University of Detroit Mercy

The University of Detroit Mercy has a diverse student population with a 5,000+ student population. Note that UDM welcomes both undergraduate and graduate students, but the majority are female students. Out of over 5,000 students, 59% are female and 41% are male. In short, the ratio of female students at UDM is higher than males.

Detroit Mercy is a moderately selective university according to most college guides, with an acceptance rate of around 80%. Now, that the university is moderately selective, freshman students seeking admission to the university must be ‘above average’ in their high-school record and SAT or ACT score will be offered admission. In short, students seeking admission to UDM must meet the entry requirements such as having high school requirements for bachelor’s courses. On the other hand, for graduate courses, the applicants must have a bachelor’s degree.

International students whose first language is not English must submit the proof of English language proficiency to get admission to the university. We have mentioned below the minimum score that students required to meet the Detroit English language requirements:

English Language Tests

A Minimum Score Required

IELTS

6.5

TOEFL iBT

80 (All programs except Nursing & Engineering)

83 (Nursing)

81 (Engineering & Science)

TOEFL PBT

550

Duolingo

105

Check the list of Documents required for filling Applications for Universities in the USA

Every year, UDM welcomes hundreds of freshman and graduate students from countries around the world. It is placed at #189 position in the 2025 edition of best colleges. A few of the areas where the rankings of this university substantially improved in 2025 are:

• Best Value Schools, National Universities: No. 28 (up from 31 in 2024)
• UG Business Programs, Finance: No. 36 (up from No. 50 in 2024)
• UG Nursing Program: No. 149 (up from 183 in 2024)
• Entrepreneurship: No. 18 (up from No. 31 in 2024)

According to a few student reviews on an unofficial source, UDM is preferred by students as compared to Eastern Michigan University. A few of the reasons why students choose Detroit Mercy are:

• One of the most popular universities in the US
• Extensive educational base
• UDM has a high level of employment for graduates
• UDM has a great medical program

Yes, on-campus employment is allowed for international students at UDM. No work authorization is required from ISO. The on-campus employment is limited to 20 hours / week in the Fall and Winter semesters. Also, note that more than 20 hours per week is allowed during the Summer semester (as long as Summer is not the first semester at UDM).

Also Read: 10 Popular Part-Time Jobs for Indian Students in USA

Detroit Mercy University admission requirements for MSc in Applied Data Analytics STEM programme are given below:

• The applicants must have completed a bachelor’s or advanced degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• As a pre-requisite, the applicants are required to have a GPA of 3.0 or better
• English language requirements

To get into the <a href="https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/usa/universities/university-of-detroit-mercy/master-of-software-engineering">UofD MS in Software Engineering</a>, a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in Bachelor's degree. Also, note that a GPA of 2.7 or higher may be considered with the addition of pre-requisite courses and the approval of the department director / chair and Dean's office. Additionally, the following requirements must also be met:

• Must have taken courses in programming language such as C+ or Java, Data Structures and Algorithms, Calculus, Machine Organization, and Discrete Mathematics
• Also, submit IELTS with a minimum score of 6.5 / TOEFL score of 81 in iBT

Some of the celebrities who have studied at the University of Detroit Mercy are given as follows:

Names

Designation

Keegan-Michael Kay

Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter and Producer

Amy Yasbeck

Actress

David Patrick Kelly

Actor

Bill Bonds

Former Anchor

Vern Buchanan

Businessman and Politician

Joyce Carol Oates

Writer

The University of Detroit Mercy boats excellent outcomes for the graduates. As per the statistics, The Detroit Mercy Class of 2023 reported an average starting salary of more than USD 60,000, which is higher than the average for college graduates throughout the US. Furthermore, graduates of the College of Business Administration achieved a 100% job placement rate within 3 months of graduation.

According to The Wall Street Journal / College Pulse 2025 rankings, UDM  ranks at #44 for best salaries in the US. The starting salary for the Class of 2023 graduates is USD 60,000, which is higher than the average for college graduates throughout the U.S. As per a national study, this university ranks among the top 10% of the US universities for ROI. It is placed at No. 455 out of 4,500 colleges and universities nationwide for salary earned over the 40-year length of a career according to a research published by the Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce (2022).  

