Health and Medicine Scholarships and Fellowships Closing in 2026
If you are searching for health and medicine scholarships and fellowships, this roundup brings together fully funded options with deadlines from September to December 2026. It includes postdoctoral awards, PhD scholarships, and doctoral training in public health and biomedical research.
These opportunities suit students and researchers at different stages, from doctoral candidates to mid-career health researchers. Check each deadline carefully, because several close early in autumn 2026 and one UK-based doctoral option is for the 2027 intake.
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1. Canada Postdoctoral Research Award program 2026
The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award is a strong choice for postdoctoral researchers who want funding and flexibility to build their careers. It supports projects in Canada or abroad and sits within the Canada Research Training Awards Suite, which adds credibility and national-level support for research development.
2. Wellcome Trust Doctoral Fellowships for Healthcare Professionals
This Wellcome Trust fellowship is worth attention if you are a healthcare professional aiming for a PhD in global health, biomedical, or clinical sciences. It offers institutional training at partner institutions, covers tuition, and may include living expenses, which can make full-time doctoral study more realistic.
3. Wellcome Trust African Career Award in Health
The Wellcome Trust African Career Award in Health is designed for mid-career researchers in sub-Saharan Africa who want to build independent research careers. With up to five years of funding, it gives time to develop strong health research with local relevance and grow into a leading role.
4. Fulbright Doktora Sonrası Araştırma Bursu
This Fulbright postdoctoral fellowship is a valuable route for Turkish researchers who want to spend an academic year in the United States. It supports living costs, professional development, health insurance, and travel, making it a practical option for early post-PhD research experience abroad.
5. Hokkaido University Japan Scholarships 2027 (MEXT) Admissions Open
Hokkaido University’s MEXT scholarship is a strong match for students interested in life sciences and planning for the October 2027 intake. It is fully funded, covers tuition, provides a monthly stipend, and includes international travel support, which makes it especially attractive for graduate study in Japan.
6. Oxford OCEMR DPhil Studentships 2027 in UK
The Oxford OCEMR DPhil Studentships offer fully funded doctoral study at a top university for research linked to emerging minds and child and adolescent mental health. They cover course costs at the UK home-fee rate and provide a living stipend for three years, which supports focused PhD research.
7. Desmond Tutu Health Foundation PhD Scholarship
The Desmond Tutu Health Foundation PhD Scholarship stands out for students who want applied health research with direct programme experience. It is hosted with the University of Cape Town, funds two PhD students, and includes mentorship and research training inside active global health programmes.
8. HHMI Gilliam Fellows Program
HHMI Gilliam is a strong option for PhD students and their faculty advisors who care about both research and inclusive mentorship. It supports biological and biomedical research with stipend funding, a discretionary allowance, and an institutional allowance, so the benefit goes beyond tuition alone.
9. Friedrich Miescher Institute PhD and MD-PhD Programmes
The Friedrich Miescher Institute programmes are attractive for students who want intensive lab-based doctoral training in biomedical research. They recruit an international cohort and cover areas like neurobiology, genomic regulation, and multicellular systems, which can help applicants find a focused research environment.
10. Joint Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
This Joint Doctor of Public Health programme is a solid option for students aiming for leadership in public health research, policy, and practice. The cohort model, advanced coursework, and applied research structure make it useful for people who want a doctorate tied to real-world impact.
If you are preparing an application, focus on fit first, then on deadlines, documents, and referee requests. For late 2026 deadlines, starting now gives you time to tailor your research proposal and avoid last-minute mistakes.
Before you apply, check the official pages for eligibility, funding details, and closing dates, because some programmes have different conditions for countries, career stages, or intake years. If one of these fits your goals, do not wait until the final week.
Questions students ask
What health and medicine scholarships are closing soon in 2026?
Several deadlines fall in autumn 2026, including the Canada Postdoctoral Research Award on 11 September, the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation PhD Scholarship on 14 September, the Oxford OCEMR DPhil Studentships on 22 September, and the Fulbright postdoctoral fellowship on 5 October.
Are these health scholarships fully funded?
Yes. All of the opportunities in this roundup are marked as fully funded. The support differs by programme, but it can include tuition, stipends, travel, research funding, health insurance, or living expenses, depending on the award.
Can international students apply for these medical and public health fellowships?
Many of these opportunities are open internationally, but some are limited by nationality, region, career stage, or institution type. Always check the official eligibility rules before applying, especially for awards aimed at specific countries or regions.