Frequently Asked Questions

August – November: Application portal is open on the HBNU website and accepting submissions for consideration

November – January: Application materials are compiled and reviewed internally by HBNU

February – March: Top applicants are forwarded to the NIH for review

April – June: Awards/funding confirmed and candidates are notified

*Early July: Awarded fellows are required to attend the week-long training and orientation on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, USA (if in-person activities are permitted)

July – June: Fellowship research projects are carried out

We try to support as many candidates as possible and we are typically able to fund between 15-20 fellows each year contingent upon NIH funding.

HBNU is not currently considering additional international training sites, but may do so again in the future. Please note that adding new training sites requires a rigorous application and review process by the NIH to become affiliated with HBNU. For more information, please contact the HBNU Administrative Team.

…I am a U.S. candidate and cannot commit 11-12 months to living abroad?
No. One of the main requirements of the program is that U.S. trainees must train in the LMIC where they plan to carry out their research plan for 11 to 12 consecutive months during the fellowship.

Note: We require U.S. trainees to spend 11-12 consecutive months at their site unless special circumstances prevent that from being possible. If you have a unique situation that would not allow you to spend 11-12 consecutive months abroad, then please discuss this with the HBNU Administrative Team before applying to the program.

…I am an LMIC candidate and cannot commit 1-3 months to visiting my U.S. partner institution?
No. The U.S.-based short-term training for LMIC fellows is a key component of the HBNU Fogarty Global Health Research and Training Program. LMIC fellows are required to undertake short-term (1-3 consecutive months) training at their HBNU-affiliated U.S. partner institution (Harvard University, Boston University, Northwestern University, University of New Mexico).

Note: We require LMIC trainees to spend 1-3 consecutive months at their HBNU-affiliated U.S. partner institution unless special circumstances prevent that from being possible. If you have a unique situation that would not allow you to spend 1-3 consecutive months at your U.S. partner institution, then please discuss this with the HBNU Administrative Team before applying to the program.

 I am affiliated with a U.S. institution other than one of the four HBNU consortium members or other NIH FIC consortia. Am I eligible to apply?
Yes. You may apply as long as you meet the rest of the eligibility criteria.

Note: Applicants affiliated with U.S. universities that are not part of an FIC Global Health Program Consortium (HBNU, GloCal, GHES, UJMT, NPGH, ACHIEVE, INSIGHT) are welcome to apply through this consortium. Applicants who are affiliated with a university that is part of an FIC Global Health Program Consortium should apply through their university’s consortium.

I am a citizen of a country that is not listed as one of HBNU’s collaborating LMICs. Am I eligible to apply?
No. At this time, only citizens/permanent residents of HBNU’s collaborating LMICs are eligible to apply. If your country is not one of the LMICs listed on HBNU’s website, we encourage you to explore the sites that are affiliated with one of the other FIC LAUNCH Consortia.

Note: If you are from a low-income country (per World Bank classification) that is not one of our collaborating LMICs, but you are living/working in a country that is one of our collaborating LMICs and you have an appointment/are employed by one of our collaborating LMIC sites, then you may be eligible to apply. For more information, please contact the HBNU Administrative Team. 

No. Candidates must select one FIC LAUNCH consortium to apply through. We encourage candidates to review the affiliated sites and research priorities of each consortium and to select the best program for your research interests.

I am a master’s (or undergraduate) student. Am I eligible to apply?
No. The program is not accepting master’s or undergraduate students at this time.

I am an international student enrolled in a PhD program at one of the US consortium universities. Am I eligible to apply as a U.S. predoctoral fellow?
No. International/LMIC fellows must have already received, of the beginning date of the training period, a PhD, MD, DDS, or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited institution. Comparable doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to, the following: DMD, DC, DO, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, DPT, PharmD, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), DSW, PsyD, as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research.

International/LMIC fellows who wish to apply as U.S. predoctoral candidates must be U.S. permanent residents and enrolled in in a PhD program at one of the HBNU-affiliated U.S. consortium universities.

