To apply to the Master of Public Health program, applicants are required to complete the online Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) application.*

*Exception: MPH Dual degree seeking students, please see individual program page for details on application instructions.

*Priority deadline is for scholarship consideration.

Step 1 | SOPHAS Admission & Application Requirements

Domestic or US Transcripts

Must be sent from the institutions Registrar’s Office directly to SOPHAS at the following address:

SOPHAS Mailing and Contact Information
SOPHAS | P.O. Box 9111 | Watertown, MA 02471
617-612-2090 | Email | Website

• This applies to current or former UNMC students.
• Photocopies of transcripts will not be accepted.

International Transcripts

All non-US transcripts must be evaluated by the World Education Service (WES) using their ICAP Course-by course evaluation service.  For further instructions you may visit www.wes.org/sophas.

• WES reports should be sent directly from WES to SOPHAS.
• Please ensure that you enter your SOPHAS ID number on your WES evaluation request to ensure your evaluation can be matched to your application.

Graduate Record Examination

• GRE scores should be sent by ETS directly to SOPHAS using the UNMC COPH SOPHAS GRE Code: 0695
• Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores taken within the last five years are required of all applicants. Many factors are considered in evaluating an individual's application, but many successful applicants will have verbal, quantitative, and analytic writing GRE scores at or above the 40th percentile.
• GRE Waiver Policy

 Applicants to the UNMC College of Public Health (COPH) MPH Program may request a waiver from the GRE if they have been conferred a graduate or terminal degree (for example M.S., M.A., M.D., Pharm.D., Ph.D.), from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution of higher education. In addition, applicants possessing any UNMC Public Health Certificate may request a waiver if they have earned a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.25 and no less than a B in any course. 
Applicants are advised that the GRE waiver is not automatic and an approved GRE Waiver application does not guarantee later acceptance into the program. Those requesting a GRE waiver are encouraged to do so prior to formally applying through SOPHAS. To apply for the GRE waiver, applicants will need to submit the following items via email to coph@unmc.edu:

• GRE Waiver Application Form
• Scanned copies of all college or university transcripts (official or unofficial are acceptable)
• A current resume or CV

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must submit 3 letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to academic, practice and/or research abilities.

                Guidelines and Suggestions:

• Ideally, your recommenders are recent professors, researchers or employers.
• Recent graduates (last 1-3 years) should include faculty references among their 3 references.
• For those who may have graduated or have been employed in the workforce for several years, or who is a member in the armed services; recommendation letters from employers and supervisors would be appropriate.

Personal Statement

The personal statement should be single spaced, one page in length and describe the applicant’s:

• Interest in and potential for contributing to the field of public health
• Career objectives
• Self-assessment of personal skills and general preparation for succeeding in a public health graduate program. 

Resume or CV

• An updated resume/CV that includes:
  • Employment history
  • Professional experiences/skills
  • Volunteer/service experience

TOEFL or IELTS Scores

Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS scores are required of all applicants whose primary language is not English or whose undergraduate degree is from a college or university outside of the United States.

• A minimum TOEFL score of 550-paper; 213-computer; 80-Internet.
• TOEFL scores must have been earned within two years prior the desired term of entry.
• Educational Testing Services (ETS) send official scores to the SOPHAS TOEFL code: 5688.
• Official IELTS scores should be sent directly to the UNMC College of Public Health. The minimum score requirement is 7.

Step 2 | Check Your Application Status on SOPHAS 

You should check the SOPHAS portal to ensure that all required documents have been received by SOPHAS and that your completed application has been sent to UNMC College of Public Health. Please note that it may take SOPHAS up to 3-4 weeks to process and send your SOPHAS application to UNMC. It is recommended that you begin the application process well in advance of the application deadline.

Upon receiving your completed application and supporting documents, your application will be considered ready for review. The UNMC College of Public Health Admissions Committee reviews applications weekly and will review your application once it is complete and verified. Following review a decision will be made regarding your application status. You will receive notification of the decision via e-mail within 7 days of committee decision.