The SHPEP application will close on February 5, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Each year, we hear from program alumni who submitted their applications during the final week and were ultimately selected to participate at one of our program sites—so if you are still working on your application, we encourage you to stay the course. To support you in submitting a strong and complete application, we want to share a few important reminders and resources.

Please be mindful of time zones when planning your submission. The application deadline is based on Eastern Time (ET), regardless of where you are located. If you are in a different time zone, we strongly encourage you to plan accordingly and aim to submit your application well before the deadline to avoid any last-minute issues.

If you haven’t done so already, we strongly encourage you to review the Application FAQs and Information Sessions. Please note that all application materials, including one letter of recommendation and official transcript(s), must be postmarked/time-stamped by February 5, 2026.

We also strongly recommend that you check in with your letter writer to confirm that your letter has been submitted. Once your letter is received, be sure to thank them. Letter writers volunteer their time and advocacy, and expressing gratitude helps maintain strong professional relationships that may support you in future academic and career endeavors.

Once received by the National Program Office, it can take up to 10 business days to process transcripts. Please note that transcripts postmarked by the deadline will be processed by the National Program Office, even if those materials arrive after the deadline. We will also be providing transcript processing updates on the SHPEP home page.

Each institution has a different processing time for sending transcripts, which could impact the expected delivery time. Applicants should consider each institution’s transcript request processing time and the expected delivery time to Washington, DC, when estimating the total number of days it may take to associate and process transcripts to your application. Applicants are responsible for communicating with their letter writer directly to ensure a letter is submitted in support of their application.

Admission decisions will be released on March 15, 2026, via your application dashboard.

Don’t wait—submit your application today!