What fellowships are open to new MPH graduates?

Fellowships are structured, time-limited positions, often one or two years, that combine real work with training and mentorship. For new MPH graduates, they're a common way to get a first full-time role and address the "experience required" problem.

Where to look

• Federal programs: CDC lists paid fellowships open to master's-level graduates, many run with partners such as ASPPH, APHL, and CSTE. The Presidential Management Fellows program, once a common federal route for new graduate-degree holders, was ended in 2025, so check USAJOBS and agency career pages for current federal pathways
• Professional associations: groups such as the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and other public health associations sponsor fellowships, often placing fellows in health departments
• State and local health departments: some run their own fellowship or associate programs
• Foundations, nonprofits, and universities: policy, research, and program fellowships, sometimes tied to a specific topic like global health or health equity
• Health systems: administrative or population health fellowships

Program names, funding, eligibility, and whether a program is running at all can change from year to year, especially for government-funded ones. Always confirm details on the official program website.

How to choose

Look at the host sites, the kind of work fellows actually do, mentorship, salary or stipend, benefits, and where past fellows ended up. Ask your career services office and faculty for alumni who completed a program you're considering.

Plan for early deadlines

Many fellowships have fixed application windows well before the start date, and some require letters of recommendation, essays, and interviews. Start your list at the beginning of your final year, and give recommenders plenty of notice. For timing more broadly, see when to start applying for jobs.

Use your practicum in the application

Fellowship essays usually ask why you're drawn to public health practice and what you've already done. Your practicum gives you concrete stories and a preceptor who can speak to your work. The article on the entry-level experience paradox explains why fellowships are one of the best bridges into the field.