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Ross MBA Total Cost and Funding Tips

Ross MBA Cost Breakdown

In the cost and funding tips for Ross Full-time MBA program we cover:

Tuition Fees (1 Year - Ross MBA)

Ross's MBA tuition fee for one year is $73,030 for Michigan residents, whereas $78,030 for non-Michigan residents or international students.

Total Cost (Ross MBA) (1 Year)

One year MBA program costs Ross students $102,642 for Michigan Residents and $107,642 for non-Michigan residents and International students. One year MBA cost for Michigan Ross includes Tuition Fees ($73,030 for Michigan nationals and $78,030 for Non-Michigan Residents/International students), Mandatory Fees ($166.19), International Student Service Fees ($500, only for international students), Books and Supplies ($1,896), Food and Housing ($19,826), Personal ($7,000), and Loan Fees ($224).

Total Cost (Ross MBA) (2 Years)

The two-year MBA cost or the entire MBA program cost at Michigan Ross is $205,284 for Michigan Nationals and $215,284 for Non-Michigan Nationals.


Below is a table compiled with the one-year Ross MBA cost breakdown

CostRoss MBA Cost (2024-25)
Tuition$73,030 ($78,030 for Non-Michigan Residents/International students)
Mandatory Fees$166.19
International Student Services Fee$500
Books & Supplies$1,896
Food & Housing$19,826
Personal$7,000
Loan Fees$224
  

The comparison of the Ross MBA costs between the academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25 shows a general upward trend in expenses across various categories. Starting with tuition, the cost for Michigan residents increased from $70,392 in 2023-24 to $73,030 in 2024-25, reflecting a 3% increase. For non-Michigan residents and international students, tuition rose from $75,392 to $78,030, indicating a 3.5% increase.

In terms of mandatory fees, there was no change, with costs remaining steady at $166.19. Similarly, the international student services fee remained constant at $500.

Books and Supplies: Regarding books and supplies, expenses increased slightly from $1,844 to $1,896, representing a 2.8% rise. The food and housing cost also experienced a notable increase, rising from $18,704 to $19,826, which corresponds to an increase of 6%.

Personal expenses saw a modest increase as well, going from $6,820 to $7,000, marking a 2.6% rise. Finally, loan fees remained unchanged at $224. 

Overall, the total cost reflects a modest increase in the expenses when you consider the inflation, with the most significant rise seen in the food and housing category.

 

CostRoss MBA Cost (2023-24)Ross MBA Cost (2024-25)
Tuition$70,392 ($75,392 for Non-Michigan Residents/International students)$73,030 ($78,030 for Non-Michigan Residents/International students)
Mandatory Fees$166.19$166.19
International Student Services Fee$500$500
Books & Supplies$1,844$1,896
Food & Housing$18,704$19,826
Personal$6,820$7,000
Loan Fees$224$224

Read: Ross MBA Cost Trends

Ross MBA Financial Aid

Loans: Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are two types of federal government loans that students may be qualified for.

The maximum borrowing amount for the non-need-based Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is $10,250 per semester. Although the Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan does not require any need basis, it does require approval after a credit check. Applicants can borrow up to the cost of attendance, less any other financial aid.

Many different banks and other lenders provide private student loans. Students must submit a separate application to a specific lender for private loans in addition to their financial aid application. Borrowers with good credit, or those with a cosigner with good credit, are typically given the best rates on these loans.

Other Aid

Assistantships: Graduate student staff assistantships, instructor positions, and research assistantships are considered separately from the financial aid application process.

U-M Child Care Subsidy: Students with children can receive financial aid through the U-M Child Care Subsidy Program to help cover the cost of a licensed daycare center.

Loan Repayment Assistance Program: Graduates of the Ross degree programs who took out student loans while earning their degree at Ross are supported by several Michigan Ross and federal government programs.

International Students: The sorts of U.S. government financial aid available to international students are restricted by federal restrictions and University of Michigan policy. Federal student financing is specifically ineligible for overseas students with F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2, and G series visas.

