Bachelor of Science in Architecture (External Transfers)

Application Deadline:
February 1

Portfolio Deadline:
March 1

Enrollment Deposit and Intent to Enroll Deadline: 
May 1

Summer Intensive Transfer Studio begins (Arch 302):
Late June

Taubman College welcomes students currently enrolled at another college or university who wish to pursue the B.S. in Architecture.  We accept external transfer students every summer semester only (late June start).

Begin Application

/ Begin Your Application

All external transfer applicants submit their applications using the Transfer Common Application. All transfer applicants apply to Taubman College during the winter term of their sophomore year.

Note: External transfer applicants are required to select “Summer” as their Preferred Start Term on the Common Application in order to apply to Taubman College. All external transfer students admitted to Taubman College will begin architecture study in an intensive summer half-term (July-August) in order to facilitate a smooth transition to the Taubman College studio culture.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions processes all undergraduate applications and can answer all inquiries about application requirements and submission. You can use the “Ask Blue” Admissions Chatbot for questions you have.

Common Application
Admissions Knowledge Base
Prerequisites

/ Prerequisites

The following courses are required for transfer admission into the Bachelor of Science program and should be completed before external transfer students begin at Taubman junior year. Please use the college transfer guides below and/or the U-M Transfer Equivalency Search to determine whether the course(s) you are taking are transferrable. Use this worksheet to keep track of prerequisite courses.

College Transfer Guides

If you are considering a transfer to Taubman College, we highly encourage you to contact a Taubman College Admissions Officer to have an estimate of transfer credit completed.

Please see the transfer guides below. If the school that you are attending is not listed, please contact a Taubman College Admissions Officer and a guide can be created. Please note that it may take some time for a guide to be created, depending on the time of year the request is made.

Course Credits
1 First Year Writing Requirement equivalent 3-4
1 Calculus course 4
2 Physics courses with labs 8
2 introductory studio drawing/art courses 6-8
2 Humanities Courses 6
1 Natural Science Course 3
2 Social Science Courses 6
Transferable Electives 9-24
Total Transferable Credits 49-70

Technical Credits: A maximum of seven technical credits are transferable (e.g., digital media, drafting, CAD, construction, HVAC, architecture technology, welding, technical writing, architectonics, building technology, codes, cost estimation, automotive repair, etc.).

View Sample Schedule
Application Materials

/ Required Application Materials

Transcripts

Transcripts from all universities/colleges are required.

A high school transcript is also required:  Proof of high school completion–final official high school/secondary school record (including 9th-12th grades and graduation date) or GED exam results.

Transcripts can also be submitted electronically by a school official to transcripts@umich.edu or via parchment to the following address:

University of Michigan
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
515 East Jefferson Street
1220 Student Activities Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1316

English Proficiency

MELAB, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo test scores are required if English is not your first language. Please see the exams and visas page for required score ranges.

Recommendation from an Instructor

One recommendation from a college instructor (professor, lecturer, or a graduate student instructor) is required. Preference is from an art or design instructor.

Use the Transfer Common Application “Recommendations” section (select “ Add Academic Recommendations”) to enter your instructor’s information, and then they will complete the recommendation section within the Transfer Common App.

Your recommender will have the option to upload a separate letter, which is optional.

 

Submit Portfolio

/ Submit Your Portfolio

The portfolio is required and is submitted through Slideroom. Use this one-page checklist to stay on track with your portfolio submission.

There is a $6 fee to submit your portfolio. Students who receive an application fee waiver will also receive a SlideRoom fee waiver. Please email taubmancollegeadmissions@umich.edu to notify us of your application fee waiver.

Required Formatting

Required Cover Page

Must include:

  • Your last name, first name
  • Street address, city, state, postal code, country
  • Email address
  • Telephone number

Document and File Information

  • One Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file
  • 20 MB maximum
  • Not to exceed  8 ½”x 11” (portrait or landscape)
  • 8-10 pages, in addition to one cover page

Page Formatting

Each project or piece of work should be labeled neatly with the following information:

  • Title of the work
  • Media
  • The year it was produced
  • Whether the work was undertaken independently or as part of a group effort (for group projects, the label should indicate the type and extent of the applicant’s personal involvement)
  • The context in which it was produced (a class, in an office, independent work, etc.)

Generative AI

Generative AI is emerging as a tool in the design process. Work produced using generative AI is permitted to be included in the portfolio only if images are clearly labeled and identified.

Any work not fully authored by the applicant that is not clearly identified will not be eligible for review consideration by the admissions committee.

Suitable Work for Portfolio Inclusion

Portfolio content may include, but is not limited to:

  • Architectural design or building
  • Ceramics
  • Costume design
  • Digital media
  • Fashion design
  • Freehand Drawing
  • Graphic design
  • Industrial design
  • Interior design
  • Mechanical Drawing
  • Other crafts
  • Painting
  • Photography
  • Printmaking
  • Sculpture
  • Sewing
  • Stage design
  • Two- and three-dimensional pieces
  • Woodworking
Application Status and Evaluation

/ Application Status and Evaluation

Enrollment Connect is a U-M website for all application needs: track your checklist and application status, receive important messages from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, view application decision, and more. To log in, use the login credentials from the email sent from Michigan.Admissions@umich.edu verifying your application submission has been successful. If you have not received your login credentials, please visit Verification Email Not Received.

Checking Application Status

Decision Notification

Selection Process and Decision FAQs

Eligible transfer applicants are considered for admission on the basis of the following criteria:

  • Quality and content of all previous academic education
  • Other data, which indicates professional growth and motivation toward architecture-written statement of career goals, employment, academic record, letters of recommendation, and portfolio, etc.

Students who have completed first-year/sophomore studies at other universities or community colleges are evaluated on the same basis as those who have completed years 1 and 2 at the University of Michigan.

Paying the Enrollment Deposit (EDR)

Checking Financial Aid and Residency Appeals

Updating Application

Transfer Students in the News

/ Transfer Students in the News

Read about Delta College architecture transfer student Aaron Comstock’s recent experience at the FIREHOUSE Station Design Conference as a graduate student heading into his M.Arch degree at Taubman College.

Read the Article
a logo reading "station design conference"

/ Questions

Visit the Undergraduate Admissions website to learn more about the application process.

Undergraduate Admissions FAQs