Application requirements

Common requirements for all master’s and DrPH applications 

All applicants to Harvard Chan School must have a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or the international equivalent.  

Some Harvard Chan degree programs require applicants to have additional degrees and/or work experience. Please see degree program pages for a complete list of requirements.

All applicants must submit the following materials via SOPHAS:

• A complete SOPHAS application
• Statement of purpose and objectives 
• Three letters of reference 
• Resumé or curriculum vitae 
• All post-secondary transcripts or mark sheets  
• English proficiency test score, if applicable 
• SOPHAS application fee 

In addition, some programs require standardized test scores, which must also be submitted via SOPHAS.

Please note that individual programs may have specific requirements related to the statement of purpose. Read and follow all instructions carefully.  

Please note that you must complete all sections of the SOPHAS application, including information about your coursework, education, and achievements, and also separately submit your resume/CV and all official post-secondary transcripts. 

Application timeline 

The following timeline will help you through the application process. It is specifically designed for the MPH, SM, MHCM, DrPH, and dual degree programs.  

For PhD program timelines, please consult the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences admissions website. 

January to April 

• Explore Harvard Chan School’s degree programs and review eligibility requirements. 
• Begin researching scholarships, fellowships, and external financial aid through the Office of Financial Aid. 
• If your desired program requires standardized tests, sign up to take the GRE General Test no later than October for paper-based exams and November for computer-based exams, to allow time for the official score reports to arrive.  
• If you are required to submit the TOEFL, IELTS Academic, or Duolingo English Test, sign up to take it no later than October for paper-based exams and November for computer-based exams to allow time for the official score reports to arrive. 

April to August 

• Visit our admissions events calendar and attend relevant events to learn more. 
• Initiate conversations with people you’d like to provide recommendations for you. 

September 

• If you are applying for the SM, MPH, MCHM, or DrPH degrees, create an account and begin your application through SOPHAS. The application opens in mid-August. 
• Add  admissions@hsph.harvard.edu and  donotreply@webadmit.org to your contact list or safe senders list. This will help ensure important emails regarding your application don’t end up in your spam folder. You may also want to create a filter to mark emails from Harvard Chan School as priority in your inbox. 
• Apply for a fee waiver if you need help covering the application cost; these are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage you to apply early. 
• Generate SOPHAS transcript request forms to be sent to all post-secondary institutions you attended in the U.S. as well as any English-language institutions you attended in Canada. If you took degree coursework from colleges or universities outside the U.S., please submit credentials to World Education Services for evaluation. 
• Make formal requests for recommendation letters. Be sure to remind your recommenders of the deadlines. 

October and November 

• Submit your application for admission and all supporting documents into SOPHAS. While you may submit it up until our deadline (December 1 for most programs), we encourage all applicants to submit by mid-November.  
• Take any required standardized tests (GRE, TOEFL, IELTS Academic, Duolingo English Test).

December 

• Submit your application if you haven’t already; the deadline for most of our programs is December 1.  
• Continue to monitor your SOPHAS portal to make sure that all required documents have been received and that your application has been mailed to Harvard Chan School. 
• Check your spam folder every few days in case a time-sensitive email has landed there by mistake. 
• Look for information sent by our Office of Financial Aid and begin to apply for aid. 

January 

• Remember to keep your contact information up to date in SOPHAS and continue to check your spam folder regularly. 

February and March 

Look for admissions decisions, which will arrive by email.  

Application process and policies

Please read this information carefully prior to submitting your application.

Academic integrity  

All materials submitted as a part of your application are expected to be your own work. 

Applicants should always take great care to distinguish their own ideas and knowledge from information derived from sources. Please credit any sources you’ve used in your application, whether that source is a publication or a conversation. Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotations and properly acknowledge all paraphrased material.

Statement of purpose 

This statement is an important part of the application. It’s your opportunity to speak directly to the faculty who will be reviewing your application, explaining not only your qualifications but also why you’re interested in the program — and how it will help you contribute to the field of public health. 

Please note that each program has distinct requirements for this essay, including different length limits. Review your program’s requirements carefully!

Testing  

Please see degree program pages for information on whether test scores are required, recommended, optional, or not reviewed for your specific program. 

GRE tests 

If you are submitting GRE scores via SOPHAS, use ETS code 3456. There is no minimum score required for admission. 

If you took the exam more than five years ago, ETS will no longer provide official score reports. Please email us at admissions@hsph.harvard.edu, and we will be happy to walk through options to determine whether you need to retake the exam. 

Alternative standardized tests 

Some programs may consider the following tests instead of the GRE. 

