How to Apply to Public Health at the University of Delaware: A BS in the College of Health Sciences Built on CEPH Accreditation Standards and Now Going Through Review, Declared on the Application, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Delaware (UD) has a bachelor’s major called Public Health, awarding a Bachelor of Science (BS). It sits in the College of Health Sciences, run by the Department of Health Behavior & Nutrition Sciences (HBNS). This guide covers only what the website says; where it does not say, the text reads “not published” and tells you where to ask. Do not confuse it with Health Behavior Science, a separate major in the same college.

1. Degree and program

• Degree and college: the college’s undergraduate page lists Public Health among its majors and describes it as preparing students to address population health challenges through evidence-based practices, data analysis, policy, community engagement and real-world experience. The major page says the BS prepares students to tackle complex population-level challenges through evidence-based practice, policy development, community engagement and effective communication.
• Accreditation status: the page says this interdisciplinary program “follows the accreditation standards of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)” and “will undergo review during the first three years of the degree as part of the CEPH accreditation process.” So the status on the page is “in the accreditation process,” not accredited; check UD and CEPH for progress.
• Subject range: epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, environmental health and social-behavioral sciences, plus technical and grant writing, data analysis and program planning.
• Practice requirement: the major page says students finish with a capstone project and supervised experiential learning in real-world settings, for example health equity, chronic disease prevention or infectious disease control in Delaware and the region. The hours and credits are not published on the pages read; use the “Required Coursework” button on the major page (it links to the university catalog) or ask an HBNS advisor. HBNS’s practicum page (HBNS 263: 40 hours per credit, at least one credit to graduate) is written for Health Behavior Science majors; do not assume it applies to Public Health.
• Minor: the college lists a Public Health minor of 18 credits: three required core courses (9 credits) and three electives (9 credits), at least six of the elective credits from outside the major, all with C- or better. It is a joint program of HBNS and the School of Public Policy and Administration, open to students of all disciplines. There is also a Global Health minor.
• Combined bachelor’s/master’s: among the accelerated graduate programs the college lists (such as Health Behavior Science 4+1 BS/MS and Nutrition and Dietetics 4+1), none starts from the Public Health BS. HBNS offers a graduate Master of Public Health in Community Health and Behavior; details are on the department’s site.
• STEM designation: not stated on the pages read; not published.
• Careers and credentials: the page mentions the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Certified in Public Health (CPH) credentials, and graduate study such as an MPH or master’s and doctoral programs in health administration, biostatistics or global health.
• Pre-medical path: the Public Health page read has no pre-med guidance. The college page says another major, Integrated Health Sciences, is for students heading to occupational therapy, accelerated nursing or public health graduate study. For pre-health advising, ask the university.

2. How you get into the major, and the bar

• Choose it on the application: freshmen apply to the university and the review looks at preparation for the major requested. The freshman page says you may be admitted to “University Studies” (the undeclared major) if space no longer remains in your selected major or your application does not meet its requirements; students declare by the end of sophomore year. After enrolling, you can request a change through the Change My Major form in the student portal; the admissions office reviews it and not every request is approved.
• Caps, minimum GPA, prerequisites for Public Health: neither the freshman nor the international page gives Public Health its own quota or GPA requirement; not published. For exact answers, email the HBNS advisors (HBNSAdvising@udel.edu, 302-831-2079) or admissions (admissions@udel.edu).
• Separate application: the pages read do not mention one for Public Health.
• Honors College: apply through the Common App or Coalition and submit everything by the November 1 early action deadline; Honors decisions are separate from the admission decision and invitations go out in late January.

