Fully Funded: Global Health Emerging Scholars (GHES) Program

The Global Health Emerging Scholars (GHES) Program offers a competitive, mentored research training fellowship for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral candidates from the United States, as well as post-doctoral and post-professional candidates from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

This NIH-funded fellowship prepares the next generation of global health researchers by embedding them in high-impact, collaborative research projects focused on pressing health challenges in resource-limited settings.

Application Deadline: October 1, 2025
Administered by: Yale University, Stanford University, University of Arizona, University of California, Berkeley

Eligibility

Pre-doctoral Trainees (U.S. only):
Must be enrolled in a PhD or equivalent doctoral program. Health professional students planning to pause their studies for one or more years of full-time research training are also eligible.

Post-doctoral Trainees (U.S. and LMICs):
Must have completed a PhD, MD, DDS, or an equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited institution before the fellowship start date. Acceptable degrees include DVM, DO, DrPH, ScD, PharmD, MBBS, MBChB, and others relevant to clinical or public health research. Individuals in postgraduate clinical training may also apply if they are pausing training for full-time research.

Affiliation Requirements:

• U.S. applicants may be from any institution but must secure a mentor from one of the GHES partner universities (Yale, Stanford, UC Berkeley, or the University of Arizona).
• LMIC applicants must be affiliated with a GHES-partner institution in one of 16 designated LMICs.
• All applicants must propose one primary U.S. mentor and one primary LMIC mentor from GHES-approved mentor list.

Fellowship Structure

This is a mentored research training program. Applicants are expected to co-develop their research proposals with their designated U.S. and LMIC mentors. GHES fosters international collaborations by connecting fellows to existing research partnerships between institutions in the U.S. and LMICs.

Research Focus

Applicants should propose research addressing critical health issues in low-resource settings. Priority themes include:

• Impact of urbanization and social inequities
• Healthcare delivery innovation
• Noncommunicable and chronic diseases
• Infectious diseases (e.g., HIV, STIs)
• Maternal and child health
• Environmental health
• Mental health and trauma
• Health systems efficiency and resource allocation

Research Sites

GHES maintains collaborations with research sites in 16 LMICs. Applicants must identify a training site and mentorship team aligned with their research interests. Mentor letters of support are required from both U.S. and LMIC primary mentors.

Application Requirements

All applications must be submitted online by October 1, 2025. The application system allows partial saving using IP address tracking.

Required Sections:

1. Introduction – Overview of program and process.
2. Eligibility – Applicant’s status, institutional affiliation, prior funding, and transcripts (for pre-docs).
3. Personal and Contact Info – Citizenship, address, contact details.
4. Professional Background – Education, language proficiency, and academic experience.
5. Fellowship Details – Mentorship plan, site selection, timeline, career goals, IRB approvals.
6. Research Proposal – Must follow GHES guidelines and formatting requirements.

Required Documents:

• Research Proposal (must meet all formatting and content criteria)
• Letters of Recommendation (minimum two, maximum three)
  • One from a U.S. mentor at Yale, Stanford, UC Berkeley, or the University of Arizona
  • One from a mentor at an LMIC training site
  • Letters must be on institutional letterhead, signed, and include contact information
• NIH Biosketch (Fellowship format) for applicant
• NIH Biosketches (Non-Fellowship format) for both mentors

Applications missing required materials or incorrectly formatted documents will not be reviewed.

Selection Process

Candidates are evaluated based on research quality, alignment with GHES goals, mentorship strength, feasibility of the proposal, and potential for long-term impact in global health. Final selections are made by the GHES Fellowship Selection Committee.

Contact and More Information

Visit the GHES website for:

• List of training sites and LMIC collaborators
• Mentor directories
• Application guidelines and preview of questions
• Formatting instructions for NIH biosketches

For inquiries, applicants can contact GHES through the Yale Institute for Global Health website.