Deadline: November 15, 2026
Applications are open for the Harvard LEAD Fellowship for Promoting Women in Global Health 2027-2028. The LEAD Fellowship, a one-year fellowship designed to advance leadership skills among individuals from low- and middle-income countries, is now accepting applications. Offered by the Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) in collaboration with the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the program supports the continued development of leaders in global health.
Program Overview
The 2027–2028 LEAD Fellowship program will consist of a 12-month virtual curriculum with a six-week in-person experience in Spring 2028. Throughout their fellowship year, fellows will engage in one-on-one leadership coaching, mentorship, an executive education course, speaking events, private leadership masterclasses led by Harvard faculty, and networking opportunities.
The LEAD Fellowship is highly customized to each fellow, giving participants the autonomy to build their own leadership development curriculum around their specific interests, goals, and areas for growth. Fellows are connected to world-class faculty and senior mentors who offer instruction and guidance aligned with their individual goals. They also engage in tailored leadership training as a cohort and have opportunities for speaking, networking, and independent project work.
Each year, fellows graduate from the program having built a network of peers and mentors across Harvard University. The fellowship experience specifically aims to offer global health leaders time to reflect, connect, and explore uncharted territories.
Costs
- The in-residence month on campus is financially covered through the fellowship award and fellows will be provided a stipend for logistical expenses (i.e. housing, flights to and from Cambridge, MA, course fees and daily per diem for food and transportation).
Eligibility
- Applicants must have a minimum of a Master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Applicants must work full-time in the field of global health and have at least 10 years of professional experience beyond their education. Work completed as a university student does not count as professional experience.
- Applicants must take a leave of absence (or equivalent) from their home institution during their six-week in-residence experience in April 2028.
- Applicants must be eligible to obtain a J-1 visa for travel to the United States in April 2028 and must be available to reside in Cambridge, MA, for six weeks. Visa fees, housing, and flights will be covered by the fellowship, and a living stipend will be provided for the time in the United States.
- In the two years prior to their fellowship at Harvard, candidates may not have participated in any full-time fellowship that lasted four months or longer.
- Applicants must have substantial leadership experience and demonstrate further leadership potential.
Application
All application materials are due by 11:59 PM EST, Sunday, November 15, 2026. Applicants will be notified in spring 2027 if selected for the fellowship. The fellowship will run from September 1, 2027, to August 31, 2028.
Application materials include:
- CV/Resume
- A Letter of Intent (no more than 1.5 pages in length) The letter of intent should describe your professional journey in global health and why/how the LEAD fellowship would be transformative for your organization and your country.
- Four essays (no more than 2000 characters each)
- Essay 1: Plan for Career Development/Training Activities
- Essay 2: Project Plan
- Essay 3: Candidate’s Plan to Provide Mentoring
- Essay 4: Fellowship Impact on Candidate’s Organization, Field, and Home Country
- A Letter of Institutional Commitment from their home institution that supports their proposal to join the fellowship program. It is also essential to document the institution’s commitment to allow the candidate a leave of absence during April to focus exclusively on the LEAD fellowship curriculum activities in residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- A Letter of Mentor Commitment from someone within your organization or network that is a champion of your professional development.
- Two additional letters of reference. At least one reference must be from your current/most recent professional engagement and must be different from the Letter of Mentor Commitment.
For more information, visit Harvard LEAD Fellowship.
