Skip to main content
Liaison

SOPHAS Program User Guide

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

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.

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:

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 Applicant Processing Reference Guide for more information. 

Configuration Portal

Use the Configuration Portal Quick Start Guide to make sure you configure your program(s) efficiently and completely in the prelaunch environment. Be sure to check out your CAS's configuration options and review the best practices found throughout. If any optional sections of the application are required for your program (e.g., experiences, test scores, etc.), you'll want to note this on your program home page.

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 Manual 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:

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

2023-2024

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

Applicant Portal

Dashboard

A new notification banner is available for the application dashboard. CASs can share best tips and tricks with applicants as they complete their applications.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Extended Profile

The Do you have a Master's degree? question is updated to Will you have completed a master's degree by your anticipated program start date? 

The following questions are deleted:

  • Are you a US Citizen or US Permanent Resident?
  • Do you have a US Visa?
    • What type of visa?

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Release Statement

The Release Statement was updated to include information about the use of Generative AI.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Contact Information

The Current Address and Permanent Address drop-downs now include Taiwan instead of Taiwan (Province of China).

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Experiences

Applicants can edit in progress experiences after they submit their application.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Additional Experiences

The following agencies/programs are added:

  • AmeriCorps VISTA
  • Public Health AmeriCorps
  • Public Health Associate Program (PHAP)

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Official IELTS Tests

Applicants can submit their official IELTS test scores to the CAS, and you can review those test scores in WebAdMIT.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Configuration Portal

Program Details

A new Health Economics program attribute is added.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available now

WebAdMIT

Export Manager

List Manager

Custom Questions

The Program Plans field is removed. 

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

2022-2023

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

Applicant Portal

Academic History – Colleges Attended

When applicants enter their colleges attended, they can now identify if they paid in-state or out-of-state tuition for each college or university.

Additionally, if an applicant selects Unlisted French Speaking Canadian or Other Foreign Institution, they must complete a new required field for the college’s country.

If you created exports to pull a college's country data, you must edit and select the new college country fields. Review the Country Field for Manually Entered Foreign Institutions release note for more information.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Extended Profile

The following questions were added:

  • Do you have a Master's degree?
  • Do you have a Doctoral or nearly completed Doctoral Degree (within 24 months of completion)?
  • Do you have post-undergraduate health-related work or research experience?
    • If yes, length of experience?
  • Do you have a US Visa?
    • What type of visa?

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Personal Information – Citizenship Information

The Length of residency in the United States question was removed.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Achievements

The following achievement types were added:

  • Publications
  • Scholarships

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Experiences

The following experience types were added:

  • Shadowing
  • Training Attended

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Applicant Portal

Supporting Information – Licenses and Certifications

The Licenses and Certifications section was added. Applicants can enter detailed information about any licenses or certifications they earned.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

Configuration Portal

Organization Details

You can only access the Add Program and Copy Program buttons in the Configuration Portal prelaunch environment.

Additionally, instead of rebuilding your program in the prelaunch environment, you can import your program from a previous cycle's production environment into the prelaunch environment. You can access the Import from Previous Cycle button in the Configuration Portal prelaunch environment. Visit the Import Your Programs page for more information.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available now

Configuration Portal

Program Details

You can edit the Program Code program attribute, which may be useful for importing program data into your Student Information System (SIS).

Additionally, a new STEM Designated Program program attribute is available.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available now

Liaison Letters

Account

The guest access to Liaison Letters was removed; all recommenders must create an account when submitting a letter of recommendation.

No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

WebAdMIT

Clipboard

You can now add multiple applicants to your Clipboard by uploading a CSV file of their CAS IDs. Review the Using the Clipboard page for more information.

Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.

Available at cycle launch

  • Was this article helpful?