Graduate Program Information for Applicants

We are pleased that you are interested in our graduate program. This page contains important information that will guide you through the mechanics of applying to our program and make you a more competitive applicant. You are encouraged to carefully review all of the information and links before proceeding with the application process. Also, you are encouraged to maintain contact with our graduate program coordinator, Mrs. Lisa Duncan, who is well acquainted with department and Graduate School policies, maintains all application files, and works closely with students as they progress through our graduate program. For general information about our Master's Degree program - click here. For general information about our Ph.D. program - click here.

To develop the most competitive application that you can, please consider the following:

You should make contact with appropriate faculty members well in advance of submitting an application. This enables you to better understand the emphasis of our programs, expectations of particular faculty, whether a faculty member is taking on new students, and what you would be spending your time doing if admitted. This also enables you to specify your preferred faculty advisor(s) and write an appropriately targeted personal statement in your application. Applications that are not tailored in this way are generally not successful. Please click here for a listing of our graduate faculty advisors.
We begin reviewing applications in January for fall admission. This is when the bulk of graduate admissions and funding decisions are made. Therefore, if you are applying for full-time study we strongly encourage you to have your application complete no later than January 10. With rare exception, applications for fall admission to full-time graduate study are not considered after April 30.
We have minimum GPA and GRE guidelines for admission. For GPA we require 3.0 for MPH/MS and 3.25 for PhD; and for GRE 1000 verbal plus quantitative for MPH/MS and 1100 for PhD (for concordance information on how to translate the new 130-170 GRE score scales to the prior 200-800 score scales click here. For MPH applicants only, the MCAT (28 or greater) or GMAT (Total score 580 or greater; Verbal score 31 or greater) may be substituted for the GRE. We will consider applicants who approach, but do not meet, these thresholds. However, applicants well below these thresholds are rarely competitive. Also, you should understand that meeting these guidelines does not guarantee admission to our graduate program. Admission to the program is a competitive process that involves consideration of your entire application. The fit of your interests to our program and faculty expertise, and faculty members' ability to take on new graduate students are all key factors in the admission decision process.
For international applicants, our TOEFL score requirement is 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based), or 77 (internet based). An IELTS score of 6.5 or higher is also acceptable. TOEFL and IELTS scores must not be more than 24 months old at the time applications are submitted. The graduate school routinely waives the TOEFL/IELTS requirement if you received a university degree within the last 24 months from an institution within a country where English is the native language and the primary language of instruction is English.
Your application must include all official transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation (ideally from prior faculty that can attest to your readiness/ability to successfully complete the requirements of a graduate degree), a goal statement, a completed form and a $60 application fee for domestic applicants, or a $75 fee for international applicants. Forms for requesting transcripts, letters of recommendation, and information about the goal statement are available on the Graduate School application site. International applicants must submit a TOEFL score and provide transcripts in both the native language and a certified English translation. All items must be in hand for us to proceed with a positive admission decision.
Funding is available on a competitive basis through the Graduate School at Purdue and through graduate assistantships in the HK Department. For information about funding opportunities available through the Purdue Graduate School click here. If you are interested in applying for funding through a Graduate Teaching Assistantship in the HK Department, a Teaching Assistant Competency Application form (doc pdf) should be completed elecronically and emailed directly to Mrs. Lisa Duncan. For full consideration, this form should be submitted by February 1. Teaching assistantships commence in the fall semester.
We encourage you to consider making a campus visit. This enables you to meet with prospective faculty advisor(s) and students in our graduate program, get a feel for West Lafayette, and put your “face with the name” on your application. We suggest you first contact the faculty member you are interested in working with to determine if they are available and identify good dates for a visit (usually October, November, and late January for fall applicants). Then contact Mrs. Lisa Duncan to inform her of the visit date. She will assist you in scheduling meetings with other key individuals in our department.
To obtain more information about Graduate Studies at Purdue -- click here.
Click on this link for a list frequently asked questions about HK Graduate Studies and the application process.

Proactive communication with us and attention to detail will help you put forward the most competitive application that you can. If you have a question that is not answered on this website, please do not hesitate to contact our graduate program coordinator, Mrs. Lisa Duncan, who will typically respond to your inquiry within 24 hours.

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