Requirements and How to Apply

Please review these detailed requirements and instructions for applying to the MPH, MS, or PhD graduate programs at the Colorado School of Public Health Department of Biostatistics and Informatics.

Admissions Requirements

MPH in Applied Biostatistics

• You must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program.
• The GRE is no longer required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If your GPA is below 3.00, you should include an explanation of why it fell below the minimum score and how you plan to address any prior academic deficiencies.
• Successful completion of at least two or more college-level math/statistics courses
• Experience with statistical computing programs (e.g. R, SAS, SPSS, Stata)
• One letter of recommendation from a faculty member who can attest to your quantitative readiness

International applicants:

• You must provide proof of English language proficiency (ELP) in order to be considered for admission. The Colorado School of Public Health accepts TOEFL iBT, IELTS, and Duolingo test scores. Automatic waivers of this requirement are granted for persons who have, or will have, completed a bachelor’s degree (or higher) at an accredited university in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (excluding French Quebec), Africa (English speaking), Australia, or New Zealand.
• Please note the minimum TOEFL overall score is 79 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. The minimum Duolingo test score is 105. There are additional subscore minimums. 

MS and PhD in Biostatistics

• You must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program.
• The GRE is no longer required, but helpful to submit if you have not received grades for required coursework prior to applying.
• You must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If your GPA is below 3.00, you should include an explanation of why it fell below the minimum score and how you plan to address any prior academic deficiencies. Students admitted to the MS program with an undergraduate GPA below 3.00 will be admitted on a provisional basis.
• Three semesters of calculus (differential, integral, multivariable) 
• One semester of linear algebra​ 
• One previous statistics course 
• Coding experience or experience with some statistical software (R, SAS, etc.) 
• A background in science, mathematics, or health sciences is recommended.
• A preferred qualification for the PhD is a Master’s degree in a related field or strong performance in graduate coursework in graduate biostatistics or statistics.

International applicants:

• You must provide proof of English language proficiency (ELP) in order to be considered for admission. The Colorado School of Public Health accepts TOEFL iBT, IELTS, and Duolingo test scores. Automatic waivers of this requirement are granted for persons who have, or will have, completed a bachelor’s degree (or higher) at an accredited university in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (excluding French Quebec), Africa (English speaking), Australia, or New Zealand.
• Please note the minimum TOEFL overall score is 79 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. The minimum Duolingo test score is 105. There are additional subscore minimums. 

Application Deadlines

Fall Admission MPH

• Preferred Deadline: January 15 (for scholarship eligibility and potential summer matriculation)
• Final Deadline: May 1

Fall Admission MS and PhD

• Final December 1 

Instructions for Submitting an Application

To complete an application to any of the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics programs, one must submit an application and supporting documents to the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS).   

Schools of Public Health (SOPHAS) Application

All domestic and international applicants must apply through SOPHAS at sophas.org. You will be required to:

• Complete an application.
• Domestic transcripts:
• Provide official transcripts showing all previous undergraduate, graduate, and professional work.
• Send your official transcripts to SOPHAS.   (If you are still working towards a degree at the time of application, you will be required to send your transcripts twice: once to SOPHAS at the time of application and a second time to our Graduate Admissions Office once your degree is conferred by your current institution.)

International transcripts:

• International transcripts should be evaluated by World Education Service (WES) and submitted to SOPHAS.
• International applicants must have the equivalent of a U.S baccalaureate degree to be considered for admission.
• GRE scores are not required for the MPH, MS or PhD program.
• Provide Three (3) Letters of Reference. These letters are submitted by your letter writers through SOPHAS, which has detailed instructions on how these letters are submitted.  We recommend letters of reference from your academic experiences, but will accept professional references.
• Upload your résumé or CV describing educational and employment history.
• Upload a personal statement (1,500-word limit).
• International students, except permanent residents, must submit scores from TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo. The SOPHAS TOEFL code is XXX (see above or English Proficiency Requirements for waivers of this requirement). 

It is highly recommended that you submit your SOPHAS application for verification as soon possible.  Application errors are common and can delay verification.  After application submission, it may take as many as seven days for verification during peak times.