How to Apply to Public Health at WashU in St. Louis: The Public Health & Society BA Major in Arts & Sciences, With an APEX Practicum of at Least 140 Hours and a 3-2 MPH, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) does offer an undergraduate public health program: Public Health & Society (PH&S), in the College of Arts & Sciences, leading to a Bachelor of Arts, with both a major and a minor. The program’s website says it integrates perspectives from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities around public health. The guide below follows the pages for fall 2027 entry, split into U.S. applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. The broader life-sciences picture at WashU is in our separate overview article.

1. Degree and program

• Degree and school: the Public Health & Society major sits in Arts & Sciences and leads to a BA (the bulletin page is titled “Public Health & Society Major” and its address ends in ba). College-wide, the BA needs at least 120 units, at least 30 of them advanced (3000 level or above), a GPA of at least 2.0, and the final 30 units earned in the College of Arts & Sciences.
• The major is 34 units: four required courses (12 units): PUBHLTHSOC 1000 Foundations in Public Health, 2000 Introduction to Global Health, 3000 Public Health Theories, Models, and Frameworks, and 3100 Research Methods in Understanding Health and Society; APEX (Advanced Practical Experience in Public Health), 4 units; and 18 units of electives (6 courses). Every course must be letter-graded with a C or better.
• Practicum (APEX): required, and open only to PH&S majors (or second majors) who have completed 3100. Students take two courses together: the 4000 seminar (1 unit) and the 4001 internship (3 units). The program page says students complete a minimum of 140 hours with a community partner to design and/or implement public health-related, community-engaged projects; a directed research project is the alternative. There is also a study-abroad route: a supervised research course in an approved SIT APEX program transfers back 3 units as the internship, followed by the 1-unit 4002 seminar the next semester.
• Elective rules: of the six electives, at least 15 units must be advanced (3000/4000 level), 6 of them at the 4000 level; at least two courses (6 units) must come from the Social, Cultural, and Historical Analysis of Health, Illness, and Wellness list, and the other four (12 units) from the complete list. The program page says there are over 150 electives, organized by topic (for example environmental health, global health, medicine, history, research). The bulletin notes that Brown School and School of Public Health graduate electives have limited seats, need instructor permission and give graduate students priority.
• Minor: 18 units, with required 1000, 2000 and 3000 (9 units) plus three electives (9 units; at least one from the Social, Cultural, and Historical Analysis list; at least six units at 3000 level or above). Only one course (3 units) may come from approved study abroad.
• Combining with other programs: with more than one major or minor, only introductory (100/1000 and 200/2000 level) courses may count for both; advanced courses may not count for more than one program.
• Study abroad and transfer credit: up to two approved study-abroad courses (6 units) can count as electives (not also for APEX); two approved courses (6 units) from another institution can count as transfer credit toward electives. Study-abroad courses may not fulfill core requirements.
• Senior Honors Program: two semesters, 4998 (Research Development and Prospectus) and 4999 (Research Execution and Defense), ending in an honors thesis. Requirements: PH&S major or second major, overall and PH&S GPAs of at least 3.65, completion of 3100, and an approved honors research advisor; applicants plan to have senior standing.
• 3-2 MPH: the program page says it is designed exclusively for WashU undergraduates, who earn a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Public Health within five years. Open to current Arts & Sciences undergraduates, including PH&S majors and minors; apply in junior year with a statement of purpose, transcripts, letters of recommendation and a resume. Students pay undergraduate tuition for the first four years and the MPH rate in the fifth; scholarships are available. All distribution and major requirements must be done by the end of junior year; accepted students begin graduate MPH coursework in senior year and finish the MPH requirements (including practicum, coursework and capstone) in the fifth year. The page does not say whether international students may apply, only that it is open to current Arts & Sciences undergraduates; any limits for international students are not published there, so ask the program office.
• STEM designation: not on the pages read; not published there.

2. Getting into the major

• You apply to a school, not a major: the first-year page says you must choose one undergraduate school (Architecture, Art, Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering) as your “home base”, and name a primary academic interest, but you do not formally declare a major until your second year. The Arts & Sciences degree requirements page says students must declare a major by the first Friday of the spring semester of sophomore year.
• PH&S minimum GPA, prerequisites, capacity: neither the bulletin nor the program page gives an entry GPA, a capacity limit or prerequisite courses; not published there. The only stated conditions are that 1000, 2000 and 3000 have no prerequisites and need not be taken in order, 1000 is required before 3100, and 3100 before APEX.
• Separate application: none is described for PH&S; the only school requiring a portfolio is the College of Art.

