• A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college in the United States or a comparable degree from a recognized institution of higher learning abroad, or its equivalent
• A grade point average of 3.0 out of 4.0, or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of undergraduate study
• International applicants must meet minimum requirements based on their country of origin
• All required application materials

For more details on minimum requirements, visit the Illinois Graduate College website.

Applying for the MHA program is easy! All materials listed below will be submitted through the Health Administration, Management & Policy Centralized Application Service (HAMPCAS).

HAMPCAS Application

All the items below must be completed online through the HAMPCAS. For assistance with the HAMPCAS application, please review the HAMPCAS application instructions.

Academic Credentials

Applicants must upload their academic credentials (transcripts, marksheets, certificates of degree, etc.) as required by the HAMPCAS portal. For the application review process, applicants do not need to submit official academic credentials. Unofficial or scanned credentials are acceptable. If admitted, applicants will be required to submit official credentials.

• Uploaded credentials must include applicant's name, institution name, and a transcript legend, grade scale, or grade criteria
• For domestic degrees, applicant transcripts must have the degree awarded information and the date the degree was conferred
• For international degrees, applicants must include the certificate of degree. The HAMPCAS application portal requires credential evaluations (such as WES) to be included in your application. See International Applicants for more details. 
• If applicants have not yet completed their undergraduate degree at the time of application, our admissions committee will review the applicant's application based on the in-progress transcripts uploaded

For help sending your transcripts to HAMPCAS, use this link from their Applicant Help Center.

Resume

A detailed resume must be submitted to HAMPCAS for admission consideration. While experience is not required, previous health and/or administration experience is beneficial to the application, as it will be considered by the admission committee. Please limit resume to 1-2 pages.

Applicant's professional resume should include: personal information, educational background, work experience (start and end dates for each position and brief description of responsibilities), internship experience (start and end dates and brief description of responsibilities), educational training, professional associations, leadership experience

Personal Statement

This statement is a very important part of the application. Use the following prompts to guide the writing of the personal statement. The personal statement should be 1-2 pages (1.5” spacing)

• Why are you interested in the MHA program at the University of Illinois?
• How will the education and skills you gain from the MHA program help you meet your academic and professional career goals?
• Describe any previous health administration-related experience including volunteer time, paid work, internships, coursework, and pertinent training.
• Share unique personal qualities, characteristics, and/or skills you believe will enable you to be successful in the program.
• If desired, share information to explain anything unusual in your transcripts or resume.

Letters of Recommendation

The MHA program requires three letters of recommendation. At least one letter must be from a professor or instructor who can attest to the applicant’s capability to pursue graduate studies. The admission review committee prefers, if possible, that this letter come from a professor/instructor who taught the applicant within their final 60 credit hours. 

The other letters may come from academic or professional sources who can speak to the applicant's educational endeavors, work history, internship experience, and/or team building and leadership skills.

Individuals who received a degree two or more years ago may submit a professional reference in place of an academic reference if desired.

English Proficiency Scores

International applicants only. If you are a non-native English speaker or do not meet one of the Graduate College's exemptions, you will need to uploaded your English language proficiency scores. All scores myst be dated within two years of the beginning of the proposed admission term. See English Proficiency Requirements for full guidelines.

Applicants will be required to self-report scores in HAMPCAS Application:

• Minimum TOEFL score for application review and admissions is 103
• Minimum IELTS score for application review and admission is 7.5

*GRE Scores are not required for the MHA application.