Application Requirements and Deadlines

Application Requirements

The Milken Institute School of Public Health uses the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) to submit graduate applications for residential (on-campus) programs. This central application allows prospective graduate students to apply to multiple accredited schools of public health. Students applying only to our Master of Health Administration (MHA) program may also apply through HAMPCAS and students applying to the online MPH@GW and MHA@GW should apply directly on their program-specific website. 

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION - All applicants must submit a minimum of three letters of recommendation. 

PERSONAL STATEMENT - Up to 1500 words. Tell your story focusing on your initial interest in public health, your interest in the Milken Institute School of Public Health at GW, and your preferred area of study.

RESUME OR CURRICULUM VITAE

GRE - The GRE is only required for the PhD in Health Data Science Biostatistics Concentration - regardless of prior academic or professional experience.

Send GRE scores to SOPHAS Code 5268. GRE is strongly recommended but not required for the other PhD programs. Applicants may voluntarily submit their Graduate Record Examination test scores to help the admissions committee better understand academic readiness for the program. 

INTERVIEW - MHA and Doctoral applicants only. Selected applicants being considered for the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) concentrations, PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Master of Health Administration (MHA) may be required to take part in an in-person or virtual interview. Program administrators will contact you directly to schedule an interview should you be selected.

SUPPLEMENTAL FORM - Once SOPHAS has verified your application, you will receive an email with instructions and credentials to access the GW application portal. Upon logging in, you must complete the supplemental form found on your checklist.

TRANSCRIPTS - Enrolling students must have received a bachelor’s degree (master’s for most doctoral programs) from an accredited college or university. Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned or the program was completed. 

US CREDITS - Applicants who attended a college or university in the United States must submit a course-by-course transcript to SOPHAS for processing.

STUDY ABROAD CREDITS - Applicants that completed a study abroad experience as part of their post-secondary education do not need to submit a transcript from the study abroad institution nor obtain a course-by-course foreign transcript evaluation if the grade appears on your official transcript. 

It is important to only include institutions in which the degree was earned on the SOPHAS or HAMPCAS application. Listing study abroad institutions will require an official transcript to be sent to SOPHAS or HAMPCAS that may lead to delays in the application review process. The Office of Admissions & Enrollment reserves the right to request a foreign transcript for applicants.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS (ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS)

INTERNATIONAL CREDITS - Applicants who attended a college or university outside the United States must submit a course-by-course foreign transcript evaluation. World Education Services (WES) is the preferred evaluation provider.  All WES evaluations must be sent directly to SOPHAS. See “Study Abroad Credit” for more information on transcript requirements. 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY - All applicants to the George Washington University must demonstrate excellent English language skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Graduate applicants who have not earned (or will not earn before matriculation) a post-secondary degree from a US institution are required to submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) or Duolingo scores to be considered for admission. Scores may not be more than two years old.

Minimum Score Requirements:

TOEFL: 100 on the Internet exam (iBT) 

IELTS: 7.0 overall with no individual score below 6.0. Applicants can add the TRF number to the Standardized Tests section of the SOPHAS application. 

Duolingo: 125

EXCEPTIONS - Applicants with post-secondary degrees from the United States and/or select countries are exempt from providing English Language exam scores (ex: TOEFL, IELTS). A list of qualifying countries can be found here.

DUAL DEGREE APPLICANTS - It is important to note that for joint degree programs, the applicant must submit an application to the primary degree and a separate application to the Milken Institute School of Public Health (exception PA/MPH). Please contact the primary school for additional application information regarding joint degrees with the school of public health.

Disclaimer: The George Washington University reserves the right to request proof of English proficiency from any applicant.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

All application requirements and documentation must be submitted electronically directly to SOPHAS or HAMPCAS.

Application Deadlines

It is important to pay attention to each programs’ deadline outlined below. The online MPH@GW and MHA@GW programs have separate application deadlines than the residential programs listed below. Master's applicants for the Summer or Fall semesters are encouraged to submit their application prior to the Scholarship Priority Deadline of January 15th, 2026.  Any application submitted after the program-specific deadline will be reviewed and considered for admission on a space-available basis. All applications are reviewed holistically. Applicants for master's and graduate certificate programs can expect a decision six to eight weeks after the application is verified and complete. Doctoral decisions are released in late March.