The applicants of UDM can apply via the direct application link available on the university’s official website. Along with the application, a few documents must also be submitted such as academic transcripts, English language proficiency score, financial support form, etc. UDM application deadlines for international students are given below:

Term

Application Deadlines

Fall

May 1, 2024

Summer

Mar 1, 2024

Winter

Sep 1, 2024

In order to take admission to Detroit Mercy University, international must meet the below-given entry requirements:

• Freshman: The applicants should be a current high school senior / have a high school qualification
• Graduate: The applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree

Furthermore, the applicants must also meet the English language proficiency requirements. TOEFL / IELTS / Duolingo are the ELP tests that are accepted at UDM.

Yes, UDM accepts Duolingo in place of IELTS / TOEFL. Also, note that high school applicants can also submit SAT / ACT scores in place of IELTS / TOEFL. The minimum scores needed in these ELP tests are given below:

Tests

Minimum Scores

TOEFL

80 on iBT

IELTS

6.5

Duolingo

105

Nursing applicants

83 on TOEFL iBT

Engineering & Nursing

81 on TOEFL iBT

6.5 on IELTS

The University of Detroit Mercy admission requirements for the MBA course are given below:

• A bachelor’s degree is required
• No prior academic work in Business is required
• Official transcripts from all previous academic work
• GMAT (if needed)
• Resume
• Letter of recommendation
• Any other important information that an applicant feels is important for admission decision

Also Check: MBA in USA

Yes, UDM offers scholarships to both international undergraduate and graduate students. The following are the details:

• Freshman Students: Students belonging to high school are eligible for scholarships. They should also meet the English language proficiency requirements. Scholarship is based on applicant’s GPA and the scholarship value is USD 10,000 per academic year, distributed evenly between Winter and Fall terms
• Graduate Students: MBA applicants at UDM who score 600 or above in the GMAT are eligible for half-tuition scholarship

The University of Detroit Mercy international graduate students may qualify for a limited number of teaching or research assistantships. Typically, these awards are awarded to newly admitted and enrolled first-time graduate international students. For MBA students, if they score 600 or better above on GMAT, they will qualify for a half-tuition scholarship towards a graduate business degree at the university.

International students get the University of Detroit Mercy scholarships based on their merit and other information provided during the application process. To get the merit based Detroit Mercy scholarships, students must have a required GPA and test score. Many students receive scholarships from outside the university, which may require additional documents. We have mentioned below the general scholarships at the university for international students:

Scholarships

Amount

AAUW Educational Foundation: International Fellowship

INR 16.6 L

Future Leaders in Law Scholarship

Up to INR 8.3 L per year

MPower Global Citizen Scholarship

Grand Prize: INR 8.3 L;

Runner-Up/Honorable Mentions (2): INR 1.7 L

Merit Scholarships and Grants

INR 12.5 L

Commerce Academic Scholarship

Up to INR 13.2 L

Read more about the Scholarships to Study in the USA

The University of Detroit Mercy tuition fees for international students can be checked from the table given below:

Courses

1st Year Tuition Fees

MS (9 courses)

INR 25 L - 30 L

MBA/PGDM (1 course)

INR 48 L

MIM (2 courses)

INR 44 L

BE / BTech (5 courses)

INR 38 L - 40 L

BSc (4 courses)

INR 38 L

BBA (3 courses)

INR 38 L

BA (1 course)

INR 38 L

B.Arch (1 course)

INR 40 L

Cost of Living: The living cost for the year 2023-24 academic year at the University of Detroit Mercy can be checked from the table given below:

Undergraduate

Particulars

Expenses (On-Campus Living)

Expenses (Off-Campus Living)

Housing & food

USD 10,444

USD 12,188

Books & supplies

USD 1,376

USD 1,376

Travel

USD 420

USD 2,400

Personal Misc.

