Founded in 1817, the University of Michigan has been the national model for the large public university for more than a century. The University's mission is to serve the people of Michigan, the United States, and the world through preeminent teaching, research, and public service, and by developing leaders and citizens who challenge the present and enrich the future.

Recognized as one of the world's premiere research universities, the University is a leader in undergraduate and graduate education, offering challenging academic programs and diverse cultural and social opportunities in a stimulating intellectual environment.

Some facts about the University:

With a diverse campus population of more than 53,000 students and 5,200 faculty, it has nineteen schools, colleges, and divisions in Ann Arbor, four in Dearborn, and four in Flint. In addition to students and faculty, the University has 22,000 non-instructional staff.

With 424,000 living degree holders, the U-M has the largest alumni body of any college or university. The largest concentrations of alumni are in Michigan, California, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Florida.

The total 2001-2002 operating budget for all three campuses is $3.8 billion. This includes the General Fund (teaching, research, library services, student aid, and the operation of the physical plant), the U-M Health System, and all other specialized funds. The state of Michigan provides approximately 11 percent of the University's total operating budget and 36 percent of the General Fund.

Research expenditures - more than $545 million in fiscal year 2000 - are the highest among public universities in the United States. Annually, an estimated 2,000 U-M undergraduates enhance their studies through research partnerships with faculty mentors. The U-M is committed to conducting research for public benefit. In fiscal year 2001, U-M faculty and staff disclosed 182 new inventions, filed 128 patent applications and had 65 patents issued. The University licensed 64 technologies to companies, including 12 new start-ups.

The University operates the U-M Health System, one of the largest health care complexes in the world devoted to the training of health professionals, to medical research, and to health care delivery. The Health System, comprised of the U-M Medical School, three hospitals, community health centers, 120 outpatient clinics, M-CARE HMO, and the Michigan Health Corp., consistently ranks among the best health care institutions in the nation.

For international admissions information, e-mail icenter@umich.edu or visit http://www.umich.edu/%7Eicenter/intlstudents/index.html