The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Fellows Program 2027–28 offers experienced public health professionals a fully funded opportunity to pursue a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the United States.
The Bloomberg Fellows Program is designed for professionals working with U.S.-based organizations that are addressing major public health challenges. Fellows receive full tuition and fee support for the DrPH degree while remaining connected to their collaborating organization throughout their studies.
The DrPH is a predominantly part-time program delivered through a combination of online classes and in-person institutes. It is designed for experienced public health professionals who want to advance into leadership roles in public health policy, practice, health systems, and related fields.
Applications for the current fellowship cycle are open until December 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
Degree Level
The Bloomberg Fellows Program supports the:
- Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
The DrPH program is a part-time doctoral program that can be completed in approximately 4–7 years.
Johns Hopkins states that the program includes 57 minimum credits of coursework, an applied practice experience, and dissertation requirements.
Available Subjects
The Johns Hopkins DrPH program offers a range of concentrations and tracks, including:
- Customized Program of Study
- Environmental Health
- Health Security
- Global Health: Policy and Evaluation
- Health Equity and Social Justice
- Health Policy and Management
- Healthcare Management and Leadership
- Health Policy
- Public Health Informatics
- Quality and Patient Safety
- Implementation Science
- Indigenous Health
- Women’s and Reproductive Health
Applicants may select a concentration or customized program that aligns with their professional interests and public health goals.
Benefits
Bloomberg Fellows receive comprehensive financial support for their Doctor of Public Health studies.
The fellowship provides:
- Full tuition and fees for the DrPH degree
- Funding for up to 70 credits under the Bloomberg Fellows Program
- Continued employment with the collaborating organization during the program
- A part-time study structure designed to allow Fellows to remain engaged in their professional work
- Access to Bloomberg American Health Initiative networks
- Special seminars, speakers, enrichment activities, and professional networking opportunities
- Participation in a national network of public health professionals, organizations, faculty, and alumni
- Required in-person fellowship activities and opportunities to connect with faculty and other Fellows
For the DrPH fellowship, Johns Hopkins states that the student remains an employee of the collaborating organization, which continues to pay the student. The fellowship itself provides the tuition and fee funding.
Is the Bloomberg Fellows Program Fully Funded?
Yes. Johns Hopkins describes the Bloomberg Fellows Program as a fully funded degree opportunity, and the DrPH fellowship provides full tuition and fee support for the degree.
However, applicants should understand that this is not the same as receiving a general living-expense stipend from the fellowship. Bloomberg Fellows remain employees of their collaborating organizations, and the organization pays them during the program according to its employment arrangements.
The fellowship therefore primarily provides full tuition and fee funding, while the Fellow’s employment provides their regular salary.
Focus Areas:
The Bloomberg American Health Initiative focuses on five major public health challenges in the United States:
- Addiction and overdose
- Environmental challenges
- Food systems for health
- Adolescent health
- Violence
Applicants must demonstrate a clear connection between their professional work, chosen focus area, and intended doctoral study.
Eligible Nationalities
The Bloomberg Fellows Program is not restricted to U.S. citizens.
International applicants may be eligible, but the fellowship has an important location requirement: applicants must currently be based in the United States and employed full-time by an organization whose relevant work is based in the United States.
Therefore, simply being an international student does not make an applicant ineligible, but an applicant living and working outside the United States generally would not meet the Bloomberg Fellows eligibility requirements.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the Bloomberg Fellows DrPH Program, applicants generally need to:
- Be currently based in the United States.
- Be employed full-time by a qualifying collaborating organization.
- Have their professional work based in the United States.
- Work with an organization addressing one of the five Bloomberg American Health Initiative focus areas.
- Apply for and gain admission to the Johns Hopkins DrPH program.
- Hold an MPH or another relevant graduate-level degree by the time of matriculation.
- Have at least three years of full-time professional experience in public health or a related field by the December 1 application deadline.
- Demonstrate a clear connection between their professional experience and chosen public health focus area.
- Continue working with their collaborating organization during the fellowship.
- Agree to the required post-graduation service obligation.
Johns Hopkins specifically states that internships, volunteer work, part-time positions, and work completed solely to satisfy degree requirements do not count toward the three-year professional experience requirement.
DrPH Admission Requirements:
Applicants must hold an MPH or another relevant graduate-level degree, such as an MHA, MHS, MPP, MSPH, MS/ScM, or another related degree, by the time they matriculate in August.