If an eligible co-signer from the United States is present, some American lenders will offer private education loans to foreign students. Other lenders will lend money to international students if a co-signer from the United States is unavailable. For some lenders, before applying, the student might also need to have a Social Security number.

US Veteran & Active Duty Military: Those who serve are considered for in-state tuition at the University of Michigan. Applicants must apply together with the required supporting materials. The residency section of the website for the University of Michigan Office of the Registrar contains information.

Merit-Based Scholarship

Applicants are automatically considered for over 200 merit-based scholarships when they apply to the Full-Time MBA program and will be informed of any awards upon admission. Academic process, professional and personal accomplishments, and the potential to benefit the community are considered when awarding prizes. Scholarships can be worth up to the full cost of tuition.

Dean’s Impact Scholars: This scholarship, given to a small number of admitted students, honors a student's exceptional achievements and demonstrates Ross's faith in their ability to use business to impact the world, positively. In addition to receiving a full scholarship for tuition, Dean's Impact Scholarship recipients also receive an annual stipend to help with non-tuition expenses like travel for educational purposes and opportunities for leadership development.

Dean's Fellows: Accepted students chosen to be Dean's Fellows receive full scholarships for their tuition. Throughout their time at Michigan Ross, fellows have the chance to connect with senior alumni leaders from various industries and form special bonds with other fellows and faculty members.

Focused Scholarship Opportunities

Health Innovation Scholars Program (For Healthcare): MBA candidates interested in healthcare can apply for scholarships through the Health Innovation Scholars Program. The program offers a complete scholarship for tuition, grants for professional advancement, and networking opportunities for alumni and cohorts. No separate application has to be submitted. Every applicant who lists healthcare as a desired career interest is considered.

Forte MBA Fellowship (For Gender Equity): MBA applicants of any gender identity who exhibit exemplary leadership and dedication to Forté's mission of uplifting women into fulfilling, significant careers by providing access to business education and a community of successful women are eligible for the Forte Fellowship, which provides funding opportunities and other support structures.

Yellow Ribbon Program (For Military): Since 2009, Michigan Ross has enthusiastically supported the Yellow Ribbon Program without restricting its price or number of participants. For every post-9/11 GI Bill recipient who is completely eligible, the program pays any unmet tuition costs.

The Consortium (For African or Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, and American Indians): The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management's mission is to increase the representation of Black, Hispanic, or American Indians in American business schools and corporate management. This merit-based scholarship is given to candidates who commit to this goal. All U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible for the fellowship regardless of race or ethnicity.

One Consortium Fellowship or a Michigan Ross scholarship is available to all applicants who submit their applications through The Consortium.

Romba LGBT+ Fellowship (For LGBT+ groups): The Romba LGBT+ Fellowship offers financing and access to leadership programming to LGBTQIA2S+ aspiring business leaders through Reaching Out MBA. Students who want to apply for the fellowship should let Reaching Out know which colleges they plan to apply to.

Tauber Institute for Global Operations Scholarships (For Operations): Students enrolled in the program are eligible for several scholarships from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations. No separate application needs to be submitted. All Tauber students are taken into account. After being accepted into the program, award recipients are notified of their selection.

Erb Institute Scholarships (For Environmental Sustainability): The Erb Institute provides several funding options. Once applicants have been accepted to Michigan Ross or the School for Environment and Sustainability, they can apply for recruitment scholarships.

True Grit (For Domestic and International Students): Students enrolled in the Full-Time MBA program who have proven to be particularly resilient in the face of adversity are eligible for partial and full-ride scholarships. Students who are obtaining the degree for the first time in their families, who have overcome personal challenges, who have served in the military, or who have, in some other way demonstrated grit.      

The Miguel Andrés Sossa-Mardomingo (MÁS) Scholarship Fund (Environmental Sustainability): The Miguel Andrés Sossa-Mardomingo (MÁS) Scholarship Fund supports graduate students pursuing dual degrees in the Ross School of Business MBA program and the School for Environment and Sustainability MS program through the Erb Institute. Miguel aims for this scholarship to inspire diverse leaders to take unconventional paths that protect our planet and secure a sustainable future.
      

