Admissions

For more information, visit the Admissions page of the School of Public Health website.

Application Processes

All School of Public Health (SPH) degree-seeking applicants are required to apply through SOPHAS, the centralized application service for public health. SOPHAS is a service of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, which represents Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited schools and programs of public health. The SPH offers application and admission on a modified-rolling basis, with one class admitted each year for the fall semester. MPH applicants are encouraged to apply early for priority consideration for admission and scholarship. Doctoral applications are due December 1 of each year; the first priority deadline for MPH applicants is December 1, with the second being March 1. The international applicant deadline is April 1. The SPH participates in the Council of Graduate Schools’ April 15 resolution, an agreement among the signatory graduate schools to provide applicants until April 15 to consider offers of admission that also include financial support.   

MPH Application Requirements

In addition to the SOPHAS application fee requirement, the following materials must be submitted to complete the MPH application:  

  • Academic transcripts  
  • Two-page personal statement  
  • Resume or CV  
  • Video interview  
  • Three letters of recommendation  
  • SOPHAS application fee  
  • Scholarship consideration form  
  • Human biology prerequisite  

International applicants are subject to additional requirements, including the following:  

  • Bachelor’s-equivalent degree  
  • English language proficiency  

For more detailed descriptions of each application requirement and additional requirements for dual degree, 3-2 degree, and transfer credit applicants, please consult the ERF (ERF > H > H4 > SPH Admissions and Recruitment Policies & Procedures).   

MPH Application Review and Admission Decision

The SPH welcomes students from a variety of academic backgrounds and considers each applicant holistically. Students entering the MPH program must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university. Admissions and scholarship decisions are based primarily on a review of the following:  

  • A commitment to the mission of the SPH and the ability to introspectively articulate reasons for pursuing a master's degree in public health
  • An undergraduate GPA over the last 60 to 75 semester credit hours on transcripts provided at the time of application. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is preferred. If applicable, an optional field in the Academic History section of the application provides the opportunity to describe any significant or extenuating circumstances that an applicant would like to be considered in the review of their academic history.  
  • Additional academic work the applicant may have undertaken following the completion of an undergraduate degree, if applicable
  • Performance in public health, health sciences, and quantitative coursework, if applicable  
  • Specialized training(s) relevant to the degree program 
  • Human service-related experience (paid, volunteer, research, and internship)  
  • Leadership experience and/or potential
  • Ability to think critically about issues related to the field of public health  
  • Recommendations received from academic and professional references  

Admission decisions are typically released within six to eight weeks of an applicant completing their application. Applicant reviewers use a standardized application review rubric that defines how points are awarded for different elements of a student's application. The scoring guidelines are used to generate an admissions score for each application that helps guide the admission decision and the allocation of institutional scholarships. Specific components include the content and quality of the personal statement, academic background, previous experience, strength of references, quality of video interview responses, and an overall readiness score.

Readmission and Reinstatement 

Students requesting a return to SPH must first contact the SPH Academic Records Office for an audit of their academic record. The registrar will inform the student whether the student must complete an application for readmission or reinstatement, as defined below: 

Readmission

Students in the following categories must reapply through the SPH Office of Admissions and Recruitment: 

  • Academic Dismissal: Students who have been dismissed for academic reasons by the SPH
  • Inability to Complete Program Within Required Timeframe: Students who completed some SPH coursework but left the program for a period of time and cannot complete their degree within four years from their initial date of matriculation into the program

Reinstatement

Students in the following categories must complete a Request for Reinstatement with the SPH Registrar: 

  • Administrative Financial Withdrawal: Students who have been administratively withdrawn from SPH due to failure to pay tuition and/or fees or other outstanding balance on the student's account 
  • Administrative Withdrawal (Nonfinancial): Students who miss one semester of registration (excluding summer) will be discontinued and administratively withdrawn from their program.
  • Personal Leave of Absence: Students who elect to temporarily interrupt their progress toward their degree for a personal, nonmedical reason
  • Medical Leave of Absence (requires additional approval from WashU Cares): Students who, voluntarily or involuntarily, must temporarily interrupt their progress toward their degree due to a physical or mental health need. 

Voluntary Withdrawal

This group includes students who elect to voluntarily withdraw from SPH and discontinue their program of study. Students with accounting holds must clear their balance with student accounting before any application for readmission or reinstatement is considered. Credits for previous SPH coursework taken prior to a student's return are not automatically counted and must be reviewed by the Office of Admissions and the SPH Registrar. SPH coursework completed more than six years prior to reinstatement or readmission will not be considered for credit toward the degree. 