The application for all 2026 academic terms will be available in SOPHAS or HAMPCAS in mid-August.

 

Masters Deadlines

Spring 2026: October 1 (final)

Summer 2026: January 15 (scholarship priority), March 15 (final)

Fall 2026: January 15 (scholarship priority), March 15 (final, pending available space)

 

Disclaimer: If you require a GW sponsored student visa, you must apply by the final deadline of the semester you wish to begin or by March 15th for the Fall semester.

 

Doctoral Deadline

Fall 2026: December 1 (final)

 

Certificate Deadlines

Spring 2026: October 1 (final)

Summer 2026: March 15 (final)

Fall 2026: March 15 (final)

 

Applications Timelines

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE & MASTER'S

The Office of Admissions & Enrollment only works with verified SOPHAS or HAMPCAS applications. Please note, SOPHAS takes two weeks on average - or longer during peak volumes - to verify applications. To meet the Master's Scholarship Priority Deadline, you must electronically submit on SOPHAS or HAMPCAS by 11:59 PM (EST) by the posted deadline regardless of verification status.

Once the application is complete and sent to the admissions committee for review, applicants can anticipate an admissions decision within six to eight weeks. All application updates and admissions decisions are communicated via the GW application portal. Once your application is verified, you will receive an email with instructions and credentials for accessing the GW application portal. Master’s students that submit their SOPHAS or HAMPCAS application by the Scholarship Priority Deadline will automatically be reviewed for merit-based scholarships. 

DOCTORAL

The Office of Admissions & Enrollment works only with verified SOPHAS applications. Please note, SOPHAS takes two weeks on average - or longer during peak volumes - to verify applications. To meet the application deadline, you must electronically submit via SOPHAS no later than 11:59 PM (EST) on December 1 regardless of verification status. Only applications that are verified and completed by January 1 will be considered for admissions review.

Throughout January and February, applicants may be invited to participate in an in-person or virtual interview. Not all applicants will be required to interview. Admissions decisions are communicated via the GW application portal starting in March, regardless of the submission date.

International Applicants

GW is proud to cultivate a community of diverse perspectives and international backgrounds. To comply with immigration requirements, university policies, and timelines we encourage international applicants to apply for the fall semester, however, we will also accept applications for a spring or summer entry. Please visit our GWSPH International Student Visa website for more detailed information about the application process.

APPLICANTS REQUESTING A F-1 VISA OR F-1 VISA TRANSFER

If granted admission to a program, the Milken Institute School of Public Health must receive additional documents to process a request for an I-20 to study at GW. The Office of Admissions & Enrollment will contact admitted students that have submitted their seat deposit regarding the next steps.

APPLICANTS HOLDING A NON-STUDENT US VISA

International applicants on a non-student visa (H4, G1, etc) are sponsored by an agency or organization not related to GW. Please confirm with the US Department of State that you are permitted to study in the US on your current visa status.

If you plan to keep your current visa status, no additional documentation is required. Please indicate your current visa status on your application.

APPLICANTS WITH US PERMANENT RESIDENCY STATUS

Permanent residents are non-US citizens legally within the United States who have applied and been approved for residency. Applicants with pending applications for residency may apply as permanent residents, but cannot enroll at the Milken Institute School of Public Health until temporary or permanent residency is approved.

STEM FIELD ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS

Program	CIP CODE
Biostatistics (MPH)	26.1102
Environmental Health (PhD)	51.2202
Environmental Health Science & Policy (MPH)	51.2202
Epidemiology (MPH, PhD)	26.1309
Exercise Science - Strength and Conditioning (MS)	26.0908
Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition (PhD)	30.1901
Global Environmental Health (MPH)	51.2202
Global Health Epidemiology and Disease Control (MPH)	26.1309
Health Data Sciences (MS, PhD)	26.0102
Public Health Microbiology and Emerging Infectious Diseases (MS)	26.0509

The George Washington University does not unlawfully discriminate in its admissions programs against any person on any basis prohibited by law, including without limitation, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, pregnancy, or familial or marital status.