The Master of Science in Global Health program looks for students with leadership potential, experience working with underserved populations, a strong academic record, and a commitment to improving health and reducing inequities worldwide.
The program welcomes students from all academic and professional backgrounds who demonstrate how their academic discipline and career goals relate to global health. The program places a very high value on the diversity of students who enroll and reviews all applicants holistically. Applicants who come from traditionally underrepresented populations and students who have faced hardships are encouraged to apply. See our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Education statement.
Admissions Criteria
We accept applications from students from all academic backgrounds. Diversity of experience enhances dialogue in our classes, creating immersive experiences that mimic global health leadership settings where decisions on program implementation, funding, policy change, and more are made. Our student body is united in its commitment to conducting excellent impact-driven work, and we seek a demonstrated track record for this based on grade-point average, diversity of courses taken in undergraduate studies, letters of recommendation, and more.
You must have the following qualifications to apply:
Bachelor's degree, or the equivalent from an accredited institution, with at least a 3.0 GPA
Completion of at least one college-level course in mathematics (e.g., calculus, algebra, statistics) or sciences (biology, chemistry, physics), with at least a B grade.
Three letters of recommendation: The letters should address your academic strengths, personal qualities, and accomplishments, as well as how the MS degree will contribute to your career growth. At least one letter should be from someone familiar with your academic strengths and weaknesses. All recommendations must be written on official letterhead and submitted electronically via the UCSF application. Contact your recommenders to ensure they receive the automated email request (in case it goes to a junk or spam folder) and submit their letters before the deadline. You can monitor the status of your recommendations on your application.
Résumé or curriculum vitae (no more than 3 pages): Summarize your education, professional experience, publications, languages spoken, honors and awards, local and international experience, extracurricular interests, and special skills.
Personal statement (short responses): Address your reasons for applying, prior global health experience with underserved populations (local or international), personal expectations of the program, and global health career goals. If your GPA is less than 3.0, please thoroughly explain the circumstances here.
Transcripts from all academic institutions you attended: Upload to your application all unofficial transcripts from each institution you attended, even if you did not receive a degree. The program does not require official transcripts until admission. See additional details on the FAQ page.
Application fee: U.S. citizens or permanent residents may qualify for an application fee waiver. See the guidelines on Application Fee Waivers to determine your eligibility for this exemption. To request the waiver, select the “application fee waiver” option in the payment area of the online application.
Test scores: Graduate-level tests are not required for entry to this program, but if you have taken the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, or GMAT, you may choose to self-report your scores. To do so, you may email a copy of your score report to [email protected]. You do not need to send official score reports to UCSF through the official test site systems.
TOEFL or IELTS scores: If English was not the primary language of your pre-college education, you must demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:
Submit an official transcript showing you completed at least one year of study at an accredited college or university in the United States with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Submit an official transcript showing you completed your bachelor's or graduate degree or the equivalent from an accredited, English-speaking college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Submit TOEFL or IELTS scores that are no more than two years old. Please submit official scores to UCSF’s institutional code 4840 and email a copy of your score report to [email protected]. The program accepts the following minimum scores based on the type of test:
