Admissions FAQ

The application deadline for MPH and MSPH admission is January 5. Applications that are completed by this deadline will receive priority consideration for admission and merit scholarships. Applications will continue to be reviewed after this time on a space-available basis. 

We strongly encourage international applicants to submit their SOPHAS application no later than May 1 to guarantee your application will be reviewed for admission for the upcoming fall semester. International applicants may still expect their applications to be reviewed after May 1, however a recommendation of deferment to the following fall semester may be made.

RSPH uses what is known as a centralized application service called SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service). To apply, visit www.sophas.org to complete the application process. For a fee schedule and a list of SOPHAS frequently asked questions please click here. Once your application is complete, SOPHAS will forward your file to us. You will be contacted upon receipt of your application. At that time, you can also add one (1) additional program for admission consideration, so please select your first and second choice programs carefully.

Applicants may select up to two programs for consideration. Select your top program on the SOPHAS application. Once your application is received by Emory, you will be given instructions for selecting one additional program for consideration. The order of your program selections CANNOT be changed once submitted, so please select your first and second choice programs carefully.

• Complete/Verified Application with SOPHAS
• Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (WES Evaluations required for all non-US transcripts and French Canadian transcripts)
• Two Evaluations. SOPHAS requires at least three evaluations, but once two have been received, SOPHAS will automatically submit your application to Rollins for review, if your application and all other admission materials have been completed and verified.
• Standardized Test Scores
  • The GRE is not required for admission to our academic programs and will not be considered as part of the application for admission. The department of Biostatistics offers a GRE optional policy. Students applying to BIOS can submit a GRE score for consideration. The GRE score must be submitted at the same time as the application for admission.
• Personal Statement
• Résumé

No. Study-abroad work is generally listed on the primary school transcript. If the grades and credits are not listed, a transcript from the study-abroad institution is required.

There are no quantifiable statistics comparing the competitiveness of our academic departments. Each academic department has its own eligibility requirements and selection criteria. Rollins’ selection process is holistic and depends on multiple variables. We strongly encourage applicants to apply to their first-choice department if they meet the prerequisite requirements. Following the selection of your first-choice department within your completed SOPHAS application, we will contact you with instructions to select one (1) additional program, in case you wish to be considered for admission to more than one academic department.

Students who are near completion of a baccalaureate (or higher) degree may apply during their final year and submit incomplete transcripts. However, an offer of admission is contingent upon receipt of an applicant's final transcript, which clearly documents completion of the degree.

International students are also required to submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores with their application. All international transcripts must be evaluated and verified by World Education Services (www.wes.org) and an official WES ICAP evaluation must be sent to SOPHAS. International students seeking an F-1 VISA will also be required to provide additional documentation, such as a financial verification form and a visa information form. Admitted international students can begin their VISA application after accepting their offer of admission and securing enrollment with a non-refundable $600 deposit.

The TOEFL Institution Code for SOPHAS is 5688. Applicants who elect to take the IELTS should make this selection under the Standardized Tests section on the SOPHAS application, a new TRF Number field will appear for you to complete. To send official IELTS scores to SOPHAS, applicants must use a predetermined IELTS code. You can view received test scores under the Check Status tab in the application.

If the primary native language of your country of citizenship is not English you will be required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score report. If you were born internationally but are a permanent resident of the United States or you have completed a degree at a U.S. institution, you do not need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Students who are citizens of the following English-speaking countries are exempt from sending TOEFL or IELTS scores: Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

There are no specific undergraduate majors required to earn an MPH/MSPH at Rollins. We welcome applicants who have studied a wide range of undergraduate majors. Applicants are strongly encouraged to articulate their interest in public health as part of the required personal statement. Some academic departments have specific qualifications or course work requirements.

RSPH prefers references from an undergraduate/graduate advisor, faculty in the major field of study and/or a recent employer. Professional colleagues are acceptable as a third reference.

The GRE is not required for admission to our academic programs and will not be considered as part of the application for admission. The department of Biostatistics offers a GRE optional policy. Students applying to BIOS can submit a GRE score for consideration. The GRE score must be submitted at the same time as the application for admission. The Institution Code for the Rollins School of Public Health is 4223. This code will forward your scores to SOPHAS and we will receive them as a part of your application.

Other than a minimum required TOEFL score (550 (paper); 213 (CBT); 79-80 (iBT)) and IELTS score (6-Overall) for international students, RSPH does not have standardized minimum testing requirement for admission. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is preferred; however, it is important to note that the GRE and/or GPA are evaluated in the context of the overall application. A variety of factors play into the success of an application.

Yes. Within the SOPHAS application, navigate to the "Additional Experiences" section. There is an area where applicants may write a 600-word description of any other relevant information not already expressed in other areas of the application, for the admissions committee to consider.

