The University of Miami (also known as UM or UMiami) is a private research university located in Coral Gables, Florida. It was founded in 1925 during the ‘Florida land boom’ of the 1920s. Dr Bowman F. Ashe, the University’s first president, was largely responsible for the institution’s survival thanks to his vision and tenacity (1926-52). Under his leadership, the institution survived bankruptcy, reorganisation, and a world war, before experiencing enormous development and expansion in the years following the war.

The university is categorised as an ‘R1 Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity’ by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This classification is granted only to institutions that engage in extensive research in multiple fields and invest significant funds in research activities.  Commensurately, the University of Miami’s research expenditures in 2021 was $375 million, which supported study in the areas of medicine, archaeology, palaeontology, oceanography, Human Genomics, Ageing and Technology Enhancement, and others.

UM is also renowned for its prowess in sports. ‘The Miami Hurricanes’ are the college athletic teams that represent the University of Miami in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA). UM’s highly-successful football team of the University of Miami has won five national titles since 1983, and the baseball team has won four national titles since 1982.

The university has been consistently ranked among the top universities in the country and the world. US News & World Report 2022 ranked the University of Miami 49th nationally and 236th globally. The institution has also been ranked as one of the top 10 employers in the nation, with over 16,000 full and part-time employees in faculty, and staff. 

Several accomplished personalities such as Donald Justice, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet;  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, actor and former professional wrestler; and Gloria Estefan and Bruce Hornsby, Grammy Award-winning musicians, are among some of UMiami’s notable alumni. The university is also the alma mater of numerous professional players from Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Football League. 

Academics 

Since its inception, the University of Miami has admitted students from across 50 states and 173 other nations. Currently, it hosts over 17,000 international students across its 12 schools and colleges. The university has an acceptance rate of 33.1%, and a student-faculty ratio of 12:1.

Courses Offered at University of Miami

The university provides 67 doctorates, 140 master’s, and 138 undergraduate degree programmes. The most popular majors at the University of Miami include Finance, General; Registered Nurse; Psychology, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Economics, General; Marketing Management, General; Advertising; and Public Relations/Image Management, among others. 

The following are the major fields in which courses are offered: 

  • Accounting and Finance
  • Business Analytics
  • Business Technology
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • Global Business (co-major)
  • Health Management and Policy
  • Human Resource Management
  • Legal Studies
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Organisational Leadership
  • Real Estate
  • Supply Chain Analytics
  • Broadcast Journalism
  • Communication Studies
  • Software Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Geological Sciences
  • Oceanography

In addition to its academic curriculum, UMiami also promotes civic engagement among its students and encourages them to support social change in the greater Miami area. Students can participate in extracurricular activities through more than 40 service-based student clubs and volunteer service projects. These activities encourage active participation from the students while also fostering general intellectual development.

Admissions

The University of Miami offers admission through three intakes:

AdmissionDeadline
SpringNovember 
SummerMarch
FallJuly

International graduates may apply directly through the university’s online application platform whereas international undergraduates must use the US Common Application system. Below are the steps and requirements for applying to UM programmes.

Undergraduate Requirements

Step 1: Complete and submit the ‘Common Application’
The ‘Common Application’ is a single online undergraduate college application accepted by over 900 colleges and universities. Students can apply to several universities by using the ‘Common App’ platform. A non-refundable application fee of $70 must also be remitted while submitting the application. 

Step 2: Submit Essay
Applicants must submit an essay of 650 words or less and one supplemental essay of about 250 words.

Step 3: Provide Educational Transcripts
High school official transcripts such as X, XII mark sheets, and others, must be submitted by aspirants. 

Step 4: Submit scored English proficiency exams

  • Paper-based TOEFL score: 550 or above.
  • Internet-based TOEFL score: 80 or above.
  • IELTS score: 6.5 or above.

Step 5: Submit a letter of recommendation (LOR)
Aspirants must provide a LOR  from the high school that they have attended.

Note: While applying to the University of Miami, you must submit an ‘Educational Activities’ statement if there is a gap of three months or longer in your academic career or between the time you graduated from high school and the date you intend to enrol. This statement must include the dates and an explanation for the gap/s.

Step 7: Complete the Financial Certification Form 

Once your application has been submitted, you can use the Applicant Portal on the university webpage to complete an International Financial Certification Form, which is required of all potential first-year international applicants to UM.

The CSS Profile application must also be presented by international candidates seeking need-based financial aid. This application is used by students to apply for grants and college financial aid using one application form.

Step 8: Submit Financial Aid Documents

Aspirants must verify the checklist on the university website before applying for financial aid. 

Step 9: Provide Conduct Updates

Applicants must inform the Office of Undergraduate Admission of any changes to their academic record or conduct by emailing the required information or by uploading the necessary materials to their applicant portal’s “Materials Upload” section.

Graduate Requirements

Graduate students must fulfil the same requirements as undergraduate students, with the exception of the common application. To submit an application, aspirants must visit the webpage of the specific departments on the university’s webpage. Applicants can visit the particular department’s page for more details.

Employment Opportunities

On-Campus

Federal Work-Study, Student Assistant, Miami Commitment, and Graduate Assistantships are some of the on-campus job opportunities available to students. 

Off-Campus

The Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment serves as a link between students seeking off-campus employment opportunities and external employers. Students can apply to internships and placements posted by employers through the office.

Community Service Federal Work-Study

Students who have received Federal Work-Study funding are entitled to participate in volunteer opportunities at neighbourhood nonprofit and governmental organisations.

Community Internships and Part-Time Jobs

All students are eligible to apply for off-campus work in the community. However, they will not be able to apply for financial assistance if they take up community work.

So if you wish to pursue an education at a university where academics and extracurricular activities are valued equally, then the University of Miami is the right option for you. We hope that the article has helped you learn more about the institution. We wish you all the best!

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