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Eligibility Requirements

All applicants to an IPHG graduate program must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree* or higher in any discipline (must be equivalent to a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution). For details about degree equivalences, please refer to the minimum requirements on the UW Graduate School’s website.
  • Prerequisite Coursework
    • Prerequisites may be in progress or planned at the time of application but should be complete prior to enrollment.
    • See Prerequisite Guidelines for details.
  • A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater for the final 90 quarter credits or 60 semester hours completed is an expectation for the UW Graduate School. Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may still be considered if their overall application has exceptional strengths.
    • Applicants with a lower GPA are strongly encouraged to provide additional information in the extenuating circumstances part of the application.
  • Non-native English speakers must fulfill the UW English language proficiency requirements.
    • If using the TOEFLiBT (or TOEFL MyBest), a minimum score of 92 is required.
    • If using the IELTS, a minimum score of 7.0 is required.
  • Applicants to the PhD in Public Health Genetics are encouraged to have a previous master's degree or higher. However, candidates without a previous master's degree or higher might be accepted to the PhD track on a case by case basis.

* In order to be eligible to apply for autumn quarter, applicants must have earned their bachelor’s degree by the end of that summer. Applicants do not need to have earned their bachelor’s degree prior to applying for the program.

Post admission requirements

Students who are admitted and accept the offer* must do the following:

  • Pay a $250 non-refundable deposit to the UW Graduate School.
  • Submit official transcripts to the UW Graduate School.
  • All IPHG students will be required to complete a number of compliance items and trainings.
  • Additionally, all MPH students will be required to undergo a Washington State background check and meet a number of other compliance items, including immunizations.
  • Financial ability requirements for international students: Admitted students requesting an F-1 or J-1 student visa must meet the University of Washington’s financial ability requirement. Applicants should not mail financial ability documents or bank statements to the Institute for Public Health Genetics during the admissions process. Individuals who are admitted to the program and accept the offer of admission will be given further instructions. Information about financial ability requirements is available on the UW Graduate School website.

*Detailed information will be provided at the time of admission that outlines requirements.