Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the MPH program must submit the following documentation by the closing date specified for a given admission cycle. The following admissions requirements, policies and procedures apply regardless of whether applying for a stand-alone MPH degree or for a joint degree program.

• Completed Penn MPH application form
• Recent (within the past 5 years) scores on one of the following standardized tests:
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Medical College Admissions Tests (MCAT)
• Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)
• Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
• Dental School Admissions Test (DSAT)

Note: Consideration will be given to waiving the standardized test requirement for applicants with at least a master’s degree in a relevant field. When standardized test scores are waived, evidence of quantitative ability will be evaluated based on grades earned in graduate-level quantitative and science courses. Official standardized test scores are required for applicants who do not have a masters degree or higher, AND for applicants whose advanced degree was conferred by an institution outside the U.S., AND for applicants who are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program but do not yet have a master's or higher degree.

• English Language Proficiency (e.g. TOEFL score or degree from an English-language institution) for applicants whose first language is not English
• Official transcripts of previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work
• Evidence of quantitative ability (usually demonstrated by scores on the quantitative section of the GRE or successful (i.e. B or better) completion of graduate-level quantitative and science courses such as biostatistics and epidemiology)
• Up-to-date resume or curriculum vitae
• Three recommendations from individuals who can attest to suitability for graduate study and to interest in public health (see application packet for standard forms). References from individuals who can attest to the applicant's academic and/or professional accomplishments are preferred.
• A personal statement outlining the applicant's field of interest in public health, and the academic and/or professional background that brought the applicant to wish to acquire knowledge and skills in the field of public health. This statement should also address why the applicant believes the University of Pennsylvania's Master of Public Health Program is the right program to enable the applicant to meet her/his goals.
• Evidence of sufficient work or volunteer experience related to public health (e.g., two years or more of post baccalaureate experience in a health-related field)
• A check or money order in the amount of $70, payable to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania

A personal statement (short essay) demonstrating an understanding of public health and explaining the nature of interest in public health studies, the perceived advantages of public health studies from an overall personal career perspective, and the specific plan of study proposed (e.g. types of electives envisioned; timeframe for completion of program).