Harvard LEAD Fellowship | Apply Now
Open to applicants from all continents
Program Overview!
Ready to supercharge your leadership in global health? The Harvard LEAD Fellowship is a one-year, career-accelerating program that pairs executive coaching, Harvard executive education, and tailored mentorship with a short in-residence term at Harvard — all designed to amplify mid-career leaders who will mentor the next generation (especially women) in low- and middle-income countries. Three reasons to apply: (1) intensive leadership training + 1:1 coaching and masterclasses, (2) fully-funded in-residence experience (visa, travel, housing, course fees covered), and (3) strong mentorship and speaking/networking opportunities at Harvard.
The Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) connects Harvard’s schools and centers around shared global-health priorities and runs programs to build leadership, research and policy capacity. HGHI partners with the Department of Global Health & Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to deliver fellowships (like LEAD) that combine Harvard executive education, faculty mentorship and cross-sector engagement — with an emphasis on building leadership in low- and middle-income country contexts.
The LEAD Fellowship is a highly personalized, 12-month leadership program that begins with light virtual work (planning, coaching and credentialing) and culminates in an intensive in-residence experience at Harvard (executive course, masterclasses, mentorship, public speaking and team-building). Fellows develop a personal leadership plan, receive individual executive coaching (LVI/360 instruments are used), and are paired with Harvard faculty mentors. The program also creates visibility (speaking roles at events) and networking pathways in academia, policy and practice.
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Benefits:
- Financial: In-residence costs fully covered (housing, flights, course fees, J-1 visa fees) plus a living/logistics stipend for the campus weeks.
- Training: Executive education course (examples: Harvard Kennedy School “Women & Power”), private leadership masterclasses (negotiation, public speaking, crisis leadership, etc.).
- Coaching & Mentorship: 1:1 executive coaching plus a Harvard faculty mentor for the full year.
- Visibility & Networks: Speaking and panel opportunities, connections to Harvard faculty and global health leaders, and alumni network.
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Eligibility Criteria
- Degree: Minimum master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Experience: At least 10 years professional experience in global health (work done as a student does not count).
- Employment: Must work full-time in global health and have the full support of your employer plus a champion in your organization (mentor/reference).
- Location / Commitment: Candidates should be based/working in an LMIC and plan to return after the fellowship; must be able to take a 6-week leave for the April in-residence term.
- Visa: Must be able to obtain a J-1 visa to travel to the U.S. (visa fees are covered).
- Other: Fellows should not have participated in a full-time fellowship of 4+ months during the two years prior to arrival.
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Application Process
- When to apply: Applications for the 2026–2027 cohort are open now; deadline: 30 Nov 2025 (11:59 PM EST).
- How to apply: Submit your application online via the program’s application portal (the page links to the application on Reviewr). (Do not send materials by email.)
- Required documents: CV/Resume; Letter of Intent (≤1.5 pages — why LEAD and why transformative for your org/country); four short essays (≤2,000 characters each: career development plan, project plan, mentoring plan, fellowship impact); Letter of Institutional Commitment (from your employer allowing the April leave); Letter of Mentor Commitment; and two additional letters of reference (one must be from your current/most recent professional engagement and different from the mentor commitment).
- Selection / timing: The page does not publish detailed selection-round dates or notification timelines — apply by the deadline and check the application portal or contact HGHI for timelines.
About Harvard LEAD Fellowship
Ready to supercharge your leadership in global health? The Harvard LEAD Fellowship is a one-year, career-accelerating program that pairs executive coaching, Harvard executive education, and tailored mentorship with a short in-residence term at Harvard — all designed to amplify mid-career leaders who will mentor the next generation (especially women) in low- and middle-income countries. Three reasons to apply: (1) intensive leadership training + 1:1 coaching and masterclasses, (2) fully-funded in-residence experience (visa, travel, housing, course fees covered), and (3) strong mentorship and speaking/networking opportunities at Harvard.
The Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) connects Harvard’s schools and centers around shared global-health priorities and runs programs to build leadership, research and policy capacity. HGHI partners with the Department of Global Health & Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to deliver fellowships (like LEAD) that combine Harvard executive education, faculty mentorship and cross-sector engagement — with an emphasis on building leadership in low- and middle-income country contexts.
The LEAD Fellowship is a highly personalized, 12-month leadership program that begins with light virtual work (planning, coaching and credentialing) and culminates in an intensive in-residence experience at Harvard (executive course, masterclasses, mentorship, public speaking and team-building). Fellows develop a personal leadership plan, receive individual executive coaching (LVI/360 instruments are used), and are paired with Harvard faculty mentors. The program also creates visibility (speaking roles at events) and networking pathways in academia, policy and practice.
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