HBNU Eligibility Criteria: 

1.  U.S. Pre-Doctoral Candidate
a.    U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
b.    Enrolled in accredited doctoral level program (MD, PhD or equivalent) in public health, government, business, design, engineering, education, medicine, nutrition, law, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, or nursing.
c.    Health-professional students (e.g., MD, DDS, etc.) who wish to interrupt their studies for a year or more to engage in full-time research training before completing their formal training programs are also eligible. Health professional students must submit a letter of commitment to demonstrate their ability to interrupt their clinical studies for at least 1 year to engage full time in this program.
d.    Available to dedicate 40 hours per week to the research fellowship for 11-12 months at the international site, beginning in July.

2.  U.S. Post-Doctoral Candidate
a.    U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
b.    Received, as of the beginning date of the training period, a PhD, MD, DDS, or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited institution. Comparable doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to, the following: DMD, DC, DO, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, DPT, PharmD, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), DSW, PsyD, as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research.
c.    Available to dedicate 40 hours per week to the research fellowship for 11-12 months at the international site, beginning in July.

3.  LMIC Post-Doctoral Candidate
a.    Citizen of one of HBNU’s collaborating LMICs. LMIC postdocs must be affiliated with the site of their proposed research project.
b.    Received, as of the beginning date of the training period, a PhD, MD, DDS, or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited institution. Comparable doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to, the following: DMD, DC, DO, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, DPT, PharmD, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), DSW, PsyD, as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research.
c.    Available to dedicate 40 hours per week to the research fellowship for 11-12 months at the international site, beginning in July; Available to travel for 1-3 months for the required short-term training at their HBNU-affiliated U.S. institution.

Preference is given to any applicants with co-funding from their institution’s NIH T32, D43, MEPI or other grants.

While there is no time limit on when you can apply to this fellowship program, please note that this opportunity is aimed at early-career development. Our preference is that you have completed your terminal degree within the past 1-6 years. However, we recognize that everyone’s career path and professional development is different and we welcome you to elaborate on how this opportunity would benefit you in your Career/Personal Statement in your application.

There is no age limit.

No. Prospective LMIC candidates must apply through and train in their home country / at the LMIC site with which they are already affiliated. At this time, the HBNU program does not have the ability to support appointments and travel between our collaborating LMIC institutions.

Note: If LMIC fellows are unable to fulfill the short-term (1-3months) training requirement at their U.S. HBNU institution, then they may have an opportunity to carry out their short-term training at one of HBNU’s other collaborating LMIC institutions. Please note that fellows will need to discuss this in advance with the HBNU PIs and Administrative Team as this would be an exception to the standard requirement. For more information, please contact the HBNU Administrative Team.

Yes. A very wide range of research areas are supported by HBNU. If your research area is not within the four main categories listed on our website, we encourage you to explore the various NIH Institutes and Centers to see if your research aligns well with their mission and research priorities.

International/LMIC applicants will conduct between 9-11 months of research in their home country. International/LMIC applicants are required to spend between 1-3 months at their HBNU-affiliated U.S. institution undertaking short-term training – your HBNU U.S. mentor is an ideal resource for helping to identify worthwhile training opportunities and activities during your visit to the U.S. and you should work closely with them to develop a detailed training plan.

Prospective applicants are expected to design their own research projects, but the project can be incorporated/nested within a research study that is already taking place. It is important to propose a project that will be feasible to complete with the allocated budget ($15,000) and timeline (12 months). Please review the current fellows/alumni pages to learn more about the kinds of research HBNU fellows have done in each country.

All HBNU fellows are expected to work on their research project for 40 hours protected time per week for 12 months.

If you intend to maintain affiliation with your current employer then please ensure you submit a Letter of Commitment from your department chair or equivalent in your application materials. This letter should describe how your current workload will be reduced to provide the protected time needed to complete the program.

Applicants should secure the support of at least one U.S. HBNU-affiliated (HSPH, BU, NW, UNM) mentor and one LMIC/site-based mentor from a collaborating LMIC site before applying to the program. The application will request information about your mentors and your plans for mentorship while you are in the training program. You must submit a letter of support from each of these mentors in order for your application to be considered complete and eligible.

