Admissions Information

panorama of OHSU buildings

Applying to graduate school can be complicated. It’s our job in the Office of Admissions for OHSU’s Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology (DMICE) to help you start your application and stay on track through the process.

Please read the application instructions completely before you begin your online application. If you have questions at any time during the process, just reach out. We’re happy to hear from prospective students.

Our applicants

We welcome all qualified applicants and follow all requirements for equal opportunity and nondiscrimination. As an applicant, you will be considered based on your academic credentials and your capacity to succeed in your intended program of study. No applicant will be denied admission based on race, age, sex, religion or disability.

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • If your primary language is not English, a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 250 (computer-based)

International student applicants must provide World Education Service (WES) International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) credential evaluations for all colleges attended outside the United States.

Please have your evaluations sent to:

OHSU School of Medicine Graduate Admissions
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Mail Code L102-GS
Portland, OR 97239

If you have already completed a similar credential evaluation through WES or another company, the Graduate Studies Office may evaluate whether a WES ICAP is necessary on a case-by-case basis.

Current students in the Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Informatics program and DMICE certificate graduates who apply to the M.S. program can use a simplified internal application and only need two letters of reference. We’ll also obtain your transcripts and waive your application fee.

  • Health and Clinical Informatics
    • Graduate Certificate: no prerequisites
    • Master’s Program
      • Anatomy and Physiology
      • Computer Programming
    • Ph.D. Program
      • Anatomy and Physiology
      • Computer Programming
      • Statistics
         
  • Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine
    • Master’s and Ph.D. Programs
      • Biology
      • Computer Programming
      • Genetics
      • Statistics/Biostatistics
      • Multivariable Calculus
      • Linear Algebra
      • Biochemistry (recommended)

How the admission process works

We understand that applying to graduate school can be stressful. We hope that by explaining the way the process works at OHSU, and offering clear communication throughout the admission cycle, we’ll make your experience as smooth as possible.
Here’s an overview of our admission process for each program. Please
email us if you have any questions as you go through the steps to apply.

Step 1: Create your account.
You'll apply online through the Oregon Health & Science University Centralized Application Service. To get started, create an account. Be sure to save your login information.
After you successfully create an account, you’ll receive an email from us with your OHSU application ID. You’ll use this ID throughout the application process. Please have it ready if you contact us or customer service.

Step 2: Choose your program.
OHSU’s Centralized Application Service simplifies the process of applying to our programs. If you want to apply for more than one program, you only have to submit one application.

To apply for the graduate certificate program, select “Biomedical Informatics Certificate.”

Step 3: Complete your application by the appropriate deadline.
Our graduate certificate program has a rolling deadline and students may be admitted for each new term. Please make sure that your application is submitted on or before the deadline for your preferred term.  

  • Fall term 2022: Aug. 15

Step 4: Submit your required materials.

Transcripts
You’ll need to submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended. You may upload unofficial transcripts to your application, but DMICE requires official transcripts for you to be officially enrolled.

You can submit your official transcripts by email or mail to:

OHSU SOM Graduate Admissions
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L102GS

Portland, OR  97239

Resume
Your application should include a resume of five pages or less that outlines your professional background and experience.

Personal statement
Your personal statement should describe your scientific and research expertise and areas of interest as a graduate student. It should also briefly outline your long-term career goals. We encourage you to include any additional information that may help the admissions committee evaluate your application.

Step 5: Acceptance
Our admissions committee typically reviews your materials about two weeks after we receive your completed application.

If you are admitted, you will receive an acceptance letter by email. Once you sign and return the letter to us, we will start the process to officially enroll you at OHSU. The letter includes instructions on how to complete OHSU’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The university will also send a separate email with instructions on how to complete OHSU’s mandatory background check.

Step 1: Create your account.
You'll apply online through the Oregon Health & Science University Centralized Application Service. To get started, create an account. Be sure to save your login information.

After you successfully create an account, you’ll receive an email from us with your OHSU application ID. You’ll use this ID throughout the application process. Please have it ready if you contact us or customer service.

Step 2: Choose your program.
OHSU’s Centralized Application Service simplifies the process of applying to our programs. If you want to apply for more than one program, you only have to submit one application.

To apply for our master’s degree programs, select from the following options:

  • Master of Science in Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine (BCB): This on-campus program offers options with a thesis and without a thesis.
  • Master of Science Non Thesis in Health and Clinical Informatics (HCIN): This program is offered on campus and online.
  • Master of Science Thesis in Health and Clinical Informatics (HCIN): This program is offered on campus.
  • Master of Science Non Thesis in Health and Clinical Informatics (HCIN) – Internal: This application is for current students in the Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Informatics program who want to apply to the M.S. program. You can also use this option if you have completed the DMICE certificate program.

Step 3: Complete your application by the appropriate deadline.
Please make sure that your application is submitted on or before the deadline for your preferred term.

We encourage international students or students who need a visa to submit their application and materials by early June to be considered for fall term. We will accept international applications for review up until the official application deadline but applying earlier allows the International Student Office time to process your visa application.

Master of Science in Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine (BCB)

  • Fall term only. Deadline: June 1.

Master of Science in Health and Clinical Informatics (HCIN)

  • Deadline for Summer term: May 15
  • Deadline for Fall term: Aug. 1

Step 4: Submit your required materials.

Transcripts
You’ll need to submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended. You may upload unofficial transcripts to your application, but DMICE requires official transcripts for you to be officially enrolled.
You can submit your official transcripts by email or mail to:

OHSU SOM Graduate Admissions
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L102GS

Portland, OR  97239

If you are an internal candidate (that is, you are in our certificate program), we will add your transcripts from your graduate certificate application to your M.S. application. You do not need to request an official OHSU transcript – we will get your OHSU transcript for you.

Resume
Your application should include a resume of five pages or less that outlines your professional background and experience.

Personal statement
Your personal statement should describe your scientific and research expertise and areas of interest as a graduate student. It should also briefly outline your long-term career goals. We encourage you to include any additional information that may help the admissions committee evaluate your application.

Choose your preferred faculty mentors
Our program pairs you with a mentor with whom you will work closely. You’ll be asked to name and rank two or three faculty members who could be potential mentors. Visit our faculty page to learn more about their areas of research and expertise.

Letters of recommendation
External candidates (who are not currently in our degree program) must submit three letters of recommendation.  The recommendations must be on letterhead.

In the online application, you will fill out forms to request each letter. We will automatically send an email to each of your evaluators on your behalf. Your evaluator will send the letter directly to our system. You will get a notification email when we receive each recommendation.

Step 5: Acceptance
Our admissions committee typically reviews your materials about two weeks after we receive your completed application.

If you are admitted, you will receive an acceptance letter by email. Once you sign and return the letter to us, we will start the process to officially enroll you at OHSU. The letter includes instructions on how to complete OHSU’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The university will also send a separate email with instructions on how to complete OHSU’s mandatory background check.

Step 1: Create your account.
You'll apply online through the Oregon Health & Science University Centralized Application Service. To get started, create an account. Be sure to save your login information.

After you successfully create an account, you’ll receive an email from us with your OHSU application ID. You’ll use this ID throughout the application process. Please have it ready if you contact us or customer service.

Step 2: Choose your program.
OHSU’s Centralized Application Service simplifies the process of applying to our programs. If you want to apply for more than one program, you only have to submit one application.

To apply for our doctoral programs, please select from the following options:

  • Ph.D. in Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine (BCB)
  • Ph.D. in Health and Clinical Informatics (HCIN)

Step 3: Complete your application by the deadline.
Terms begin in July. You can apply from Sept. 1 through Dec. 1.

Step 4: Submit your required materials.

Transcripts
You’ll need to submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended. You may upload unofficial transcripts to your application, but DMICE requires official transcripts for you to be officially enrolled.

