Admissions – Master of Information Management (MIM)

Thank you for your interest in the MIM program. We recommend that you watch our pre-recorded information session before beginning the application process.

• Complete the UMD Graduate School application.
  • The Graduate School’s Step-by-Step guide is a helpful resource for prospective applicants.
• Pay the application fee of $75 to the UMD Graduate School.
• Upload transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate courses at each institution you have attended.
  • Unofficial transcripts may be submitted initially. Official transcripts will be required upon admission and enrollment.
  • Applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution. If you have questions, read more about this requirement.
  • Applicants must have earned a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in all prior undergraduate and graduate coursework. If you do not meet this, provide more detail in your Statement of Purpose.
• Provide a Statement of Purpose describing your experiences and interests that will help you succeed in UMD’s Master of Information Management program.
• Submit the names and e-mail addresses of three academic or professional references.
• Upload a current resume or CV.
• Send TOEFL/IELTS scores to the University of Maryland (international applicants only).
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Graduate School will accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator test. Learn more about the at-home tests here, as well as alternative exams if you are applying from mainland China or Iran.
• If you are a resident of the State of Maryland or believe you qualify as one, be sure to fill out the Maryland Residency section of the Graduate Application. If you have questions about Residency Classification, email resclass@umd.edu.

• Submit your MIM Supplemental Application responses.
• Optionally, send GRE or GMAT scores to the Graduate School.
  • For Fall 2024, test scores are not a requirement for admission. If you choose to submit them, the following information may be useful for you:
    • UMD’s institutional codes for GRE/GMAT are available here.
    • Historically, successful MIM applicants minimally had verbal scores in the 40th percentile, and quantitative scores in the 60th percentile.
      • The last time the GRE was required was in 2020 and the admitted class had verbal scores in the 54th percentile and quantitative scores in the 89th percentile.
• One or more years of full-time work experience in the information technology fields is preferred, but not a requirement for admission. That might include information technology, management, user experience, project management, business analysis, database management, etc.

International Students: The deadline for international students to apply for the Master of Information Management (MIM) program is February 1, 2024. The only exception is for international students currently residing in the United States. If this applies to you, please email mimprogram@umd.edu for assistance applying after the February 1 deadline.

Domestic Students: The best consideration deadline for the MIM program is February 1, 2024. All applications submitted by the best consideration deadline will be reviewed for admission. Our final deadline to apply is May 31, 2024. Any applications submitted between the Best Consideration and the final deadline are not guaranteed to be reviewed.

• The MIM Program is STEM-eligible under CIP code 11.0401.
• International applicants should direct questions about visas to UMD’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

• We review all applications submitted by the Best Consideration deadline. (February 1, 2024)
• We do not offer pre-screens of applications or rolling reviews. Application reviews begin February 2.
• The MIM program does not have a fixed number of seats available; we will accept all qualified applicants from any given year.
• Our admissions process is holistic. As long as you are admissible to the Graduate School for full enrollment, we will read your full application before making a decision as a committee.

• When students apply to the MIM program, a committee of faculty and staff will read your application. At least two committee members will read each application. The committee then convenes to make a decision on all applicants. Once we make a decision, we send this in the form of an admissions recommendation to the Graduate School, who will make the official decision. The Graduate School will notify you about your application’s outcome.

• Admitted students may defer enrollment once. The MIM program offers fall enrollment, so deferrals are from one fall to the subsequent fall semester (for example: Fall 2020 enrollment can only be deferred until Fall 2021).
• To defer your enrollment, you must notify the iSchool Graduate Student Services Office prior to the beginning of the original entry semester.

• The Graduate School’s Statement of Purpose
  • The Statement of Purpose should be a 1000-2000-word statement that addresses your specific interests, life experiences, and goals. Outline how joining the MIM program will advance your expertise in information management. These goals and interests can include, but are not limited to:
    • Data science
    • Information management
    • Management of organizational information assets
    • Data visualization
    • Information management technologies and methods
    • Data governance and assurance of information assets
    • Game analytics
    • Information risk management
    • Cybersecurity and threat intelligence
    • Smart cities and community planning
• Selecting References
  • Recommendation letters help us estimate if you will be successful in the MIM program. It is in your best interest to request that your recommenders focus on your predilection for information management. Recommendations should be provided by faculty and employers who can best speak to your ability to succeed in this graduate program. Note that recommendations should not come from family, friends, or peers.
  • Individuals who know you well, especially those who have completed technical graduate programs, are best able to comment on your capacity for graduate studies in information management. If you have been out of school for a while, references with current knowledge about your strengths and skills will be more effective than professors whose knowledge is limited to your past academic performance.
• Tips for Writing your Statement of Purpose and Supplemental Application
  • The Statement of Purpose and the Supplemental Application are the primary ways of telling us about your experiences, interests, and goals, so please be open and honest.
  • Keep in mind:
    • Authentic essays help us understand you as an applicant. We are interested in learning about you and how a MIM degree can shape your future.
    • We value academic integrity, so avoid presenting us with unoriginal work (purchased, written, edited, or borrowed from other sources).
    • Express yourself clearly, concisely, and authentically, whatever that means to you. Avoid vocabulary that is meant to impress.
    • Avoid repetition. If you already said it in the Statement of Purpose, don’t repeat it in the Supplemental Application. The more new information you share, the more we have to evaluate.