ScholarshipsEligibilityAwards
Alumni Board of Governors AwardNeed, Merit, and Community Service award$7500
Ross Community Impact ScholarshipMerit, Leadership$10,000
McGowan Fellows Programstudents who are in the top 5% of their class and are non-dual degree studentsfull-tuition scholarship for the second year
J. Ira Harris Merit AwardMerit based$5,000
Skip and Carrie Gordon ScholarshipImpact Based$5,000
The Leslie Adkins Endowed ScholarshipUnderrepresented Minorities$10,000
Zell Lurie Institute ScholarshipsEntrepreneurship 

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Reference

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Winning MBA Essay Guide - A Complete Guide for M7 and Top 15 MBA Application Essays 


F1GMAT's Winning MBA Essay guide will teach you how to transform your essay into a life journey with trials and tribulations that will move the admission team.

+ Over 245 Sample Essays (Read Previews of F1GMAT's Winning MBA Essay Guide Sample Essays here)

+ Top 15 MBA Programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, Booth, MIT, Kellogg, Yale, Haas, Darden, INSEAD, LBS, NYU Stern, Tuck, Duke Fuqua, Ross)
+ The Art of Storytelling 
+ Leadership Narratives
+ Review Tips
+ Persuasion Strategies
+ The Secret to "unleashing" your unique voice
+ How to prepare and present for the Video Essay
+ How to write about your Strengths
+ How to write about your Weaknesses
 
 

Want to try the individual school Essay Guides before upgrading to the Winning MBA Essay Guide? Try below.

F1GMAT's Essay Guides

  • Harvard MBA Essay Guide (20 Sample Essays)

    Growth-Oriented Essay: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words) 

    Example #1: Persistence Narrative 
    Background Information: The applicant – a design and music talent, shares her journey through several setbacks. She attributes curiosity to her growth.  
    Curiosity: Philosophy  
    Curiosity (Explained): Curiosity as a philosophy is tough to translate into a narrative unless you are from the creative industry or your contributions had an influence on a solution or an initiative.  
    MBA Essay Strategy: I wanted to capture the humanity of the applicant and her influence in music instead of just highlighting how she overcame multiple roadblocks to gain attention as a designer.  
    Theme: Persistence  
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Life Starts at NO (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example) 

    Example #2: International Community Building 
    Background Information: The applicant, a Machine Learning (ML) entrepreneur specializing in healthcare diagnostics, shares how his curiosity to learn other ML algorithms’ evolution in diagnosing Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease transformed his platform into a global community. 
    MBA Essay Strategy: I wanted to show the applicant’s contributions in diagnostic from 2020 to 2024 by citing two events. Such examples build credibility instead of engagements that were recent. The evolution of the platform from an AI development community to a community for discussing the application of AI in diagnostics is captured through a ‘curiosity’ angle.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Growth through Collaboration (AI in Healthcare) (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #3: Culture
    Background Information: The applicant, an Entrepreneur from India narrates his first entrepreneurial experience – facilitating exchange of stamps in the late 1990s.
    Theme: Culture
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Instead of addressing the biases in the investor community that could turn preachy, I wanted to focus on the applicant and his entrepreneurial journey by citing two entrepreneurial experiences – a platform(club) for stamp collection and his Grocery delivery App.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – The American Dream (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #4: Addiction
    Background Information: The applicant – a beneficiary of the foster home system, captures the sacrifice his adopted grandparents made to save him from a path of addiction. Paying it back through early intervention among teenagers and community engagement is the curiosity narrative.
    Theme: Addiction
    MBA Essay Strategy:  My strategy is to capture a gratitude narrative in the first one-third of the essay to demonstrate motivation for starting the venture and dedicate the latter part of the essay to the unique solution
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Drug Addiction and Gaming (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #5: Scarcity
    Background Information: The applicant, an education major, recognizes that 70% of all students in Kenya don’t have a computer. The curiosity that drives him to pivot from one solution to another is the growth narrative.
    Theme: Innovation
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Often, innovation is captured with a ‘hero’ narrative where the applicant is the sole originator of an idea. I wanted to break that cliché and include a person from whom the applicant learned to use a concept called ‘scaffolding.’
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Scarcity (Growth-Oriented HBS Essay Example)