The program is unable to match prospective applicants with mentors. If you are having difficulty locating or contacting a potential mentor, then please reach out to the HBNU Administrative Team for assistance. The program will do its best to connect you with a potential mentor, but mentor-mentee relationships are best made by the candidate and it is at the discretion of the potential mentor to determine whether they are willing and able to provide mentorship for the fellowship year. We encourage you to seek out mentors whose research area and expertise best align with your project.

Note: How to find/choose mentors:

1. Review the mentors listed on our website – U.S. Mentors and LMIC Mentors can be found on their respective institutional pages
2. Review the online profiles of other researchers/faculty who work in your area of interest (ex. mentors who are not currently listed on the HBNU website can be approved and added later on, as long as they hold affiliation at one of HBNU’s collaborating U.S. or LMIC sites)
3. Contact the LMIC site director or leading U.S. PI to ask for recommendations
4. Use your other mentors/supervisors as a resource and ask for their recommendations or if they can connect you to anyone

Yes. You must secure the support of at least one HBNU-affiliated U.S.-based mentor and one LMIC/site mentor who is based at the site where you will conduct your research project. However, we encourage candidates to form multi-mentor teams that best suit the needs of their research project (e.g., Candidates may secure the support of additional mentor(s) who are not currently affiliated with any of our collaborating institutions).

Yes. As long as your mentor is affiliated with one of the four U.S. HBNU institutions (Harvard, BU, Northwestern, UNM) or is affiliated with one of our 21 collaborating LMIC sites and is willing to mentor you throughout the fellowship, then they can be approved and added to our mentor lists later on.

The U.S.-based short-term training for LMIC fellows is a key component of the HBNU Fogarty Global Health Research and Training Program. LMIC fellows are required to undertake short-term (1-3 months) training at their HBNU-affiliated U.S. partner institution (Harvard University, Boston University, Northwestern University, University of New Mexico). Tailored for each LMIC fellow, the short-term training will introduce trainees to the U.S. host institution and facilitate the advancement of their research and professional development.

The purpose of the short-term training requirement is to allow all trainees the opportunity to broaden their global perspective on research and health by advancing their development of intercultural competence, appreciation of indigenous knowledge, acquisition of special skills, growth from alternative research practices, and networking with potential future collaborators.

Based on trainees’ needs and local research infrastructure, activities may include in-person mentor–mentee meetings, mentor lab meetings and corresponding departmental and divisional meetings, weekly global health conferences, Research in Progress seminars, medical and surgical Grand Rounds, and Implementation Science monthly seminars. Other activities could be lab or clinical research-focused advanced training in genomics, transcriptomics, drug discovery, or bioinformatics.

Note: Trainees are expected to submit a brief short-term training proposal as part of their application. You should work with your mentors to develop this brief proposal. If awarded, you will work with your mentors to further develop and refine this plan before submitting it to the HBNU PIs and Administrative Team for approval.

Yes. However, to fulfill the program requirements, multiple trips to your home country / outside of the U.S. are not advised, though medical and personal emergencies may require you to return to your home country. In such cases, a written request to the HBNU Administrative Team must be made prior to travel. Whenever leaving the site for any reason, fellows must inform their U.S. mentor, international/LMIC mentor, and the HBNU Administrative Team of their plans.

Note: The HBNU program is only able to budget for one round-trip flight. Should you wish to split up your travel (ex. visit your U.S. institution for one month, return home for one month, and then visit your U.S. institution again for one month), or travel outside of your HBNU-affiliated U.S. institution (domestic travel within the U.S.) the HBNU program is only able to cover one international round-trip flight. Any travel expenses beyond one round-trip international flight is the responsibility of the fellow. Accommodations may be considered in extenuating circumstances. 

