How to Apply

For the DrPH, SM, MHCM, and MPH (including online, dual, and joint degree programs) Programs, your application goes through a two-phase process:

Phase 1: SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service)

SOPHAS is a centralized application service used by many of the accredited schools and programs in public health. While each school and program to which you apply will have some additional or slightly different requirements or essay questions, you complete a single application containing your personal information and submit one set of recommendation letters and one set of transcripts through SOPHAS for all schools.

SOPHAS will not forward your application to the schools you designate until the form is entirely completed, your transcripts are received, your personal essay/statements of purpose and any supplemental questions required by specific schools are completed, and two out of three recommendations have been submitted.

SOPHAS uses submitted transcripts to verify your coursework. Once verified, your application will be submitted to the schools and programs designated. During peak times it can take up to four weeks for your application to be verified and electronically submitted to your designated schools/programs, so be sure to plan ahead and check your online SOPHAS account frequently to confirm application status.

SOPHAS will not hold your application if your standardized test scores have not been received. If you are taking standardized tests near the application deadline this should not be a concern as long as the testing service timeline guarantees that we will receive results before our application deadline. We will consider your application incomplete until we receive test scores, however. We will alert you that scores are missing and hold your application from review until they are received.

Phase 2: Harvard Chan Admissions Review Process

Once we receive your application from SOPHAS, we will let you know. Please continue to monitor your SOPHAS portal to make sure that all required documentation has been received.

You may contact our Admissions team regarding outstanding items or any concerns you may have by emailing us at [email protected] or by phone at 617-432-1031.

If at any time you need to update your contact information, it must be updated through SOPHAS.

Once your application is complete, it will be thoroughly reviewed by individual staff members and the Admissions Committee for the program to which you are applying.

For more information about applying to the DrPH, MHCM, MPH, or SM programs, see:

• Application Requirements
• Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
• Test Scores
• Letters of Reference
• CV/Resume
• Transcripts / Marks Sheets
• 2014 Statistics

If you are applying for one of our PhD programs, your application will be managed through Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), as all PhDs at Harvard are granted through GSAS. To learn more, follow these links:

Biological Sciences in Public Health
Biostatistics
Health Policy
Population Health Sciences

Each program has its own registration process. For most programs, an application is not required; you only need to find your program, register, and pay to reserve your seat. Applications for the few programs requiring one are straightforward and consist of a set of questions, which you will find along the registration process. You will be notified when your application is accepted and your seat will be reserved once your invoice is paid in full.

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health offers a variety of courses to public health professionals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree and are looking to broaden their knowledge of the field. We offer two options, each with its own set of requirements and application process:

• Courses during the academic year are open to individuals affiliated with Harvard University either through their workplace or their career and research.
• Courses during the summer are open to individuals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree and have an interest and a background in public health. Although an affiliation with Harvard is not required, interested individuals must follow an application and review process.

In either case, students receive non-degree credit for the coursework completed. Students who apply to and are accepted into a Harvard Chan School degree program within five years of completion of the non-degree course(s), may have a maximum of 20 academic and financial credits counted toward the degree program.