College of Public Health

Application Instructions for Graduate Programs

Application Instructions for Undergraduate Programs

Application Instructions for Graduate Programs

All Domestic Applicants

• All domestic applicants (including OSU undergraduates applying to CPH graduate programs) should apply online through SOPHAS our online centralized application service for accredited schools of public health.
• Applicants to the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program, can apply online through either SOPHAS or HAMPCAS.
• Applicants to the Interdisciplinary PhD program in Biostatistics do not use SOPHAS or HAMPCAS to apply to the program. Applicants need to go here for instructions and information on applying.

All application materials, including transcripts, GRE scores (GMAT scores are acceptable for the MHA program), personal statement, resume, and letters of recommendation, are to be submitted through the centralized service.  Applicants are also required to submit an OSU Supplemental Application, which will be emailed once the SOPHAS (or HAMPCAS) application is complete and has been forwarded to the OSU Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions. This process can take up to one week following verification of the application in the centralized application portal.

See specific prospective student program pages for details on recommended preparation and application materials.

International Students
All applicants will use the online centralized application service (SOPHAS) for accredited schools of public health (applicants to the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program, can choose to apply via SOPHAS or HAMPCAS). Official transcripts from international institutions should be forwarded to the centralized service for all prior undergraduate, graduate and professional study. Ohio State does not accept or require international transcripts to be verified by an outside vendor, i.e., WES. We know that some schools of public health accept WES evaluation, so although we do not accept their evaluation we will accept the official transcript that you submitted to WES, so you will not need to submit a duplicate official transcript. We will provide the official transcripts to the OSU Admissions Office and they will complete the verification, evaluation and grade point calculation of your transcripts. This process could delay the review of your application by approximately two weeks and we will email you so that you know we have sent your transcript for the evaluation process.
International applicants who are admitted will be required to provide an affidavit of financial support and supporting documents if seeking a non-immigrant student visa. Please do not send these items until requested. International students (non-U.S) citizens and non-permanent residents are admitted with the understanding that they have sufficient financial resources to cover their program of study.

Application Deadlines
The deadlines listed below for the fellowship competition are firm. We encourage applicants to apply at least 3-4 weeks prior to all application deadlines to allow sufficient time for processing. Applications received after the deadlines will be considered only if space remains available.

• November 15 - For domestic and international applicants applying for fellowship consideration (To qualify for the Graduate School Fellowship competition you must meet specific eligibility criteria. Be sure to visit this website for additional details.)
• November 15 - For all international applicants (both regular admission or fellowship consideration)
• February 15 - For domestic applicants and international applicants who currently reside in the United States.
• March 1 - For MPH-Program for Experiences Professionals (PEP) applicants
• May 31 - For domestic and international applicants applying to the Masters in Public Health - Veterinary Public Health program

Application Instructions for Undergraduate Program

Admission to the undergraduate public health major is competitive. Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic record, leadership, work and volunteer experiences and potential for success.

Admission Criteria for Pre-Public Health Major (Pre-Majors)
New First-Year Students / Freshman: New First Year students must have a minimum ACT score of 26 or a minimum combined SAT score of 1170 for incoming freshman to be directly admitted to the College as a Pre-Public Health major.  

Admitted first year OSU students who do not meet the incoming freshman criteria can enroll in the Health Professions Exploration program to consider alternative majors. Students who are not declared Pre-Public Health majors can still complete prerequisite courses and apply to the Public Health major.

Transfer Students:  Students transferring to Ohio State must have a minimum 2.80 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 30 semester credits (or equivalent) from the college in which they last earned transfer credit to be directly enrolled as a Pre-Public Health major.

Current OSU Students:  Current Ohio State students that want to switch to the College as a Pre-Public Health major, must have a minimum 2.80 cumulative OSU GPA and a minimum of 12 semester credits.Current Ohio State students who want to apply to the major should go to buckeyelink.osu.edu and scroll down to the Admissions section and click on  "Public Health BS" to apply to the major.

Admission Criteria for Public Health Major and Designated Interdisciplinary Specialization (Majors)
Applicants must have an OSU cumulative GPA of 2.8 and a minimum of 30 credit hours by the end of Spring Semester.  Interested students must complete and submit an application and prerequisite courses to be considered for admission to the program.  Admissions applications for Autumn 2013 are due Friday, February 15, 2013.

        Course prerquisites:

Public Health Sociology Specialization*:
English 1101
Math 1116 or higher
One approved GE Natural Science course
Sociology 1101

Environmental Public Health Specialization*:
English 1101
Math 1148/1149 or 1150 or higher
Biology 1113
Sociology 1101

*Applicants must complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or higher.

Application Deadlines and Review Process
Applications for the 2013 Admissions cycle are due Friday February 15, 2013. Those wishing to apply who are not Ohio State students should use the application found at: http://www.professional.osu.edu/pbh.asp. Visit our FAQ section to find answers to commonly asked admission questions.