3. Prerequisites and curriculum

• High school courses: because WashU uses an application review process, it does not require specific courses. Successful candidates’ transcripts often include 4 years of English, 4 years of mathematics (architecture, business and engineering strongly recommend calculus), 3-4 years of laboratory science, 3-4 years of history or social science, and at least two years of the same foreign language. Arts & Sciences recommends both chemistry and physics for students who plan to do pre-medicine or natural sciences coursework. Statistics or specific math expectations for PH&S are not published there.
• Arts & Sciences general requirements: core skills include College Writing (3 units), Applied Numeracy (3), Social Contrasts (3) and a Writing-Intensive course (3), plus at least 9 units each in Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences, and Language and Cultural Diversity.
• PH&S core: see section 1. The research-methods course is 3100; the course names read do not list a separate biostatistics or epidemiology course, so check the bulletin’s full electives list.
• AP/IB credit: the international page says credit may be accepted for AP, IB or British A Level scores, but an official statement of advanced standing is given only after admission, arrival and consultation with an academic advisor. PH&S-specific equivalents are not published there.

4. Rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Four decision plans (same on the U.S. and international pages; dates from the dates and deadlines page, headed fall 2027 first-year):
  • Early Action (non-binding): application due November 2; school materials November 9; financial aid November 17; decisions by December 23; reply May 1.
  • Early Decision I (binding): application November 2; decisions by December 11; reply January 4.
  • Early Decision II (binding): application January 4; school materials and financial aid January 11; decisions by February 12; reply March 1.
  • Regular Decision: application January 4; school materials January 11; financial aid February 1; decisions by April 1; reply May 1.
• Applications open August 1; priority scholarship applications (Signature Scholar Programs) are due December 16. You may apply ED to only one school; school scholarships are awarded after the ED II notification date, and WashU suggests Regular Decision for students who need an academic scholarship.
• Materials: the Common Application or Coalition Application; school report and official transcript; one teacher evaluation; one counselor recommendation; the main essay; a 250-word response to “Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why”; activities. Optional: a 90-second video and Schoolhouse.world certifications; opting out carries no penalty. The Signature Scholar committees read the counselor and teacher letters, and you may add an optional third letter. School scholarships need no separate application.
• Application fee: $75, nonrefundable; the pages say it is waived for financial aid applicants and for those for whom it would be a hardship.
• Testing: test-optional (SAT or ACT, writing not required); self-reported scores are accepted and official reports are requested after enrollment; the last test dates accepted are December (October for Early Action and ED I).
• Interviews: the U.S. and international pages do not mention an interview; the English testing page says WashU does not conduct evaluative interviews.

5. Three groups of readers

1. U.S. applicants

• WashU is private; the cost page gives one set of undergraduate charges, not split by in-state and out-of-state, and home-state preference is not mentioned.
• The admissions pages say WashU meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students regardless of decision plan, without loans; forms are the FAFSA, the CSS Profile (code 6929) and, if applicable, the Noncustodial Parent Statement. Financial aid application deadlines: Early Action and ED I November 17, ED II January 11, Regular Decision February 1.

2. International applicants

• Who counts: citizens or permanent residents of countries other than the U.S. who will study on a temporary visa.
• Education required: a minimum of 12 years of primary and secondary study and a secondary school diploma or equivalent. Submit original transcripts or certified copies, a description of the grading system, examination results (IGCSE, HKCEE, predicted A-Levels, national exams and so on), school-leaving certificates, and certified English translations. Records must show subjects for each year (with month and year), duration of each course, number of lectures or laboratory periods, and grades.
• Testing options (international page): you may submit the SAT; or the ACT; or predicted or actual results from national exams such as the Baccalauréat, Abitur or Maturita; or IB Diploma results; or predicted or actual A-Levels; or three AP scores; or three IB higher-level scores for non-Diploma candidates. For the three-AP and three-IB-HL options, one score must be in math (HL math for IB) for applicants to STEM majors in Arts & Sciences, McKelvey Engineering and Olin Business. Whether PH&S counts as a STEM major is not stated there.
• English: international students whose first language is not English must submit the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test. The most competitive applicants have scores in these ranges or above: TOEFL 100 for exams before January 21, 2026 (5.0 on the new scale after that date), IELTS Academic 7.0, Duolingo 130. From fall 2027 admission, SAT or ACT scores are no longer accepted in lieu of an English exam; December 2026 is the last test month accepted (October for Early Action and ED I). Exemptions: three or more years of study in an English-medium U.S. program or high school with strong performance may be exempted case by case; high schools attended primarily online do not typically qualify. Third-party interview supplements (for example InitialView) are encouraged but optional.
• Funds and aid: international first-year applicants are eligible for financial aid only if they apply for it during the admission process, not after the decision or during the four years. If you do not intend to apply for need-based aid, you must submit the International Financial Information form in the WashU Pathway, otherwise the application is incomplete. Before an I-20 can be processed, enrolling students must submit statements of funds and sources, an Affidavit of Financial Support and certified English bank statements showing enough funds for the first year and a comparable amount for each later year; aid offers may be deducted from the amount certified. WashU can issue documents for F-1 or J-1 visas; F-1 is the usual student visa.
• Limits on internships or employment for international public health students are not on the pages read.

