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HSPH Catalog

Admission and Enrollment

Admission to Degree Programs

The admissions information in this section pertains to applications for degree programs offered by the Harvard School of Public Health. Applicants should consult the Admissions Office for complete instructions and application forms. Information on HSPH minimum entrance requirements can be found on page 5. Note that application forms for PhD programs, offered under the auspices of the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), are different from those used by applicants to programs administered by HSPH; these forms must be obtained directly from GSAS.

This section contains information on the following:

HSPH Application Deadlines

Applications may be submitted beginning on September 1, 2007.

December 15, 2007, is the deadline for complete applications for all HSPH doctoral (SD and DPH) and master of science (SM) programs except as explained below.

December 15 is also the deadline for applications to the MPH, MOH, and SM in health care management programs in the priority admission cycle. February 15, 2008, is the deadline for completing applications to MPH, MOH, and SM in health care management programs for review in a second cycle. Applicants should be aware that these degree programs may fill to capacity during the priority admission cycle.

Participants in the Summer Clinical Effectiveness and Summer Session programs matriculating in the 2008 summer program and wishing to apply for degree candidacy must meet the application deadlines outlined above.

Applicants to the MPH or MOH programs who wish to participate in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency must apply by October 1, 2007.

 

Application Procedures and Requirements

Application to the Harvard School of Public Health is made through the centralized Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS). For more information about this process, please consult the HSPH Admissions Office website.

Required application materials consist of the following:

  • A completed and signed application form, a resume, and a 500-word essay written by the applicant. The essay should describe the applicant’s academic and professional history, area of interest at HSPH, reasons for wanting to enroll in the degree program, and professional or academic career plans upon completion of the program.
  • Official transcripts from all colleges, graduate schools, and/or professional schools attended, whether or not the courses taken appear to be relevant to a degree in public health. Applicants are expected to have a distinguished undergraduate record, as well as excellent performance in any graduate work undertaken.
  • Letters of recommendation from at least three people who are well acquainted with the applicant’s academic work and/or professional experience (recommendation forms are provided in the application).
  • Official scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). While GRE scores are strongly preferred, some other tests may be substituted in circumstances specified in the application. The requirement for scores from a standardized test will not be waived on the basis of academic or professional background.
  • Official scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), if applicable. Applicants (including those who have been U.S. citizens or permanent residents for less than one year) from countries where English is not the language of instruction must submit a score from the TOEFL. Those who have already taken the TOEFL may submit the score as long as it is not more than two years old. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam will be accepted if the applicant’s score is 7.0 or above.
  • A nonrefundable application fee to SOPHAS (the amount will vary according to the number of schools designated to receive the application). HSPH does not charge an application fee.

Applicants may apply to only one degree program and must satisfy the requirements of the department or program to which they are applying. Those applying to the JD/MPH joint degree program with Harvard Law School or an MD/MPH combined degree program with Harvard Medical School or another medical school must satisfy the entrance requirements to both schools. Applicants to doctoral programs must demonstrate the ability to undertake original research. All prospective students must apply for either full-time or part-time status. Most international students are eligible for full-time study only.

Admission is granted for the fall semester of a particular year (currently September 2008). Students unable to enroll at that time may request a deferral but may be required to reapply.

Application Review

Applicants are notified as soon as possible (in writing) about the status of their application. The Admissions Office will either confirm that an application is ready for review or will specify any missing documents. The decision of the Committee on Admissions and Degrees is final and is not subject to appeal.

For all HSPH programs the Committee on Admissions and Degrees considers the academic ability of applicants, the relevance of their previous education and experience, and their overall qualifications for graduate education in public health, including those qualities of character that reflect upon an individual’s suitability to be a public health professional. In decisions about admission and financial aid, HSPH does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability. The increased participation of underrepresented groups in public health practice and research is essential to the advancement of health, and the school is committed to expanding the diversity of its faculty, staff, and student body.

Tuition Deposit and Financial Certification

Applicants who are granted admission must submit a $500 tuition deposit when confirming acceptance of the offer of admission. This deposit, which is nonrefundable, will be applied toward the student’s tuition and fees.

Accepted applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must demonstrate that sufficient funds are available in U.S. currency to pay the costs (tuition, fees, and living expenses) of the full period of their academic program. International students supported by personal, family, or sponsors’ funds not paid directly to Harvard University are required to deposit and retain adequate funds in a Boston-area bank in an account bearing the student’s name. Students bringing their families to the United States must transfer and certify adequate funds for their support as well. (Please see the Financial Aid for an estimate of living expenses in the Boston area.)