Yes. However, to fulfill the program requirements, multiple trips to the U.S. are not advised, though medical and personal emergencies may require you to take leave from your LMIC site. In such cases, a written request to the HBNU Administrative Team must be made prior to travel. Whenever leaving the site for any reason (including weekends, holidays, to visit family, etc.), fellows must inform their U.S. mentor, international/LMIC mentor, and the HBNU Administrative Team of their plans. The safety of trainees is our utmost concern and we need to know your location should any threats arise (weather, natural disaster, civil unrest, etc.). Leaving the training site without notifying the appropriate individuals is considered unacceptable behavior and could be grounds for dismissal.</p>
<p><em><span style=”text-decoration: underline”><strong>Note:</strong></span><strong> </strong>The HBNU program is only able to cover one international round-trip flight to/from the LMIC site. Any travel expenses beyond one international round-trip flight, or outside of the LMIC site, is the responsibility of the fellow. Accommodations may be made in extenuating circumstances. </em></p>
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All fellows will receive:

• Monthly stipend for 12 months. All stipends are potentially taxable under U.S. and international law.
• Funding for research support (lab supplies, software…)
• International health insurance for U.S. fellows
• Health insurance for LMIC fellows while at NIH Orientation and during LMIC Short-Term Training in the U.S.
• Required vaccinations for U.S. fellows
• Required vaccinations for LMIC fellows
• Visa and passport fees for U.S. and LMIC fellows
• Round trip travel to the LMIC training site for U.S. fellows
• Round trip travel to HBNU-affiliated U.S. institution for LMIC fellows
• Travel and accommodation to attend the orientation at NIH in July for U.S. and LMIC fellows

All HBNU fellows will receive $15,000 in research funding to be used toward their research projects.

Stipend amounts for international/LMIC trainees are based on corresponding salaries for researchers within their home country. Stipends for U.S. predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows are based on career level and are determined by the NIH. For more information, please refer to the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2023

No. This fellowship does not cover tuition costs.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor for the HBNU program or providing mentorship to a future HBNU fellow (e.g., you would like to be listed on our website and are open to being contacted by prospective candidates), please contact the HBNU Administrative Team to express your interest or with any questions.

US and LMIC mentors are typically faculty at HBNU US partner universities and collaborating LMIC sites. HBNU’s program mentors possess a breadth of expertise and are committed to the training and advancement of early-career researchers in global health. Proposed faculty mentors from HBNU’s collaborating US and LMIC partners are reviewed by HBNU’s core multi-principal investigator Leadership Group and Site Directors for evidence of successful mentorship, such as involvement in training grants or leading doctoral and postdoctoral programs. HBNU mentors should be at an academic rank of Assistant Professor or higher.

Mentors from institutions outside of HBNU (US or LMIC) may become affiliated on a case-by-case basis but may not serve as the sole US or LMIC mentor on a fellow’s mentoring team – fellows are required to secure the support of at least one US mentor (from Harvard, BU, Northwestern, or UNM) and one LMIC mentor from a collaborating institution (please review our list of collaborating LMIC sites). There are no requirements or restrictions on additional mentors.

The HBNU program does not match mentors to fellows. Interested applicants must identify and contact potential mentors with whom they are interested in working during the application process.

If trainees have an existing mentor at a partner institution, then they may request to continue working with that mentor for the fellowship.

During the application process, faculty mentors who agree to provide mentorship to a prospective candidate are expected to provide a letter of support (a required application material) and assist in the development and refinement of the candidate’s other application materials (e.g., the research proposal, mentorship plan, etc.). US mentors are also expected to assist in the development of a high-level short-term US training plan if they have agreed to mentor an LMIC candidate. More information about the short-term US training requirement is available below.

Mentors must agree to program-specific requirements during the fellowship year, including:

• Completing a Mentoring Compact, which lays out expectations for the mentoring relationship with their trainee
• Assisting their trainee in developing a Fellowship Training Plan
• Attending annual mentoring workshops, trainee progress evaluation meetings (up to four meetings), and committee meetings (as needed). Mentors will not be asked to attend more than one meeting per month (not including individual mentor-mentee meetings as outlined in the compact).
• Serve as the primary contact for technical assistance at the trainee’s HBNU partner institution and connect the trainee with the appropriate contacts for administrative assistance, as needed.
• Provide support to the trainee, as needed, to ensure a successful fellowship experience. US mentors will work with their trainee to plan an enriching short-term US training experience, as well as hosting the trainee at their US institution.

Mentors are informally evaluated throughout the fellowship year based on regular progress reports from trainees and formally through pre-fellowship, mid-point, and post-fellowship surveys.