• Dental Admission Test (DAT): Applicants with a dental degree or who are currently enrolled in a graduate-level dental degree program at an accredited dental school in the U.S. or Canada may submit DAT scores in lieu of the GRE. Send scores directly to the Harvard Chan School Admissions Office.   
• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT): Applicants with an MBA or DBA or who are currently enrolled in an MBA or DBA program at an accredited graduate school in the U.S. or Canada may submit GMAT scores in lieu of the GRE. All applicants to the MPH in Health Management or Health Policy may submit GMAT scores. Send scores directly to Harvard Chan School with designation code HRLJ673.  
• Law School Admission Test (LSAT): Health Policy applicants with a JD or who are enrolled in a graduate-level law degree program at an accredited law school in the U.S. or Canada may submit LSAT scores in lieu of the GRE.  JD/MPH applicants who are in their first year at Harvard Law School may also submit LSAT scores in lieu of the GRE. Have scores forwarded to you in a sealed envelope and send it unopened directly to the Harvard Chan School Admissions Office. 
• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT): Applicants may designate SOPHAS as a recipient of MCAT scores. If SOPHAS will not allow you to enter MCAT scores, please include the test date and scores in the “Other Relevant Information” section and have an official score report sent to the Office of Admissions. Harvard Chan School will not accept USMLE or ECFMG scores in lieu of GRE scores. 

English proficiency tests 

You must provide an English proficiency test score with your application if English is not your first language AND you have not received any degrees from a college or university where English is the official language of instruction. Post-graduate medical residency in the U.S. does not waive this testing requirement. 

Accepted English proficiency tests and score requirements 

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) IBT (internet-based test):

• Preferred score: 104+  
• Minimum accepted score: 100, with sub-section scores of 25 or higher 
• Harvard Chan School does not accept the “My Best” score. 
• Report official scores to the School using code 3456. If you have already started your SOPHAS application, please report your scores to 5688. 

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Test: 

• Minimum accepted score: 7.5 
• Submit your official test score in the SOPHAS application using your TRF number 

Duolingo English Test: 

• Minimum accepted score: 140  
• To submit your score, follow the instructions from DuoLingo. 

Letters of recommendation 

Applicants are required to have three letters of recommendation, which must be submitted directly to SOPHAS by your recommenders.  

If you’re a recent graduate, at least one recommendation should come from a former instructor.  

Please check the SOPHAS portal regularly to verify that all recommendations have been submitted by the required deadline. 

Waiving the right to access your letters of recommendation 
U.S. federal legislation gives each student who enrolls at Harvard Chan School the right to access their academic record, including their letters of recommendation.  

If you wish, you may waive this right to access the letters by selecting this option in the reference section of the SOPHAS application. Please note that signing this waiver is not required as a condition for admission to the School. 

Resume/CV 

You are required to submit a resumé or curriculum vitae with the following information: 

• Education, including the dates you attended each institution and the dates your degrees were awarded or are expected to be awarded
• Work experience, including dates of employment, job title, and description of responsibilities for each position held 

If applicable, please also include the following: 

• A bibliography of publications 
• Specialty board certifications 
• Any awards and honors you have earned 
• Past and current affiliation with all professional, humanitarian, or volunteer organizations 

The SOPHAS application asks for similar information in the Experiences and Achievements section; although it may seem redundant, you must complete all sections of the SOPHAS application as well as submit your resume/CV. 

Transcripts or mark sheets 

You must enter all coursework from U.S. institutions and English-language institutions in Canada in the Coursework section of the SOPHAS application, including undergraduate, graduate, degree and non-degree courses where applicable. 

If you do not wish to enter courses and grades manually, SOPHAS offers a fee-based service to input this information for you. 

In addition, you must provide transcripts or mark sheets from all institutions you listed in the Colleges Attended section of the SOPHAS application. SOPHAS provides instructions on sending transcripts: 

• U.S. and English-Canadian transcripts 
• Foreign and French-Canadian transcripts 
• Study abroad and U.S. overseas transcripts 

All degree-conferral documents must contain the student’s first and last name, the degree awarded, and the date it was conferred. 

Enrolling in multiple programs 

As a matter of policy, students may enroll in only one degree program at a time except for the following approved joint/dual degree programs: MD/MPH, JD/MPH.  

Students scheduled to begin a degree program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2025 must show proof of degree conferral for all prior degrees. If an incoming student has not completed the degree(s) (including any required examination, thesis, defense/viva) and has not submitted the degree conferral documentation to the Office of Admissions prior to May 15, 2025 (or August 1 for degrees conferred in Spring of 2025), the student will need to withdraw from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  

Students in non-qualifying degree programs may take an official leave of absence from their home school for the duration of their Harvard Chan School program instead of withdrawing. A copy of the official, approved leave of absence form must be submitted to the Harvard Chan School Admissions Office.  

Ordinarily, deferrals are not offered. In the case of extenuating circumstances, students should contact the Office of Admissions by email at admissions@hsph.harvard.edu, without delay. 

SOPHAS Application Fee 

SOPHAS charges $150 for the first program you apply to and $60 for each additional program.  

The following assistance programs can reduce the cost of your application. Aid is limited, so please apply early. 

SOPHAS application fee waivers 

SOPHAS provides a limited number of fee waivers to qualified applicants each year on a first-come, first-served basis. Each fee waiver covers only the initial application fee. Click here to visit the SOPHAS Fee Assistance Program website. 

Harvard Chan School SOPHAS coupon codes 

Harvard Chan School offers a limited number of coupon codes on a first-come, first-served basis to applicants who do not receive a SOPHAS fee waiver.   

To be eligible, prospective students must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, undocumented resident, refugee, or have temporary protected status, asylum, or DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status. 

Applicants who receive SOPHAS coupon codes must submit their SOPHAS application by Nov. 15, 2024. 

To request a coupon code, please complete this form, which is active during admissions season.