USD 2,584

USD 6,944

Loan fees

USD 72

USD 72 for UG & USD 218 for Graduate students

Also Read: Cost of Living in USA for International Students 

The total cost of attendance for the University of Detroit Mercy for UG students is between USD 47,000 – USD 48,000 (Around INR 39.6 L - INR 40.5 L). This fee is inclusive of the tuition fees and living expenses. For graduate students, the tuition fee can be checked course-wise. The housing & food expenses can be around USD 10,000 for a year.

For international UG students, the University of Detroit Mercy tuition fee is around USD 34000 for 2024-25 (varies as per courses). A few other expenses required to be paid by students are:

Particulars

Expenses

Housing & food

USD 10,952

Books & supplies

USD 1,422

Travel

USD 440

Personal Misc.

USD 2,672

Loan fees

USD 72

During the academic year 2025-26, the University of Detroit Mercy is going to offer free tuition to first-year freshman students who meet the eligibility requirements. Also, students who continue to meet the requirements may renew the Titan Edge (financial aid) for up to 4 years. The Titan Edge combines federal and state scholarships and grants with Detroit Mercy financial aid to cover the cost of tuition and other course fees. It only applies to Winter and Fall semesters. Also, note that the Titan Edge does not cover expenses related to food, housing, books, any other additional fees, etc. Eligibility requirements for this financial aid are:

• Apply for admission as per the stated deadline
• A minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Eligible for full Michigan Achievement Scholarship
• Eligible for a maximum Federal Pell Grant
• File a FAFSA aid and list this university in it
• Students must be enrolled in a full-time UG program

According to a prominent-ranking publisher, the popular majors at Detroit Mercy University are Health Professions and Related Programs; Psychology; Engineering; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Social Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Public Administration and Social Service Professions. 

Detroit Mercy University offers 100+ academic courses. Some of the popular majors of this university are Health Professions and Related Programs; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Engineering; Architecture-Related Services. Additionally, as per a top-ranking publisher 2025-26 rankings, a few of the graduate programs of this university such as Engineering, Business, Law, Health Professions and Nursing rank among the top in the U.S.

As of now, the most popular programme of UDM among international students is MSc in Applied Data Analytics STEM. This programme is classified as a STEM programme by US Department of Homeland Security. International students who take admission to this programme have the opportunity to apply for an extended OPT. This programme of the university lays its emphasis on the application of knowledge and skills in the area of Data Analytics.

Detroit Mercy MBA course offers classes that offer personalized attention from faculty who care deeply about growth and development. The faculty are experts in their field and work closely with students on their research projects and career objectives. The university’s MBA course has been consistently ranked among the nation’s top 30 Management courses as per a top-ranking publisher. Also, this program is one of the only two private universities in Michigan with an AACSB accreditation. This course brings an increase in ROI and the graduates have worked in companies like P&G, EY, Boeing, Ford, etc.

The University of Detroit Mercy was ranked in the top national universities for the fifth year and ranks at #189 position in the Best Colleges 2025 edition. Furthermore, UDM ranks 4th in the state and is the highest-ranked independent university in Michigan. IT ranks in the Top 200 Universities in the US.

At Detroit Mercy University, students can focus on their health while studying at the university by taking part in intramural sports, fitness classes, outdoor recreation, club sports, etc. A few of the club sports at the university are women’s volleyball club, men’s volleyball club, badminton club, etc. Furthermore, some of the recreation activities offered by the university are an open gym, water activities, etc.

In total, there are 4 campuses of Detroit Mercy. These are known by the names McNichols Campus, Corktown Campus, and Riverfront Campus. There is one additional campus which is known as the Novi Campus. The details of these campuses are given below:

• McNichols Campus: Here at this campus most undergraduate and graduate programs are offered. The university’s main administration, residential hall and athletic facilities are available here
• Corktown Campus: This campus houses the School of Dentistry and its Clinical Dental Center
• Riverfront Campus: This campus is home to the School of Law
• Novi Campus: This campus shall be used to expand Graduate and Health Education programs. It also provides space for future offerings

The University of Detroit Mercy has 3 campuses in the city of Detroit and one campus in Novi. McNichols Campus is where most of the university's undergraduate and graduate courses are offered. Other campuses apart from the Novi campus are Corktown Campus and Riverfront Campus. McNicholas Campus has 74.75 acres of land.