Admissions

*Priority deadline is not a hard deadline. Applicants are encouraged to submit by the priority deadline to ensure that if they are accepted, they'll receive an offer of acceptance by June. 

Applications for 2027 will be available starting August 12, 2026.

(Doctoral programs only accept students for the Fall term)

*Priority deadline is not a hard deadline. Applicants are encouraged to submit by the priority deadline to ensure that if they are accepted, they'll receive an offer of acceptance by April. 

Applications for 2027 will be available starting August 12, 2026. 

• A high school diploma or equivalent
• A minimum overall high school or previous college G.P.A. of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale is required
• Personal Statement outlining your interest in global health, relevant experience, and career aspirations
• Two letters of recommendation that discuss the applicant’s academic and/or professional background
• For recent high school graduates of within the past 2 years, recommendations from high school teachers and administrators are preferred
• Language Proficiency: International students must meet language proficiency requirements. This could involve providing scores from standardized English language proficiency tests such as the TOEFL iBT (80 or higher) or IELTS (6.5 or higher). Alternatively, the program might accept other evidence of English proficiency, such as previous academic coursework in English.

The minimum eligibility requirements for admission to a master’s degree program include the following:

• A baccalaureate degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited institution, with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above.
• The GRE is not required for applicants who meet the admissions criteria. If an applicant does not meet the minimum GPA requirements, the GRE is required in order for the application to be considered. For prospective students who wish to strengthen their application, GRE scores can be submitted as an option, but it is not required. GRE scores must have been attained within the last five years.
• Applicant may be interviewed by the program director and/or faculty.
• Religious affiliation is not a requirement, but students are expected to adhere to on-campus requirements of modest dress, abstinence from alcohol and smoking, and attendance at weekly chapel.
• Applicants must satisfy the program-specific admission requirements, including but not limited to pre-requisite courses, license requirements and years of experience. Admissions decisions are based on a review of the applicant’s transcripts, written statement, letters of recommendation, G.R.E. or equivalent scores, and interview (if necessary). Satisfying minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

The minimum eligibility requirements for admission to a doctoral degree program include the following:

• An M.P.H. degree or master’s degree in a related field from a regionally accredited institution, with a G.P.A. of 3.5 or above. Applicants with a master’s degree in another field may indicate their relevant training, research and/or practice experience, or educational background comparable to the M.P.H. or the M.S. degrees. Dr.P.H. and Ph.D. degree applicants who are admitted without a CEPH accredited M.P.H. degree will be required to take PHCJ 606 Public Health Fundamentals, EPDM 509 Principles of Epidemiology, STAT 521 Biostatistics I or AHRM 514 Biostatistics  (that covers SPSS and R, SAS), or equivalent courses to fulfill the public health fundamental learning outcomes described in section D.1 of the 2016 CEPH criteria. 
• The GRE is not required for applicants who meet the admissions criteria. If an applicant does not meet the minimum GPA requirements, the GRE is required in order for the application to be considered. For prospective students who wish to strengthen their application, GRE scores can be submitted as an option, but it is not required. GRE scores must have been attained within the last five years.
• Religious affiliation is not a requirement, but students are expected to adhere to on-campus requirements of modest dress, abstinence from alcohol and smoking, and attendance at weekly chapel, as applicable.
• Applicants must satisfy the program-specific admission requirements, including but not limited to prerequisite courses and years of experience. Admissions decisions are based on a review of applicants' transcripts, written statements, professional experience, letters of recommendation, GRE scores or equivalent, and interviews. Satisfying minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

1. Application:

   1. Submit a complete application and accompanying documents to the School of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS)

2. Transcripts:

   1. Official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended must be sent to SOPHAS. If accepted, official transcripts will then need to be sent to Loma Linda University, Admissions Processing, 11139 Anderson Street, Loma Linda, CA 92350.

3. International evaluations:

   1. All international (non-U.S.) transcripts must be submitted to one of the LLU-approved evaluation services. See llu.edu/central/apply/intltrans.page for a list of the approved companies. Copies of transcripts forwarded from evaluation services do not meet the requirement of official transcripts. They must be sent directly to LLU from the issuing institution. SOPHAS will only accept international transcripts submitted through World Education Services (www.wes.org). Please note: Transcript copies included only in official WES evaluation reports will also satisfy the requirement for official transcripts.

4. References:

   1. The applicant is asked to supply a minimum of three personal references. It is recommended that these include an academic reference, a reference from an employer, and a character or religious reference.

5. Pre-entrance examination:

   1. All official pre-entrance test scores (e.g., TOEFL [international applicants only], GRE or equivalent [e.g., MCAT]) as required by each program must be sent directly to SOPHAS by the testing organization.

6. LLU Application Portal:

   1. ​​​​​​​ Once your application has been reviewed and verified by SOPHAS, it will be forwarded to the schools you have designated. Once your application is received from SOPHAS, you will receive an email with instructions and a link to the application portal from Loma Linda University. When you log in to the application portal, you will find it is populated with the information you provided for SOPHAS. Check the application carefully and complete any new requirements. No additional application fee is required. 

7. Interview:

   1. ​​​​​​​The applicant's records will be screened when the supplementary application is submitted and the file is complete. The file will then be forwarded for program review and, if necessary, the applicant may be invited for a personal interview.

8. Acceptance:

   1. ​​​​​​​The accepted student receives an acceptance letter and a link that will prompt payment of the class-holding fee and confirmation of acceptance. Official transcripts will need to be submitted to Admissions Processing prior to registration for first term.