Decisions regarding reinstatement or readmission may be based on the applicant's academic status when last enrolled, their activities while away from campus, the length of their absence, the potential for successful completion of the program as determined by the SPH, the ability of the department to support the applicant both academically and financially, as well as other relevant factors or considerations. Due to enrollment limitations, there is no guarantee of approval for reinstatement or readmission. 

Application Deadlines for Readmission or Reinstatement 

Readmission 

Students must adhere to the dates and deadlines that are set by the Office of Admissions & Recruitment. 

Reinstatement 

A completed Application for Reinstatement must be received by the SPH Office of the Registrar six weeks prior to the first day of the term in which enrollment is requested. After this date, the application will be reviewed for reinstatement in the subsequent term. Once the application has been reviewed and a decision has been made, the student will receive a notification via email. 

Reinstatement From a Medical Leave of Absence (LOA)

  • Any student requesting return from a medical LOA must follow the deadlines above in addition to obtaining approval from WashU Cares prior to returning. 
  • To return in the fall semester: Submit a request to WashU Cares between June 1 and July 1. 
  • To return in the spring semester: Submit a request to WashU Cares between November 1 amd December 1. 
  • WashU Cares does not allow reinstatement for the summer session. 
  • Detailed information about a medical LOA reinstatement can be found on the WashU Cares website. 

Degree Requirements for Students Approved to Return to the School of Public Health 

Students Approved for Readmission

  • Student is responsible for completing degree requirements at the SPH in effect of their new matriculation semester. 

Students Approved for Reinstatement

  • Within the first two weeks of the semester in which the student returns from their LOA, they are required to meet with their academic advisor to create an academic success plan for the remainder of their program. 
  • The student must be able to complete their degree requirements within four years from the original date of matriculation. 
  • Students must complete the degree requirements outlined in the SPH Handbook from their original matriculation semester. 
  • At the discretion of the program, if course offerings have changed as a result of revised degree requirements, the program may require the student to complete additional courses, exams, and/or requisites for completion of the degree. 

Scholarships/Tuition

Scholarships/Tuition for Readmission 

  • Students approved for readmission are no longer eligible to receive scholarships previously awarded by the SPH. 
  • Students will be reconsidered for merit-based scholarships by the Office of Admissions & Recruitment in the same manner as students applying to the SPH for the first time. 
  • Students should contact the director of Student Financial Services regarding reapplying for federal student aid. 
  • The student will be assessed tuition and fees according to the current tuition rate/structure in effect for the academic year in which they return to the SPH. 

Scholarships/Tuition for Reinstatement 

  • Students approved for reinstatement will receive any remaining funds from the scholarship award offered when they were first admitted to the program.
  • Students will be assessed tuition and fees according to the tuition rate/structure in effect for the academic year in which they return to the SPH. 

Doctoral Application Requirements

In addition to the SOPHAS application fee requirement, the following materials must be submitted to complete the PhD application:  

  • Transcripts
  • Curriculum vitae or resume  
  • A personal statement  
  • One writing sample  
  • Three letters of recommendation  

Doctoral Application Review and Admission Decision

Applications for the PhD in Public Health Sciences also come to the SPH through SOPHAS, but the PhD program director leads the review and admission decision process. This is a five-step process:  

  1. The PhD program director and public health faculty members on the Doctoral Education Committee conduct an initial triage of applications to identify those that do not meet program requirements or that are a poor fit for the program. In its first two years, this process has removed about one third of applications.  
  2. Each remaining application is matched to two or three public health faculty members whose interests and/or background are aligned with the applicant's. These faculty members review the application using a standardized template that is available and that can be viewed in the ERF. Faculty members who wrote a letter of recommendation for an applicant cannot review the applicant's application. Consult the ERF for more information (ERF > H > H4 > PhD Application Review Template).  
  3. The PhD program director and public health faculty members on the Doctoral Education Subcommittee synthesize the faculty reviews and create three groups of applicants based on reviewers' level of enthusiasm, with applicants ranked within each group. Group A applicants are invited to campus for finalist interviews, with travel paid for by the SPH. If any Group A applicants decline the invitation, the highest-rated Group B applicant would be invited next. Group C applicants are not considered further for admission.  
  4. All finalists attend a two-day interview/orientation event. During this event, each finalist interviews with two or three faculty members, who evaluate the finalist based on program fit and scholarly potential. Faculty also indicate whether they would be willing to mentor the applicant, whether they would help fund the applicant's research stipend, and whether they recommend the applicant for admission to the PhD program.  
  5. On the basis of these reviews, the finalists are ranked, and offers of admission are extended to as many highly rated applicants as the program can accept that year. There are typically 10 to 12 offers made per year.  

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