Admission for the MGHD Program

Yes! UGHE values diversity and welcomes applicants from around the globe.   

Applications are submitted online. Each applicant is asked to submit their Academic qualifications and demographic information. After all submitted applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee, shortlisted candidates will be invited to next steps regarding the admissions process.   

Yes. If your transcripts are not in English, you must submit notarized, translated copies of your transcripts and diplomas, as well as copies in their original language. All transcripts and diplomas will be verified by an international transcript verification body.   

Acceptance into the MGHD Class of 2026 does not guarantee acceptance in the future. If an applicant chooses to decline their offer, they are required to reapply for admission. If a student who has dropped out of the program would like to rejoin, they must re-apply to the program through the normal application process.   

Applicants who have applied to the MGHD program in the past but have been unsuccessful are encouraged to re-apply.  

UGHE aims to educate students who have a global interest, a commitment to leadership, and a desire to address issues of inequity and disparity through health delivery. UGHE Registrar Office aligns with this vision by considering all applications in a holistic and equitable manner. 

During the Practicum, students will work in groups to carry out a research or quality improvement project for a partner organization. Each group will be mentored by a UGHE faculty member and a preceptor from the partner organization (which may be outside of Rwanda). In collaboration with stakeholders from the organization, students will propose and design a project that will address a challenge the partner organization is facing. Students will then travel to the site of their partner organization to implement the project. After 12-weeks onsite, students will return to campus and produce tangible academic deliverables as well as products for wider dissemination, including recommendations for system improvement, training programs, future research, program evaluation, and policy memos.  

UGHE staff and faculty provide academic and personal support. UGHE’s Registrar office and the campus life team will oversee and run UGHE’s orientation programs, professional development, career services, counseling services, student group advising, community service/Umuganda engagement, and alumni service. UGHE’s campus life team supports activities that provide leadership opportunities and deepen cross-cultural learning and engagement within your cohort. 

The MGHD is a full-time, intensive program hence students are not encouraged from seeking out employment especially during the second semester when they will be pursuing in person lectures. Additionally, given the campus’s rural location, local employment opportunities are limited. 

All MGHD students will be provided with on-campus housing at no additional cost. Learn more about UGHE’s campus.  

• Room & Board – Every graduate student pursuing an MGHD option that requires them to be on campus during the second and third semesters stays in a furnished self-contained studio apartment on UGHE campus. All housing units house students according to their sexual orientation meaning female and male students live on different floors. Each room has a bed, microwave, fridge, a desk and chair and wardrobe. 

• Family Housing – UGHE does not provide family housing on campus, and students are responsible for finding external housing on their own if they will be accompanied by family members. Please note that there are limited housing options in Butaro, so many students opt to either come without their family members or seek housing in Kigali or Musanze. Students are also responsible for all logistics related to family members, including visas, housing, transportation, etc. 

Living on UGHE’s campus, residents will have access to a range of services including UGHE’s dining hall serving three balanced meals a day; athletic facilities such as the gym, yoga/exercise studio, and outdoor basketball court; transport shuttle going to and from Kigali every weekend; janitorial and laundry support; IT services; a campus store for picking up basic necessities; full time campus security coverage, and more.  

Students are provided with all academic content in the form of books, manuals, online tools, and video and audio recordings throughout the program. These materials are of no additional cost to the students. Your tuition and scholarship will cover learning materials, room, board, transportation for UGHE-related activities, 24-hours access to fast internet, learning management system and research tools, full health/medical insurance, a laptop (during the 2nd semester) to use.  

The UGHE Alumni Council was established in May 2017 to promote and encourage a continuing interest in UGHE, life-long connections, and advisory role to UGHE administrators. The Council also seeks to advise on the development of programs, services, and resources through organizational structure and coordinated efforts to promote academic, research, advocacy, and professional advancement of its members. The Council is engaged in organizing networking events and professional development resources and services. 

The Career Services unit is in charge of developing services to support students in achieving their professional and career goals. Some of the services we offer include but are not limited to: Professional Development Workshops which will be including skills such as; Interviewing skills 

• • • Workplace conflict resolution 
    • Negotiating and Understanding Job Salaries/Expectations 
    • Public speaking skills 
    • Networking and elevator pitch 
    • CV/Resume writing 
    • Cover Letter writing 
    • Letter of Interest writing 
    • Letter of Qualification writing 
• Career Discussion Series 
• Assistance in Academic Applications such as: 
  • • PhD Scholarship applications 
    • Fellowship applications 
    • Motivation Letter writing for scholarships and fellowships, 
• Individual advising appointments 
• Informational interviews 
• Opportunity Digest  
• Print and Digital Resources 

Please feel free to get in touch with the alumni and career services team on these emails: ughecareerservices@ughe.org and ughealumni@ughe.org.