No, applicants are not required to take the GRE exam. Reporting test scores is optional. If test scores are reported, they will be considered in the application review process. The University’s code is 1832.

Interviews are generally not conducted as part of the application process. However, in special circumstances the application review team may request an interview to learn more about an applicant.

Contact information for recommenders will be entered into the online program application. The application system will automatically email instructions to recommenders. We suggest that applicants let recommenders know in advance to expect the email.

8he program recognizes two application deadlines, January 15 and March 18, for enrollment in Autumn Quarter. Applications received by January 15 will receive an admissions decision in February; applications received by March 15 will receive an admissions decision in April. For the greatest likelihood of acceptance and for priority scholarship consideration, applicants are encouraged to apply early. Late applications may be accepted if space permits.

In order to request an application fee waiver, you must first submit an application. Once an application is submitted, your application status portal will display the option to request a fee waiver by filling out a short form and providing documentation, if required. If you are applying to one of the schools or divisions which allows multiple applications, you will need to ensure you are on the status page of the correct application; a separate waiver request must be submitted for each application.

Application fees are non-refundable. If you intend to submit a fee waiver request, do not pay the application fee until you receive a decision about your request. If you pay the application fee, and later have your waiver request approved, the fee will not be refunded.

Fee Waiver Categories and General Eligibility Criteria 

• University of Chicago degree program students and alumni

This waiver category is available in most programs to any applicant who has received or expects to receive a degree from another UChicago program.

• Current or recent participants in qualifying programs

This waiver category is available if you have participated in one of the following:

• CIC Applicants
• Fulbright/IIE Fellowship Recipient
• Gates Millennium Scholars
• Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program
• Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)
• McNair Scholars Program
• Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)
• Project 1000
• Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
• Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
• U.S. armed forces or uniformed services: currently serving (active duty or reserves) or honorably discharged

Applicants to the graduate schools and divisions of the University of Chicago who do not meet the criteria below must submit proof of English language proficiency. This policy applies to all* graduate programs; the score level required for admission varies by program. Only the TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic tests are accepted as proof of proficiency.

Waiver Criteria

English has been a primary language of communication and schooling for you since childhood; or you were enrolled for at least one academic year in full-time status in a course of study at an accredited English-medium post-secondary institution in one of the following countries or territories within the past ten years: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, the United States.

Education in English-medium institutions in other countries or territories does not qualify for the exemption.

Please Note

High school or secondary school does not qualify an applicant for exemption; nor do part-time or research-based programs that did not involve full time coursework in English.

All students must have completed a minimum of a Bachelors degree by the time they matriculate into the program. Precision health is an interdisciplinary field; therefore, there are no specific requirements regarding undergraduate majors. Some previous quantitative training, either through coursework or work/research experience, is helpful. Applications are reviewed holistically and an applicant’s previous academic and work training, writing ability, motivations and goals for the program, and letters of recommendation are all considered in evaluating the strength of an application.

This is a one year program: 3 full-time quarters (3 classes/quarter) plus the summer capstone project.

We do not accept transfer credits from other universities. However, at the discretion of the Program Director, students who have taken similar courses elsewhere may be able to waive a required course and identify an elective to take instead. Students who complete courses in the program curriculum in the University of Chicago’s Graduate-Student-At-Large program prior to matriculating into the Precision Health program may transfer up to two credits, with the approval of the Program Director, provided the courses did not count toward the completion of another degree. 

The program is designed to be completed in one year: 3 full-time quarters (3 classes/quarter) plus the capstone course in the summer. Due to the timing of courses and required sequencing, part-time options are not available.

Prospective students will be asked to select a tentative concentration at the time of application. Once admitted, students will work with their academic advisor to select a concentration that best aligns with their career interests and goals. The concentration can be changed during the program with approval of the academic advisor.

A capstone project will be required of all students to complete their degree. The capstone project provides the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge and skills learned during the coursework. Working with a capstone mentor, students will complete a culminating project and present their project at the end of the quarter. The capstone project is highly customizable depending on an individual student’s interests and career objectives. For example, students with a research focus may complete a research project for their capstone, whereas students in the entrepreneurship concentration may complete a business proposal for their final project. 

The Master of Public Health program is a professional program designed for students interested in careers as public health researchers or professionals, and is open to all students who have completed a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree. The curriculum leads to the degree of Master of Public Health (MPH). The Master of Science in Public Health for Clinical Professionals is designed for the professional enhancement of individuals who already have doctoral-level expertise in Medicine and related clinical disciplines. The curriculum leads to the degree of Master of Science (MS).

The Master of Science in Precision Health (MsPH) is a unique program that provides training in advanced precision medicine methodologies and techniques and applies these skills at the population level. Whereas the MPH is a more practice-oriented, professional degree, the MsPH is more technical and research-driven. The curriculum leads to the degree of Master of Science (MS). However, unlike the MSCP, the MsPH is not limited to clinicians and is suitable for students with a range of backgrounds with at least a Bachelor’s degree.

Yes, the Master of Science in Precision Health is a STEM-eligible program.

Generally speaking, classes are offered M-F in the late afternoon or evening. Most classes are either offered one day a week for three hours, or two days a week for an hour and a half each. Some classes may have an additional computing workshop or discussion section.

This program is only offered in-person on the University’s main campus in Hyde Park, Chicago, IL. The University of Chicago is committed to maintaining the University’s distinctive academic and intellectual qualities and values that are a hallmark of our in-person instruction. For more information on the University’s return to campus and response to Covid-19, visit https://goforward.uchicago.edu/.