You can submit your official transcripts by email or mail to:

OHSU SOM Graduate Admissions
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L102GS

Portland, OR  97239

If you are an internal candidate, we will add your transcripts from your previous application to your doctoral application. You do not need to request an official OHSU transcript – we will get your OHSU transcript for you.

Resume
Your application should include a resume of five pages or less that outlines your professional background and experience.

Personal statement
Your personal statement should describe your scientific and research expertise and areas of interest as a graduate student. It should also briefly outline your long-term career goals. We encourage you to include any additional information that may help the admissions committee evaluate your application.

Choose your preferred faculty mentors
Our program pairs you with a mentor with whom you will work closely. You’ll be asked to name and rank two or three faculty members who could be potential mentors. Visit our faculty page to learn more about their areas of research and expertise.

Letters of recommendation
Candidates must submit three letters of recommendation, all on letterhead.

In the online application, you will fill out forms to request each letter. We will automatically send an email to each of your evaluators on your behalf. Your evaluator will send the letter directly to our system. You will get a notification email when we receive each recommendation.

Step 5: Acceptance
Our admissions committee will review your materials once we receive your completed application. If you are admitted, you will receive an acceptance letter by email.

Once you sign and return the letter to us, we will start the process to officially enroll you at OHSU. The letter includes instructions on how to complete OHSU’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The university will also send a separate email with instructions on how to complete OHSU’s mandatory background check.

Step 1: Create your account.
You'll apply online through the Oregon Health & Science University Centralized Application Service. To get started, create an account. Be sure to save your login information.

After you successfully create an account, you’ll receive an email from us with your OHSU application ID. You’ll use this ID throughout the application process. Please have it ready if you contact us or customer service.

Step 2: Choose your program.
OHSU’s Centralized Application Service simplifies the process of applying to our programs. If you want to apply for more than one program, you only have to submit one application.

To apply for our post-doctoral programs, please select from the following options:

  • Bioinformatics and Computational Biomedicine (BCB)
  • Health and Clinical Informatics (HCIN)

Step 3: Complete your application by the deadline.
Terms begin in July. You can apply from Sept. 1 through Dec. 1.

Step 4: Submit your required materials.

Transcripts
You’ll need to submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended. You may upload unofficial transcripts to your application, but DMICE requires official transcripts for you to be officially enrolled.

You can submit your official transcripts by email or mail to:

OHSU SOM Graduate Admissions
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L102GS

Portland, OR  97239

If you are an internal candidate from our program, we will add your transcripts from your previous application to your post-doctoral application. You do not need to request an official OHSU transcript – we will get your OHSU transcript for you.

Resume
Your application should include a resume of five pages or less that outlines your professional background and experience.

Personal statement
Your personal statement should describe your scientific and research expertise and areas of interest as a graduate student. It should also briefly outline your long-term career goals. We encourage you to include any additional information that may help the admissions committee evaluate your application.

Choose your preferred faculty mentors
Our program pairs you with a mentor with whom you will work closely. You’ll be asked to name and rank two or three faculty members who could be potential mentors. Visit our faculty page to learn more about their areas of research and expertise.

Letters of recommendation
Candidates must submit three letters of recommendation, all on letterhead.

In the online application, you will fill out forms to request each letter. We will automatically send an email to each of your evaluators on your behalf. Your evaluator will send the letter directly to our system. You will get a notification email when we receive each recommendation.

Step 5: Acceptance
Our admissions committee will review your materials once we receive your completed application. If you are admitted, you will receive an acceptance letter by email.

Once you sign and return the letter to us, we will start the process to officially enroll you at OHSU. The letter includes instructions on how to complete OHSU’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The university will also send a separate email with instructions on how to complete OHSU’s mandatory background check.

FAQs

We’re happy to discuss the admission process with you. If you still have questions after reviewing answers to our most common questions, please email us to start the conversation.