    Example #6: FinTech
    Background Information: The applicant captures a vulnerable moment of a beneficiary to compare his journey of side hustle before a technology giant noticed his talent. Although cryptocurrency is not a flavor for the year, capture niches where innovation is still happening. 
    Theme: Education, Child Welfare
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Empathizing with a techno solution is tough without a strong backstory around the beneficiary. For the essay, I wanted to clearly establish the beneficiary – Rami, before the applicant narrates the similarities to his journey and finally shares the solution that emerged from his curiosity.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – FinTech as a Tool for Good (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #7: Learning from the best
    Background Information: The applicant – a Remote Engineer in the Oil and Gas industry, reflects on a value that has helped her learn from the best regardless of her geographical limitations.
    Theme: Learning
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The effectiveness of the case-study method depends on the assumption that peers in a Harvard MBA class will help elevate your learning experience. For the essay, I have highlighted the applicant’s recognition of this value proposition with three examples.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Learning from the Best (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #8: Military & Search for IMPACT
    Background Information: The most common narrative for US military applicants is to quote 9/11 and the reaction your immediate family had while watching the events unfold. The horrifying moment is captured as a motivation to join the Military. On digging deeper, most applicants would share that their motivations were diverse.
    Theme: Career Choice
    MBA Essay Strategy:  I wanted to quickly highlight that the applicant had the choice of entering any industry. One achievement to demonstrate his curiosity that I shared in the first half is the invention of a game. Since the game is mentioned in the resume and verifiable through search, I didn’t quote the name. By clearly highlighting the person’s curiosity and career options, the family legacy is used as a factor in joining the military.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Career Choice after a Military Career (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)
     
    Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)

