UC Berkeley School of Public Health

Admissions

Fall 2009 Application Check ListSchool of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley

UPDATE: Dual Online Application Required:
SOPHAS & UC Berkeley Graduate Division Application

Standard Applicants

Previous & Current UC Berkeley Graduate Students should use a different check list.

MBA/MPH applicants should apply through the Haas School of Business. MSW/MPH applicants should apply through the School of Social Welfare.

*THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THE FALL 2009 SEMESTER IS DECEMBER 1, 2008. MAILED MATERIALS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY NOVEMBER 24, 2008.*
You will be notified by e-mail by January 30, 2009, if your application is complete or if additional documentation is required.

Be sure to follow all THREE STEPS below. Until you have done so your application will be incomplete. For complete application instructions and further information, please consult the School of Public Health Web site at http://sph.berkeley.edu/admissions/

Step 1: UC Berkeley Graduate Application

Fill out the Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships 2009; available online September 2008 at www.grad.berkeley.edu/prospective.

Report your Official GRE scores to UC Berkeley using recipient code 4833-0616. Scores of tests taken before 2003 are not acceptable. If you are currently a medical student you should submit your MCAT scores and a letter from the Dean of your institution indicating that you are currently a student in good standing in lieu of the GRE. Applicants holding doctoral degrees are not required to submit GRE scores. (You are only required to submit GRE scores if you have studied in a country where English is the official language for one year or more.)

International Applicants: Report your Official TOEFL scores to UC Berkeley using recipient code 4833-50. Scores of tests taken before June 2007 are not acceptable. In special situations, the IELTS may be an acceptable substitution for the TOEFL. (You are only required to submit TOEFL scores if you have NOT studied in a country where English is the official language for one year or more.) International applicants to the PhD & MA programs in Biostatistics and the PhD program in Health Services & Policy Analysis must submit both the TOEFL & the GRE.

Compose your UC Berkeley-specific Statement of Purpose. Please see program-specific instructions for the Health Policy & Management and Maternal & Child Health programs, as well as for the MPP/MPH concurrent degree program.

Compose your UC Berkeley-specific Statement of Purpose (limit 1500 words). Please see program-specific instructions for the Health Policy & Management and Maternal & Child Health programs, as well as for the MPP/MPH concurrent degree program.
Compose your Personal History Statement (limit 3500 characters). Although this second essay is optional, it is highly recommended. It is required if you are applying for funding.

Note: Do NOT send letters of recommendation directly to UC Berkeley through the mail or through the UC Berkeley Graduate Application mechanism online. These letters will not be added to your application file. All letters of recommendation must be submitted through SOPHAS only (see Step 2, below). Unsolicited materials will be destroyed. You must, however, include the name and address of at least ONE recommender or the online application will not submit.

When you submit this application electronically, you will receive a 7-digit document I.D. number in the return e-mail message from the Graduate Division. You will use this number on your SOPHAS application and in all subsequent references to your application.

Step 2: SOPHAS Application

Fill out the SOPHAS Application 2009; available online September 2008 at www.sophas.org.

Contact your three (3) Letter of Recommendation writers before entering their contact information into the SOPHAS application. You must designate whether each reference will be submitting electronically or through the mail. Letters of Recommendation must be electronically submitted through SOPHAS by December 1, 2008 and/or mailed to SOPHAS and postmarked by November 24, 2008.

Upload your resume or C.V. This is not required but will allow you to skip the "Community & Volunteer Service," "Relevant Honors & Awards," and "Research & Work Experience" sections of the SOPHAS application, if you so choose.

Enter both your UC Berkeley-specific Statement of Purpose into the text box provided and “attach” it to your UC Berkeley school designation. Please see program-specific instructions for the Health Policy & Management and Maternal & Child Health programs, as well as for the MPP/MPH concurrent degree program.
Answer the Additional Questions that are linked from your UC Berkeley school designation on the SOPHAS application. This is where you will enter the 7-digit document I.D. number from the UC Berkeley Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships. You will also enter your Personal History Statement into the text box provided. If you applied for the Foreign Language Area Study (FLAS) Fellowship via the UC Berkeley Graduate Application for Admission & Fellowships, you should enter your language and area of interest as well as your FLAS statement in the appropriate text boxes.

Pay the SOPHAS Application Fee; $95 for the first institution and $40 for each institution thereafter. For information about SOPHAS fee waivers please log in to your application and see the Application Fees section of the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Send to SOPHAS one official transcript from each institution attended beyond high school. Official transcripts must be submitted DIRECTLY from the institution in a sealed envelope with the signature/stamp of the institution.
Materials required for the SOPHAS application should be sent to:
SOPHAS
P.O. Box 9111
Watertown, MA 02471-9111
Please check the status of your application on the SOPHAS portal frequently throughout the admissions cycle. IMPORTANT: If your application appears as "Undelivered" at any time, immediately contact SOPHAS at sophasinfo@sophas.org to rectify the situation.

Step 3: School of Public Health

Domestic Applicants: Request that every institution you have attended beyond high school send to you a copy of your official transcript. Should you be admitted, we will request that you send all of your transcripts to the School of Public Health in one package immediately via priority mail, so it is vital that you have these documents on hand. Do not mail any materials to the School of Public health unless expressly advised to do so. Do not send us your transcripts until you have been admitted. Unsolicited materials will be destroyed.

International Applicants: Send to the UC Berkeley School of Public Health one official transcript and official degree certificate from each institution attended beyond high school. Official transcripts must be submitted DIRECTLY from the institution in a sealed envelope with the signature/stamp of the institution. Do not mail any other materials to the School of Public Health unless expressly advised to do so. Official transcripts from international applicants must be postmarked by November 24, 2008. Unsolicited materials will be destroyed.

International Applicants send their official transcripts directly to:
Admissions 2009 (International Applicant)
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley
50 University Hall, #7360
Berkeley, CA 94720-7360

Application Deadline

Both the SOPHAS Application and UC Berkeley Graduate Application may be electronically submitted as late as December 1, 2008. However, all supporting materials must be postmarked by November 24, 2008.
Official GRE and/or TOEFL scores must be reported to UC Berkeley no later than December 1, 2008.
If using the electronic method, your references must submit your Letters of Recommendation to SOPHAS no later than December 1, 2008.
If using the paper method, your references must have your Letters of Recommendation postmarked by November 24, 2008 at the latest.
Official transcripts sent to SOPHAS must be postmarked by November 24, 2008 at the latest.
International Applicants only: Official transcripts sent to the UC Berkeley School of Public Health must be postmarked by November 24, 2008.
If any components of your application are postmarked after November 24, 2008 or electronically submitted after December 1, 2008, your application will be considered incomplete. Submitting an incomplete application will put you at a disadvantage in the admissions review process.

To apply for financial aid, submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA forms are available at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. We recommend that you complete and submit a FAFSA by March 1, 2009. The University of California, Berkeley Title IV code for the FAFSA is 001312. For further information, contact:

Financial Aid Office, Graduate Unit
201 Sproul Hall #1960
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-1960.
E-mail: fao_grad@berkeley.edu

On the Web at http://students.berkeley.edu/fao/graduate/default.htm