No matter what program you’re applying to, you’ll need to provide official transcripts.
To be considered official, all transcripts must be sent to LLU either directly from your school or from an approved Centralized Application System (CAS). Unfortunately, we can’t accept transcripts from you, even if they’re in a sealed envelope.

• If you are applying through PASS, we will need official transcripts to be sent directly from all post-secondary institutions you have attended.
• If you attended an international school and your documents are not considered official, those academic records need to come directly from the issuing institution.
• If you’re an international student, learn more about getting official transcripts from international institutions.
   

Please note: Transcripts submitted through a CAS can only be retained in our system for international students or accepted US students.
 

All documents will be linked to a person’s name once an LLU application has been submitted. Processing of this application may take up to 3 business days. Once processing is complete, you may log in to your application portal to view which documents have been received and which are still needed.
 

Proof of High School Completion
All students must attest that they have completed high school in their LLU application by selecting one of the options provided. Because of this attestation, most students will not need to provide a high school transcript. In some cases, proof of high school completion may be required if necessary. This can be in the form of a transcript showing graduation date, GED, or California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) or equivalent.
 

Transcripts from Post-Secondary Institutions
Official transcripts are required from all post-secondary institutions you’ve been enrolled at, regardless of grade or completion. Transcripts are required even if you haven’t finished a program you’re currently enrolled in. In such cases, you’ll need to request both in-progress transcripts and final transcripts upon program completion.
 

Your application to LLU can be denied if we don’t receive transcripts from an institution you attended. 
 

Please request that transcripts be sent to LLU from all institutions, including for:
 

• In-progress coursework
• Coursework that doesn’t pertain to your desired degree at LLU
• Military credit
• Advanced Placement (AP) credit
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• Unaccredited schools
   

Transcripts received by LLU become the property of LLU and will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to any other institution. Please do not send us your original transcript or diploma if no other copy exists.

EDI

Transcripts sent using the EDI (electronic data interchange) format must be sent through the SPEEDE server.
LLU School Code: 001218
EDI Qualifier: 22
Server: SPEEDE

Secure PDF
We accept secure PDFs sent directly to [email protected] through transcript services. If the PDF has restrictions on printing, viewing, saving or archiving, it will not be accepted. Examples of acceptable PDFs include those sent through:

• Parchment Exchange
• Credentials eScrip-Safe
• National Student Clearinghouse
• Joint Services Transcript (for U.S. military credit)
   

Mail
We accept paper transcripts mailed or shipped directly from your school to Admissions Processing.

Admissions Processing
Loma Linda University
11139 Anderson St
Loma Linda, CA 92350 USA

Loma Linda University School of Public Health's programs have been designated as STEM-eligible by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This allows international students on an F-1 visa to apply for a 24-month extension of their Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment authorization after graduating if they earn an MPH in Epidemiology, work for an employer meeting STEM OPT requirements, and timely file form I-765. The STEM OPT extension provides an excellent opportunity for international graduates to gain additional work experience in their field of study within the United States.

A $1,000 Advanced Refundable International Student Deposit along with your first quarter of tuition (min. of 8 units) is required from all international students seeking F-1 visa status in the U.S. International students are required to have their credentials translated and evaluated by an independent evaluation service. Follow the instructions on the SOPHAS FAQ webpage, for additional information regarding LLUH's requirements visit the International Academic Transcripts page.

**Note: Online programs will not be eligible for an I-20 or for an international student to maintain F-1 visa status in the U.S.

Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program

Students in the Coverdell Fellows program are returned Peace Corps volunteers who receive six units of tuition waiver in exchange for five to eight hours a week of local service in an area of designated need. In addition, the school grants full academic credit for the field practicum portion of the Master of Public Health degree, recognizing the value of the Peace Corps experience.

Coverdell Fellows at Loma Linda University have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of community outreach programs. Some have served with the LLU Community Action Partners (CAPS) in the Community Mothers Connection Program, Center for Health Disparities, and Office of Public Health Practice, United Way, and as teaching assistants for an integrated community development class.

Each program has slightly different requirements. The following example is given for Global Health as the majority of students returning have chosen this program. Please contact the SPH Admissions Office [email protected] for specific details on other programs.

• A baccalaureate degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited institution, with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above. 
• Satisfactory performance in the Graduate Record Examination (G.R.E.) or equivalent; scores must have been attained within the last five years. Other scores are acceptable. Please contact the admissions office for details. 
• The applicant may be interviewed by program directors and/or faculty.

To be eligible for admission, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale. All applicants must submit scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or equivalent graduate school entrance examination and demonstrate college-level conceptualization and writing skills.

If you are interested in opportunities with the Peace Corps through Loma Linda University School of Public Health, contact Sharilyn Andersen, Practicum Director at [email protected].

State laws across the U.S. require universities to be authorized to legally deliver online education to students residing in states other than the home state of the institution.

Before applying to an online program, applicants residing outside of California, but within the U.S., should review the LLU State Authorization page to ensure their U.S. state/territory of residence is on LLU's approved list for online learning.  There are no restrictions for applicants residing outside of a U.S. state/territory.  Applicants will only be admitted to an online program if LLU has secured legal authorization from the applicant’s state of residence. 

SPH online programs are not eligible for new international students seeking to apply for an F-1/J-1 student visa, to enter the U.S., or for current international students seeking to maintain F-1/J-1 visa status, if currently present in the U.S.