The HBNU program recognizes that research training is a purposeful activity that is the product of thoughtful analysis of the background, interests, and needs of each trainee. All trainees, with their mentors, will develop a Fellowship Training Plan. This should include research planning (determining timelines, roles, etc.) as well as an assessment of the trainee’s needs and goals. Additionally, the Training Plan will include a description of short- and long-term career objectives, and professional development activities needed to reach them.

The trainee and their mentoring team will complete a Mentoring Compact to formalize mutually agreed upon mentoring goals, frequency of contact, deliverable timelines, and resources. The Mentoring Compact is intended to help in the planning process and to facilitate communication between mentees and mentors. It is viewed as a dynamic document that should be periodically reviewed and updated throughout an individual’s training.

The US-based short-term training requirement for LMIC fellows is a key component of the HBNU Fogarty Global Health Research and Training Program. LMIC fellows are required to undertake short-term (1-3 months) training at their HBNU-affiliated US partner institution with their US mentor(s). Tailored for each LMIC fellow, the short-term training will introduce trainees to the US host institution and facilitate the advancement of their research and professional development.

A portion of the LMIC trainee stipend is allocated toward the US short-term training visit (the specific amount is subject to change based on the overall LMIC stipend amount). Depending upon the specific US partner institution, the trainee stipend will either be disbursed ahead of travel by the LMIC research site or held at Harvard University to be disbursed upon the trainee’s arrival in the US.

Trainee short-term US training stipends should be used to cover living expenses such as food, housing, and basic transportation. HBNU is responsible for covering the cost of health insurance while in the US and the cost of roundtrip airfare (one roundtrip to/from the LMIC research site to the US partner institution).

The purpose of the short-term training requirement is to allow all trainees the opportunity to broaden their global perspective on research and health by advancing their development of intercultural competence, appreciation of indigenous knowledge, acquisition of special skills, growth from alternative research practices, and networking with potential future collaborators.

Based on trainees’ needs and local research infrastructure, activities may include attendance at in-person meetings, including (but not limited to) mentor-mentee meetings, mentor lab meetings, departmental and divisional meetings, weekly or monthly global health conferences, research-in-progress seminars, medical and surgical Grand Rounds, and seminars/lectures related to the trainee(s) specific area of research/interest. Trainees may also attend US scientific or other research conferences if they coincide with the dates of travel. Other activities could include lab or clinical research-focused advanced training in methods relevant to the trainee’s research. Mentors should work with their trainee(s) to determine what activities will be most beneficial for their fellowship research and professional development goals.

In addition to assisting in the development of an acceptable short-term training plan, US mentors should work together with their department/university administrators to discuss the obligations of the host institution. Pre-travel arrangements include reviewing visa guidelines (B-1 visa vs. J-1 visa) as they relate to the proposed training activities and relevant funding guidance, preparing the visa (the US host institution must sponsor the visa – Harvard University is unable to sponsor visas for trainees who are visiting other universities), any English Language Proficiency requirements for visiting or international scholars, and any institutional health insurance requirements. During the trainee’s visit, the host institution is also responsible for arranging office/desk space, a temporary ID, and building access, and should assist trainees in locating suitable housing/lodging (all as needed and based on the needs of the trainee/of the overall visit).

Note: The initial plan included in the candidate’s application materials should be high-level and does not need to be highly detailed. If awarded, trainees and their mentoring teams will be required to submit a longer, more detailed training plan during the onboarding and orientation phase between July – August of the fellowship year. If the trainee or the proposed mentor has any concerns about being able to successfully fulfill this requirement (e.g., concerns about traveling for an extended period of time), please indicate any concerns or considerations in this initial plan.

The HBNU program does not provide mentors with any stipend/salary during the fellowship year. However, the HBNU program does provide some financial support to our partner sites for supporting HBNU trainees during their fellowship. The exact amount of financial support is determined by the number of trainees being hosted by the site. The use of these funds is fully at the partner site’s discretion and can be used to support the effort of the mentors; offset the administrative responsibilities of staff who oversee the day-to-day work and progress of the trainee(s); or support infrastructure, development, and procurement, such as specialized space, laboratory supplies, and computer/internet access for the trainee(s).