How to Apply

Master of Public Health applicants must complete an application through SOPHAS and a Georgia State graduate admissions application.
Please note that two applications are required for this program:
- SOPHAS Application
- Georgia State University Graduate Admissions Application
Both applications and all supporting documents must be in by the deadline. Please note that SOPHAS verification does not mean your application is complete and ready for review for Georgia State University. All applications must be SOPHAS verified and Georgia State University complete before the review process can begin.
- To access SOPHAS application instructions, click on drop-down arrow by your SOPHAS log-in name.
- You should e-submit as soon as you have completed your application. Do not wait for letters of recommendation, official test scores, or transcripts to arrive.
- E-submitting as early as you are able will expedite the processing of your application. However, once submitted, no additional changes to your application can be made (although you may add additional designations).
- Students apply for fee waivers directly to SOPHAS. You can request a fee waiver as soon as you create a SOPHAS application. Only a limited amount of funds are available for SOPHAS to use for granting fee waiver requests, and once these funds run out, SOPHAS will not honor any further fee waiver requests. Students must contact SOPHAS Customer Service to inquire if waivers are still available before submitting a fee assistance request. For additional information, visit the SOPHAS Fee and Fee Waiver page.Please note that once you are approved for a fee waiver, you are REQUIRED to submit your application to SOPHAS within 14 DAYS (including holidays and weekends) after you are approved. If you fail to submit your SOPHAS application, your fee waiver will be voided and awarded to another applicant. You will NOT be allowed to reapply for a waiver should yours expire, nor will SOPHAS grant any kind of extension on your waiver expiration, so be sure you are ready to submit your application or are close to ready before applying for one.Transcripts and References are Not Required to E-SubmitYou may e-submit your application at any time once the required information has been filled out on the online application, regardless as to whether or not your transcripts and letters of reference have been received by SOPHAS. Please note, however, that SOPHAS will NOT begin to review your application until all your transcripts, payments, and two out of your three letters of reference have also been received, which will “complete” your application. Once your application becomes complete, it will be placed in line for verification.No Changes Allowed After Your E-SubmitOnce you e-submit your application, your SOPHAS application is locked and you may NOT make changes to it. The only sections you may change after submitting are your contact information, your password and security information, and references that have a status of “new” or “in-progress.” You may also add additional schools to apply to as well as NEW experiences, achievements, and test scores, but you can NOT edit those already entered. All other sections will be read-only. Make sure you check over your application information closely before e-submitting to avoid any errors, as these cannot be corrected later.
Received / Awaiting Materials: Your application has been e-submitted and fees have been paid, but you are still missing transcripts or letters of recommendation that are required to complete your application.
- Materials Received / Verifying: Your application is complete and in line for verification.
- Complete Date: The date your application was completed and went in line for verification. Applications are placed in line in chronological order based on their complete date. This information is not displayed on the 3.0 application, but you can contact SOPHAS to determine your complete date.
- Undelivered:An error has been found and your application has been returned to you for correction. It must be re-submitted to SOPHAS in order to be processed.
- Verified:Your application has been processed and your GPA has been calculated. You will receive a confirmation e-mail and notification to your application message inbox that your application was verified.If you require assistance with your application, SOPHAS representatives are happy to answer questions pertaining to the SOPHAS application process. Please review all Instructions and FAQs prior to contacting SOPHAS, as many common questions are answered by these instructions.SOPHAS Customer Service Phone: (617) 612-2090, Monday-Friday, 9 am – 5 pm ESTSOPHAS Customer Service E-Mail: sophasinfo@liaisoncas.com
Do Not Wait Until the Last Minute (Literally): You are able to submit your application up until 11:59 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME on the deadline date. Please note your submission is NOT recorded when you click the E-SUBMIT button. Instead, there are several screens that must be completed—including entering payment information—and your submission is only recorded at the end of this process. If you press e-submit at 11:58 and get through the final screen at 12:00, the submission will NOT go through. In addition, times near deadlines have a high volume of applicants submitting which can cause delays in loading pages. If you encounter an issue, customer service is not available to help you during these times and CANNOT GRANT YOU A DEADLINE EXTENSION OR HELP YOU TO SUBMIT LATER IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor the status of their application and application materials on a regular basis, and to follow up with SOPHAS on any incomplete or undelivered statues, and on any incomplete or missing documents.
