Details

• United States of America
• MAMark-21
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

The application process for us marketing students was quite straightforward. You simply rank your seven preferences, write a letter of motivation, and upload it together with your GPA in December. In general, grades are fairly important for the allocation process. Depending on which master’s program you are enrolled in, there are some partner universities that are recommended for you, which can also increase your chances if you apply to one of them. The results were out in mid-January. At the beginning of March, we received the first email from Ross Global Initiatives with instructions on how to create our U-M Uniqname, set up our account, and how the online application tools such as Wolverine Access and the iMpact webpage work. We also had to upload financial proof (a letter from the bank), a scan of our passport, and other required documents. Course registration was at the end of March, but you receive an email beforehand with your assigned registration date and time. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the registration tool as well as “course backpacking” (selecting your courses beforehand) so that you can register easily and on time. You need an F-1 visa to enter the U.S. I would recommend starting the visa process as soon as you receive the necessary information (the I-20 form) from the university. First, you need to fill out a long online questionnaire and then schedule an interview appointment. In my case, the next available interview date was only about one week away, but it’s better to schedule one sooner rather than later. I already had my visa before the U.S. visa interview process was temporarily halted last year, so I had everything settled and didn’t need to worry about whether it would resume in time. Therefore, it’s definitely better to start earlier rather than later.

2. Accommodation

Finding accommodation for the fall semester is very difficult. There are some student residences like The Yard or Verve. They are close to the university but a bit more expensive, and most of them only offer full-year rentals. I heard that some people were able to rent for just one semester, but they had to pay around $150 extra per month. Finding housing for the spring semester is much easier, as many students sublet their rooms when they go abroad. I ended up renting an Airbnb together with other students from WU. However, there are not many Airbnbs around. The one we stayed in was about three miles south of Ross, so we had to take the bus to get to campus. Luckily, there was a bus stop about a seven-minute walk away. The bus system in Ann Arbor generally works well. The buses are usually punctual and run approximately every 10 minutes. Our landlord was great. He was easy to reach and took care of any issues very quickly. The house was quite big, fully equipped, had four bedrooms and one guest room, and the neighborhood was quiet, friendly, and safe. The only downside was that it was a bit outside of town, but in the end, this wasn’t a big issue for the four months we stayed there. Start looking for accommodation early if you go in the fall. If you go in the spring, there are plenty of options. Leasing a room in a college house can be nice because it’s usually close to the university; however, the houses and rooms are sometimes a bit run-down. In the end, it’s a matter of how much you want to spend, how close you want to be to campus, and what is available.

3. Academic life at host university

The U-M campus is huge and very beautiful. As a master’s exchange student, you will mainly be based at Ross, which is a more modern building compared to the other U-M facilities. The MBA students are usually around 27–30 years old and have a lot of work experience, which can feel a bit overwhelming at first. However, they are very open and friendly, and in the end, as a WU student, I would say you can easily keep up with them. I mainly took classes with MBA2 students, so they were not as busy with recruiting as MBA1s. I only had one small exam but many group projects, case studies, and smaller assignments. In class, active participation is considered very important, at least according to what is written in the syllabus. However, some students still received excellent grades even though they rarely participated. Since the professors are highly renowned, I would say it is definitely beneficial to participate in class so they get to know you. You can also attend office hours, which is highly appreciated. In almost all of my classes, I had to do quite a lot of reading to prepare for each session, and class time was mostly spent discussing the material. It may seem like a lot at first, but it is definitely manageable. There are many learning spots on campus. Ross itself can be quite busy, but places like the Law Library or the Union are much calmer and great for studying. There is also a Starbucks located inside Ross, and plenty of options nearby to grab lunch or coffee.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transportation works quite well. With your student card, you can use the buses for free, as well as the gym (the Intramural Building), which is huge and always full of students. Regarding safety, Ann Arbor felt very safe, even at night. The college experience is truly out of this world and not comparable to WU at all. There are thousands of clubs you can join, whether sports clubs or business-related clubs. During the week before classes start, there were lots of parties going on, with students partying in the streets, sitting on rooftops, playing music, etc. Even if you are not into drinking or partying, definitely go and check it out – it’s like in the movies. MBA students usually went to Skeeps (Scorekeepers Bar) on Thursdays. There is an open tab, and it’s a great way to get to know your peers better. The highlight, however, was definitely home game Saturdays. I wasn’t into football at all before I went to Michigan, but you will fall for it as soon as you attend your first game at the Big House. The experience and atmosphere are just incredible, and the basic rules are easy to understand. If you are an MBA, you can go to “The Bus,” which is an MBA tailgate with free drinks and pizza very close to the stadium. Normally, you need to buy tickets, but you can try asking one of the MBA students organizing it and tell them you are an exchange student. They let us in for free. Make sure to learn the lyrics of Mr. Brightside before going, as it’s their song and is always played during the break between the third and fourth quarter. Halloween is also very fun! Make sure to look for a good costume early on - people take this very seriously. Sports options are endless, both watching and participating. I joined several running clubs, which were a lot of fun, especially the Java Joggers, a club run by MBA students. There, I met many of my peers from class and made some very good friends. Besides football, we watched student ice hockey (very fun!), basketball, and volleyball. If you’re interested, you can also check whether Detroit teams have any home games during your stay, as the city hosts teams in both the NFL and the NBA. Regarding tickets, you can already buy student football tickets in June, and I would definitely recommend doing so. Even if you don’t plan to attend every game, you can easily resell them on MaizeTix. Football tickets are allocated based on demand, and if demand is high, there will be a lottery where you either get all six home games or only three to four. When buying tickets in June, don’t join a large seating group, as we found that people who joined, for example, the international students’ seating group mostly only got three to four games. It also doesn’t really matter whether you join a seating group or not, as you can sit (or rather stand) wherever you like in the student section. Overall, the social life was great, with lots of different options. Especially if you are into sports, you will have the best time!

6. Testimonial

My exchange experience at the University of Michigan was truly unforgettable. From the moment you set foot in Ross and attend your first sports game, you immediately feel a strong sense of belonging to Michigan and the UofM. I will never forget my first Mr. Brightside at the Big House - thinking about it still gives me goosebumps. However, what truly made this experience so special were the people. The memories I made were shaped by the incredible individuals I met along the way - my roommates, fellow exchange students, and MBA students at Ross from all over the world, many of whom I now call friends. Ann Arbor will always hold a special place in my heart. Go Blue! 💙💛