3. Applicants from China

• Whether the Gaokao is considered: the international page’s national-exam examples are the Baccalauréat, Abitur and Maturita; the Gaokao is not named. Not published there; ask admissions@wustl.edu.
• Transcripts and school-level exam materials: only the general requirements are given (original or certified transcripts, grading-system description, exam results, school-leaving certificates, certified English translations, 12 years of study); there is no China-specific checklist.
• English: same as all international applicants (TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo).
• Any other WashU guidance specific to applicants from China was not found on the pages read.

6. Cost and scholarships

• 2026-27 (full-time undergraduate): tuition $71,310; student activity fee $712; student health and wellness fee $700; average housing and food (university meal plan) $24,272; the page’s total university charges are $96,994. Housing and food assume a modern double room and the Platinum meal plan.
• Expenses not billed by the university: books and supplies $1,412; travel $1,050 (four trips a year); miscellaneous $2,804; the page’s total is $5,266.
• Health insurance: required for full-time degree-seeking students; the plan is billed in the fall for 12 months of coverage; to opt out, show adequate coverage by September 5.
• Program surcharge for PH&S: not stated on the pages read.
• Scholarships: each undergraduate school offers four-year scholarships up to the full cost of tuition; Signature Scholar Programs (full- and partial-tuition) are considered on the Common or Coalition application by December 16, with a 250-word answer for each program applied to. Some need no extra application, such as Kessler Scholars (up to 20 first-generation, limited-income students interested in STEM). The international first-year page lists the same school scholarships (considered automatically once you apply, no separate application) and the Signature Scholar application steps; the main scholarships page does not itemize international eligibility for each award, so ask the admissions office.

7. Transfer

• Who: students who have finished secondary school, completed some college study, want advanced standing and have never attended a WashU full-time degree-granting school. U.S. and international students may apply; spring 2027 transfer is Arts & Sciences only; the spring transfer description also says international students must already be studying at a university in the U.S. (the fall description does not repeat this).
• Deadlines: fall transfer: Common App opens November 1, due March 1, decisions by May 7, reply May 20; spring transfer: opens September 1, due October 15, decisions by November 20, reply November 30.
• Standards: transfer slots are few (the page says each school may have from zero to a small handful in a year). Successful applicants present at least a 3.5 GPA from a two- or four-year college across a broad curriculum and have completed first-year composition; they must be in good standing at all previous institutions. If you have been away from school for more than two years, completing at least 30 hours elsewhere first is generally recommended; first-year college students need at least one completed full-time semester or a Mid-Term Report. Students in engineering, business or the physical or biological sciences need a strong background in science and mathematics including calculus.
• Entering PH&S: for Arts & Sciences the transfer page says only to call Undergraduate Admissions (314-935-6000); PH&S-specific prerequisites or GPA are not published there.
• Credit: courses with a C or better can transfer; Arts & Sciences students may transfer a maximum of 60 semester hours and must complete the final 60 hours and a minimum of four consecutive full-time semesters at WashU. PH&S itself accepts up to two approved outside courses (6 units) toward electives. Many departments accept AP 4 or 5 and IB higher-level 5 or better.
• International transfers must submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, and are not eligible to apply for WashU financial aid. Testing is optional for transfers.

8. MPH and pre-health

• The MPH route is the 3-2 program above, with the Bursky School of Public Health; other graduate details were not read.
• Pre-health: WashU’s pre-health advising pages were not read for this guide; Arts & Sciences recommends chemistry and physics for students planning pre-medicine coursework (section 3).

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Public Health & Society BA major, 34 units including an APEX practicum of at least 140 hours; choose a school and a primary interest on the application, declare in the second year
• No required high school courses; test-optional; EA and ED I November 2, ED II and RD January 4; need-based aid without loans

International applicants (including China):

• TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo (SAT/ACT no longer substitute); at least 12 years of schooling; aid only if requested during admission; financial documents for the I-20
• China: Gaokao use, school-level exam materials and any China-specific guidance are not published on the pages read

Transfer students:

• Fall transfer due March 1; very few slots, successful applicants typically 3.5 GPA or higher; PH&S transfer details not published; no aid for international transfers

Sources: Washington University in St. Louis, Program in Public Health & Society; Major and minor; Major requirements; Minor requirements; 3-2 MPH program; Bulletin: Public Health & Society major; Arts & Sciences majors list; Arts & Sciences degree requirements; First-year U.S. applicants; First-year international applicants; Dates and deadlines; English testing requirements; Transfer applicants; Scholarships; Costs. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27). WashU’s website is the final authority.