Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Applications to the MPH and MS Programs are due by January 1, 2013, for both domestic and international applicants.

The on-line application asks for uploaded unofficial transcripts. One transcript sent directly from your degree-granting school will be required if you're offered admission and decide to accept the offer.

Most applicants will learn by e-mail about their status no later than mid-March.

No. The School of Public Health at the University of Washington is currently not participating in the SOPHAS common application service.

We must receive GRE scores (the general test) no later than two weeks after the application deadline.

About 35 new students are admitted. Most of these are admitted to the MPH Program.

The MPH Program is intended to be completed in 2 years. While it is sometimes possible to extend this period, applicants who need more flexible study should consider the Executive MPH Program. ( http://depts.washington.edu/hsedp )

Domestic applicants who will need financial aid should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The MPH Program does not have a separate financial aid application.

Most students finance their studies with a combination of student loans and work opportunities on campus. Many students find research assistant positions, generally after the first quarter or two of study, and these usually last for at least one year. Teaching assistant positions for a single quarter are also sometimes available. A few merit-based awards are given annually.

Each enrolled student becomes a member of an e-mail distribution list, to which a broadly-based assortment of opportunities are posted, both on campus and at off-site locations where some of our faculty work, such as the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Applicants who are offered admission are also welcome to contact faculty with whom they might like to work to learn of upcoming openings they may have.

The In-Residence (daytime) MPH in Health Services is organized into 2 Programs. These are the Community-Oriented Public Health Practice MPH Program, and the General MPH Program. Within the General MPH Program, applicants have a choice of 3 concentrations: Maternal and Child Health, Health Systems and Policy, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. They may also elect to be generalists within the General Program.

Applicants who know that their dominant interests are in one of the three concentrations should select it when applying.

The generalist option is for applicants whose focus is not in one of the 3 formal concentrations. It is an excellent choice for students who want optimal flexibility to individualize a course of study by choosing from the wide selection of courses offered by the Department of Health Services and the School of Public Health. Applicants who select the generalist option may still choose to pursue a concentration once admitted to the Department.

The MS in Health Services allows students to more efficiently pursue their research interests in Health Services. It has an optional clinical pathway available to students in certain fellowship programs.

Most applicants to the MS should have an advanced health degree, such as an MD or PhD, or they should intend to pursue a doctoral degree in Health Services in the future. While competitive MPH applicants may have other exceptional qualification, MS applicants who are not already post-docs should have GRE scores and grades that are exceptionally strong. Prior experience in health-related research is also usually necessary to be competitive.