Applicants also need at least three years of full-time professional experience in public health or a related field by December 1.
GRE and GMAT scores are optional for the DrPH program. Johns Hopkins states that applications are reviewed holistically, and applicants who do not submit test scores must demonstrate quantitative and analytical ability through other parts of their application.
Collaborating Organization Requirement:
A key feature of the Bloomberg Fellows Program is the collaborating organization.
The applicant must already be employed full-time by the organization at the time of application and continue working with that organization throughout the fellowship.
The organization must work on one of the five Bloomberg American Health Initiative focus areas, and its relevant work must be based in the United States.
The collaborating organization also commits to employing the Fellow for at least one year following graduation.
Application Procedure
Applicants must complete two separate but connected application processes.
Step 1: Apply for the DrPH Program
- Applicants must apply to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health DrPH program through SOPHAS.
- Admission to the DrPH program is required before the fellowship application can be considered.
Step 2: Apply to the Bloomberg Fellows Program
- Applicants must separately complete the Bloomberg Fellows Program application and the required collaborating organization forms through the fellowship application system.
- The fellowship application and DrPH application are separate processes, so applicants must carefully complete both.
Step 3: Coordinate With the Collaborating Organization
- The collaborating organization must participate in the application process and demonstrate its commitment to supporting the applicant and continuing the employment relationship.
Step 4: Complete All Materials Before the Deadline
- Both the fellowship application and the required DrPH admissions materials must be submitted according to the applicable deadlines.
Late fellowship applications are not accepted.
Required Documents:
The DrPH application generally requires:
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
- Statement of purpose
- Current résumé or CV
- Letters of recommendation
- Additional materials requested by the Bloomberg School
- Information regarding relevant professional experience
- Information about intended concentration or track
- Faculty/research-interest information as requested by the program
In addition, Bloomberg Fellows applicants must submit the required fellowship application and collaborating organization forms.
Application Deadline:
For the current Bloomberg Fellows Program cycle, applications remain open until:
- December 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health also lists December 1, 2026, as the DrPH application deadline for the 2027–28 academic year.
Applicants should submit their materials well before the deadline because supporting documents must also be received according to Johns Hopkins admissions requirements.
When Do Bloomberg DrPH Fellows Begin?
- Bloomberg Fellows in the DrPH program begin their studies in August.
- The DrPH program is predominantly part-time, allowing Fellows to continue working with their collaborating organizations while completing their doctoral studies.
Service Obligation:
The Bloomberg Fellows Program includes an important service commitment.
After completing the DrPH degree, Fellows must work for at least one year with their collaborating organization in the selected focus area. Employment must begin within 12 months after completing the degree requirements.
This requirement is part of the fellowship grant agreement.
If a Fellow fails to satisfy the terms of the grant agreement, including completing the degree and fulfilling the service obligation, the grant may be required to be repaid. Johns Hopkins states that the grant can convert to a loan under the terms of the agreement, with repayment provisions including a possible loan arrangement of up to 15 years at a 1% annual interest rate.
In-Person Study Requirements:
Although the DrPH program is predominantly online and part-time, Bloomberg Fellows are required to complete at least five in-person credits in Baltimore during their fellowship.
Fellows must also participate in the fellowship orientation and the annual Bloomberg American Health Summit.
Important Points:
- The Bloomberg Fellows Program funds the Johns Hopkins DrPH degree.
- The fellowship provides full tuition and fee support.
- Applicants must apply separately to the DrPH program and the fellowship.
- Admission to the DrPH program is required for fellowship consideration.
- Applicants must have an MPH or another relevant graduate degree by matriculation.
- At least three years of relevant full-time professional experience is required by December 1.
- Applicants do not have to be U.S. citizens.
- Applicants must currently be based and employed in the United States.
- The applicant must work full-time for a qualifying U.S.-based collaborating organization.
- The organization must address one of the five Bloomberg American Health Initiative focus areas.
- The DrPH program is predominantly part-time.
- GRE and GMAT scores are optional.
- Fellows continue working with their collaborating organizations during the program.
- Fellows must complete at least five in-person credits in Baltimore.
- Fellows must fulfill a minimum one-year service obligation after graduation.
- Changing the collaborating organization after accepting the fellowship can result in the fellowship offer being rescinded.
- The fellowship application deadline is December 1, 2026.
