Unlike most public health master’s programs, MHA programs usually interview. Expect a Zoom or campus interview with faculty, sometimes with current students too, and at some schools a recorded video interview too. Here is what named programs say about 2027 admission, from their own pages.
From MHA programs’ own admissions pages and HAMPCASFall 2027 admissionChecked October 28, 2026
Practice with a mock interviewOne-on-one on Zoom with Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP.
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Interview formats at named programs
Many MHA programs take applications through HAMPCAS, which opened August 20, 2026 and closes August 6, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET (HAMPCAS). Others use SOPHAS or their own application.
| Program | Format | What their page says |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell (Sloan MHA) | Zoom interview plus recorded video | Strong applicants “will be invited for a required first-round Zoom interview with a member of the admissions committee.” Applicants also record an online video interview with pre-recorded questions. Source |
| UNC Gillings | Virtual, faculty and students | Deadline January 12, 2027. “Department will contact select candidates for a virtual interview with faculty and current students.” Source |
| Columbia Mailman (Executive MHA) | Zoom | Rolling admission for Fall 2027. “Applicants selected to advance in the admissions process will be invited to participate in a virtual interview via Zoom.” Source |
| George Washington University | In person or virtual | Selected MHA applicants “may be required to take part in an in-person or virtual interview.” Source |
| University of Minnesota | Interview stage | “Applicant is invited to interview.” “Admissions committee reviews application and interview materials, makes final decision.” Source |
| Ohio State | Faculty interview | “The MHA program invites selected applicants to participate in an interview with program faculty prior to making a final admissions decision.” Source |
What MHA committees look for
Cornell lists the qualities that earn the first-round interview: “academic excellence, leadership, creativity/innovation, determination and resiliency, ability to work successfully in cross-disciplinary and/or diverse teams, attention to detail, strong interpersonal and professional skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, personal and professional integrity, compassion and empathy, passion for improving the field of health care, and a commitment to equity and social justice in healthcare management” (Cornell).
Cornell’s recorded interview works like this: “our interview questions have been pre-recorded so that you can complete your responses at any time. The video interview is part of a holistic assessment that will be considered alongside your completed application.” For more on recorded formats, see our Kira Talent video interview guide.
An MHA interview is closer to a job interview than a clinical school interview. Expect questions about leadership, teamwork, a problem you solved at work, and a current issue in health care.
Practice questions
Most programs don’t publish their questions. These are my practice prompts, not questions any program has published:
- Why health administration, and why now?
- Tell us about a time you led a team or a project.
- What health care issue do you follow, and what would you do about it?
- Tell us about a time you used data to make a decision.
- Describe a conflict with a coworker and how you resolved it.
- Where do you want to work after the program: a hospital, consulting, a payer, or policy?
- Why our program, and what will you add to the cohort?
How to prepare
- Prepare leadership and teamwork stories with numbers: team size, budget, results.
- Follow two current health care issues and be ready to discuss them, such as hospital finance, staffing, or value-based care.
- Treat it like a job interview. Business attire, a short “tell me about yourself”, and questions ready.
- Practice on camera for recorded and Zoom interviews.
- Know the residency or fellowship path many MHA graduates take, and say why it fits your goals.
Your interviewers may have your application in front of them, so reread your own MHA personal statement before the interview. If you haven’t submitted yet, see our MHA personal statement examples, or work with Lauren Hammond, PhD, our personal statement editor.
Also applying to MPH programs? See our MPH interview guide. Considering an MBA? See our MBA interview guide.
Julie Cunningham, a licensed speech-language pathologist, explains how to sound confident on a video call in her Zoom interview tips.
Practice with a real interviewer before the real one. My wife, Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist who runs mock interviews on Zoom for MHA applicants. She coaches every format: one-on-one, panel, MMI, and recorded video interviews such as Kira Talent. She works on how your answers come across: clear key words, pace, voice, filler words, organizing an answer so it has a point, staying steady when you’re nervous, and how you look and sound on camera. It’s $250 an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do MHA programs require interviews?
Many do. UNC, Columbia’s Executive MHA, Minnesota, and Ohio State interview selected applicants, and Cornell requires a first-round Zoom interview for strong applicants.
Does Cornell's MHA have a video interview?
Yes. After you apply, you are invited to record an online video interview with pre-recorded questions, which you can complete at any time.
Are MHA interviews virtual?
Often. UNC and Columbia’s Executive MHA interview virtually, and George Washington interviews in person or virtually.
When does HAMPCAS open?
HAMPCAS opened August 20, 2026 and closes August 6, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET. Program deadlines are earlier.
Related guides: Grad school and PhD, MPH and epidemiology, Biomedical sciences and postbac, Business analytics (MSBA), MBA, and Law school. See all interview guides by program.
Every date and quotation on this page comes from the program’s own admissions page or HAMPCAS, linked where it appears. Some of these pages give no cycle year; we used them only where they describe the program’s current process. Last checked October 28, 2026.