HOW TO APPLY

MDP offers 2-semester engineering design project experiences, where first-year undergraduate through professional masters students earn course credit and gain real world experience. Click to learn more about what it is like to participate on Faculty Research Teams and Industry Sponsored Projects.

Projects start on the first day of classes, and run during both winter and fall 2024. Students must be on campus and enrolled for credit both semesters to be eligible to apply. Summer work is not guaranteed – read the “more information” tab on each project for more details on summer participation.

Complete:

Experience & Interest Form

Record:

Video Interviews

August

Starting August 28

Review All MDP Project Options

August - October

Attend a Recruiting Event

September

*Priority Task*

Update Your Resume

September 13 - 21

Attend an Info Session

September 27 - 28

Attend the MDP Project Fair

*Priority Task*

Narrow Down Your Top Projects

*Priority Task*

Connect with Your Academic Advisor

October

*Application Task*

Complete “Experience & Interest” Forms

October 2 - 6

Attend an Application Help Session

*Application Task*

Complete (optional, but encouraged) Video Interviews by October 8th.

October 8

Apply Online by October 8th!

After October 8

Missed the Deadline? Join the Waitlist!

MDP Application | Important Info

Who Can Apply?

  • We encourage anyone interested to apply for a project!
  • These projects are open to first-year undergraduate through professional master’s students, as long as they will be enrolled for credit and on campus for both semesters.
  • All majors are welcome!
  • Our program has no GPA requirement!
  • First- and second-year students most often receive offers for the larger faculty research teams, but do occasionally receive offers for MDP industry sponsored projects.

Application Information

  • The common application will be completed as a Qualtrics form.
    Note: this is much easier to do on a computer than a mobile device.
  • You will only need to upload your resume once. (File Size Max: 350MB)
  • You will choose and rank the teams you wish to apply for.
    Note: the most strategic approach is to base rankings on your genuine interest in the projects.
  • For each team you choose to apply to, you will complete a separate Experience & Interest Form detailing your qualifications.
  • You may apply for as many teams as you like! The average student applies for 4 or 5 projects. More or less than that is also fine.
    Note: applicants
    will receive one offer (at most) and declining an offer removes you from the pool.
  • This video from the National Resident Matching Program provides a general overview on how our matching process works.
  • Students apply to a team, rather than a specific role on the team. Each member of the team will work across all functions. (Pro tip: you can indicate in your Qualification & Interest Form that you are particularly interested in a particular area.) For Research Teams, the faculty will assign subteams. First and second year students, generally considered “Apprentice researchers”, will be assigned to a subteam as well; where they will focus on developing skills, rather than taking on technical leadership roles.

Enrollment Requirements

All projects require students to enroll for academic credit for both semesters. Before you apply, please connect (via email, walk-in advising, or a scheduled appointment) with your departmental academic advisor or graduate coordinator to make sure the project fits into your schedule, and whether or not it will impact future semesters or graduation timelines.

MDP Faculty Research Teams (FRST teams):

  • Undergraduate and graduate students are required to enroll in 2 credits/semester for at least 2 terms.
  • Once on a team, research students are encouraged to continue beyond 2 terms.

MDP Industry Sponsored Projects:

  • Undergraduate students are required to enroll in 7 credit hours split across two terms (3/4 or 4/3). Undergraduate students are expected to work 14-16 hours a week. Four or more of these hours per week should be team based-work.
  • Graduate students are required to enroll in 4 credit hours split across two terms (2/2). Graduate students are expected to work 8 hours a week. Four or more of these hours per week should be team-based work.

Many students can use ENGR course credit for degree substitution.
Click here to see your department’s academic policy for MDP credits.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Attention International Students on F1 Visas: Almost all industry sponsored teams require the use of part-time CPT. In order to be eligible to use the part-time CPT, a student must have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis while physically present in the US for one academic year (i.e. two full consecutive terms). Students on F1 Visa who qualify for CPT are allowed 20 hours of part-time CPT per week during each semester they are enrolled. This type of CPT is available on a “use it or lose it” basis.

These measures are in place to protect your visa status. See the International Center’s website for more information.

Faculty research projects and industry sponsored projects sponsored within the University of Michigan do not require CPT.

All projects will indicate if part-time CPT is required.

Post-Application Timeline

About 40%-60% of applicants are offered a position. The precise number and percentages depend on the year and the particular needs of each project. Some projects are more competitive than others.

The application has a hard closure on October 8 at 11:59 PM. Offers will go out on a rolling basis as teams are formed, but students will only receive one offer, and will have a specified number of business days to reply.

Offers are sent via email beginning in early November. All applicants will be contacted no later than mid-December regarding their application status.