highly ranked graduate programs. Business Administration and Management; Computer and Information Sciences; and Mechanical Engineering are some of the popular majors offered by UMich. The University of Michigan acceptance rate is 20.2%, which makes the University highly selective. Candidates need a 3.7 GPA to secure admission at the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan tuition fee for an MS course ranges from INR 33.04 L – 49.23 annually. The living cost for first-year students at the University of Michigan will be around USD 16,000, including housing, meals, books, and personal expenses.

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is known as one of the ‘public Ivies’. U-M is known for offering popular programs in STEM, social science, and business. It is one of the first public universities in the world accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (an independent corporation). It is one of the six regional accreditors in the US that accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the United States.

University of Michigan History

The University of Michigan was established in 1817 as “Catholepistemiad,” meaning “School of Universal Knowledge.” It drew inspiration from the French education model, aiming to be a centralized system comprising schools, libraries, and scientific institutions. In the initial years, it functioned like a network of private schools, laying the groundwork for a more comprehensive university structure. The state constitution granted the university a unique status as a “coordinate branch of state government,” giving it significant autonomy. The university was established in Ann Arbor. Despite a modest beginning with just a handful of students in 1841, the university experienced steady growth. The first classes in Ann Arbor commenced in 1841, culminating in the first graduating class of eleven students in 1845. In 1856, it established the nation’s first chemical laboratory designed solely for chemistry instruction. The university also played a pioneering role in professional education, founding its medical school in 1850, engineering college in 1854, and law school in 1859. Furthermore, the College of Dental Surgery, established in 1875, became the second university-based dental program in the U.S.

In the 20th century, the University of Michigan had established itself as a national leader, rivaling prestigious institutions like Harvard and Columbia. This leadership continued through the first half of the 20th century. The 20th century also witnessed a surge in infrastructure development and academic achievements. The Martha Cook Building, built in 1915, stands as a commitment to the university’s dedication to women’s education. The period from 1915 to 1941 saw the rise of a prominent physics department, attracting renowned physicists and hosting the Summer Symposium on Theoretical Physics, which brought luminaries like Niels Bohr and Enrico Fermi to campus. The University of Michigan also fostered groundbreaking academic movements, with figures like John Dewey and Charles Horton Cooley shaping the field of social sciences.