Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DrPH) (Online)

I. Complete UNC Graduate School application
The Graduate School Application is a common application system for UNC Chapel Hill programs.

More Information

1. Application Fee

The UNC Graduate School application fee is $95. Information on UNC Graduate School Fee Waiver Requests

2. Faculty Interest(s)/mentor(s)

Not required. Skip this part.

3. Applicant information,  including North Carolina residency information.

4. Area(s) of interest

Please select your primary and secondary concentration areas via the Areas of Interest/Specialization drop-down box within your application. Please note that this selection is essential in facilitating a match with an advisor, so careful consideration of a concentration is strongly encouraged. Referring to the research approach and required courses in each concentration is strongly encouraged before making a selection. Selecting more than two concentration areas is not required or encouraged.

5. Educational history

Please upload a copy of your most recent transcript(s), including your current term grades, if applicable. (If grades are not yet available, send them to the UNC Gillings program contact as soon as they become available.) Be sure the transcript reflects the name of the institution and any degrees you received.

We advise that you order two copies of your transcript(s) to be sent to you. If you are admitted and choose to enroll, UNC will require official transcript(s) showing degree(s) awarded.

6. Community standards

You will be asked about honor code, crime, academic sanction, military discharge, etc.

7. Upload your personal statement.

Essay. Upload an essay (single-spaced and no more than 5 pages) that addresses the following questions:

• Why are you applying to this DrPH program? Explain what you hope to gain from the program.
• Explain how you think the DrPH program will help you become a more effective leader that can help you improve the health of the public.
• What are your career goals?
• How will your lived experiences and strengths contribute to a positive learning environment?
• Describe what you consider to be your most significant professional leadership accomplishment. (Please describe the role you played, and how this helped to improve the health of a population. Please note: We are interested in examples where you showed leadership, such as when you identified a problem and marshalled the people and resources to address the problem.
• Please describe your management and leadership experience with respect to the numbers and types of persons who have reported to you at different points in your career and a bit about your leadership style.
• Describe your biggest disappointment or failure in your work or career so far. What did you learn or how did you overcome this challenge?
• Tell us about risks you’ve taken in your work or career.
• Why do you care about the public’s health?

8. Upload your resume or CV.

9. Enter names of recommenders. UNC will then send them an email with instructions for submitting a letter on your behalf.

3 Letters of Recommendations are required. We encourage references from professors or teachers (or teaching assistants) or work/research supervisors who have worked directly and closely with you and who can speak about you with specificity.

10. Report test scores, if applicable.

GRE scores are neither required nor typically recommended for applicants.

International applicants must submit official TOEFL or IELTS standardized test scores. Code 5816 routes to UNC. TOEFL/IELTS scores must be no more than two years old.

11. Document submission (check legibility of uploads)

Applicants should preview all documents uploaded into the application system to ensure that all documents are legible for committee review.

12. Track your progress.

You will be able to track status through the Graduate School application. Once a decision is made, you will receive an email instructing login to the Graduate School application portal to see the decision letter.

1. Department reviews application and recommends a decision.

Time-to-decision varies. Departments make recommendations to the UNC Graduate School for admitting and denying applicants. Final decisions are rendered by the UNC Graduate School.

2. UNC Graduate School reviews department recommendation and renders a final decision:

The UNC Graduate School reviews all admissions recommendations made by programs. Once final decisions have been made, the UNC Graduate School will send the applicant an email instructing them to login to their application portal to see the decision letter.

When estimating costs, please visit the UNC Cashier’s Office and use the Graduate and Professional Program Tuition and Fees link. Please note that the tuition and fees of graduate programs at Gillings vary from other graduate programs at UNC.

Gillings departments and concentrations consider both domestic and international applicants for funding. Please see below for helpful tips and resources:

1. Applicants will be reviewed for eligibility for limited scholarships. Departments and concentrations will decide which applicants to nominate. No additional application is required.

2. Please refer to our School’s Costs and Funding page and/or UNC-Chapel Hill’s Office of Scholarships and Student Aid (OSSA) website.

3. Apply for FEDERAL financial aid by March 1 (please verify this date via FAFSA). If you have been admitted and completed the FAFSA form by their deadline, the UNC Office of Scholarship and Student Aid will create a financial aid package for you.

4. Funding offers through the department are possible but not guaranteed.