    Example #9: Small Business Values
    Background Information: The applicant - a second-generation Asian American, is familiar with the values of fiscal conservatism, building relationships, and understanding the daily struggles of the community through his family’s department store.
    Theme: Customer-Centric
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The applicant’s role in developing an App for the store is highlighted in the essay at a crucial part of the narrative so that the essay is not all about his father. I have also humanized the journey – by sharing how upset the father was when the revenues fell by 40%. The essay is about the transformation in the applicant’s value from a person chasing productivity and optimization technique to someone who is truly thinking about the customers. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Small Business Values (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #10: Breaking Away from Family Business
    Background Information: A unique challenge that applicants whose parents are public figures or CXOs of businesses or entrepreneurs are the pressure to live up to the parent’s standards or milestones. For the leadership narrative, the burden of legacy is established before the narrative addresses his leadership principles.
    Theme: Authenticity  
    MBA Essay Strategy:  For the essay, I want to capture an entrepreneur’s journey to rise above his entrepreneur father’s image. But I didn’t want to make the entire essay about this complex dynamics. The narrative is around the applicant’s focus on customers and surrounding with teams who keeps him grounded. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Breaking Away from Family Business(Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #11: Creativity and Communication 
    Background Information: When the overall percentage of users with internet access is 62% in South Africa and the inequality accentuated by the rural and urban divide, the applicant endured the lack of digital infrastructure, and spending close to 22% of the family income on gaining relevant information on schools, global exams, and financial assistance. 
    Theme: Creativity, Communication
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The strategy is to share why the applicant values no distraction in a child’s home for optimum education experience. Then I highlight the many roadblocks the applicant’s non-profit faced in receiving fee waiver for their cooperative run ISP.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Non-Profit (Telecom) (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #12: Mental Health
    Background Information: The applicant like most didn’t pay much attention to the mental health epidemic until tragedy hit home.
    Theme: Communication, Innovation
    MBA Essay Strategy:  A question we frequently get from applicants is whether they should cite tragedy in the family as a motivation for a venture or a non-profit initiative. As long as you don’t linger too much on the tragedy and offer a balanced narrative, there are no restrictions on leveraging unique stories from your life. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Mental Health (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #13: Trauma, Healing & Finding Authentic Self
    Background Information: The applicant narrates the absurdity of war in the narrative about the duties in Kabul, and the trauma. Instead of wallowing in on the horror, the applicant takes what makes military applicants strong and guides unprivileged children build life and leadership skills.
    Theme: Resilience
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Capturing PTSD in an essay, the healing process, and the cues that helped the applicant are too sacred to be shared in a Harvard MBA application essay. However, with the right motivation and narrative arcs, you can capture the essence of your journey without sharing the darkest secrets. That is what I did by merging two stories – the horrors of the war with a non-profit engagement.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Military & PTSD (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #14: Addiction, Setback and Leadership Mantra
    Background Information: In this narrative, the applicant captures Peru’s Silver mining boom of 2006. The growth experienced in her father’s business shifted the family’s economic status to a new stratosphere. Through the changing economic and family dynamics, the applicant finds her voice in a unique way, initially to record her unheard voice but later as one of the youngest subject matter experts in mining and commodities.  
    Theme: Failure
    MBA Essay Strategy:  For the essay, the strategy is to show how life’s unpredictability is a blessing. By narrating two setback events, the essay demonstrates the applicant’s resilience and her acknowledgment of people who made a comeback possible.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Addiction, Setback and Leadership Mantra (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #15: War, Immigration and Starting Over Again
    Background Information: Despite a raging war in Syria, the family of the applicant was unblemished by the chaos. The strategic government assets near the applicant’s house would have made the region an easy target, but it was not. The calmness of her journey is shattered in one event. From the privileges of a cocooned life, the applicant is forced to think about survival, her sister’s future, and her future in the US. The second half of the narrative captures the change that was forced on her. 
    Theme: Gratitude, Resilience
    MBA Essay Strategy:  I consciously chose not to start the essay with a dialogue or trauma. Two lines are allocated to set up the narrative before the trauma event.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – War, Immigration and Starting Over Again (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Harvard MBA Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)

    Example #16: Creative or Finance
    Background Information: The applicant starts the narrative with the origin of her talents. The unbridled enthusiasm receives a reality check when in high school, the applicant’s father has a conversation with her about academics. While the applicant picked up her quant skills, she was reaching over 50,000 loyal fans, and her videos captured 1 million views. 
    Theme: Passion, Talent
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Capturing vulnerability is the toughest part for Harvard MBA applicants. For this essay example, I have captured the applicant’s uncertainty about career choice throughout the essay. Here the goal is to show vulnerability in the career choice essay while for leadership and growth essay, I could capture one example each from creative and PE industry respectively to balance the narrative. So don’t follow this example without a strategy.  
    Read: Harvard MBA Business-Minded Essay – Creative or Finance (Business-Minded HBS MBA Essay Example)

  • Stanford MBA Essay Guide (24 Sample Essays)
  • Columbia MBA Essay Guide (21 Sample Essays)
  • Wharton MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • INSEAD MBA Essay Guide (19 Sample Essays)
  • Darden MBA Essay Guide  (21 Sample Essays) 
  • Yale SOM MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • Tuck MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • Haas MBA Essay Guide (18 Sample Essays)
  • NYU Stern MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays + 6 Examples - Visual Essay)
  • LBS MBA Essay Guide (6 Sample Essays)
  • MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide (6 Sample Cover Letters + 3 Sample Video Statement Scripts + 3 Sample Optional Essays)
  • Kellogg MBA Essay Guide (11 Sample Essays)
  • Chicago Booth MBA Essay Guide (12 Sample Essays)
  • Ross MBA Essay Guide (31 Sample Essays)
  • Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Guide (10 Sample Essays + Two 25 Random Things Samples)
  • Cambridge MBA Essay Guide (12 Sample Essays)

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