Most MPH programs admit without an interview, so your written application carries the decision. A few interview by invitation, and some ask for a short video. Epidemiology PhD programs are different: an interview or visit day often decides who gets an offer. Here is what named programs say for 2027.
From public health programs’ own pages and SOPHASFall 2027 admissionChecked October 28, 2026
Practice with a mock interviewOne-on-one on Zoom with Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP.
Jump to:FormatsEpidemiology PhDPractice questionsHow to prepareFAQ
Which MPH programs interview
Most MPH programs apply through SOPHAS, which opened August 12, 2026 and closes August 2, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET (SOPHAS). SOPHAS has no interview step; each program decides.
| Program | Format | What their page says |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta University (MPH) | By invitation | “Interviews by invitation only. Applicants will be selected for an interview based on an initial review of submitted application materials.” “The interview may be conducted either in person or virtual.” Source |
| University of Utah (MPH) | May be required | For Fall 2027: “Personal Interview: May be required, including for international applicants. Telephone interviews may be conducted and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.” Source |
| Yale School of Public Health | Video questions for TOEFL takers | “Applicants who submit a TOEFL will also be required to complete brief video questions. You will be contacted by the Office of Admissions with these questions after submitting your application.” Source |
| Dartmouth (MPH) | None listed | Its 2026-2027 admissions page for master’s programs lists no interview. Source |
Epidemiology PhD: the interview often decides
Doctoral programs in epidemiology and public health work differently from the MPH.
| Program | Format | What their page says |
|---|---|---|
| Emory (PhD in Epidemiology) | Virtual visit day | “After the Department of Epidemiology reviews applications, a portion of applicants will be invited for an virtual visit day. It is very unlikely that an applicant not invited to visit would receive an offer of admission. Visit day is most often Friday within the first two weeks of February.” Source |
| Yale School of Public Health (PhD) | Interview | “The top PhD candidates will be invited to interview. This interview date is usually in February.” Source |
| University of Washington (Epidemiology) | No interview | For Fall 2027, applications are due December 1; PhD results go out in late January, and admitted student visit days are in early March. Source |
At Emory, the visit day is effectively the interview: almost no one who isn’t invited gets an offer. Prepare to talk about your research interests and which faculty you want to work with.
Practice questions
Programs don’t publish their questions. These are my practice prompts, not questions any program has published:
- Why public health, and why an MPH rather than an MD, MSW, or MPA?
- Which concentration fits you, and what will you do with it?
- Tell us about a public health problem you have seen firsthand.
- How would you explain a health risk to a community that distrusts health officials?
- Tell us about a time you worked with data to answer a question.
- For PhD applicants: what research question do you want to answer, and with which faculty?
- Why our school?
How to prepare
- Check whether your programs interview. Most MPH programs don’t; Augusta and Utah may.
- Watch your email after you apply. Yale sends its video questions to TOEFL takers after submission.
- For a PhD, know the faculty. Read two or three recent papers from the people you name.
- Have a one-minute version of your public health story that ties your experience to your concentration.
- Practice on video if any part of your process is virtual or recorded.
Your interviewers may have your application in front of them, so reread your own MPH statement of purpose before the interview. If you haven’t submitted yet, see our MPH statement of purpose examples, or work with Lauren Hammond, PhD, our personal statement editor.
For epidemiology, see our epidemiology personal statement examples.Also applying to MHA programs? They usually interview: see our MHA interview guide. For other graduate programs, see our grad school interview guide.
For interviews held over video, see Zoom interview tips from Julie Cunningham, a licensed speech-language pathologist.
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 MPH and epidemiology 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 MPH programs require interviews?
Most don’t. Some interview by invitation, like Augusta, and some say an interview may be required, like Utah.
Does Yale's MPH have a video interview?
Yale requires applicants who submit a TOEFL to complete brief video questions, which the admissions office sends after you apply.
Do epidemiology PhD programs interview?
Many do. Yale invites its top PhD candidates to interview, usually in February, and Emory holds a virtual visit day in early February. The University of Washington admits without an interview.
When does SOPHAS open and close?
SOPHAS opened August 12, 2026 and closes August 2, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET. Individual program deadlines are often much earlier.
Related guides: Grad school and PhD, Health administration (MHA), 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 SOPHAS, linked where it appears. Last checked October 28, 2026.