Application deadlines run on round-based cycles. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as admissions is highly competitive, however, please make note of the respective enrollment deposit deadlines for each round. Please note the final deadlines for students requiring a visa, and be sure to review the Application Requirements page for details and specific application deadline dates.
To be considered for an application deadline, the admissions office must receive all of your materials by the deadline. If all application materials are not in by the deadline, the application will be pushed to the next deadline.
No, you can only apply for consideration to one round in the same academic year.
No. Applying to the MAcc program and another program at Michigan Ross is not possible and will negatively impact your application. We are specifically looking for students who have a passion for accounting and who are looking for a career in this field. Applying to multiple programs only shows that you may not be set on pursuing a career in accounting.
Yes. You may enroll in dual-degree programs after being accepted to both Michigan Ross and the other school or college in which you are interested. Separate applications are required to both schools. Acceptance to either school is not contingent upon the other. Learn more about Student-Initiated Dual Degrees here.
If you are currently or have previously been enrolled in another graduate program, you are welcome to apply, however, regardless of the program studied, no coursework can be transferred into our program.
No. If you are interested in pursuing an MBA at Michigan Ross, we encourage you to consider attending one of their informational events.
You can apply as long as your undergraduate degree is complete and marked final on your transcript prior to the start of the MAcc program. Most of our students enroll directly after completion of their undergraduate degree.
We seek diversity in the backgrounds of our admitted students, just as we do in other parts of our applicants' profiles. No one undergraduate major, industry, or field is favored over another. However, we do have certain mandatory prerequisites that must be completed by all applicants prior to the start of the program. Please review these mandatory prerequisites by visiting our Application Requirements web page here.
A U.S. bachelor’s degree or equivalent U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required for application. We accept most three-year bachelor’s degrees as long as they are equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree. You can visit World Education Services WES to see how your degree is valued in the U.S.
Candidates are required to satisfy the equivalent of five prerequisite courses prior to starting the Master of Accounting program. The courses may be complete, in progress or intended at the time of application submission, however, strong preference will be given for completed coursework.
Mandatory Prerequisite Courses:
- Principles of Financial Accounting
- Principles of Managerial Accounting
- Intermediate Financial Accounting*
- Microeconomics
- Statistics or Business Statistics *
Intermediate Financial Accounting may require two separate courses at some institutions. The full sequence is required to meet the prerequisite requirement.
For a course to meet our prerequisite requirements:
- Prerequisites may be completed in-person or online at any degree-granting, accredited (or government-recognized) community college or 4-year university.
- Earned a grade of “C” or better.
Advanced Placement credit, which appears on a college transcript, can fulfill the economics and/or statistics prerequisite requirement.
Finance courses, CPA exam scores or licensure may not be used to waive any accounting prerequisite course.
We understand that course titles vary by institution, so if you are unsure whether you meet our prerequisite requirements, you are welcome to complete and submit a Prerequisite Assessment Form prior to application. Please send the completed form to rossmacc@umich.edu along with an unofficial transcript. The MAcc Program Office will review your coursework and respond via email.
Applicants who have earned or will earn their undergraduate degree from a non-U.S. institution are required to submit a Course-by-Course WES Evaluation Report. Please be sure to secure your completed WES Evaluation Report in advance of submitting your program application. Please select and send your WES Evaluation Report to the University of Michigan Ross School of Business - One-Year Master's Programs. We also ask that your personal copy of the WES Evaluation Report is scanned and uploaded into the program application. Please allow at least 4-6 weeks for the evaluation process to be completed.
Transcripts must be submitted from every undergraduate or postgraduate institution you’ve attended. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded to your application and are sufficient for evaluation. If you are admitted to the program, final official transcripts will be required from every institution attended prior to starting the program.
We review applications comprehensively, and every component is crucial to your evaluation. It's important to clearly explain your interest in accounting and how your background makes you an ideal candidate. We also hope you demonstrate clear career goals and understand why the Michigan Ross MAcc is the best fit for you.
