Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Application Process

Applicants for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree are required to use SOPHAS, the centralized Schools of Public Health Application Service (see possible exception noted below). The complete application process includes materials completed through SOPHAS as well as materials provided directly to Ohio State. You must meet all SOPHAS and individual program requirements before your application will be processed and reviewed.

We recommend that you begin by visiting the SOPHAS web site at http://www.sophas.org/, to familiarize yourself with the process and the materials that will be needed to complete your application.

Possible exception to SOPHAS

Applicants who are already enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program at Ohio State should contact the College of Public Health admissions staff (cph@osu.edu), as there are several factors that may determine the correct application process.

Application Checklist

This checklist is intended to assist you in preparing for the application. It is not a substitute for the full application instructions, nor does it include the procedures and requirements associated with the online application itself, which will be available when you go to the web site. Applications and all required documentation should be submitted by the deadline:

  • November 30 for all international applications (regular admission and fellowship consideration).
  • February 1 for domestic applicants - if applying for fellowship consideration, the deadline is January 1.

NOTE: We encourage applicants to apply at least 3 weeks prior to the deadlines to allow sufficient time for processing. Applications received after the deadline will be considered if space remains available.

Items to be completed online or provided to SOPHAS:

  • A completed online application at https://portal.sophas.org/
  • A nonrefundable online application fee, determined by the number of schools to which you are applying

As part of the online application, you will need to:

  • Enter your contact information and personal data
  • Enter ALL of your U.S. coursework at the college level and above (undergraduate, graduate and professional); you will also need to complete a section on universities attended and degrees earned
  • Submit a personal statement, which may be composed offline and pasted into the application; please be sure that your statement clearly identifies the interests you have, particularly if you wish to work with a specific faculty member
  • Enter information on your work experience, volunteer experience, honors and awards received
  • Submit a resume, which may be uploaded if available in an appropriate format

In addition to material entered online, have the following items sent to SOPHAS:

  • One copy of official transcripts for all prior undergraduate, graduate and professional study
  • Three letters of recommendation - contact your references in advance to make sure they agree to submit a recommendation on your behalf as well as to find out whether they would prefer to send the recommendations electronically or by paper

All required test scores should be reported using the codes listed below:

  • Official GRE
    http://www.gre.com/ - use the new DI code 4233 (designating this code when you take the GRE exam, your scores will be directly sent to SOPHAS)
  • Official TOEFL scores minimum score of 550 paper, 213 computer based test, or 79 iBT) - scores from TOEFL or IELTS (minimum score 7.0) are required of an applicant from another country where the native language is not English, unless a bachelor's degree or its equivalent was earned in a country where English is the native language
    http://www.toefl.com/ - use score report institution code 1592

Items to be provided to the Ohio State University Graduate Admissions Office:

  • All applicants are required to submit an OSU Supplemental application which can be found at the following URL: https://www.applyweb.com/apply/osuph
  • Nonrefundable secondary application fee: $40 for domestic applicants, $50 for international applicants
  • International applicants who are admitted will be asked to provide an affidavit of financial support and supporting documents if seeking a non-immigrant student visa; please do not send these until requested

Item to be provided to The Ohio State University College of Public Health:

  • PhD applicants may be asked to participate in a personal or telephone interview to clarify their interests.

Send to:
Office of Academic Programs - Admissions
OSU College of Public Health
M-006 Starling-Loving Hall
320 W. 10th Ave.
Columbus OH 43210
phone: 614-293-3907
fax: 614-293-5412
email: cph@cph.osu.edu
website: http://cph.osu.edu/

Applicants are advised to keep a copy of all application materials sent to OSU. The application and all supporting documents become the property of OSU and may not be returned to the applicant, forwarded to another institution, or duplicated for any purposes other than the OSU application review and admission process. Inactive files are destroyed annually.