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International Applicants

An "international applicant" is any applicant who is neither a citizen nor a permanent resident of the United States. Where you live or study now does not matter.  If you are an international applicant, please read the information below about your application and about some steps you will need to take if you are admitted and choose to come to Emory.

Completing Your Application

1. english proficiency.

If your native language is not English, you must show evidence of command of the English language. To determine what you need to do, visit the website of the program you are applying to. Generally, programs require the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an evaluation of a writing sample.  If you need to submit TOEFL scores, our institution code is 5187 (no department code is needed).  Many programs also accept the IELTS exam.

All TOEFL and related requirements are program specific. If you have a question about them, contact the program you are to applying to directly.

2. Translated and Notarized Transcripts

Transcripts that are not in English must be translated and notarized. Please scan both the original and the translated versions, and submit them together as one file using the online application.

3. Credential Evaluations of International Transcripts

Applicants with degrees from international universities may want to consider submitting a course-by-course educational credential evaluation of each international transcript.

Course-by-course evaluations help the faculty who review applications compare the education at an international institution to a similar education at a U.S. university. Among other things, evaluations show course titles along with grades and credit hours translated into U.S. equivalents. Since university credit and grading systems vary a great deal across the world, these documents help our faculty review and assess international credentials appropriately.

We do not require that you submit credential evaluations.  Your application will be considered complete as long as it contains transcripts, with translations as needed.

Some of our programs, based on the faculty members’ experience reviewing credentials from international universities, strongly recommend that applicants submit credential evaluations: Environmental Health Sciences , Epidemiology , and all eight programs in the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences .

If you decide to submit a credential evaluation, please keep the following in mind:

• The process of requesting and receiving credential evaluations adds time to your application preparation. Be sure to start early, so all your materials will arrive with your application by the application deadline .
• We accept credential evaluations from any evaluator affiliated with NACES, the The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services .  The most common ones are  World Education Services , Educational Credential Evaluators , and  Educational Perspectives .
• Credential evaluation reports can be attached to your application through the transcript upload associated with the educational institution you enter information about. Remember to make sure they include the transcript that was evaluated, along with the translation if appropriate.  You can also upload that transcript as a separate file.
• As with transcripts, any credential evaluation report you upload with your application is considered unofficial.  That is all you need to submit with your application.  Applicants who are offered admission and accept that offer will need to provide official versions of the credential evaluations, and these will also count as official transcripts.

Attending Emory

If you are admitted and choose to come to Emory,

• You will need a visa.  Until you have accepted an offer of admission, you do not need to take any action concerning a visa.  In fact, the process cannot begin, since an accepted offer of admission is an essential part of the visa documentation.  Our visa instructions are on our page for new international students .  
• If your first language is not English, you will need to participate in English Language Support Program testing.  The testing happens in August, right before classes begin, and new students are notified early in the summer.  Visit our English Language Support Program pages .

International Applicants

Students come to Emory from more than 100 countries, making our community rich with a variety of languages, cultures, and heritages. Each year about 15 to 18 percent of the first-year class is comprised of international students, speaking more than 40 unique languages.

Application Guidelines for International Applicants

To apply for admission, international students must complete all the application requirements for first-year admission . Additionally, they must demonstrate English proficiency and provide financial certification.

English Proficiency Requirements

If English is not your primary language, you must show you’re able to succeed academically in a rigorous English-speaking classroom. You should be fluent in written and spoken English at the time you apply.

Read more about TOEFL, IELTS, and DuoLingo testing requirements and other ways to demonstrate English proficiency .

International Curriculum

Curricula such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP), Advanced Placement (AP) and British A-Levels system are widely recognized as competitive, regardless of country. For communities and schools where these are not available, the following national systems are recognized as strong preparation for the academic experience at Emory University.

While this list is robust, it is not comprehensive. Contact your regional admission officer if you have questions.

Approved international curriculum by country.

Financial Aid for International Students

We offer need-based financial aid to a select group of international students each year.

Learn more about financial aid .

Financial Documentation

International students are required to submit Documentation of Finances  to show they have sufficient funds to cover all expenses while attending Emory University. We also will accept a note or statement from your bank or financial institution as proof of sufficient funding.

If you are an international student applying for financial aid, you do not need to show you have sufficient funds to cover fully your first year at Emory. If you’re applying for financial aid, complete the Documentation of Finances as accurately as possible with funds ranging from $0 per year up to the cost of attendance.

