Global Health Established Field Placements (GHEFP)

Key info for the GHEFP 2026 Application Cycle

Application status: Open

Who can apply? Johns Hopkins-affiliated graduate students

How much are grants? $3,500 

What do grants cover? An eight-week (minimum) field experience at an established GHEFP site

Application deadline: DEADLINE EXTENDED TO February 18, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern Time

 

Submit application

Global Health Established Field Placement (GHEFP) awards were developed to inspire students to enter into global health research and practice careers by providing international cross-cultural field experience. This program is a great opportunity for graduate students at Johns Hopkins to gain international experience in lower resourced settings.

Selected students will be awarded a grant of $3,500* from the Center to defray travel and basic living costs. Placements vary in length, with a minimum of eight weeks.

*Actual award dollar amount may vary as awards may be subject to tax depending on your country of residence and may be  less if taxes are automatically deducted. This changes every year and varies widely by country. Students should work with their tax professionals to seek tax refunds as is appropriate.

GHEFP 2026 Info Session

There will be an optional 2026 GHEFP Info and Q+A session on January 15, 2026 from 12:00pm-1:00pm to share a brief overview of the program and to answer any questions you may have as you complete your applications. 

Please register here for the session.

Who is eligible?

  • GHEFP is open to full-time Johns Hopkins Master's students who can commit to a minimum of eight weeks and then return to complete their academic programs.
  • Additional limitations may be included in each individual placement description. 

 

Who is ineligible?

  • Students who complete their studies prior to the projected travel date are not eligible to apply
  • MPH students and Masters of Entry into Nursing (MEN) students are not eligible unless they are in dual degree programs and can meet all other eligibility requirements.
  • First-year medical students (MS1s) are not eligible
  • PhD Students are not eligible 

How to apply

Please carefully read through all steps and note all timelines for the application process. 

Step 1: Review placement opportunities

Please see the list of GHEFP 2026 placements here. 

Step 2: Understand the matching process
  • Applications will be sent to the site mentors and their teams will have approximately four weeks to review applications and review finalists. Mentors should review application materials, but may request additional information as may be appropriate, e.g. writing samples. Mentors may conduct personal interviews with the applicants, but this is not a requirement.
  • At the completion of the review period mentors will submit a list of three student finalists in priority order to CGH. The CGH will collect the lists of student finalists for each site and endeavor to match students and site based on the priority of both the mentor and student.
  • This process recognizes that students may decline a placement if it is not their preference.Students will be given a finite amount of time to accept their placement, which will be detailed in an email announcing their acceptance into a placement; those not accepting or not responding within the allotted time will forfeit their selection, including grant funding. Students who accept their placements will be provided a travel grant
  • The process for the GHEFP is competitive so students are not guaranteed a placement. Selection of awardees from the applicants will be made primarily by the project mentors. Because the student‘s contribution will affect the work of the project, the mentors will need to make their decisions based upon who they feel will serve them best. As a result it is possible that the mentors may choose not to accept any applicants, although this is not likely.
  • The CGH takes the matching process very seriously. This program is designed for faculty and students to create new collaborations and think through best possible fits by taking into consideration faculty and student preferences. Faculty and students should not discuss rankings with one another in order to facilitate a match.
  • Last year over half of our awardees were not 1:1 matches and we are proud of being able to fund many variations of a match to place as many students as possible. 
Step 3. Complete and submit all components of the application before the deadline

1. Prepare your applications for each site.

  • Download and save the “Application Form”. You will complete one form for each site to which you apply.
    • Section 1 of the Application Form should be filled out identically for each site
    • Section 2 should be written specifically with each site in mind.
  • Obtain a copy of your transcript (unofficial transcripts via the SIS website are acceptable).
  • You may prepare a CV for submission (not required, but recommended)

2. Create a single application PDF document for each site.

  • Combine your Application Form, Transcript, and CV (optional) into one single PDF per site, in that order.
  • Name your file using the following naming convention:  SiteNumber_StudentLastName_StudentFirstName_Application
    (Example: 456_Smith_Jane_Application)
    ***We will not accept files that are not named according to this convention. ***
  • Upload each PDF document to the google form application.

3. Complete and submit the google form with your personal information, site  preference rankings, and uploaded applications for each site.

  • Students are allowed to apply for up to three placements in priority order. If you are applying to fewer than three sites, please email the Student Program Coordinator (bsph.ghgrants@jhu.edu) to discuss this decision.

4. Obtain one letter of recommendation from your Hopkins advisor or another faculty member at Hopkins. 

  • The same general recommendation form will be submitted to all 3 sites on your behalf.
  • Your recommender should name the file: StudentLastName_StudentFirstName_LOR (Example: Smith_Jane_LOR)
  • Your recommendation must be submitted by your recommender via email to bsph.ghgrants@jhu.edu by February 18, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST.

5. If you have not taken the course yet, please register for 220.600.81 International Travel Preparation, Safety, & Wellness

  • This one-credit, pass/fail course offered in 2nd and 3rd term. It is designed to prepare students to practice public health in unfamiliar settings. Students go through course modules and reflection assignments to learn how to prepare for travel, to stay healthy and safe during travels, and to learn the ethics and cultural competency needed to navigate working in unfamiliar settings.
  • The course is required for GHEFP recipients. Please register for this course if you intend to apply for GHEFP and note that the last day to add this course for 3rd term is Jan 26, 2026. Contact course instructor Yvonne Tam at yvonneyotam@jhu.edu with any questions.
Step 4. Faculty review and potential interviews

Sites have the opportunity to interview applicants if they wish. Interviews will occur between February 12-March 12 , 2026. If you are not contacted for an interview, do not worry. Not all sites feel the need to interview candidates. 

Step 5. Opportunity to change site rankings

Students have the opportunity to change their preferences ONCE and must email the student program coordinator to make this change by March 16, 2026 at 5:00pm EST

Step 6. Matching and Awards

The Center for Global Health will notify students of their award status in mid March.

Checklist for GHEFP award awardees

Thank you to our funding partners! 

 

Other information

  • Applicants are advised that, depending upon the placement, the $3,500 award from the Center for Global Health may not cover the entire cost of their travel and subsistence. In this case the student will be required to use their own resources to meet their costs. Please refer to the estimated monthly/weekly costs provided on the placement posting to better understand the financial requirements for each site. If you have clarification questions, please contact the site PI.
  • Some PIs provide stipends, travel, living accommodations, food or other support based on their budgets, but they are not required to do so.
  • Please be advised that the award may be taxable, and a portion of the award could be withheld upon disbursement depending on your country of residence. As mentioned above, this changes every year and varies widely by country. Students should work with their tax professionals to seek tax refunds as is appropriate
  • Awardees will assist at the overseas site for the agreed time period.
  • Placement site faculty will provide supervision and guidance on locating suitable housing and living in-country

Timeline

1/06/2026: GHEFP applications go live
2/18/2026: Students submit applications to CGH
2/19/2026: CGH submits application to faculty/staff for review
2/19/2026-3/16/2026: Faculty and staff members conduct interviews with students
3/16/2026: Faculty/staff submit finalists to CGH
3/23/2026: CGH notifies GHEFP recipients of their award
Early April 2026: Mandatory Awardee meeting 
Dates TBD: Placements begin as negotiated
1 month after placement completion: Students submit reporting requirements
April 21, 2027: Students participate in Global Health Day 2027 

Questions?

Check out the FAQ or contact the Student Program Coordinator: bsph.ghgrants@jhu.edu