You must have one online application-generated reference form on file to be considered for admission. Choose an individual who knows you well and can speak specifically about your aptitude for success in graduate school (either from an academic or professional source). We do not accept recommendations from family members or personal acquaintances. Applications will not be considered complete until the reference form is on file.
No. You must have one recommendation form on file to be considered for admission. Forms are generated through the online application system and are the only type of recommendation accepted. Choose individuals who know you well and can speak specifically about your aptitude for success in graduate school.
No. Interviews are conducted by invitation only. If the Admissions Committee invites you to interview, you will receive the invitation and scheduling information via email. The interview provides the committee with more information about you and is not an indication of the outcome of your application.
It varies. The optional essay is primarily offered to give applicants a place to tell the Admissions Committee pertinent information that has not been addressed in the other areas of the application. For example, if there are gaps in your resume, the optional essay could be used to explain them. However, it is important to note that the application review is holistic, and that all components of your application will be reviewed when making an admissions decision.
We are looking for individuals with strong leadership skills and potential for success. We gauge this by looking at previous and current activity. In addition, please include all extracurricular, leadership, and volunteer work on your resume as well.
We do not require work experience prior to entering the MAcc program. However, we do expect most applicants to have some form of industry engagement prior to entering the program. This can be in the form of full-time or part-time work, focused study, or internships. We evaluate engagement not in terms of quantity, or number of years worked, but in terms of the quality of the engagement, as well as the applicant’s natural leadership qualities. We want to know what each candidate will be able to contribute to the Ross community and to their colleagues within the classroom. In addition, candidates should have superb academic credentials and possess the maturity and self-confidence to handle the intensity of the program.
The application fee is $100 USD.
The application fee is automatically waived if:
- You are an active member or veteran of the U.S Military.
- You served as a member of Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Teach for America, Teach for China, Teach for India, or other Teach for All Network Partners within the past five years.
- You are currently enrolled in a University of Michigan graduate degree program.
- You are a citizen of a country on the UN's list of least-developed countries.
- You are a current Fulbright Scholar.
We do not waive application fees for any other reason.
Each application round has a corresponding week in which decisions will be shared with applicants who applied in that round. Please note that your evaluation will not start until all application documents have been received. This includes recommendation forms, transcripts, and (if required) exam scores.
Waitlisted students may have an opportunity for admission if space is available. It is common to remain on the waiting list for several months, and we ask you to be patient. If you have new information regarding updated grades or test scores, you may send one update per admission cycle via email to rossoymadmissions@umich.edu.
Yes. Ross retains your application documents for one application cycle. If you choose to reapply to the program one start term after your original application, you will only be required to submit a new application form, one recommendation form, and an updated resume with a cover letter detailing any updates from your previous application. Applicants reapplying more than one year from their original start term will be required to resubmit all application components. To reapply, please use your original login and password to access the online application.
MAcc admission decisions are final and non-negotiable. However, if you have information you think is crucial to your evaluation that was not included in your original submission, you may appeal the decision of the Admissions Committee by writing the director of the MAcc program. Letters can be emailed to rossoymadmissions@umich.edu.
The Admissions Committee will grant an admission deferral request only in cases of personal medical emergency or US military assignment that precludes starting the program in the original term of admission. If a deferral is granted, students must pay their enrollment deposit to secure a seat in the following year's class; deferrals are for a maximum of one year and can be given only once per student.
The MAcc program is an eight-month, fall start, cohort-style program with a mandatory orientation in August. The Ross MAcc program is only offered full time and it cannot be extended beyond one academic year. All classes are conducted in person on our Ann Arbor campus.
You can reach us by email at rossmacc@umich.edu.
Contact the U-M’s residency office at 734-764-1400. Residency information is also available online at www.ro.umich.edu/resreg.php.
Yes. Graduates holding a student visa are eligible to apply for an Optional Practical Training extension for up to a total of 36 months, helping international students gain additional real-world skills and experience in the U.S.
We do not offer a particular specialization or concentration track. However, our MAcc program allows flexibility to take electives that meet your individual goals. Your specialization is created by the electives you choose to complete while enrolled in the program.
