Apply to the Master of Arts in Social Impact Leadership Program

1. Complete MSIL Application
2. Write Three Supplemental Application Questions (as part of your application). Responses for each question should be limited to no more than 250 words.
   1. Question 1: What does social impact mean to you? In your response, please describe issues (local or global) that you are passionate about and your assessment of the potential of the social impact sector in creating social change.
   2. Question 2: What is your motivation for pursuing the MA in Social Impact Leadership at the University of Michigan?  In your response, please discuss past experiences (personal or professional) that guide your interests, what you hope to gain from the program, and your future career goals in social impact leadership.

   3. Question 3: We understand the increasing role and importance of artificial intelligence and are navigating our own use of it in our everyday work in the School of Social Work. We would like to hear from you about your own use of artificial intelligence.  

      If you used AI, how did you approach the task, and what process did you use?  If not, share your thoughts about why you chose not to use it. In your response, please describe your critical assessment of the role of AI in the social impact sector, including potential benefits and challenges.

3. Record a video response. As part of the application, you will find a prompt asking you to record a short video response (no more than 3 minutes). You can take notes to prepare for your video response, but please try not to read directly from a script.
   1. Video Question: Please share a specific example of where you showcased initiative, flexibility, adaptability, curiosity, and self-reflection. Reflect on why these skills are important, what you learned from the experience, and how you will build and grow from this experience in the MA in Social Impact program.
4. Enclose a Resume to showcase your experience.
   1. In particular, your resume should highlight the following:
      1. Education and any specialty training or certificates
      2. Professional experience, especially in social impact, social services, nonprofit, policy advocacy, or community work
      3. Leadership roles and responsibilities
      4. Volunteer experience
      5. Relevant projects or initiatives you've led
5. Academic transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions
6. Three Professional or Academic Letters of recommendation, such as:
   1. Former professors who can speak to your academic abilities
   2. Supervisors, Managers, or Directors who can attest to your leadership potential

   3. Community partners who have witnessed your social impact work

      Strong recommendation letters should address your potential for social impact leadership, your capacity for core social impact skills, such as initiative, curiosity, flexibility, adaptability, and self-reflection, as well as your ability to receive critical feedback and work effectively in teams. 

Application fee: $75

Applicants for admission to the MA in Social Impact Leadership program are expected to meet the following criteria:

1. Completion of a bachelor's or its equivalent, with competitive grades, from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association; or completion of an international degree that is equivalent and approved by the Ministry of Education or Commission responsible for higher education in the country where the degree is earned.
2. Intellectual and personal qualities likely to lead to roles and careers in social impact leadership. This includes: capacity to build strong collaborative working relationships; ability to be agile, innovative and have a future-forward approach in their thinking; and a willingness to be self-reflective and to receive critical feedback. Additional skills include strong critical thinking, problem-solving, solution-focused thinking, and analytical skills; curiosity, self-motivation, creativity, integrity, and proficiency in oral and written communication.
3. Interest in advancing social justice and social change as evidenced by both the applicant's stated goals and a history of activities aiming to improve the well-being of individuals, groups, and/or communities.
4. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate past academic success and co-curricular, work, or community experiences that suggest a strong likelihood for success in the MSIL program.

Note: No admissions tests (e.g., GRE, GMAT) are required for admission to the MA in Social Impact Leadership program.

• SSW Recommendation Form
• The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.
• Affidavit of Financial Support for International Students (MSIL)

Previous Applicants

Previous MSIL applicants who were not offered admission, were admitted but did not enroll, or enrolled but withdrew in their first term of enrollment must follow the regular application procedures to apply for a future term.

MSIL Applicants who were not offered admission must wait to reapply to the MSIL program for a term that would begin no sooner than one year from the term of previous application. For example, if a fall 2026 MSIL application was submitted, then an applicant would be eligible to reapply the following fall 2027 or later.

MSIL applicants who were offered admission but did not enroll, or enrolled but withdrew in their first term before completing any credits may reapply as early as the next available term.

If your previous application was submitted within the past two years, you will need to submit:

• Official transcripts for any additional academic work completed since your last application
• One additional relevant supporting recommendation (you may enter the names of two of your previous recommenders for the other two required recommendations or you may choose to submit all new recommenders)
• New supplementary statements 
• The MSIL application form and application fee

If your previous application was submitted more than two years ago, please follow the regular application procedures and submit all new documents, except for any official/final transcripts previously submitted to the School.

Tips for Non-Admitted Applicants Re-Applying