First-Year Writing Requirement (FYWR)

Students at the University of Michigan (with the exception of College of Engineering) must satisfy the FYWR by completing an approved FYWR course.

Receiving Transfer Credit for the FYWR

Transfer students who have taken a writing course(s) at another college or university may be able to use the course(s) to satisfy the FYWR. Advanced Placement (AP), Creative Writing, and Journalism courses do not fulfill the FYWR. Students must have received a grade of C or better for transfer eligibility.

Students should check the Approved Transfer Courses list to see if a course satisfies the FYWR.

If students have taken a course on the Not-Approved Transfer Course List,  they need to complete UWrite and elect a U-M course to fulfill the FYWR or elect an approved course at another institution.

If students have taken a course(s) that are not on one of the lists above, they may petition Sweetland to use that course(s) to fulfill the FYWR. Petitions should be submitted to Sweetland 5 weeks prior to their advising date for Orientation.

Courses for Transfer Students designed to be taken at the same time as your ULWR course

The Sweetland Center for Writing offers a range of courses that support transfer students, including international and multilingual students, as they adapt to writing at U-M. 

Writing 229: Editing and Style for International and Multilingual Students
(1 cr mini course offered second half of term)

Writing 350: Excelling in Upper-Level Writing
(1 cr course offered full term)

Upper-Level Writing Requirement (ULWR)

The Stamps School of Art and Design; the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; and the School of Music, Theatre and Dance require students to complete the ULWR with an approved ULWR course that must be taken at the U-M-Ann Arbor campus. For more information, visit our Upper-Level Writing Requirement page.