Admission to Nondegree Status

Affiliates

Harvard faculty and staff, employees of Harvard-affiliated hospitals, HSPH alumni, and certain other Boston-area public health professionals may register for a maximum of 10 credits per semester as nondegree affiliates of the school. Affiliates must register in person at the HSPH Registrar’s Office.

Enrollment of affiliate students in specific courses is subject to the availability of space and permission of the instructor and the registrar; if classes fill to capacity, preference is given to HSPH degree candidates. Payment is on a per-credit basis and is due at the time of registration. Payment is not refundable unless the student is unable to take the desired course because it is filled to capacity. Affiliate students may neither audit courses nor cross-register at other Harvard schools or MIT.

Special Students

Individuals who do not fall into one of the categories listed above may apply for special student status. Applicants for special student status are subject to the same admission and registration requirements, deadlines, and procedures as applicants for degree candidacy. U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply to the Admissions Office for full-time or part-time special student status. As noted previously, foreign applicants are eligible for full-time status only. Admission to special student status is limited to one academic year. The deadline for applying for special student status is December 15, 2007.

Subsequent Application for Degree Candidacy

Affiliates and special students wishing to be admitted to degree candidacy must apply and will be considered on the same basis as other applicants for admission. At the time of their application, affiliates and special students who have taken courses at the school within the preceding three years may count up to 20 credits retroactively as part of the academic credit requirements.

Up to 20 credits of tuition previously paid to HSPH may be counted toward the school’s tuition requirement for the degree program.

 

Tuition and Fees, July 2007—June 2008
(Effective July 2007 HSPH tuition assessment will be charged on a per credit basis.)
Per-credit assessment
(full-time, part-time, and special students and affiliates)		 $802 per credit
Tuition for full-time 1-year master's degree students
(based on 42.5 credits) 		$34,085 per year
Tuition for full-time two-year master’s degree students
(40 credits per year required) 		$32,080 per year
Tuition for nonresidential master of science in health care management
(2007–09 cohort) 		$51,500 total for two-year program
Tuition for full-time resident doctoral students
(40 credits per year required)
Full-time, years 1 and 2 $32,080 per year
Full-time reduced, year 3 $16,040 per year
Facilities fee, year 4 to thesis defense $4,010 per year
Thesis defense fee (final semester before graduation) $1,770 one semester
Tuition for part-time resident doctoral students
Credits 1-80 $802 per credit
Credits 81-120 $401 per credit
Credits 121 to thesis defense $2,050 per semester
Dissertation defense fee (final semester before graduation) $1,770 final semester
Tuition for nonresident doctoral students $2,219 per year
Summer matriculation (2007)
(includes HSPH summer courses, Summer Institute, clinical effectiveness, summer SM in epidemiology, and doctoral 5-credit research) 		$802 per credit
Fees
Registration fee (summer, fall, spring) $125 per semester
Late registration fee $80
Leave of absence fee $125 per semester
Health fees see below
Academic records fee (one-time fee) $10 one-time fee

Health Fees September 2007 - August 2008
 
University Health Services (UHS) Fee Semester Year
Individual $713 $1,426
Family (student plus spouse)   $3,218
Family (student plus spouse and one child)   $4,010

The University Health Services (UHS) provides comprehensive prepaid medical care such as physical examinations, physician visits, laboratory tests, psychological counseling, and emergency services. The UHS fee is compulsory for all degree candidates and special students registered for more than 10 credits in a semester. Others may elect to waive UHS coverage; this must be done before the first day of fall registration.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BC/BS) Medical Insurance Semester Year
Individual $681 $1,362
Family (student plus spouse)   $3,072
Family (student plus spouse and one child)   $4,098


The Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BC/BS) plan provides extensive benefits for ambulatory and inpatient care not offered at UHS. BC/BS coverage is compulsory for all nonimmigrant international students and for all other students who do not have comparable insurance. International students whose spouse and/or children will also be living in the United States are required to enroll in the family plan. U.S. students who have comparable insurance may elect to waive BC/BS coverage; this must be done by October 31st for fall and April 30 for spring.

Note: UHS and BC/BS coverage extends from September 1 through August 31.


Contact Information

Prospective degree candidates or special students who wish to request application materials, have questions about admission requirements, require assistance with the application process, or wish to visit the school should contact:

HSPH Admissions Office
677 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115.
Phone: 617-432-1031
Fax: 617-432-2009
Email: admisofc@hsph.harvard.edu
Web: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/admissions

For more information about student health insurance, please contact:

Student Insurance Office
Harvard University Health Services
75 Mt. Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617-495-2008
Fax: 617-496-6125
Web: http://www.uhs.harvard.edu/

For the PhD programs online submissions are encouraged, using the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) application form.