SOPHAS Program User Guide

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This guide provides you with documentation, reference guides, and direct links that answer common admissions questions about the SOPHAS Applicant Portal, Configuration Portal, and WebAdMIT. It also contains resources that may help you work more efficiently throughout your admissions process. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please contact a member of your account team.

Cycle Timeframes

CAS Applicant Portal

The Applicant Portal opens in mid-August and closes in early August. You can view the specific cycle dates, including final processing dates (e.g., last date to submit transcripts, last date to request letters of recommendation, etc.), on the SOPHAS Application Cycle Dates page.

CAS Configuration Portal

Between late April to mid-July, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment. The account team and ASPPH review submitted configurations in July.

WebAdMIT

You can view new applicants and initiate a transfer settings shortly after the new cycle opens in mid-August.

Program Participation Requirements

ASPPH requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from ASPPH and SOPHAS, including the configuration, application, and WebAdMIT launch notifications.

Applicant Portal

The first three sections of the SOPHAS application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).

You can access the SOPHAS application and SOPHAS Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).

For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:

Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Review the requirements for the SOPHAS Complete application status.
SOPHAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs: a suggested timeline for completing and submitting the application, links to important pages including cycle dates and fees, and a FAQs section.

You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to SOPHAS Customer Service.

Verification

Once all required application materials are received, the applicant is placed in line to be verified. Verifications occur in chronological order and can take up to 10 business days to complete. Once an application is verified, the applicant receives a notification and their status changes to Verified. Refer to the Understanding the Verification Process guide for more information.

Configuration Portal

Once you've configured your program, you'll need to have it approved by the account team and ASPPH before it is available to applicants. If your program is reviewed after the cycle launches, ASPPH will approve it.

WebAdMIT

Review the WebAdMIT Help Center for any questions related to working in WebAdMIT. The Reference Guides and WebAdMIT Training and Support sections are additional resources as you configure WebAdMIT for your needs. Documents commonly requested include:

Application Coupons Reference Guide: learn how to request coupons to offset application fees and disperse them to applicants. To purchase coupons, use the Coupon Code Payment Gateway.
Application Coupon Codes FAQ: view answers to frequently asked questions about offering coupon codes.
Data Dictionaries and Master Code Lists: a comprehensive list of all fields available in the Export Manager and Report Manager, including associated lookup tables.
Deferring Applicants On Demand: learn how to transfer deferred applicants from one cycle to the next.
Deferring Applicants via the Liaison-assisted Deferral Process: learn how to transfer deferred applicants from one cycle to the next.
Integration Help Center and WebAdMIT API: learn how to set up an API and schedule automatic data exports from WebAdMIT into your SIS/ERP.
Requesting Official GRE CAS Codes: a guide on how to create CAS-specific codes in order to receive official GRE scores in WebAdMIT.
Social Security Number (SSN) Documents Reference Guide: a guide on how to configure a PGP key to receive an encrypted file that contains the applicant's CAS ID and SSN.
Transfer Settings Guide: a review of how programs and templates built in WebAdMIT are carried forward each cycle.

The Release Notes feature new enhancements in the Applicant Portal, Applicant Gateway, Configuration Portal, Liaison Letters, and WebAdMIT, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.

For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.

Cycle Enhancements

2026-2027

The table below contains enhancements for SOPHAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
CAS Applicant Portal	User Interface	The application is updated to a new, mobile-first, and modern applicant portal that we call CAS 3+. Visit the CAS 3+ Upgrade page to learn more about its key benefits and a preview of the upgraded application.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Release Statement	The Release Statement was updated for conciseness and clarity, and a new Applicant Responsibility Acknowledgement statement was added.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Biographic Information	The Gender and Pronouns questions can be edited after the applicant submits their application.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Contact Information	The Second Party Authorization and Alternate Email questions can be edited after the applicant submits their application.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Contact Information	Applicants can validate their mailing addresses via the SmartyStreets integration. You can view verified address data from WebAdMIT.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Other Information	The following answer options were added to the Heard about Public Health question: Event – This is Public Health (TIPH) grad fair (in-person) Website – SOPHAS Other – Advertisement Other – Social media Other – Please specify The following answer options were removed from the Heard about Public Health question: Event – Idealist grad fair Event – TIPH Roadshow Referral – Health care provider Referral – Other friend or relative Website – This is Public Health.org Other – Social media or website	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Account	An organization can now require MFA for all its users.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	Due to the upgrade to CAS 3+, you have changes to the High School Attended fields: High School Additional Details field grouping > Graduation Date and Graduation Status (added) Secondary High School field grouping > Country, Country Code, Start Date, End Date, and High School CEEB Code (added) Secondary High School field grouping > Graduation Year, Graduation Date, and School Name (removed) You can also view the Education panel > High School Additional Details subpanel on the Applicant Details page.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Deferred Applicants	CASs can transfer deferred applicants on demand. Additionally, the following information is included in the deferral: Official MCAT scores CAS-verified GPA calculations (e.g., GPAs by academic year, GPAs by course subject, etc.)	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2025-2026

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
CAS Applicant Portal	Extended Profile	The year answers for the Program Plans question were updated to remove 2024 and add 2027.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Fee Waivers	Bonner Program was added to the service-based fee waiver drop-down.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Academic History – Standardized Tests	Applicants can self-report their Duolingo test scores. You can view their scores under the Standardized Tests panel on the Applicant Details page.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Configuration Portal	Branding	Pixel tracking can be enabled on the Add Programs and Program Materials sections to gain more insight into your program or organization's applicants. You can insert your tracking ID into the CAS Configuration Portal to establish standard tracking pixels from the major ad providers including Google, Meta, and LinkedIn.	Action required by all participating programs.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	The CAS Custom Questions panel has subpanels by question block, so you can more easily find applicant data and restrict your users' access to it via Work Groups.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page Email Templates Export Manager List Manager	The Title field is no longer collected in the application and will be removed from WebAdMIT. You will need to update any lists, exports, emails, and other integrations to account for this field removal.	Action required by all participating programs.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page Export Manager List Manager	The Refugee answer option was removed from the Visa Information question in the application; the correct option, I-94 Refugee, remains available. You should update any lists, exports, and other integrations to account for this answer option removal. Additionally, the Official GMAT Focus fields were removed.	Action required by all participating programs.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Decision Codes	The Deferred Decision Code was removed.	Action required by all participating programs.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Export Manager	The Academic History Update Date and Standardized Test Update Date fields were removed, as they are only used for CASs without verification.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch