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Hi! Just received an acceptance to GW's Health Policy PhD program. Very grateful for this acceptance, and this was one of my top choices, but did not include funding. As I've already confirmed with another institution, I will decline this offer.
I'm hoping anyone waitlisted here will get in!

I was pretty much disheartened knowing this last year. My confidence on academia is gradually fading away. Yet, academicians are staunch advocate of transparency and access to information. Not only they're earning app fees but it is all about acceptance rating and the number of applicants they're attracting- these data are crucial for their reputation; receiving budgets, bragging and many more. 
Last spring I was accepted to UNC-CH PhD and had extensive email conversation with the prospective supervisor who is also the program director. My email title was clearly mentioned about funding but he never said a word about this. After 15-20 emails and conversation he finally gave his nod to apply and then I was accepted to the program but then he said we do not have sufficient fund at the moment. I heard similiar stories of my friends and colleagues from other universities as well. 

I was pretty much disheartened knowing this last year. My confidence on academia is gradually fading away. Yet, academicians are staunch advocate of transparency and access to information. Not only they're earning app fees but it is all about acceptance rating and the number of applicants they're attracting- these data are crucial for their reputation; receiving budgets, bragging and many more. 
Last spring I was accepted to UNC-CH PhD and had extensive email conversation with the prospective supervisor who is also the program director. My email title was clearly mentioned about funding but he never said a word about this. After 15-20 emails and conversation he finally gave his nod to apply and then I was accepted to the program but then he said we do not have sufficient fund at the moment. I heard similiar stories of my friends and colleagues from other universities as well. 

I was pretty much disheartened knowing this last year. My confidence on academia is gradually fading away. Yet, academicians are staunch advocate of transparency and access to information. Not only they're earning app fees but it is all about acceptance rating and the number of applicants they're attracting- these data are crucial for their reputation; receiving budgets, bragging and many more. 
Last spring I was accepted to UNC-CH PhD and had extensive email conversation with the prospective supervisor who is also the program director. My email title was clearly mentioned about funding but he never said a word about this. After 15-20 emails and conversation he finally gave his nod to apply and then I was accepted to the program but then he said we do not have sufficient fund at the moment. I heard similiar stories of my friends and colleagues from other universities as well. 

I was pretty much disheartened knowing this last year. My confidence on academia is gradually fading away. Yet, academicians are staunch advocate of transparency and access to information. Not only they're earning app fees but it is all about acceptance rating and the number of applicants they're attracting- these data are crucial for their reputation; receiving budgets, bragging and many more. 
Last spring I was accepted to UNC-CH PhD and had extensive email conversation with the prospective supervisor who is also the program director. My email title was clearly mentioned about funding but he never said a word about this. After 15-20 emails and conversation he finally gave his nod to apply and then I was accepted to the program but then he said we do not have sufficient fund at the moment. I heard similiar stories of my friends and colleagues from other universities as well. 

But I must confess that there are many professors who wrote me after the first email that I do not have fund/space/position available to support any new PhD students. Some also wrote that, s/he might get funding at 2023. Some also interviewed earlier before even making any application: I liked her approach but she herself was international.  

I was pretty much disheartened knowing this last year. My confidence on academia is gradually fading away. Yet, academicians are staunch advocate of transparency and access to information. Not only they're earning app fees but it is all about acceptance rating and the number of applicants they're attracting- these data are crucial for their reputation; receiving budgets, bragging and many more. 
Last spring I was accepted to UNC-CH PhD and had extensive email conversation with the prospective supervisor who is also the program director. My email title was clearly mentioned about funding but he never said a word about this. After 15-20 emails and conversation he finally gave his nod to apply and then I was accepted to the program but then he said we do not have sufficient fund at the moment. I heard similiar stories of my friends and colleagues from other universities as well. 

I couldn't have said it any better! Haha

Hi, thanks for sharing about GW. Also got interviewed and the two interviewers were quite frank about the funding issue. I'm international, so they were concerned a bit more. They also told me that they referred my app to another better-funded center that aligned with my other research areas (but still with the prospect of being enrolled in the Health Policy program), which was very kind of them. But let's see; I haven't received a formal offer either.
Best of luck at the U (or at Hopkins)!

Amount only doesn't tell the whole story but overall living expenses in the respective city//community/area/state does in terms of generous financial support. However, if you're inclined towards a particular a school/city/state then it is whole lot different argument. Any discussion on "School Financial support Vs Living expenses affordability index" of the states/city/area?!?

Just finished an interview with Duke Pop Health. Not very thrilled with how I did and I wouldn't be surprised to be rejected. Very basic questions (but the basic ones are the more difficult ones, aren't they). Twitter threads on PhD interviews were helpful in my preparation, but you can't be prepared enough I guess. One down, a lot of waiting to go.
All the best to everyone. We got this.

I received an interview from Duke’s pop health PhD program for mid-January. Still waiting to hear from one more school. Any tips on how to prep for these interviews? Good luck to all ???

I'm also seconding this question which also popped up in my head. My personal opinion is- yes- there are comparatively less applicants this year than the previous year. Program Director of some middle ranked universities even reached out to me whom I emailed in October. 

I just received an email from UTSW: 
 
We recieved more than 840 applications from International candidates and more than 500 have moved to this review phase. We anticipate that any invitations to interview will NOT go out until at least after January 1, but more likely around mid-January.  
 
It's just a lot harder than I thought it would be?

I feel like it's the other way around for top schools

Asking here since the other forums are very quiet. Do you guys think as many people as last year have applied to this year's cycle? Last year's application numbers were absolutely insane and the resulting admissions rates tanked since way too many people applied. I had friends in Stanford working under PIs for a couple of years who couldn't even land interviews given the flood of applications that came in. 

After going through and double checking, I have decided to drop South Florida's application. I couldn't find any faculty to answer my questions and was seriously having issues finding a faculty match because of this. I am unsure if they update their website routinely as well. I am only applying to SDSU/UCSD for the November 15 deadline and the other schools on my list by December 1. 

Hi everyone, 
I hope you're all hanging in there while you work on these dang applications. 
Just needed a bit of advice from a nonbiased perspective - I recently graduated from a MSPH program @ Hopkins with a 3.75 GPA, where my GPA fell significantly from 2 of the 3 biostats courses I had to take there. Got A's in all of the other classes I took including EPI and other quant courses. The format of the Hopkins system is quarter based so I struggled learning all the concepts in biostats within a 8 week window. I really want to apply for a PhD program to continue some of the research I am doing now (specifically the Social Behavioral Sciences dept) and was wondering if my chances of getting into a PhD program are slim because of my less than stellar biostats grades. I know quant skills are super important for doctoral programs. Wondering if it's even worth applying? 
Dont know if any of this additional info is important but I'm working very closely in the department I am planning to apply for right now and have 4 publications and very good GRE scores (even though I know these are optional this year). Just need a bit of advice and so bummed about my biostats scores D:. Any advice is welcome and thank you all for reading this - just so much anxiety building up!!! 

I am also finding pharmacoepidemiology Ph.D. program. What programs did you consider?

Hi All! I am also new to this platform. Actually, my friends had just recommended I share and discuss info with other applicants here. I am applying to Epidemiology (pharmacoepidemiology) Ph.D. program in 2022 Fall. If anyone is about to do the same thing, please feel free to contact me. Thanks ALL! 

I know Emory has a spring application!

Question for folks who are writing about the GRE scores - from my understanding, neither Harvard nor Hopkins are looking at scores. You can submit them with your application but they won't even consider them as part of your assessment. How are people managing demonstrating quant abilities if you did not have a quant focus in undergrad/grad as much without this component?

Hi All,
I need some advice as which universities to choose I applied for PhD. Biomedical Health Informatics Fall 2021. I have admits from the following universities:
1. Stony Brook
2. Case Western 
3. University of Minnesota Twin Cities 
 
Still waiting for results from 
Pennstate
UNC Chapel Hill 
NYU
Just for safety I applied for one program of Information Science at U Albany which I also got admit, but  least probably. I will join that course. 

Hey all. Admissions season is wrapped up for me with acceptances to 4/5 programs: accepted to Michigan Epi, Emory Epi, UNC Epi, and Harvard EH! Rejected from Columbia EHS. Feeling incredibly lucky especially seeing how difficult this admissions season has been for so many very qualified and deserving candidates. Once we learn where my spouse matches, hopefully some spots can open up when I decline offers!
It's interesting how funding varies between schools. Of the schools I have been accepted to, Harvard has by far the best package with your funding guaranteed for 4 years with no obligations to teach or do grant-related research other than a 1 semester TA requirement (if you TA more after that, you get paid additionally). In contrast, at Michigan I would need to work 20hrs/wk doing research related to the grant I would be funded on.
Overall, I was very impressed with Emory's visit days-- the "vibe" of the program seems incredibly welcoming, friendly, and supportive. Michigan also seems laid back/friendly. Without visit days, I haven't felt that I have gotten a good impression of the "feel" of the program at Harvard or UNC.
Adding the info I have learned to this:
- Brown: 36K guaranteed for 5 years, TA required all semesters
- BU: 36k guaranteed for 4 years, no TA required
- Columbia (Mailman): 35k guaranteed for 5 years, TA required for 1 semester
- Emory (Epi): Just under 32k, guaranteed for 5 years. First 2 years funded through graduate school (not tied to professor) with 2 semesters teaching, 2 semesters rotating in labs. 3rd year on funded through various mechanisms usually connected to a professor.
- Harvard: 36.6k guaranteed for 4 years through graduate school (not funded through professor), TA required for 1 semester.
- JHU (Hopkins): just tuition guaranteed~24k stipend for 4 years but NOT guaranteed, (TA requirements unknown)
- NYU: 25k??? for 5 years but only for 9 months/year, no TA required (@teabunny do you or anyone else remember the exact amount from the NYU interview day?)
- Penn State Uni: 31k for an unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- Tulane: 25k for an unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- UCSF: ~40k guaranteed for 4 years, (TA requirements unknown)
- U Minnesota: 24-25k for unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- University of Michigan (Epi): 34k, funded through professor, training grants, or institutional awards. Guaranteed for 3 years but easy to fund through 5th year, TA requirements unknown
- UNC Chapel Hill (Epi): Stipend normally about $25k, funded through variety of mechanisms (training grant, working for professor or as TA, funding NOT guaranteed). Say "everyone who wants funding gets it" but admit sometimes people don't know until right before starting.
- U Penn: 34k stipend for an unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- Yale: 38k guaranteed for 5 years, TA required for 2 semesters

Thanks for the responses about why you chose DrPH programs. Relatedly, can we start a thread about which programs offer funding or some kind of tuition reimbursement for them?