Yes! As a MAcc student, you are permitted to count a maximum of 6.0 credit hours outside of Ross toward your degree electives. These courses must be taken at U-M while enrolled in the program, they must not conflict with your core course schedule and they must be eligible for graduate-level credit. External courses may not be transferred into the program.
If becoming a CPA is one of your goals, our program is designed in part to prepare you with the skills and knowledge needed. Program advisors make good faith efforts to work with each individual student who notifies us that they wish to seek licensure, to tailor a program pathway that will meet the educational requirements of their intended state licensure.
Each State Board of Accountancy makes the final determination on whether or not you are eligible to sit for the exam. State educational requirements for CPA licensure are subject to change, and the University of Michigan cannot guarantee that all such requirements will be satisfied through completion of the Ross MAcc. Students interested in obtaining a CPA license are therefore strongly encouraged to confirm their ability to satisfy all educational requirements for CPA licensure with the State Accountancy Board in the specific state or U.S. district or territory where they wish to become licensed. Contact information for State Accountancy Boards in all jurisdictions can be found on the National Association for State Boards of Accountancy’s (NASBA) directory page. If you have any difficulty locating the relevant contact information, please contact the program office and we will assist you.
CPA candidates at the University of Michigan have pass rates much higher than the national average, with 12 students earning the AICPA Elijah Watt Sells Award since 2012. This prestigious award is an honor given to candidates who obtain a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the CPA exam within one year on their first attempt.
To protect yourself and ensure compliance, you should contact the State Board of Accountancy where you intend to work to determine how your courses will "count" and what additional courses are required. Early research on the education requirements mandated by the state where you intend to practice will allow you to plan your elective study to meet their specific conditions. If you are an enrolled student, the MAcc program will be happy to assist you in identifying courses and determining how you can tailor your program to ensure exam eligibility. State Board contact information is available at the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) website.
We do not have a minimum GPA requirement, but most admitted students (middle 80%) have a GPA between 3.3 and 4.0, with an overall average of 3.7.
The GRE/GMAT requirement is waived for any student who at the time of application has a cumulative (not major) GPA of 3.30 or above (rounded from the third decimal place) from their undergraduate degree granting institution (applicants who are required to submit a WES evaluation will be evaluated for qualification on the basis of their WES GPA). Please note that the Admissions Committee does reserve the right to request test scores if they feel it is necessary to better evaluate an application. We accept GMAT or GRE scores taken at a test center or online.
If you have a 3.295 GPA or higher, the GMAT/GRE test requirement is waived.
There is no minimum score requirement, but we recommend a total score of 650 or above on the GMAT or a GRE score of 160 or above on the verbal section and 165 or above on the quantitative section.
GMAT and GRE test scores are valid for five years from the date you took the test.
Academic institutions generally receive scores within 10 business days after the test is taken. Additionally, you will self report and upload your unofficial score report in your online application.
Applicants whose native language is not English or who did not complete their undergraduate degree at an accredited institution where English was the sole language of instruction must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 100 or higher (iBT) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a score of 7.0 or higher. Scores below the minimum will not be considered. The University of Michigan TOEFL score reporting code is 1839 and to have IELTS scores sent electronically to Ross, select “University of Michigan – Ann Arbor” as the recipient. We accept TOEFL or IELTS scores from a test center or online.
TOEFL or IELTS scores are valid for two years from the date of the exam. Your application submission must occur within this two-year period.
We do not accept PTE scores.
International applicants who studied at an accredited institution where English was the sole language of instruction for the entirety of their undergraduate degree are exempt from the TOEFL or IELTS requirement.
Students in the Ross MAcc program will primarily fund their degree through loans and personal savings.
The Ross School of Business extends scholarships to Master of Accounting students with outstanding academic and leadership merit and financial need. Interested students must complete the scholarship section of their graduate application. Please note, scholarship responses have no bearing on admissions decisions. Award amounts vary by available funding and the number of applicants but typically range from $5,000-$15,000 per year.
The Michigan Ross Office of Financial Aid will work with admitted students in identifying loan options to fit their needs.
You do not need to show proof of financial resources upon application to the program. However, if you are admitted confirmation of financial resources will be required.
