Community college transfer requirements to University of Michigan
University of Michigan is a major receiving institution for community college transfer students in Michigan. This page summarizes the published minimum GPA, application deadline, credit cap, and articulation framework you need to plan the transfer.
Transfer-admission profile
University of Michigan publishes a transfer-admission policy distinct from its freshman policy. The minimum cumulative community college GPA for transfer applicants is approximately 3.2; competitive majors — particularly engineering, nursing, computer science, and the business school — typically require a higher GPA, often 3.2 or above, plus specific grades in named lower-division prerequisite courses. The university accepts up to 60 semester hours of community college credit toward the bachelor's; anything earned beyond that cap will appear on the transcript but will not reduce the credits required for graduation.
The application window is Feb 1 (fall) / Oct 1 (spring), and applicants should plan to have an official transcript from every previously attended college, the FAFSA submitted by the priority deadline, and (where required) a brief transfer essay or major-specific supplement. Some University of Michigan programs admit only for the fall term; others admit for both fall and spring. Confirm with the receiving department before you commit to a transfer term.
Step-by-step transfer plan
- Decide your target major. Read the University of Michigan department's transfer guide for that major, which lists every required and recommended lower-division course.
- Pick a feeder community college in Michigan that offers the matching transfer-track associate degree (AA, AS, or the state's transfer-associate variant).
- Map every semester against the University of Michigan articulation table. Confirm with both your community college advisor and the receiving department that the courses you plan to take will count.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA above 3.2 — and well above for the competitive majors. Aim for at least 3.2 if you're targeting an oversubscribed program.
- File the FAFSA before the priority deadline, request an official transcript from every prior college, and submit your application before Feb 1 (fall) / Oct 1 (spring).
- After admission, attend the transfer orientation, lock in your major declaration with the receiving department, and request a final credit evaluation in writing.
Common feeder community colleges
The community colleges below are the largest in Michigan by enrollment, and they each maintain established transfer pipelines into University of Michigan. Each profile lists the college's transfer rate, costs, and program offerings:
Lansing Community College
Monroe County Community College
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Jackson College
Delta College (Michigan)
Kellogg Community College
Grand Rapids Community College
Wayne County Community College District
Popular majors for transfer-in
Each program-area page below outlines the typical two-year coursework, prerequisites, and recommended sequence for transferring into the corresponding bachelor's program at University of Michigan:
- Business Administration at University of Michigan
- Nursing (RN) at University of Michigan
- Computer Science at University of Michigan
- Information Technology at University of Michigan
- Engineering Transfer at University of Michigan
- Early Childhood Education at University of Michigan
- Criminal Justice at University of Michigan
- Psychology at University of Michigan
- Biology / Pre-Health at University of Michigan
- Communications & Media at University of Michigan
- Liberal Arts (General Studies) at University of Michigan
- Hospitality & Culinary at University of Michigan