Admissions Requirements

The Michigan Tech Graduate School collects all student applications. Visit their How to Apply page when you're ready to proceed with the application process.

All students applying to graduate programs in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science must submit the following materials to the graduate program director. (Mailing address)

  • GRE scores. Desirable scores are 500 verbal and 500 quantitative. However, admission decisions consider all application materials.
  • Personal résumé
  • Description. List the name(s) of desired faculty advisor(s), program, and description of your anticipated area of study and research interest—one to two pages. (Not applicable to Peace Corps/MI and Master of Forestry students)
  • Three letters of recommendation. These can be requested electronically through your Husky Hub account, once your application has been processed. You may also use the paper form.

Deadlines

Applications will be accepted throughout the year. However, applications for fall enrollment should be completed by late February. Apply at least a semester in advance to improve your chances of receiving funding.

Procedures

All applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. However, your application cannot be reviewed until all materials required by both the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science and the Michigan Tech Graduate School have been received. The Graduate School will notify applicants of the admission decision. Students may track the status of their application on Husky Hub.

Graduate School Eligibility Requirements 

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, the applicant must be

  • the recipient of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution;
  • adequately prepared for advanced study in the chosen field of specialization, as demonstrated by the previous program of study and the scholastic record; and
  • recommended for admission by the head of the program or concentration.

Application Requirements

Programs typically will not review an application until all of the required materials have been submitted to the Graduate School. Program admissions requirements vary and are listed on our individual program websites.

Graduate School Application

Our application is free and available online.

Students without access to our online application may request a paper application by emailing Kristi Isaacson. Submitting a paper application or other documents by mail may delay a student’s application review (and decision) process.

Our online application may be used by both domestic and international students to apply to any of our degree programs, certificate programs, or for nondegree-seeking student status.

Formerly enrolled students who need to be readmitted should complete our Application for Readmission.

Statement of Purpose

As part of the Graduate School application process, students are required to complete a Statement of Purpose and provide specific areas of interest they have in association with their intended program of study. Students should pay careful attention to this section, as many departments place strong emphasis on this statement.

Programs that commonly have areas of interest associated with them have provided an Areas of Interest List to aid students in completing this section of the application.

The Statement of Purpose should

  • demonstrate a student’s passion for and knowledge of the intended plan of study using the language of the field;
  • articulate how a graduate degree will help to achieve future personal, professional, and career goals;
  • specify the intended program, area of study, research interest(s), and desired advisor (if applicable);
  • describe any professional and/or presentation experience; and
  • for research-based graduate degrees, describe research, enterprise, and/or publication experience.

Students are also encouraged to review the research interests of Michigan Tech faculty before writing the Statement of Purpose.

Official Transcripts

Students may upload copies of their previous college/university transcripts for the initial application review process. Students must be able to provide official transcripts and proof of degree(s) to complete their enrollment if accepted.

Admissions Tests

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required or encouraged by most graduate programs. The GMAT is also accepted for admission into the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

Students may upload copies of their test score reports for the initial application review process. Official scores must be provided to complete enrollment if accepted. Official scores should be sent directly to the Graduate School using our School Code: 1464.

International Students—Visa Requirement

International applicants must also provide proof of English proficiency. We accept both TOEFL and IELTS test results.

If you hold citizenship from and/or attended post-secondary school in a country where the primary language is English, you may request a waiver by submitting a Waiver/ Provisional Admit Request Form.

Letters of Recommendation

Programs require two to three letters of recommendation. Students should submit requests for letters of recommendation from their MyMichiganTech website.

If a student is submitting a sealed letter that they have previously received, it is still recommended that they also have their referee(s) complete our Letter of Recommendation Form by sending them a request through MyMichiganTech. A PDF Letter of Recommendation Form is also available, but please note that submitting paper documents may delay a student’s application review (and decision) process.

Additional Required Documents

Students should review all of the documents required by their program(s) of interest prior to beginning the application process. Additional documents/requirements that may be necessary include the following:

  • Résumé / Curriculum vitae
  • Writing Sample
  • Prerequisite Courses
  • Previous Degree in a Specified Field

Application Deadlines

Although most programs review applications on a rolling basis throughout the year, students are encouraged to follow the recommended deadlines on the individual program pages for the best chance for admission.

Applying early may increase your opportunities for funding.

Deferral of Enrollment

Accepted students may defer their enrollment for a period of 12 months, for example, from one fall semester to the next. Deferral beyond this time is not allowed, and admission will require a new application. Contact the Graduate School for more information.

International Students: Additional Information

Provisional Admission

Academically eligible students who do not meet the English language proficiency requirements for their intended graduate program may be granted provisional admission in order to successfully complete training in our English as a Second Language program (ESL). Not all graduate programs offer provisional admission. To apply for provisional admission, students must submit a Waiver/Provisional Admit Request Form with their application. Students do not need to separately apply to ESL.

Master's Path Program

Graduates of a three-year bachelor's degree program may be required to take additional courses prior to beginning graduate studies.

Immigration Documents

An I-20 or DS-2019 will be authorized by Michigan Tech once the student has been accepted to a degree program and a Certification of Finances Form and official supporting documents (and applicable signatures) have been submitted/uploaded to the Graduate School. Students are encouraged to provide their proof of funding documents when completing their application, but it is not required.

Requesting Express Shipping

If accepted to the University, students may choose to have their immigration documents sent to them by express mail. Michigan Tech partners with eShip Global to send immigration documents through FedEx Express.

To request express shipping,

  • create an account with eShip Global;
  • request your shipment by choosing the "Receive" option with your account; and
  • provide your Michigan Tech ID (M-number), mailing address, email address, phone number, and credit card information.

Once a shipment request is processed, our office is notified and the documents are shipped to the address provided in the request. Students will receive a tracking number when they submit a request, which allows the shipment to be tracked on the eShip Global website.

Visa Application Process

Our International Programs and Services (IPS) Office provides a list of required items students will need and how to prepare for an F-1 or J-1 Visa Interview.

MyMichiganTech

Students may view all of their required documents (including additional program-required documents) on their personalized MyMichiganTech website after they have applied*. In addition, students may

  • check the status of their application(s),
  • upload any missing documents,
  • request electronic letters of recommendation, and
  • verify their personal and contact information.

*MyMichiganTech access is granted by email within a week of submitting an online application.

Graduate Program Director
School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences
Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931-1295