3. Prerequisites and curriculum

• High school courses (suggested): the freshman page table gives “suggested” years: English 4, math 3 (Algebra I or higher), science 3 (including 2 labs), history/social sciences 3, academic electives 3, for 16 units in all. The page says these apply to U.S. citizens or permanent residents attending a U.S. high school; international students should read the international page.
• Precalculus: the freshman page says some majors require at least precalculus in high school or the applicant is not considered for the major. The list it gives covers engineering and business majors; Public Health is not on it.
• College courses: the required-course list for Public Health is in the university catalog, which this guide did not open; use the “Required Coursework” button on the major page. Anything not on the pages read is “not published.”
• AP/IB credit: the freshman page says AP, IB and comparable exams with official scores may earn UD credit toward graduation requirements; official scores must be sent by College Board to UD (code 5811), and May scores do not reach UD until mid-July. Which scores earn which credits is on the Registrar’s test-credit page (not read).

4. Rounds and deadlines (fall 2027 entry)

These dates come from the freshman and international pages. The pages print no year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry.

• Applications open August 1; November 1: early action and Honors College deadline; January 15: regular admission priority deadline; all early action and Honors decisions by January 31; all regular decisions by mid-March.
• December 1 is the Nursing and School of Music deadline and does not apply to Public Health.
• Application fee: $75, non-refundable.
• Essay and recommendations: the Common App or Coalition essay is required; up to two letters of recommendation are optional.
• Testing: UD is test-optional. SAT code 5811 and ACT code 0634 if you send scores; UD superscores the SAT and takes the highest ACT composite and does not require writing.
• Transcripts: domestic freshmen submit grades through STARS (the Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System); admitted students who enroll send final official transcripts.
• Interviews: UD does not conduct admissions interviews.
• Admitted profile: the freshman page’s “Admitted Student Profile” gives a mid-50% GPA of 3.68–4.22, SAT 1240–1390 and ACT 28–32 (self-reported). These are university-wide, not Public Health numbers.

5. Three kinds of applicants

U.S. applicants

• Apply through the Common App or Coalition and submit grades via STARS, following section 4.
• Costs (2026-27, in-state freshman page): Delaware residents pay full-time (12+ credits) tuition of $15,740 and mandatory fees of $2,550; the page also lists standard housing at $9,286 and standard food at $7,328, a billable academic-year total of $34,904 as printed, and an estimated yearly cost of $39,154. Non-resident tuition is in the international subsection below; the page says international students pay the same tuition as U.S. citizens who are not Delaware residents.
• Differential charges: the page says students in the Lerner College of Business and Economics, the College of Engineering, the School of Music, the Honors College and the School of Nursing pay a differential charge. The list names no differential charge for Public Health; confirm with Student Financial Services (sfs-mail@udel.edu).
• In-state preference: the in-state page says “As a Delawarean, you come first,” but gives no in-state admission share or quota; not published.

International applicants

• How to apply: direct freshman admission uses the Common App and the $75 fee; alternatively, apply with the UD online application for the “Academic Transitions” conditional pathway. That pathway says you may apply to any of 150+ majors “except nursing,” so Public Health is not excluded.
• Materials: official transcripts and examination results for all secondary and post-secondary work; applicants who attended an international college or university need a credential evaluation from the International Education Research Foundation (IERF), and the page says WES evaluations are no longer accepted. International students are not required to submit the SAT or ACT.
• English scores (direct admission): TOEFL iBT 79 for tests before January 21, 2026 (65–78 places you in Academic Transitions), and 4 on the new scale for tests on or after January 21, 2026 (3–3.5 is Academic Transitions); IELTS 6.5 (5.5–6.0 is Academic Transitions); Duolingo 110+ (95–109 is Academic Transitions); PTE 53; or SAT Reading and Writing 550 or ACT English 24, among others. The page says meeting the minimum does not guarantee direct admission.
• Accelerate-U Delaware (A-UD): an optional first-semester program for admitted students scoring TOEFL 79–89; it is not conditional admission or a pathway program, adds no time or cost, and students take 13–14 credits.
• Dates: as above; applications after January 15 are considered only on a space-available basis; conditional (Academic Transitions) admission closes June 1; for spring, “applications should be completed by November.”
• Costs (2026-27, international page): full-time tuition $42,470, mandatory fees $2,930 (including the International Student Service Fee), new student orientation fee $260, medical insurance $3,888, standard housing $9,286, standard food $7,328; the page prints a billable academic-year total of $66,162 and an estimated yearly cost of attendance of $70,412 (with $4,250 of indirect costs). The page says only Delaware residents get discounted tuition.
• Scholarships: the page says international scholarships range from $10,000 to $15,000 per year and all international freshmen who apply are automatically considered, with no extra application; Distinguished Scholars awards, which can cover tuition and room and board for four years if the student keeps a 3.0 GPA, are also open to international students. As a state-funded public university, UD cannot offer need-based financial aid to international students.
• Internship or work limits, proof of funds, Social Security number: not stated on the international page read; not published. For the Public Health experiential learning, ask an HBNS advisor and the international student office; HBNS’s practicum page says only that international students should check with OISS before confirming a placement (the page does not spell out the acronym).