In addition to applying to RSPH, MPH students interested in pursuing a dual degree must submit a separate application to the respective school housing the other degree of choice. Acceptance into one degree program does not ensure acceptance into the other. Both schools will require a separate application. If you are admitted to RSPH and are not admitted to the other school, you may still enroll at Rollins. All dual degree applicants should apply to RSPH through SOPHAS except internal MD/MPH students. Internal MD/MPH students must apply through our RSPH web application. All applicants who are currently pursuing professional degrees (MD, MSW, MSN, DVM, DDS, DMD, JD, MBA, PharmD, DO, MDiv, or MTS) in an institution external to Emory should apply through SOPHAS.

Applicants must apply for fall entry as RSPH does not accept spring applicants.

The deferral deadline is May 15. 

Students offered admission before April 15 must submit the deposit by this date in order to defer. Students who do not defer by the deadline will be required to reapply for admission in a future term. Deposits may be paid online through OPUS using a U.S. checking or savings account. Credit cards are accepted with a 3% convenience fee. The deposit payment will be credited toward your first semester's tuition. 

Emory encourages all students to use the online payment option. In situations where a mailed payment cannot be avoided, please ensure your student ID is listed on the check, made payable to Emory University, and mail to: 

Emory University 
Attn: Student Accounts and Billing Office 
200 Dowman Drive 
101 B. Jones Center 
Atlanta, GA 30322

No, applicants must complete the full SOPHAS application for the term to which they are applying. SOPHAS does have a re-applicant process that carries some data from your past application into your new application. You can read about this process in the SOPHAS application instructions and FAQs. There will be no re-activation of student applications by RSPH.

Students can track their application through OPUS. If you have not already obtained your Emory network ID and password please visit this website in order to do so. If you experience problems obtaining your log in credentials, please contact the RSPH Office of Admission at sphadmissions@emory.edu or 404-727-3956. 

After you have obtained your login information, please visit www.opus.emory.edu and login. Once in OPUS you will be able to view any outstanding items required for your Emory application under the 'To Do List' link. Please log in periodically to check for required items and updates from offices such as admissions and financial aid. 

Your decision status will also be updated in OPUS. Only final 'admit' and 'deny' decisions can be viewed on this portal. If your application is waitlisted or redirected to your second-choice department, you will receive an email from us notifying you of this action. 

To access the online decision area, login to O.P.U.S. at www.opus.emory.edu 

Click on "View your Decision" located in the Admissions section.

The deadline for admitted students to provide an enrollment confirmation is April 15th. To ensure proper time is given to compare choices without undue pressure, this deadline is used by schools of public health and public health programs within the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). Click here to learn more. 

Students admitted after April 15th will have 2 weeks to either deposit or defer their admission.

To find your student ID number simply login to OPUS. Your student ID number will be displayed at the top of the page next to your name in parentheses.

The PhD programs in Public Health are administratively housed in the Laney Graduate School. RSPH Admission does not manage the PhD admissions process. You may contact the Graduate School by phone at 404.727.0184 or via email at lgsadmissions@emory.edu.

Yes. You must complete the Special Standing Student application process. To complete this process simply submit the online application which can be found on this website and submit it along with official transcripts documenting the receipt of a Bachelor degree.

Up to six semester hours of transfer credit may be allowed for relevant graduate-level courses taken at other academic institutions within the three previous years, provided that these credits were not used toward another degree. The transcript must reflect a grade of an A or B for transfer credit to be granted. You may transfer up to nine credits if the coursework was completed as a non-degree seeking student (Special Standing) at Rollins. The request for transfer credit must be approved by the department chair where the course is taught as well as the executive associate dean for academic affairs.

Full-time students must be registered for at least nine credit hours per semester. Domestic students are permitted to attend part time. If you are a student who will attend under part-time status, please indicate this in the supplemental questions portion of the SOPHAS application. Part-time status does impact tuition/fees and financial aid. International students with an F-1 VISA are required to attend full time due to visa stipulations.

Yes, as a degree-seeking student, you may take courses at other schools within the university with permission from the instructor at no additional cost. You should also check with your department advisor to verify whether or not the course will apply toward your degree requirements.

Rollins offers several merit scholarships and institutional grants. Need based awards are very limited at the graduate level. Student loan information is available through Emory’s Office of Financial Aid. We invite you to visit the following page to learn more about funding your education. 

Tuition and Aid

The cost of attendance at RSPH varies based upon the program you pursue. Atlanta has a moderate cost of living compared with most major cities in the United States. Please visit our tuition page to see our full listing of tuition and fees.

On-campus graduate student housing is available through The Ridge at Emory. To learn more about this on-campus option, visit The Ridge at Emory website. There are also several apartment communities in the area surrounding Emory where many of our students live. Some students live at Campus Crossings at Briarcliff, a complex of furnished apartments designed for graduate students. The Office of Residential Services hosts an off-campus housing finder at offcampushousing.emory.edu.