International Student Support

At the University of Michigan School of Public Health, international students are an important part of the Michigan Public Health community. Last year, nearly a third of students at the University of Michigan School of Public Health were international students, which enriches the whole of our school’s culture with diverse backgrounds, cultures, values and perspectives.

As a student, you won’t need to look far beyond the walls of your classrooms at the School of Public Health for a strong international student community and a variety of support. Below you will find more information about the services and resources available here and across campus to help support international students during their time in Ann Arbor.

Support at Michigan Public Health

Student Success Coach

The School of Public Health has an embedded Student Success Coach, Beth Cable, who is available for students who are seeking support or have any questions about student life. As a student you can book an appointment with Beth Cable to receive one-on-one advising for help finding a community that shares their interests, connecting with academic support offerings, help with balancing the work-load of graduate school, and more. Learn more about what you can gain from student success coaching in this video.

Career Services

The University of Michigan School of Public Health Careers Office provides a supportive environment for all public health students to gain confidence in understanding their career goals, sharing about their skills and interests, and making meaningful connections within the public health field.

International Student Community Email Group

Each fall, new international students at the School of Public Health are invited to join a dedicated email group where you can connect with other international students and learn about resources and events that you may be interested in. Current students can find information about joining this group on The Heights.

Events and Programming

The University of Michigan School of Public Health understands the importance of building community outside of academics. We host social events and activities throughout the year to support and help students build relationships. We host orientation dinners to help welcome you to the community, fun events like games nights and meet-ups, and celebrations for all different holidays. Additionally, students can attend workshops on academic success, leadership, and cultural understanding. All of these SPH events are posted on the SPH Events Calendar.

Students can also explore the Happening@Michigan website to view all the events taking place on campus and the International Center’s website for a variety of events tailored to international students.

Student Organizations

Student organizations are an excellent way to find your social circle, learn new skills, pursue the topics you’re interested in, and get involved in the broader community. The University of Michigan School of Public Health also has more than 40 student organizations related to a broad range of public health topics. As a whole, the University of Michigan has more than 1,700 student organizations! Whatever your interests, there is sure to be a group for you. You can start researching organizations you may like to join on the Maize Pages website and use the search filters like “culture/ethics”, “graduate/professional”, or “religious/spiritual” to narrow down your search to what interests you.

University Support

The University of Michigan offices and organizations listed here are able to provide the best advice and help needed to answer international student questions.

International Center

The U-M International Center provides a variety of services to assist international students, scholars, faculty, and staff at the University of Michigan. The International Student and Scholar Services team serves as a key resource to the U-M community in the following ways:

Advises international students, scholars, their dependents, and university departments on compliance with U.S. immigration laws and regulations related to F and J visa categories
Recommends and approves immigration benefits
Verifies, tracks, and submits visa status notifications through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), as required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Advises on adjustment to United States society and American culture, academic concerns, and community resources
Processes DS-2019s, I-20s, travel signatures, and letters needed for travel, employment, maintaining status, social security numbers, and other immigration related matters
Conducts workshops and orientation sessions for international students, scholars, and U-M departments

Campus Information Centers (CIC)

The Campus Information Centers serve as the comprehensive information and referral source and provide accurate and timely information about campus resources, facilities, services, procedures, and events. CIC also coordinates the online university events calendar, Happening@Michigan, and the online listing of all departments and organizations.

English Language Institute (ELI)

The English Language Institute (ELI) is an independent unit offering credit-bearing courses within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. The ELI offers a variety of courses in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) for nonnative speakers of English enrolled at and visiting the University of Michigan. The courses are designed to enable students to enhance their linguistic and communicative skills in order to become effective, fully participating members of the academic community both during their time on campus and beyond. Approximately 80% of ELI’s students are graduate students, with the remainder comprised of undergraduates and visiting scholars. ELI courses are taken concurrently with other courses.

Academic Integrity & Writing Support

Academic writing standards differ from country to country. To follow best practices at the University of Michigan, here are a few resources:

Resources for Transitioning to the U.S.

Ready to join our pursuit?

If you’re ready to join our community at Michigan Public Health, we invite you to learn more about application requirements for international students. If you’re not ready to apply yet, but would like to receive more information about Michigan Public Health and the program(s) you’re interested in, join our prospective student interest list.

Apply Now Join Our Interest List