If you have been issued a resident alien registration number (permanent residency or green card) since sending in your application, please email a copy of it to our office or upload a copy to your applicant portal to change your status.

If you have applied for permanent residency status but have not yet received your green card, you still will need to fill out the Documentation of Finances and send in a copy of your permanent residency application.

US Immigration

Admitted students should not make plans to leave their home country until they have received visa documents from us. Each international student is required by US Immigration law to register as a full-time student each semester, except for summer term.

Every international student must have a passport or, if a refugee, an official travel document from their host nation.

Find more information about immigration requirements from Emory’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

Medical insurance is mandatory for enrolling international students. Once accepted, you will receive further information about the mandatory insurance regulation. As an international student, you are automatically enrolled in the Accident and Sickness Insurance for Emory University Students plan unless you can demonstrate having equivalent coverage prior to registration.

Additional Materials

If you so choose, you may upload additional materials digitally to add to your application. Note that these materials are  not required.

These materials could include a resume, digital portfolio, or link to a YouTube page. Applicants should upload these materials themselves through their Emory applicant portal after they've applied.

Our office is unable to process certain mailed materials such as printed books, booklets, laminated papers, spiral-bound publications, CDs, and/or USB drives.

We encourage applicants to consider the digital route over mailed materials whenever possible.

Services for International Students

Atlanta Campus International Student Support

For students on the Atlanta campus, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) assists you in acclimating to US culture and helps F-1 visa students maintain their legal status and apply for immigration benefits.

Oxford Campus International Student Support

At Oxford College, the International Student Programs (ISP) Office supports international students in acclimating to Oxford and the US, coordinates the college's International Student Welcome program, and helps F-1 visa students maintain their legal status while at Oxford.

Life in the US

Moving to a new country is exciting, but it may also feel daunting. The ISSS team has many resources, programs, and informal ways to support international students as they acclimate to Atlanta and living in the United States.

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Apply to the PhD Program

Applications for Fall 2024 admission are now closed.

Applications for Fall 2025 admission will open in mid-September 2024

The Laney Graduate School Application for Admission

Application Requirements

Application faqs, financial support, virtual visit, download our 2024 phd program flyer, the wise heart: the story of emory university.

General Application Instructions

Before applying, please review the Laney Graduate School’s general application requirements and instructions.

Renee Sevy-Hasterok

Graduate program coordinator.

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Apply to the Ph.D. Program

Admission to the graduate program in History is  highly selective . Students are fully funded for five years and work closely with supportive, leading faculty mentors.

The History department accepts applications online through the Laney Graduate School beginning in early-to-mid September of each year. Before applying, students should contact History faculty members to discuss how your research interests align. 

The application fee is $75. Laney Graduate School offers fee waivers to students who attend certain programs that prepare them for graduate study and in cases where the fee presents a financial hardship .

What you need to apply

• Transcripts
• Statement of Purpose : Articulates motivation and aspirations for graduate study in history, demonstrable track record of accomplishment, and perseverance.
• Three Letters of Recommendation 
• $75 Application Fee
• Diversity Statement (Optional)
• Research Interest/s or Specialization/s :  Interests may be general or specific, and multiple interests can be listed. Identify a network of Emory History scholars and resources to support your scholarly goals and, when applicable, potential to work across multiple focus areas.
• Research Experience : Documents research projects and work experiences relevant to the graduate study of history and related career pathways. Such experiences need not have been in history, specifically, but should have provided relevant training and involvement.
• Writing Sample : The sample can be a paper written for a course, an undergraduate thesis, or a chapter from a master's thesis. Select a finished piece of work that demonstrates your quality and originality of scholarly writing and analysis. Make sure this piece represents your best work, preferably on a subject related to your historical interests.
• Research Languages/Skills (Recommended, not required) : Demonstrates prior training and/or proficiency in research languages and/or specialized research skills such as digital humanities or quantitative methods.
• GRE Scores: GRE scores are not required.
• TOEFL and/or IELTS Scores: For students whose first language is not English, TOEFL and/or IELTS scores are not required.

Five years of financial support. Extensive supplementary funding to support your professional path. 

All incoming doctoral students in the History Department receive: 

• A stipend of at least $36,376 (2023-24),
• A full-tuition scholarship, and
• A health insurance subsidy that covers the full cost of Emory's student health insurance.

This funding package is renewed annually for five years, contingent upon satisfactory academic performance.

