MADS accepts applications for three terms per calendar year. Please note, these timelines are general and subject to change:

• Spring/Summer term: Applications open in December and close in March. Classes begin early May.
• Fall term: Applications open in April and close in July. Classes begin late August.
• Winter term: Applications open in August and close in November. Classes begin early January.

Start your application here

Dates for fall 2025:

Application Live: March 31, 2025
Priority Deadline: June 15, 2025
Final Deadline: July 15, 2025
Classes begin: August 26, 2025

The University of Michigan School of Information’s Master of Applied Data Science welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds. We offer an agile curriculum that suits a wide range of applicants, including those who are returning to school full-time to pursue advanced study in data science and those who will complete their degrees while working part- or full-time.

We are interested in applicants who have a history of academic and/or professional success, who demonstrate creativity and a commitment to sophisticated problem solving, and who exhibit persistence, leadership, and initiative, and we welcome applicants with ample or little previous experience in data science.

Minimum requirements for admission

Completion of a bachelor's degree or an international degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree from a college or university recognized and approved by the higher education authority in the country where the degree is earned. Please review this document for more information about the required academic credentials from non-U.S. institutions

Note: if you have completed a three-year bachelor’s degree, please email [email protected] to inquire if this would be recognized as an equivalent degree.

Application components

Transcript(s)

One scanned or electronic transcript uploaded to the online application or mailed directly to us for all undergraduate and/or graduate programs from which you have degree(s). We will accept unofficial transcripts for application review and will require official transcripts if offered admission. Please note that we are not accepting physical transcripts at this time since our staff is working remotely due to office closures for COVID-19. Please send all transcripts electronically to [email protected].

If you have not yet completed your baccalaureate degree, you may submit a current (in-progress) transcript now and a final transcript showing degree conferral upon graduation.

(Video: MADS faculty member Chris Brooks talks about how taking the Python 3 MOOC can prepare you for the MADS degree)

Tests

Entrance assessment

Applicants may choose from two assessment options: standard or advanced standing. 

The standard assessment allows students from all academic backgrounds, with foundational Python programming skills, to demonstrate readiness through a brief Python assessment and interview. 

The advanced standing assessment is for students with higher-level Python programming, data manipulation and basic statistics skills. Students who successfully complete this assessment and interview will earn 4 of the 38 credits required for the degree.

Interviews are 30-45 minutes, via Zoom, with an individual from the School of Information’s enrollment team. The interview covers the same academic areas as the assessment.

Learn more about the topics covered by each assessment.

Non-native English speaker assessment

We require the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if English is your non-primary language. For the TOEFL, scores of 25 in all areas with a score of at least 100 overall are recommended. For the IELTS scores of 7 in all areas with a 7 or better overall is recommended. Both "at home" versions of the test are acceptable. The TOEFL and IELTS must be taken within the past two years. Applicants who have earned a bachelor's or master's degree are exempt from taking an English proficiency examination if one or more of the following criteria is met:

• You are a native English speaker.
• You completed all of your undergraduate and/or graduate education and earned a degree at an institution where all classes are taught exclusively in English.
• You are a current University of Michigan student.

If, for example, an applicant completed two years of an undergraduate degree program at a non-English speaking institution and then transferred to an English speaking institution, they do not meet the criteria for exemption. Similarly, being a U.S. citizen or a U.S. permanent resident does not automatically exempt an applicant from taking TOEFL. If the applicant’s first language is not English, the applicant must meet the exemption or submit their TOEFL score.

In addition to the in-person TOEFL and IELTS options, we also accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, which is an online alternative that is identical in content, format and on-screen experience to the in-person TOEFL.

No standardized tests required!

We do not require the GRE or any other additional tests as part of our admissions process.

Application fees 

• $75 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents
• $90 for international applicants 

Application fees are non-refundable.
We offer fee waivers for those who qualify.