Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences Admissions

GPA

Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on graduation. There is not a GPA requirement for graduate-level coursework. An official transcript is required from each undergraduate or graduate institution you attended. You will be instructed to upload scanned copies of your transcripts after you have submitted your online application. For more details, please visit https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/submit-transcripts. Prior UC Davis students do not need to order UC Davis transcripts. Once your application has been submitted your UC Davis transcripts will be requested for you. Please note that this does not apply to UC Davis Extension coursework. (All application materials, including transcripts and test scores, become the property of the University and cannot be borrowed, photocopied, returned to applicants, or sent elsewhere.)

Prerequisite Courses

Applicants must have a master’s degree in public health or masters of science in public health or related field.

TOEFL/IELTS Exam

The UC Davis Office of Graduate Studies requires the TOEFL or IELTS if your native language is not English or your instruction has not been in English. The minimum score required for admission to graduate study at UC Davis is 550 for the paper test or a score of 80 for the Internet-based test. TOEFL scores expire after two years. Scores that are older than two years will not be accepted by Graduate Studies. Although an 80 iBT score is the minimum required for admission, additional English language coursework is required of admitted students with iBT scores below 104. More about English Language Examinations here.

CV or Resume

Listing your experience and background in public health.

Essays

Two essays are required: Statement of Purpose and Personal History and Diversity Statement. 

Letters of Recommendation

Three academic or professional recommendations (in English) are required. Letters of recommendation are submitted electronically through the online application. Letter service letters are not accepted. There are no exceptions to the online submission rule. More details about letters of recommendation including how to add, edit and remove recommenders on the application found here.

Recommended

Identified GGPHS faculty member mentor. You do not need to have a faculty mentor confirmed before you apply. See our faculty listing for bios.

• Start your application – apply.grad.ucdavis.edu
  
  
• Submit your application by one of our program deadlines:
  • December 1, Priority Deadline: Applicants must apply by the Priority Deadline to be considered for Internal Fellowships they apply for. Applicants who apply by the Priority Deadline will have their files formally reviewed for admission by the graduate program, once their file is complete. Final deadline for supplemental materials (transcripts, letter of recommendations, and TOEFL/IELTS scores) is February 14.
  • January 15, General Deadline: Applicants who apply by the General Deadline will have their files formally reviewed for admission by the graduate program, once their file is complete. Final deadline for supplemental materials (transcripts, letter of recommendations, and TOEFL/IELTS scores) is February 14.
  • June 1, Space Available: Applicants who apply by the Space Available Deadline (but after the General Deadline) or submit supplemental materials after February 14 are not guaranteed to have their application reviewed by the graduate program. Their applications will be reviewed only if the graduate program determines that it has additional space available. The application fee is nonrefundable even if your application is not reviewed. Final deadline for supplemental materials (transcripts, letters of recommendation, and TOEFL/IELTS scores) is June 13.
    
    
• Check your application portal to make sure that you’ve submitted all application requirements by the deadlines submitted above
  
  
• Application Review:
  • The review of admission materials can take several months. If you apply by the General Admission deadlines and have a completed application by February 14, the Admission’s Committee guarantees an admission decision of: Admit, Waitlist, or Deny. Your Admissions portal will send you weekly reminders of any outstanding admissions documents. If you have specific questions your admission status, please contact the UC Davis Public Health Education Office at PHSinstAffairs@ucdavis.edu.  Applicants who apply by the Space Available Deadline (but after the General Deadline) or submit supplemental materials after February 14 are not guaranteed to have their application reviewed by the graduate program. 

Tips for Essays

Statement of Purpose

The online admission application asks you to describe your academic plans and research interests, your specialization within your academic field, your research experiences, your career goals, and fit for pursuing graduate study at UC Davis.

• Describe to us how you will be a successful Ph.D. Student at UC Davis. Each statement you write should have a clear purpose.
• Keep the statement within the character limit (4000 characters) provided by the Office of Graduate Studies. Your statement should be clear, concise, and relevant.
• Do not let the Admissions Committee assume anything; be explicit in addressing the following:
  • What in your background, history, training, and experiences (personal, professional, academic) have led you to pursue graduate training and a career in public health?
  • What are your future career goals in public health (e.g., what health condition or population do you want to work with? What do you see as your contribution in public health)?
  • Why do you need an Ph.D. degree to meet your professional goals?
  • Why UC Davis?