Applicants, in applying, also compete for special admissions fellowships that supplement the base stipend. Programs nominate students for these fellowships, which are awarded by faculty committees in the Laney Graduate School. Special admissions fellowships include: 

• The George W. Woodruff Fellowship
• The Centennial Scholars Fellowship
• The Tam Institute for Jewish Studies Fellowship
• The Laney Graduate Fellowship

Application Timeline

• September Application opens in early to mid-September.
• December 15 Final application deadline is December 15.
• January to Early February Application review and preparation of admissions offers is underway. Faculty will contact select applicants to schedule a Zoom interview by mid to late January. If you have not heard from us, your application is still being considered.
• Late February-Mid March Recruitment Events for Admitted Students (Invitation Only)
• April 15 Final Decision Deadline for Admitted Students

More Admission Resources

Final application deadline, katie wilson, senior graduate academic degree program coordinator, director of graduate studies, thomas d. rogers, director of graduate admissions, astrid m. eckert.

PhD in Epidemiology

The PhD in epidemiology is offered through Emory’s Laney Graduate School . This program trains students to become independent investigators and to obtain skills to be successful in PhD-level positions in academia, government, and the private sector.

What You Will Learn and Do

The Doctoral Program in Epidemiology at Emory University trains students in the methods of epidemiology and the application of these methods to a broad scope of public health and medical problems. Areas of study include, but are not limited to, cancer, cardiovascular disease, maternal and child health, diet/nutrition and physical activity, epidemiologic methods, infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS), genetics and molecular epidemiology, social epidemiology, and health disparities.   The goal of the program is to graduate epidemiologists with the knowledge, skills, and philosophy to be influential lead researchers (principal investigators), teachers of epidemiology, and public health officials.

Graduates of the department have gone on to find work at settings such as: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pharmaceutical companies (such as Humana, Amgen), nonprofit organizations (such as The Task Force for Global Health and American Cancer Society), and colleges and universities.

Our Faculty

Students learn from our department's faculty, as well as faculty from the Hubert Department of Global Health, the Department of Environmental Health, and the Emory School of Medicine. Students' dissertation committees often include faculty from organizations outside of the School and University, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Cancer Society. 

Search faculty interests 

Frequently Asked Questions

Application Deadline

The application for prospective students seeking to matriculate in Fall 2024 will open in September. The application is through Laney Graduate School (not through SOPHAS). 

Admission Requirements and Instructions

How to Apply

To apply, applicants must have: 

• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university

The application includes: 

• Completed application + $75 application fee.
• 3 letters of recommendation.
• Graduate Faculty identification - on the application, applicants must identify at least two Epidemiology Graduate Faculty members with whom they would be interested in working. Faculty profiles are available here .
• Statement of purpose: In 500 words or fewer, please tell us about your previous research experiences or training leading you to apply to this program. Please share your research interests, how this program addresses your interests, and your long-term goals after earning a doctoral degree.
• Unofficial transcripts from each post-secondary institution you have attended.
• For international students: TOEFL scores are required.
• For applicants with post-secondary degrees from a non-US institution, a course-by-course credit evaluation is strongly recommended. We accept credential evaluations from Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, and World Education Services. For additional information, please visit the Laney Graduate School webpage for International Applicants .
• Optional: GRE scores.
• Optional Diversity Statement.  

Admission Tips

The Department receives more than 200 applications a year for ten to fourteen spaces. Admitted students most often have:

• An advanced degree in epidemiology or a related field
• A clear, concise statement of purpose
• Defined research interests
• Outstanding recommendations from faculty and supervisors
• Some professional/research experience
• Strong GRE scores

Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review the interest areas of Rollins epidemiology faculty to ensure that there are faculty with similar interests.

View our FAQs page for more info.

International Applicants

In addition to these requirements, all departments require international students to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.

TOEFL scores should be at least 100 or higher on the Internet-based test. International applicants who earned an undergraduate or two year graduate degree from an institution within the United States are waived from the TOEFL requirement.  If an international applicant is currently completing a two year degree in the United States at the time of application, the TOEFL does not need to be submitted.  For example, if an international student is currently pursuing a two year MPH that will be completed prior to matriculation in the PhD program, the TOEFL is not required.

A World Education Service ( WES ) course-by- course report is STRONGLY recommended of all students who have received a baccalaureate and/or advanced degree from a non-US institution. This does not include students who completed a semester study abroad as part of a US degree.  This process takes weeks to complete and applicants are encouraged to start this process very early.

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.  

Admitted students are later invited to an on-campus Admitted Student's Day hosted in Atlanta, GA in March.

All admitted PhD students receive merit-based support packages consisting of full tuition scholarships each year. The first two years students are typically funded from institutional support from Laney Graduate School or Training Grants (pending satisfactory progress in the program). In years three through five, students in good standing are funded through mentor grants, training grants, pre-doctoral training fellowships, etc. The stipends are set at the NIH pre-doctoral training level.  As of 2023-2024, doctoral students receive annual stipends of $36,376. 

Training grants currently support some EPI PhD students with the following interests and research areas:  1) Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology, 2) Molecules to Mankind (M2M), and 3) Health Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease . Laney Graduate School also offers Professional Development Funding and Training (to attend conferences and for research).

Degree Requirements

Through required coursework, students receive a strong foundation in epidemiological methods and biostatistics and become proficient on how, when, and why to use specific tools or methods. All students are required to select six hours of EPI electives to gain content knowledge and experience in applying epidemiologic methods within a particular area. The PhD Program Handbook may be viewed here.

• Formulate an epidemiologic reserch question that addrtesses a gap in the literature
• Develop an epidemiologic research study addressing a gap in the literature
• Conduct independent research using epidemiologic methods
• Communicate the results of epidemiologic research to a scientific audience
• Evaluate epidemiologic research

EPI PhD Required Courses

Course Number, Name (Credit Hours):

EPI 530, Epidemiologic Methods I (4)

EPI 534, Statistical Programming (2)

EPI 545, Advanced Epidemiologic Methods II (4)

EPI 550, Epidemiologic Methods III (4)

EPI 560, Epidemiologic Methods IV (4)

EPI 710, Probability Theory (2)

EPI 760, Causal Inference (4) 

EPI 790R, Doctoral Seminar for Epidemiologic Practice (enrollment required every semester until graduation) (1)

BIOS 500, Statistical Methods I (4)

BIOS 591P, Biostatistical Methods II  (3)

EPI XXX, Electives (6 hours min)

EPI 798R and 799R, Research Hours (>18)

PUBH 701, Public Health Research: Discovery to Practice (1)

EPI 791 Teaching Epidemiology (1)

All PhD students must participate in the Teaching Assistant Training and Teaching Opportunities (TATTO) program. Students receive an orientation to effective teaching and a course on teaching techniques in the field and gain experience working as supervised teaching assistants and/or classroom instructors or co-instructors.  More about TATTO

Research Assistantships

All EPI PhD students participate in two at least two, 200-hour research assistantships during their time enrolled during the program (usually during the first two years). Research Assistantships may include (but are not limited to) literature review, survey design, primary data collection, data management and analysis, and manuscript development. 

Dissertation

All PhD students are required to complete and defend a dissertation. Students are encouraged to begin exploring potential research topics as soon as they enter the program by meeting with faculty . 

The doctoral dissertation must meet the requirements of both the department and Laney Graduate School. In particular, the dissertation must make a new contribution to the student’s field of study, or present a unique new interpretation on existing knowledge. Students are required to pass an oral defense of the dissertation proposal.

Jones Program in Ethics

Students receive training in ethics in research both through the Department of Epidemiology and the Laney Graduate School.  Within the required Epidemiology PhD coursework, students may gain exposure to topics such as ethics in human subject research, data management, and scientific writing.  The Laney Graduate School sponsors numerous seminars and workshops on scholarly integrity.

Student Life

All EPI PhD students participate in a weekly doctoral seminar during lunchtime in the fall and spring semesters.  This provides an opportunity not only to review and critique current literature but also to foster camaraderie among students and faculty. In addition, PhD student representatives organize social activities for students on a monthly basis.

Learn more about life at Rollins

Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) section navigation

Medical scientist training program (md/phd).

We are dedicated to training exceptional students from a variety of disciplines who will become the next leaders in clinical academic medicine and biomedical research. The Emory MD/PhD Program combines the advantages of rigorous preparation in clinical medicine with interdisciplinary training in the basic and social sciences of Emory's Laney Graduate School. We recognize that a thriving, interdisciplinary physician-scientist training program is an integral and central component of top academic medical centers; through this combined educational experience, the Emory MD/PhD Program provides the training necessary for students to work at the forefront of a scientific field while concurrently developing outstanding clinical skills.

Program Statistics

Current students.

• Total Number of MD/PhD Students: 92
• Male/Female Ratio: 43 / 49
• Underrepresented Students: 26
• International Students: 8
• States Represented: 28
• Countries represented: 8

2021-22 Recruitment Year Statistics

• Total Applications Received: 603
• Number Interviewed: 57
• Number Matriculated: TBD
• Average MCAT: 516
• Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.81

Miscellaneous Statistics

• Average time to complete program (both MD and PhD degrees): 8.2 years [this means that on average, students graduate in 8 years or less]
• MD/PhD student stipend, 2022-23 academic year: $ 35,175
• Health insurance (including dental) is provided throughout all years of the program

Students by Program

Emory college.

• 1 Anthropology
• 3 Chemistry
• 1  Physics
• 2  Sociology

Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

• 10  Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology
• 9  Cancer Biology
• 2  Genetics and Molecular Pathogenesis
• 5 Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis
• 1 Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
• 3  Molecular and Systems Pharmacology
• 19 Neuroscience
• 2  Population Biology, Ecology and Evolution

School of Public Health

• 3  Environmental Health
• 8  Epidemiology
• 1 Global Health and Development
• 1 Nutrition and Health Science

Georgia Tech

• 18 Biomedical Engineering
• 3  NIH-GPP

Interview Dates & Recruitment Events

The 2023 Hybrid NIH Graduate and Professional School Fair helps attendees explore educational programs leading to the PhD, MD, DDS, MD/PhD, and other graduate and professional degrees. In addition to on-site activities, NIH will provide remote access to various events via the Whoova platform. - July 19: A one-day event at the Bethesda, MD NIH campus will offer (1) hybrid workshops on getting to graduate and/or professional school and (2) in-person exhibitor sessions to learn more about the participating institutions and programs - July 24-August 11: Virtual exhibitor sessions will allow attendees additional opportunities to connect with program representatives. The Emory MD/PhD Program will offer three virtual sessions to learn about our program and have your questions answered: - July 25 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. EST - August 2 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. - August 8 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Please visit the NIH Graduate and Professional School Fair website to register for the conference. You will then be able to register for one or more of the above sessions. Representatives of Emory's MD/PhD Program will be available to answer your questions at the following upcoming regional and national events:

2023-2024 MD/PhD interview dates

September 28-29, 2023

November 2-3, 2023

January 25-26, 2024

Society for the Advancement of Chicanos, Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

October 26-28, 2023 Portland, OR

Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)

November 15-18, 2023 Phoenix, AZ

Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS)

November 18-19, 2023, hosted by Emory University, Atlanta, GA

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PhD Program in Anthropology

Anthropology, by its very nature, is an interdisciplinary enterprise and is sought out by many other disciplines for cross-fertilization of ideas.

The Anthropology graduate program at Emory encompasses three subdisciplines: archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology, placing special emphasis on cultivating dialogues and combinations of people, interests, and ideas. The program balances rigorous courses with a tutorial approach to advanced subjects and is designed to be intense and demanding for both students and faculty.

We encourage a diversity of doctoral research agendas across the entire range of cultural and biological anthropology. We believe that the successful anthropologists of the future are created not through a monolithic theoretical orientation but through exposure to alternative explanatory paradigms.

Ranked in the Top 10 Anthropology Departments in the US, our faculty are experts at training students for tenure track faculty positions in Cultural and Biological Anthropology, as well as developing professionals for non-academic career paths.

As a whole, our program provides students with a grounding in cultural and biological anthropology that is sophisticated and unique. Specialization within cultural or biological sub-fields is encouraged, as are combinations and creative dialogues between them.

What are you looking for in a graduate program?

Top research program.

Learn about what makes our program great! 

Program Summary  

  A competitive stipend of $36,376+/year (2023/2024)

Learn more about funding from the Laney Graduate School  (Financial Support Overview)

• Distinguished   faculty
• AGSA - Anthropology Graduate Student Association

Professional Development

• An expansive and cooperative  Alumni Network

Professional Development opportunities   with Laney Graduate School

• Research Labs
• The Grant Writing Program
• The Writing Center

Top Job Placement for PhDs

• 95 th percentile for Biological Anthropology
• 75 th percentile for Cultural Anthropology

Director of Graduate Studies

Kristin phillips, associate professor, director of graduate studies, laney graduate school.