Admissions

Admission to the Doctoral Program is competitive and students are selected on the basis of their demonstrated commitment to public health, academic preparation and experience.

To be considered a priority applicant, please apply by November 1st.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

We expect applicants to the doctoral degree to demonstrate commitment to public health through education, professional experience or volunteer service. In addition, our most competitive applicants:

  • Have completed a rigorous baccalaureate degree in a relevant discipline with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all courses of record at the undergraduate and graduate level of study.
  • Have earned a master’s degree in a relevant field of study, preferably an MPH. It is possible, although highly unusual, for a student with an exemplary undergraduate background plus exceptional public health experience to earn admission into the Ph.D. study without a prior graduate degree. These students complete both MPH and Ph.D. course requirements during their graduate study at the University of Connecticut.
  • Show evidence of having completed graduate courses with grades of B or better in at least three of the five core disciplines of public health (Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Behavioral Sciences, Occupational/Environmental Health, and Health Services Administration). Exceptional candidates who do not meet this criterion will be considered for admission with the expectation that three to five core discipline courses will be completed for non-degree credit in addition to other credit requirements of the doctoral degree (i.e., credits earned for these pre-requisites will not count against the program credit total).

APPLICATION TO THE PROGRAM

Prospective students apply directly to the Graduate School, which sets admissions regulations and policies for all graduate programs at the University of Connecticut. Completed applications are then forwarded to the Program in Applied Public Health Sciences for review.

A complete application includes:

  • Complete our online application
  • The on-line application process requires a $75 fee and must be paid with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover).
  • Submission of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are not required.
  • A copy of the official transcript from each university-level school attended by the applicant (uploaded into the application). It is required that foreign applicants have their transcript grades evaluated by a credential evaluation service.
  • Three (3) current letters of reference from faculty or others who can address your potential for success in the doctoral program.
  • A residence affidavit for determination of in-state/out-of-state tuition status can be found in the application.
  • A recent TOEFL test score or IELTS test score if English is not your native language.  A minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper) or 250 (computer) is required for admissions. The TOEFL should be taken well in advance of the admission deadlines to assure consideration for the requested admit term. Copies of score reports sent to students are acceptable. The IELTS test is also acceptable. A minimum IELTS score of 7.0 with a speaking minimum of 27 is required. To send your TOEFL scores along with your application, please use institution code 3915; a department code is not necessary.
  • A personal statement expressing your reasons for applying to our program, your educational and professional goals, and a description of all relevant research and professional experiences to date. This statement should also include a suggestion of two to three members of our faculty whose work most interests you and might serve as academic advisors.

Successful applicants demonstrate commitment to public health by evidence of at least three years’ duration – through education, professional experience, or significant volunteer contributions. Background or interest in research methods, as evidenced by demonstrated work experience, participation in independent or team-based research, a thesis-based master’s degree, description of research interests in the personal statement, or authored publications is highly desirable.

For further explanation of requirements, including frequently asked questions, see links on the Apply to UConn page.

Applications are first reviewed by our Admissions Committee who ensure that minimum requirements for admission are met. Applicants who fail to meet these requirements are notified why their application will not be considered for admission. Complete applications will be forwarded to our Admissions Committee for full review. You can expedite this process by promptly submitting all the required material to the Graduate School Apply Yourself on-line system. The Admissions Committee considers all aspects of the application: evidence of strong commitment to public health, grade point average in graduate studies, rigor of courses taken in graduate school, experience in public health-related projects, statement of intent, and letters of recommendation. The committee evaluates potential applicants on the totality of these criteria, so that a weakness in one area may be outweighed by strength in other areas.

Final acceptance is dependent on finding an appropriate faculty mentor for your doctoral work.

Admissions, with rare exceptions, start in the fall semester of each year.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Effective September 8, 2025, for applicants submitting applications to the Summer 2026 or Fall 2026 terms and beyond***, third-party credential evaluations for transcripts and degrees awarded by schools outside the U.S are required. You may choose any evaluator you wish to use from the following list. Commonly used credential evaluation services are below:

  • TEC (formerly SpanTran) is a NACES member organization that has created a custom portal for The Graduate School at UConn that will ensure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their portal here: TEC Application – UConn Graduate School
  • IEE is a NACES member organization that has created a custom portal for The Graduate School at UConn that will ensure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their portal here: IEE Application- UConn Graduate School
  • Any member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) or
  • Any member of AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators)

If you have obtained a third-party credential evaluation from a member of one of these associations, please include this in your application.

***Applicants applying to any graduate program for the Spring 2026 term may upload either a copy of the transcript and degree certificate/diploma or use one of the credential evaluation services explained above.

The official transcript should be sent to:
Graduate Admissions Office
438 Whitney Rd. Ext., Unit 1152
Storrs, CT 06269-1152

 

REQUEST INFORMATION

Any questions about transcripts or the online application can be emailed to: gradadmissions@uconn.edu

For more information on applying to the UConn Program in Applied Public Health Sciences contact: publichealth@uchc.edu