“In-Progress” applications have not yet been e-submitted to SOPHAS. Depending on what documents SOPHAS has already received, e-submitting will move your application from an “In-Progress” status to a “Received > Awaiting Materials” status or a “Materials Received (Complete) > Verifying” status.
During the SOPHAS application process, you will receive emails from our Office of Academic Assistance and Career Services (OAA) containing follow-up questions or confirming receipt of your application. It is important for you to regularly check your email inbox and respond to emails from our Admissions Coordinator and/or other OAA staff.
If you attended Georgia State University, send a Georgia State transcript to SOPHAS. Previous transcripts and references submitted directly to Georgia State University (to the School of Public Health or any other department) cannot be transferred to SOPHAS.
If you completed all or part of your education outside the United States, submit a foreign credentials evaluation by World Educational Services (WES) directly to SOPHAS. SOPHAS only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES). Study abroad is exempt. Submit a WES course-by-course evaluation with GPA calculations. WES must also include a copy of the documents evaluated. Please view SOPHAS instructions on “sending your official transcripts to SOPHAS.”
Please note that two applications are required for this program:
- SOPHAS Application
- Georgia State University Graduate Admissions Application
Both applications and all supporting documents must be in by the deadline. Please note that SOPHAS verification does not mean your application is complete and ready for review for Georgia State University. All applications must be SOPHAS verified and Georgia State University complete before the review process can begin.
Application Steps:
- Step 1: Choose a program (MPH)
- Step 2: MPH students must choose an area of concentration
- Step 3: Complete and submit a SOPHAS application – https://sophas.org
- Step 4: Complete and submit the required online Georgia State University Graduate School Admissions Application via https://gradapply.gsu.edu/apply/ (Select application type: GSU/CAS-Liaison Programs, then select college: School of Public Health)
- Step 5: Send all application materials (except test scores) directly to SOPHAS
During the application process, you will receive emails from our Office of Academic Assistance and Career Services (OAA) containing follow-up questions or confirming receipt of your application. It is important for you to regularly check your email inbox and respond to emails from our OAA staff.
SOPHAS application instructions and FAQs: https://portal.sophas.org/sophasHelpPages/frequently-asked-questions/index.html
Complete list of instructions for the Georgia State application materials: http://publichealth.gsu.edu/academic/apply/admissions-requirements/
The GRE is no longer a requirement for admission to the MPH program.
The following documents must be submitted directly to SOPHAS (not Georgia State University):
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (upload/attach to SOPHAS application)
- Transcripts (send directly to SOPHAS): One official transcript from each college and/or university previously attended (including Georgia State University). Transcripts are required regardless of length of stay or if the grades are listed on another institution’s transcript.
Statement of Purpose and Objectives (limit statements to one single-spaced page, or two double-spaced pages):
- Your previous academic and professional experiences as well as any work in the area of health or health care;
- Your career and personal goals and how you believe the degree you are seeking will help you achieve these goals;
- Your specific interest in the Georgia State program.
Three Reference Letters
- When completing the online application in SOPHAS, you will submit the names and email addresses for three individuals knowledgeable about your academic and/or professional abilities. Your recommenders will be sent instructions via e-mail on how to submit their recommendations through the secured application server.
- It is strongly recommended that at least one reference letter is an academic reference, especially if your college graduation has occurred in the last three years. Three professional references will be acceptable if you are unable to obtain an academic reference.
Citizenship Verification and Lawful Presence
Georgia State University admits all academically qualified students regardless of immigration status. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia requires all students applying to Georgia State University to provide verification of their lawful presence in the United States to be classified as in-state for tuition purposes.
Certificate of Immunization Requirement
A certificate of immunization is required for accepted applicants who have never attended Georgia State University. If admitted, you must submit this form to Georgia State University Health Services prior to registration. The form can be printed from the Student Health Clinic’s Immunization Page.
Information for International Applicants
Official TOEFL or IELTS Scores (for applicants whose native language is not English):
- If available, include a copy of your TOEFL/IELTS scores in your application packet.
- Note for IELTS scores: e-mail “test report form number” to sphadmissions@gsu.edu
International Credential Evaluation
- Any applicant who has completed all or part of their education outside the United States is required to have foreign credentials evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Study abroad credit is exempt from evaluation. WES is the only evaluation service accepted by SOPHAS. Please view SOPHAS instructions and FAQ’s.
Foreign Student Financial Statement
- For international applicants seeking a student visa.