Reviewed on Feb 5, 2025(Enrolled 2023)
What Students Say
Likes
- Small Campus size (more convenience)
- Very affordable tuition fees (with scholarship)
- Very affordable cost of Living at Dearborn, Michigan
Dislikes
- Very less on-campus opportunities (given the small size)
- Might not be suitable for Data Science / Computer Science students as freshers
- Winters can get very cold and dark as early as 5pm
Course Curriculum
8
- I am pursuing my masters in automotive engineering The university has good curricula for powertrain and performance engineering and design and manufacturing the course is to include a blend of practical and theoretical knowledge Course difficulties are given a rating according to their course numbers few courses are very easy; however, a few selected courses are very difficult. That completely depends on the individual's performance and his expectations from the course.
- I particularly like the projects that were involved in my curriculums that helped build my profile and showcase it in front of the companies when I opted for CPT.
- Every week you have three lectures. Each lecture has a duration of 3 hours. The lectures are usually from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. or 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the evening and in the afternoon, respectively.
- Depending on the course, average class strength can range from eight students to 25 students per classroom.
- Graduate courses have a good population of Indian students; I would say sometimes 80% in some classes.
Admission Experience
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I applied for the following universities:
- 1. University of Michigan Dearborn - Admitted and Accepted
- 2. Clemson University - Admitted
- 3. Texas A&M - Rejected (probably my CGPA 3.53)
- 4. Arizona State University - Accepted
- 5. Georgia Tech - Rejected (probably cause no research work prior in undergrad)
- 6. Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK - Accepted
- 7. Coventry University, UK - Accepted
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University of Michigan Dearborn
- 1. Best coursework for Automotive (that fits me) in USA.
- 2. Very affordable Tuition.
- 3. Very Standard procedure - Application (2 LORs, SOP, Resume), Decision, i20, VISA, course registration.
- 4. Language proficiency required. (TOEFL above 80, IELTS), GRE and GMAT is not a mandatory requirement.
- 5. CGPA should be at least above 7.0 on a scale of 10.
- 6. Very smooth admission process, usually takes time to get the decision, got mine on April 6, that's pretty late. No such challenges faced
- I did my application in January 2023. I received my admit on April 6th 2023. I-20 was generated within a week. This was followed by the standard visa application process and slot booking everything was on time.
- I opted for fall semester as I would be eligible for CPT during your summer break.
- If I would have opted for the winter term, my summer break would have been in complete vain, as you will not be eligible to work in the summer term since you have not completed two semesters.
Faculty
6
- As I said, for a batch of eight students to 25 students the faculty ratio is very good. The faculty himself doesn't get involved directly but they are always happy to help as students with the questions if they have all the lectures recorded and you get notes for your lectures.
- Again, the professors and the teaching mythology varies from professor to professor depending on the course I feel that the course content is pretty detailed and the project helps in getting jobs. Feel the projects are so industry-relevant that they have job postings in the name of the course of the topic that has been taught.
- Faculty members do not directly help students get a part-time or full-time job; however, a few research opportunities arrive they do get a part-time opportunity however research opportunities are very limited in the mechanical and industrial fields at the University of Michigan, Dearborn.
Campus Life
8
- University of Michigan Dearborn is a standalone University and has just one campus.
- The University hosts a full size basketball ground ice skating rink engineering lab buildings with robotics chemical engineering automotive lab powertrain lab and a lot more. University has its own library it has medical services too.
- University host of plethora of events from Indian events like Diwali Holi to American events like Thanksgiving Halloween party and overall the cultural of the university is very lively and welcoming.
- University does have some application with the Ann arbor campus where they have teams off ice hockey basketball and soccer however they are not very well known to my knowledge.
Part Time Jobs
- Mechanical and industrial usually have a smaller number of TA and RAs. The computer science department has the most number of TS and RAs, up to 15, I believe. The pay range is usually from $15 per hour to $18 per hour for standard positions. The university also has certain test jobs and certain jobs at the offices of student life and the pay range is usually the same. 20 hours weekly is the general allowed maximum work hours.
- Getting an on-campus job is very difficult and does require a referral and a lot of networking and volunteering.
- The university has a portal where students can apply for jobs at careers.umich.edu. Again, getting an on-campus job is very rare and requires that the wages be from $15 per hour to $18 per hour. Tuition fees are not waived off for RA and TA positions. After submitting the application, students are shortlisted from a set of hundred applications reduced out of five applications, which are then interviewed and then the positions are filled.
Placement
6
- Students are eligible for employment only after completing two semesters. The pay range in Michigan for full-time job ranges from $20 per hour to $28 per hour for an internship. Full-time opportunities usually range from $60,000 per annum to 100,000 per annum based on experience and can go above $100,000 if you come with enough experience. Average pay is around $80,000.
- Again getting an opportunity depends on each individuals during the year of fall 23 not many got placed but a decent amount of students I would say got placed in companies like stalantis Ford on contract and other companies include ZF, Daimler, Tesla, Magna, etc.
Accommodation
Off Campus
10
- There's a student community called Indian graduate student association that was the first point of contact which helped me get accommodation and help to the airport pickups One can reach out to them at umdigsa@gmail.com.
- As I have my channel earlier monthly rent for individual stay is about $800 however shared accommodation can get as low as $390. For $800 you cash furnished apartment in a student elementary shared accommodation however you are just provide with kitchen utilities and the rest apartment is unfurnished.
- With the help of Indian graduate student association the process of accommodation and the airport pickups was extremely streamlined.
- There are some good communities called Fairlane Meadows and Fairlane Woods where majority of students are accommodated and the university shuttle goes through these places.
- These accommodations are within three miles of the university
Exams
- TOEFL and IELTS compulsory
- Other exams are not mandatory.
- The interview was not part of my application.
- For the application process, you need to LOR one statement of purpose and a CV. There are no particular restrictions on the number of alohas or the number of pages in the statement of purpose; everything should be standard. GRE or GMAT is not mandatory for admission
Fees
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College Tuition Fees
- I am enrolled in a computer science and engineering degree program. Every semester you have to enroll for at least three courses as an international student each course carry 3 credits. Tuition fees are due every semester. It's roughly comes to about $12,000 per semester which includes three courses. This fee includes $5,500 scholarship which is awarded to most of the international students.
- Accomodation
- Based on preferences accommodation is available in shared space and as a personal unit. University itself doesn't have any accommodation or an hostel if it's own but it does recommend a few housing communities.
- Private housing one person per bedroom may range from $800 to $1,100.
- Shared housing in a 2B2B to be apartment for 4 people is around $400 and for 5 people is around $450.
- University community Indian graduate student association (IGSA) helps students with accommodation, one can reach out to them at umdigsa@gmail.com.
- Cost of Living
- I currently stay in a shared space. 2B2B apartment with a total rent of $1930 shared among 5 students in total.
- Food expenses falls around $80 per month in my scenario.
- Electricity gas and Wi-Fi comes up to $40 to $50 per month on an individual.
- University shuttle takes care of weekly shopping and commutes to university daily.
- Fuel costs around $3 per gallon.
Scholarship
- I received the international student scholarship I believe the criteria for this is the CGPA should be at least seven on a scale of 10. The scholarship is $5,500 for semester.
- This scholarship is applied to an international student by default and I did not apply for any other scholarship through any other third-party portal or university portal. Don't mind knowledge most of the students who have a CGPA about seven receive this scholarship.
