Admissions: Health Services PhD


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The UW Health Services PhD program attracts and welcomes strong scholars from varied backgrounds with a passion for research. We aim to match each incoming student with funding and strong mentorship.

Fall 2025: Application Timeline

Application opens: September 1, 2024

Fee waiver requests deadline: December 3, 2024 – visit the UW Graduate School fee waiver requests page for more information
Application deadline: December 10, 2024, 11:59 pm Pacific Time
Applicants notified of admissions decisions: Mid-February 2025

Health Services PhD – Program and Admissions FAQs UW Graduate School – Application Help and FAQs

Application Steps

All applications are submitted online through the UW Graduate School system. Details on the process are below.

Step One: Research the Program

Eligibility Criteria

UW Graduate School | Minimum Admission Requirements

We consider all applicants who apply, however, those who meet the qualifications below are more competitive.

  • High academic standing
    • Graduate GPA of 3.7 or higher
    • Undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • A bachelor’s, master’s, or professional degree in a field related to health services and public health
  • Research experience and publications
  • Strong service orientation
  • Unique and diverse background and experiences

International and/or Undocumented Applicants

We welcome international and/or undocumented applicants. To learn more about applying to the University of Washington and available financial options, visit our department’s student resources page.

Review Our Website

Learn as much as you can about our focus, format, and program expectations to consider if the program is right for you.

Information Sessions & Advising

1. View an information session

We highly recommend that prospective applicants attend one of our monthly Zoom information sessions.

In these hour-long presentations, we cover program format, curriculum, research, mentorship, funding, careers, and the application process; with Q&A time at the end. For many applicants, this is most efficient way to learn about the program and admissions.

Info Session Calendar

2. For remaining questions, connect with our prospective student advisor

Email Lauren Szychowski (hservask@uw.edu) or schedule a Zoom advising appointment.

Connect with Faculty

We highly recommend that prospective students connect with one or more core faculty in the program before applying. We match incoming students with first year faculty advisors based on the fit of research interests, student preferences, and faculty availability.

Prospective students do not need to secure a commitment from a faculty member before applying. Though, before applying, we strongly encourage you to review faculty profiles to identify those with shared research interests. You may reach out directly to faculty to discuss shared interests, research projects, opportunities for student involvement, and program fit. There will be a space on the application for you to list any faculty you have contacted and are interested in working with. It’s a good idea to list more than one faculty member if possible.

Tools to find faculty:

Step Two: Prepare to Apply

Draft written materials, obtain unofficial transcripts, designate people to write letters of recommendation, and apply early for fee waivers.

Request Unofficial Transcripts

Obtain unofficial transcripts from each college or university where you have earned a degree or taken relevant coursework. Download unofficial transcripts or scan printed copies.

UW will request official transcripts when an offer of admission is made (international applicants) or accepted (domestic applicants).

Update Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Make sure your resume or curriculum vitae (CV) are up to date.

Statement of Purpose

Length: 2-3 pages, single spaced

Describe your professional background, career goals, and the educational objectives you expect to meet through the program. Be sure to include a description of your work experience in health care or related fields.

The admissions committee places particular importance on well-specified and realistic career objectives.

Personal History Statement

Length: 1-2 pages, single spaced

The University of Washington is committed to excellence through diversity, and our program’s curriculum promotes an understanding of how social inequities and racism, generated by power and privilege, undermine health. We welcome students who have varied cultural experiences, and who will contribute to the intellectual and social enrichment of the doctoral program.

Describe your personal history, family background, and influences on your intellectual development that reflect your commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

You may include social, cultural, economic, and educational opportunities, or disadvantages that you have overcome, and the ways in which these experiences have affected you.

This statement is not intended to ask you to share personal information you are not comfortable providing.

Training Grants (optional)

Are your research interests aligned with any of our training grants? If so, which and how? 

Faculty Contact (optional)

We highly recommend that prospective students connect with one or more core faculty in the program before applying. We match incoming students with first year faculty advisors based on the fit of research interests, student preferences, and faculty availability.

Prospective students do not need to secure a commitment from a faculty member before applying. Though, before applying, we strongly encourage you to review faculty profiles to identify those with shared research interests. You may reach out directly to faculty to discuss shared interests, research projects, opportunities for student involvement, and program fit. There will be a space on the application for you to list any faculty you have contacted and are interested in working with. It’s a good idea to list more than one faculty member if possible.

Tools to find faculty:

Letters of Recommendation

Number Required: 3

Identify three people who are willing to write letters of recommendation for you. Recommenders should be familiar with your academic goals and your potential for achieving those goals.

In the application portal, designate recommenders by entering their names and email addresses. The online application will then send specific instructions to each recommender.

You may add recommenders as soon as you start your application. We suggest adding them several weeks or more ahead of the deadline to give them ample time to respond.

Applicants will be able to return to the online application to check whether the application system has received the recommendations. Applicants are expected to be in contact with each of their letter writers to make sure they have submitted their letters of recommendations to the online application system by the due date.

Supplemental Self-Identification Form (optional)

The Health Services PhD program welcomes applicants across differences of ideas, history, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, gender identification, national origin, race and ethnicity. For the program to track the effectiveness of our recruiting efforts and ensure that we consider the needs of all our students, we appreciate feedback. Please consider responding to the questions in the optional PhD Supplemental Self-Identification Form.

If you choose to complete the form, download it, enter your responses, and save it. You can then upload the completed form in the appropriate section of the online application.

Download Form

GRE Scores (optional)

The GRE is no longer required! However, if applicants think their GRE scores are a better representation of academic preparedness for the program than their transcripts, they may include their GRE scores.

Applicants who choose to submit GRE scores must self-report them in the online application with the UW Graduate School AND have scores sent directly to UW from the Educational Testing Service using the UW institutional code. Scores from the testing services must arrive by the application deadline to be considered.

UW Institution Code: 4854

Proof of English Language Proficiency (select students)

Applicants whose first language is not English might need to share proof of English language proficiency. If English is not your first language, please carefully review the UW Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency Requirements for the most up-to-date information on how to demonstrate proficiency for your specific situation.

If you have remaining questions after reviewing the policy, contact the Graduate Enrollment Management Services (GEMS) team at uwgrad@uw.edu.

Test scores must be sent directly to the UW by the Educational Testing Service using the UW institution code. Only scores less than two years old will be accepted.

UW Institution Code: 4854

Application Fee and Waiver

The UW Graduate School application fee is $90. Waivers are available to qualified applicants.

Please request an application fee waiver as soon as possible, at least seven days before the application deadline.

If you request an application fee waiver, DO NOT pay the fee or submit your application until you receive approval or denial. The application fee cannot be reimbursed. Contact us if you have not heard about your fee waiver and need to submit your application.

Fee Waiver Info

HSEED Award

Award Amount: Up to $5,000

Please note: All PhD applicants who are eligible and submit a complete UW Graduate School application to the program will be considered. There is no formal application process or essay.

The UW Department of Health Systems and Population Health (HSPop) is committed to increasing the number of health professionals from diverse communities in the field of public health. The Health Systems Excellence, Equity, and Distinction (HSEED) Award provides $5,000 tuition support to outstanding students from each of our academic programs.

HSEED Eligibility Criteria

Step Three: Apply Online

Start your online application through the UW Graduate School. You can save your application and come back to it at any time to continue working on it. Do not submit your application before applying or receiving your fee waiver.

Apply Now

Application Sections and Materials

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