Tuition and financial aid

Tuition and fees

Tuition for the 2026-27 school year at the Bursky School of Public Health is set at $45,000. Moreover, students can expect to pay additional fees that cover various services to support their academic and personal well-being. These fees provide access to a wide range of student activities, health and wellness services, technology, and insurance, when applicable.

Activity and service fee: $140.00
WashU health and wellness fee: $700.00
WashU student health insurance fee: $2,712.00*

*All Washington University, students are required to carry health insurance. Full-time graduate students on the Danforth Campus are automatically enrolled in (and billed for) the basic student health insurance plan unless proof of comparable coverage is provided by domestic students. International students are not eligible to waive out of the insurance plan. For details about available plans or waiving options, visit Student Health Services. (Health insurance fees are pending state approval and are subject to change.)

Cost of attendance

The cost of attendance is a value calculated by the university, and it estimates a student’s total cost to attend school in a specific academic program for an academic year. The cost of attendance includes mandatory tuition and fees plus estimated costs for living expenses. Health insurance is not included in these estimates, but it is required for all students. The estimated cost of attendance is revised annually and is meant to be used as a guide for students to make informed financial decisions regarding their enrollment.

Master of Public Health costs

2026-27 Estimated Costs Breakdown (included in Cost of Attendance)

Housing and food (room, board, groceries): $19,000
Books/supplies (reading materials, laptop, etc.): $1,800
Transportation (gas, ride services, car repairs): $1,700
Professional costs (practicum, CPH exam, etc.): $1,000
Personal and Miscellaneous Expenses: $4,400

Total: $27,900

If students take additional credits over the semester cap, a rate of $1552 per credit hour will be charged.

Billing, payments, and refunds

Tuition and fees are billed before the start of each academic semester. Bursky School of Public Health Scholarships will be automatically applied as a credit to your student account and loans are disbursed to student accounts approximately ten days before the start of the semester.

Once bills are issued, students can view billing statements and make payments online by using their WashU key and password to log in to Workday.

You may access and print your billing statement by navigating to your Workday student profile. From there, you can generate your billing statement under Account Activity. Workday will display the entire bill as well as the amount currently owed.

Account Inquiry – where you can see an up-to-date overview of your charges and credits.
Pay/View My Bills – where you will be able to make a payment toward your tuition charges.

The current balance is shown on both pages and will indicate how much you currently owe. Additional information about payment plan options can be found online.

If you are due to receive a refund (excess aid to be used for living expenses, books, supplies, etc.) we strongly recommend setting up direct deposit within Workday. If a direct deposit account has not been established, a refund check will be issued for pick up in person from Sumers Welcome Center (East End of campus) or mailed to the most current address reflected in Workday. Refunds are processed within 5-7 days after initial loan disbursement; students may contact Student Accounting for additional information about refund timelines.

Withdrawal policies

Students considering withdrawing from the School of Public Health are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor to discuss all options and assess the possible consequences to their academic record. They should contact the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management, as well as the School of Public Health Office of Student Financial Services. The timing of a withdrawal may have an impact on both academic credits and tuition charges.

To withdraw, a formal procedure is required:

Complete the Request to Withdraw form. The effective date of withdrawal will determine the student’s grades and any tuition refund.
Meet with the director of the School of Public Health Financial Services, who will advise the student regarding tuition and financial aid implications.

Students who withdraw after the tenth week of the semester must be approved by either Student Health Services or the Student Health Center. Withdrawals, if approved, will be determined by the School of Public Health Office of Financial Services.

Financial aid for domestic students

There are two types of financial aid available at the School of Public Health: Public Health scholarships and federal financial aid.

Public Health scholarships

All Public Health scholarships are awarded at the time of admission and are “flat dollar” awards that are allocated evenly across each semester of a student’s program.

Please note:

All possible Public Health scholarship funding is awarded at the time of admission and is not affected by your request for need-based Federal Financial Aid.
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and full-time enrollment to remain eligible for their scholarship.
Students do not need to re-apply for their scholarship each year.
Students who extend the duration of their program do not receive additional scholarship funding.
Students who shorten the duration of their program may see a modification in scholarship funding.

Federal financial aid

Federal financial aid can include Federal Direct Unsubsidized loans, Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loans, and Federal work-study funds. This need-based aid is available annually to domestic students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To submit their FAFSA, students will need their most recent tax return, FSA ID, and WashU’s school code of 002520. Graduate students file as independents and no parent application is needed. After submission and processing, the School of Public Health Office of Student Financial Services will email you your federal financial aid package information, which may include loans and any federal work-study.

Once you have received your aid package, you may accept, decrease, or decline your award by using your WashU Key to log into NetPartner.

Visit netpartner.wustl.edu. Use your WashU Key ID and password to login.
Click the ‘Menu’ button on the top left side of the page.
Select ‘Accept Offer’ where you will see your loans listed in ‘Pending’ status.
Accept, decrease, or decline your loan amounts or work-study offer.
If you wish to decrease or decline your loans, start with the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan, since it has a higher interest rate and origination fee.
If you are accepting all or part of the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan you must visit the Federal Student Aid website to apply and qualify for those funds. You must apply and qualify for your loan and complete the required documentation before the actual funds can be disbursed to your student account.
If you accept your work-study award, you are responsible for locating and being hired for eligible on-campus employment. Your work-study funds will be paid to you directly and will not be credited toward your university charges in Workday.

Before borrowing loans in any amount, students should attempt to exhaust every other source of financial aid available (external scholarships, tuition payment plans, etc.). Student loan borrowing should be minimized as much as possible by working with our office to accurately calculate how much financial aid is needed each semester.

The choice to take on a student loan debt burden is a serious decision and should take into consideration both potential future earnings and possible length of repayment. To explore student loan repayment options, please visit the Federal Student Aid website. You may also choose to take advantage of the loan repayment estimator to get a better idea of your potential monthly payments after you leave the Bursky School of Public Health.

For questions about federal student aid, contact the Office of Admissions at Bursky School of Public Health.

[email protected]
314-935-2565

Information for international students

U.S. immigration regulations require international students to document their financial ability to cover all educational and living expenses before Washington University can issue a Form I-20.

Admitted international students should:

Review financial support requirements. Calculate the estimated amount needed for your first year of study.
Assemble acceptable sources of funding. Sources can include personal funds, sponsor support, employer or government support, private loans, external grants, or scholarships. These documents will need to be approved by WashU School of Public Health.
Complete the intent to enroll. Submit a copy of your passport, the completed WashU Affidavit of Financial Support, and sufficient financial documentation to the School of Public Health admissions office.
Submission deadline. All documents must be received by the admissions office no later than May 15. Demonstrate adequate financial resources to meet all expenses for the first year, estimated at $72,000 for the MPH program.
Dependents. Students bringing dependents should add $4,326 for each dependent to their required amount.
Partial scholarships. Deduct two semesters of any awarded scholarships from the total amount you need to demonstrate.

Important Considerations

Students are responsible for securing reliable funding for the entire duration of their program.
All possible scholarships are awarded at the time of admission.

For more information, please visit the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) or contact the office.

314-935-5910
[email protected]

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