Admission deadlines

Admissions Deadlines
Application Type Application Deadline Enrollment Deadline Term Starts
BCB MS Thesis/MS Non Thesis/HCIN MS Thesis/MS Non Thesis - Fall deadline passed deadline passed September
HCIN Graduate Certificate - Fall deadline passed deadline passed September
HCIN Graduate Certificate/MS Thesis/MS Non Thesis - Winter 2023 15-Nov-22 12-Dec-22 January
HCIN Graduate Certificate/MS Thesis/MS Non Thesis - Spring 2023 15-Feb-23 6-Mar-23 March
HCIN Graduate Certificate/MS Thesis/MS Non Thesis - Summer 2023 15-May-23 26-May-23 June
BCB MS Thesis/MS Non Thesis - Fall 2023 1-Jun-23 28-Aug-23 September
HCIN MS Thesis/MS Non Thesis - Fall 2023 1-Aug-23 28-Aug-23 September
HCIN Graduate Certificate - Fall 2023 15-Aug-23 28-Aug-23 September
BCB/HCIN PhD - Summer start only 1-Dec-22 26-May-23 June
BCB/HCIN Postdoctoral Fellowship - Summer start only 1-Dec-22 26-May-23 June

Tuition, fees and financial aid

Applying to graduate school can be intimidating. Figuring out whether you can afford it shouldn’t add to the pressure. That’s why the Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program is committed to making an OHSU education accessible to all qualified applicants.

Our commitment includes a “no surprises” approach to tuition rates and a financial aid team dedicated to helping you navigate all your options.

Financial aid

Almost every student who attends OHSU does so with financial assistance of some kind.

In the Office of Financial Aid, our goal is to make sure that all qualified applicants have a chance to study here. We can help by connecting you with scholarships, federal and state grants, work-study aid and low-interest student loans.

Our office advises students on tuition and fees, the overall cost of your education and how to find aid through OHSU or other sources.

Our personal finance and debt counselors also work with you to create an educational debt management plan so that you have a better understanding of your budget, obligations and options after graduation.

For help navigating the financial aid process, reach out to our team at finaid@ohsu.edu or 503-494-7800.

National Library of Medicine (NLM) Fellowships

OHSU is one of 14 programs funded nationally by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Biomedical Informatics Training Grant. Postdoctoral positions are open to any qualified individual with a doctoral degree (MD, PhD, DDS, etc.), with the fellow also strongly encouraged to also pursue a master's degree in the OHSU program. Predoctoral positions are open to PhD students in the OHSU Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program. The fellowship package includes a stipend based on the NIH postdoctoral fellowship salary, health insurance, conference travel, and all tuition and fees.

By providing a structured research experience, the program prepares fellows to enter the academic community and undertake programs of independent biomedical informatics research, or to take leadership positions in the growing number of hospital and/or commercial efforts in biomedical informatics. Fellows engage in a rigorous and dynamic program of study - though they survey the field broadly during their fellowship, they also focus on and complete a significant research project that is presented in both oral and written form. All classes within the department are made available to fellows, as well as courses throughout OHSU and our consortium of other nearby universities.

Excellence in Informatics Scholarship

There is a growing need for highly skilled and talented biomedical informatics professionals. On the clinical side, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) estimates a need of 50,000 additional personnel to meet the needs of President Obama's goal for every American to have their health records in digital form. There are equally substantial needs in other areas, such as bioinformatics, clinical and translational research informatics, and public health informatics. In order to encourage highly accomplished students to pursue careers in the field, OHSU has initiated the Excellence in Informatics Scholarship program.

Visit our Financial Aid page for more information.

HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) Foundation Scholarship Program

Each year, the HIMSS Foundation Scholarship Program awards scholarships to student members studying in the health care information or management systems field. Visit the HIMSS site for more information.

Academic calendar

For important dates regarding registration and academic terms, please see the OHSU academic calendar.

National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA)

For more information about OHSU’s participation in SARA, refund schedule, and complaint process; please visit: