Full Program Details
Think of the nurse who now runs a state HIV programme, or the public health doctor who manages a hospital network and still finds time to mentor younger women in her team. Leaders like these rarely get a year to step back and grow. The Harvard LEAD Fellowship is built for exactly that, and it is open to global health professionals working in low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and the rest of Africa.
Fellows get a year of executive coaching and Harvard faculty mentors, plus a six-week stay at Harvard with housing, flights, course fees and a daily allowance covered by the fellowship.
Details at a glance:
- Host: Harvard Global Health Institute, with the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- Programme dates: 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2028
- Format: a 12-month virtual programme plus six weeks in residence at Harvard in April 2028
- Who it targets: senior global health professionals based in low- and middle-income countries who will mentor future women leaders
- Deadline: 11:59pm EST on Sunday, 15 November 2026
What the Fellowship Covers
- One-to-one executive leadership coaching, including leadership style assessments and a 360 review
- Monthly meetings with Harvard faculty mentors matched to your interests
- An executive education course and leadership workshops during the spring residency
- Speaking and networking opportunities across Harvard
- A stipend for the residency that covers housing, return flights to Cambridge, Massachusetts, course fees and a daily allowance for food and transport
You keep your job during the fellowship. The fall semester is light and virtual, and you only take leave from work for the six weeks on campus.
Who Can Apply
- You hold at least a master's degree in a relevant field
- You work full-time in global health and have at least 10 years of professional experience. Work done as a student does not count.
- You are currently based or working in a low- or middle-income country and plan to return there after the fellowship
- Your employer fully supports your application and will give you leave for six weeks in April 2028
- You can obtain a J-1 visa to travel to the United States
- You have not done a full-time fellowship of four months or longer in the two years before arriving at Harvard
Harvard says it welcomes applicants from all regions, disciplines, sectors and genders. The programme's mission is to grow leaders who will in turn mentor the next generation of women in global health, so your application should show how you will do that.
How to Apply
- Read the eligibility rules and FAQs on the official LEAD Fellowship page.
- Prepare your CV and a letter of intent of no more than 1.5 pages about your journey in global health and how the fellowship would change your organisation and country.
- Write four essays of up to 2,000 characters each: your career development plan, your project plan, your plan to mentor others, and the fellowship's impact on your organisation, field and home country.
- Get a letter of institutional commitment from your employer that confirms your leave in April 2028.
- Get a letter of mentor commitment from a champion in your organisation or network, plus two more reference letters. At least one must come from your current or most recent job.
- Submit everything through the online application portal linked on the official page before 11:59pm EST on 15 November 2026.
Timeline
- Applications close: 15 November 2026
- Selected applicants told: spring 2027
- Fellowship begins: 1 September 2027
- Residency at Harvard: about six weeks in April 2028
- Fellowship ends: 31 August 2028
GizPulse Verdict
Who this is for: Mid-career and senior health leaders in Africa with a decade or more of experience, a master's degree and an employer willing to back them, who want structured coaching and a Harvard network without leaving their job for a full year.
Who should pause: Early-career professionals, recent graduates and anyone outside full-time global health work will not meet the 10-year rule. If your employer will not sign the institutional commitment letter, sort that out before you start writing.
One tip to stand out: The mentoring essay is where many applicants go vague. Name the women you already mentor, what changed for them, and the exact programme you will run when you return home.
Read the full rules and start your application on the official Harvard LEAD Fellowship page.
