Candidates are required to satisfy the equivalent of five prerequisite courses prior to starting the Master of Accounting program.​

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.

Within the application, you must outline a plan for completion of our five mandatory prerequisite courses. This is a standard page of the application and not an independent submission. 

Upon submission, all courses will be reviewed to determine their equivalency to Ross offerings. If all courses are not complete at the time of application, your application may be held until grades in these courses are reported, or you may receive admission conditional upon proof that the courses have been completed prior to starting the MAcc program.

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.

Prerequisite Assessment Form:

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.

^{*Courses offered online due to the COVID-19 pandemic will fulfill prerequisite requirements. These courses must have been taken between March, 2020 - July 2021.}

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.

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. Your WES evaluation needs to be the US version. The Canadian version will not be accepted. Please allow at least 4-6 weeks for the evaluation process to be completed.

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.

You can provide GMAT or GRE scores taken either at a test center or online, which are valid for five years after taking the exam. You may self-report your score on the application or upload unofficial score reports. If accepted, official reports will be required. If you take the GMAT or GRE more than once, we will use your highest total score and the corresponding breakout scores in evaluating your application. We do not mix and match scores. Ross’ GMAT reporting code is SN1-J6-34; our GRE reporting code is 1839; reporting codes are valid for several Ross graduate programs.

If you would like to submit scores even if you meet the 3.30 cumulative GPA waiver you can do so. While filling out your application you will check “No” when asked to indicate if your GPA is 3.30 or higher. This will allow you to self-report your scores. If you choose to do this, you are required to have ETS send official scores.

Your resume should include up-to-date educational information and professional experience (please include dates). These should correspond with the dates you provide in your application. You may include community/professional service activities as well as hobbies/interests.

1. How will the MAcc program support you in achieving your short- and long- term career goals? What led you to pursue a graduate degree in business? (200 word minimum. Content beyond 300 words will not be reviewed.)
    
2. Michigan Ross deeply values student engagement beyond the classroom. Please describe two or three meaningful ways in which you have engaged in your communities. (200 word minimum. Content beyond 300 words will not be reviewed.)
    
3. Choose one (1) short answer prompt from the list below. (200 word minimum. Content beyond 300 words will not be reviewed.)
   
   An academic challenge I faced as a college student is/was…
   The greatest lesson I have learned thus far is…
   My best friend or colleague would describe me as…
   I am most proud of…
   My mentor is... because…
   My greatest responsibility is/has been…
   A time I helped resolve a group conflict was…
   I feel at my best when…

Optional Information:
If there is any other information that you believe is important to our assessment of your candidacy, feel free to add it to your application. (If in written form, limit your response to 500 words.)
 

Michigan Ross uses a program-specific reference form and we require a submission from two references. Please note that reference letters will not be accepted and ensure your recommenders are aware of this format when asking them to be a reference. Select individuals who can discuss your academic performance, professional performance, and/or work style. In order to obtain a viewpoint that is as objective as possible, we ask that you do not submit either reference from a personal or family source.

Interviews are conducted by invitation only and via video conference. Interviews are expected to last up to 20 minutes and will be conducted by a member of the admissions committee or program office staff. Not every applicant is interviewed and interviews do not predict if a person is being considered for admission or not.

If invited to interview, you can expect to be asked behavioral-type questions as well as questions related to your resume and application components. We are not evaluating your academic competencies, but are looking to assess your critical thinking as well as how you would contribute to an inclusive school environment.

The non-refundable 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.

International applicants are required to submit copies of both an academic record and diploma (or other document indicating the date and conferral of your degree). Copies of documents are acceptable at the time of application; official documents will be requested if you are admitted to the program. If you will earn or have earned your undergraduate degree from a non-U.S. institution, you are required to submit a WES Evaluation Report.

We accept most three-year bachelor’s degrees, as long as they are equivalent to a four-year U.S. degree.

If the original language of the academic record and diploma is not English, a certified English translation must accompany the original document. The translation should be literal rather than interpretive. If a certified copy of the original transcript is submitted, it must be certified by the institution from which the degree was received. Documents notarized by a notary public are not acceptable.

Credentials must include

• Years of attendance at the academic institution
• Courses taken
• Grades received
• Dated degree, diploma, or certificate

English-Language Proficiency

If your native language is not English, you must demonstrate competence in English by taking either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam at a test center or online.

The minimum qualifying scores are:

• TOEFL: 100
• IELTS: 7.0

In addition to meeting the minimum total score requirement, the admissions committee reviews each section independently to ascertain proficiency. While not a formal requirement, the ideal applicant has a speaking score starting at 20 for TOEFL and 7.0 for IELTS.

The TOEFL or IELTS exam must be taken no more than two years prior to the application deadline date.

For the TOEFL exam, we require the internet-based test (iBT) version of the exam. Ross’ TOEFL score reporting code is 1839.

To have IELTS scores sent electronically to Ross, select “University of Michigan – Ann Arbor” as the recipient.

Exemptions: 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.

The Admissions Committee will grant an admission deferral request only in cases of medical emergency or U.S. military assignment that preclude 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 only be given once per student.

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 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