Every year candidates from all over the U.S. and around the world apply to our programs, making admissions highly competitive. Decisions are made after a review of your complete application, including your academic record, work experience, demonstrated readiness for a commitment to the profession, and determination to engage in hard work and make a difference.
General Instructions
Ohio State has joined with most other schools of public health to make use of an online centralized application service – SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service). Please read the information below carefully to determine the correct way to complete your application.
Applicants to the MHA, MPH, MS, or PhD programs in the fields listed below will use SOPHAS:
- Biostatistics
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Epidemiology
- Health Behavior and Health Promotion
- Health Services Management and Policy
- Veterinary Public Health
Applicants to the following programs will not use SOPHAS:
- MPH Program for Experienced Professionals
- MPH specialization in clinical investigation
Applicants who are already enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program at Ohio State should contact our admission staff at cph@osu.edu for guidance, as there are several factors that may influence the correct application process. Applicants who are currently enrolled at Ohio State as undergraduates or graduate nondegree students should follow the standard application instructions.
Please follow the How to Apply link to the left for additional admission requirements, deadlines, and other information, as there are some slight variations among the programs.
General Admissions Requirements
Admission to the College is competitive and most admitted students will substantially exceed the minimum requirements. Click on the Recommended Preparation link at left for additional information concerning admissions criteria.
The Graduate School, which sets policy for all graduate programs at The Ohio State University, requires a completed bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and a cumulative undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 or better as the minimum standard for your application to be eligible for consideration for any graduate degree. Applicants with a lower grade-point average may be considered for admission only on a conditional basis with Graduate School approval. In general this approval will require clear offsetting evidence of academic promise (e.g., good GRE scores, better academic performance recently, etc.).
General Record Examination (GRE) scores are required of all applicants to any degree program in the College of Public Health. Only scores from the general test (including verbal, quantitative and analytical writing scores) are necessary. Applicants for any degree in health services management and policy may substitute the GMAT for the GRE.
Applicants who already have a doctoral professional degree (e.g., MD, JD), or who are applying for a dual degree program with one of those degrees, may petition to substitute the corresponding professional test score (e.g., MCAT, LSAT).
For International Applicants
Any international applicant whose native language is not English, and who has been educated primarily outside of the U.S., must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), taken within the last two years. The minimum expected TOEFL score is 600 for the paper-based test, 250 for the computer-based test, or 100 for the internet-based test.
International applicants will also be required to provide an affidavit of financial support and supporting documents if seeking a non-immigrant student visa.