Personal History and Diversity Statement

This statement should reflect on experiences and/or circumstances that are not directly related to your pursuit of graduate training in public health, but have an impact of your candidacy as an applicant. The more directly related something is to your application, the more appropriate it is to put in your Statement of Purpose.

In your Personal History and Diversity Statement:

• Address how your personal background (educational, familial, cultural, economic, social experiences, challenges, community services) contributes to the social, intellectual, or cultural diversity of public health and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with an Ph.D. degree.
• Address any academic difficulties and/or challenges you may have had in school.

These are merely suggestions and it should be noted that addressing all these suggestions does not guarantee admission to the Ph.D. program. This may not be applicable or relevant to other Ph.D. programs and you should check with each individual program on their requirements for admission.

It is recommended that at least one of your three letters be written by someone who is familiar with the applicant’s capacity for academics and scholarship. For applicants who have not recently taken a formal course in statistics or biostatistics or who feel that their professional experiences better reflect their quantitative capabilities, it would be advantageous if at least one recommendation letter discussed the applicant’s experience with data analyses and role in the analyses.

Details about adding and editing recommenders can be found on Graduate Studies' Letters of Recommendations page.

Fees and Financial Aid

For current Tuition and Fees, please visit the Budget and Institutional Analysis website. The tuition, fees and charges posted are estimates based on currently approved amounts.  The figures may not be final. As a result of gubernatorial, legislative, Regental and/or campus action, these fees may change without notice. 

UC Davis Budget and Institutional Analysis Website

UC Davis automatically enrolls all registered students in the UC Davis Student Health Insurance Plan (Davis SHIP).  If you have comparable insurance and do not wish to be enrolled in Davis SHIP you must submit a waiver application by the stated deadlines.  More information is available at: http://shcs.ucdavis.edu/insurance.  

Sources of Funding

The Ph.D. program does not guarantee financial support to students. Financial aid is available to US citizens or permanent US residents; students need to file a FAFSA and should update it each year. Students can look for external sources of funding and/or a teaching assistantship or graduate student research position, but these positions are offered by individual departments and are not guaranteed to the students. See additional information and resources below.

University Grants and Fellowships

• Each academic year, a limited number of merit and need-based grants and fellowships are awarded.
• The Graduate Student Child Care Grant (GSCCG) is available to UC Davis students enrolled full-time in a graduate or professional degree program or on filing fee status (one term allowed). Students must have/claim dependent children 12 years old or younger in their care and must incur child care expenses. Questions should be directed to UC Davis Worklife and Wellness at 530-754-8791 or worklife@ucdavis.edu.

Student Employment Opportunities

• Current Ph.D. students may have access to student teaching and research employment through one or more of the below positions. UC Davis students can access the on-campus employment postings through Handshake.
  • Graduate Student Researcher (GSR): A GSR is a full-time registered graduate student appointed to assist in performing research under the direction of a faculty member or authorized Principal Investigator. Departments offer GSR positions on a limited basis and students should seek these out on their own. 
  • Teaching Assistant (TA): A TA is a full-time registered graduate student serving an apprenticeship under the supervision of a regular faculty member. Some departments have TA positions available to a limited number of students who have substantial preparation in their area of study.  Departments offer TA positions on a limited basis and students should seek these out on their own.   
• The Ph.D. program office advertises GSR and TA positions as they become available. GSR/TA appointments will typically reduce your loan eligibility.

External Funding Resources

There are many sources available for external funding searches. These are a few websites to get started on your search:

• Outside Funding and Scholarship Opportunities
• UC Davis Office of Graduate Studies External Fellowships
• Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
• S. Department of Labor's Scholarship Search Tool
• Scholarship Search by Sallie Mae
• UCLA Graduate and Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database
• Grant Forward