Applicants from China (separate section)

• Whether the Gaokao is considered: the pages read do not mention it; not published. Ask the international admissions office (the page gives international-admissions@udel.edu).
• Transcripts and exit-exam materials: the page asks for official transcripts and examination results for all secondary and post-secondary work; there is no China-specific note on senior-high exit exams; not published.
• Any school note for Chinese applicants: the international page’s mathematics-preparation table lists “Chinese National Curriculum: Senior Secondary Mathematics through Grade 12,” but the page says that table concerns most programs in the business and engineering colleges, and Public Health is not among them. The transfer page also says some transfer students come “from as far away as China.” No other China-specific rule was found.
• English scores: see the international section; whether other tests common in China are accepted is not published beyond the table above.

6. Costs and scholarships, a note

Costs for in-state and international students are in section 5. The two fee pages read list no differential charge for Public Health; actual bills come from Student Financial Services and the Registrar. International scholarships are automatic for freshmen, as above.

7. Transfer

• Requirement for Public Health: the transfer page’s requirements-by-major list says Public Health needs a 2.5 GPA, and it adds that “prior to applying, applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to hbns-advising@udel.edu for an evaluation to assess timeline for graduation.” The list gives no specific prerequisite courses for Public Health.
• Materials: the online transfer application, all college transcripts (including college courses taken in high school) and the $75 fee. If you have attempted or earned under 12 credits, also submit STARS and a final high school transcript or GED; under 24 credits, a final high school transcript or GED; 24+ credits, nothing extra. SAT/ACT optional.
• Deadlines: spring suggested deadline November 1 and fall suggested deadline June 1; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with notification beginning in November for spring and February for fall.
• International transfer students: the page tells them to email international-admissions@udel.edu with questions, and applicants who attended an international college or university need an IERF credential evaluation.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Common App or Coalition; early action November 1, regular priority January 15; $75; testing optional; up to two optional recommendations; grades through STARS
• Select Public Health; caps, GPA and prerequisites are not published, so ask an HBNS advisor
• The major ends with a capstone and supervised experiential learning; hours not published

International applicants (including China):

• English: TOEFL 79 (old scale) or 4 (new scale), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110 for direct admission; an Academic Transitions pathway exists; SAT/ACT not required
• Credentials from an international college need an IERF evaluation (WES no longer accepted); Gaokao and China-specific rules are not published
• 2026-27 international page: estimated yearly cost $70,412; scholarships of $10,000–$15,000 per year considered automatically

Transfer students:

• Public Health needs a 2.5 GPA; email hbns-advising@udel.edu before applying; fall suggested deadline June 1, spring November 1; $75

Sources: University of Delaware, College of Health Sciences: Undergraduate Programs; Public Health major page; Practicum enrollment page; Freshman Admissions; International Admissions; Transfer Admissions; In-State Freshmen costs; International Students costs and scholarships. Information is for fall 2027 entry; most pages print dates without a year and tuition figures are for 2026-27, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry. Check UD’s website for the latest.