Health Policy Research Scholars Program – United States

The program is for doctoral students who want to ensure their research is aligned with the health needs of communities and in service of health, wellbeing, and equity; to challenge longstanding, entrenched harmful systems; to exhibit new ways of working; to collaborate across disciplines and sectors; and to bolster their leadership skills. HPRS offers training in health policy, including the various stages of the policy process, approaches to systems change and how to craft an actionable research question that can inform solutions to advance health equity—as well as mentorship, and career and leadership coaching. HPRS is a community of research leaders who will advance health equity and make impactful societal change. Up to 40 scholars will be selected for the 2025 cohort, which will be the program’s final cohort.

Goals

• After completing the HPRS program, the scholar should:
  • Have extensive knowledge of health equity and the ability to translate and disseminate their research to various end users, including policymakers, communities, and other decision makers.
  • Have the capacity to exercise individual and collective leadership.
  • Be able to apply research and interdisciplinary collaboration skills to engage multiple sectors (e.g., policy, education, business, communities, government) to effectively translate research findings that will inform and influence policy to advance health equity).
  • Engage diverse interdisciplinary networks of researchers.
  • Establish meaningful and sustained relationships and collaborations with HPRS and other RWJF leadership programs and program participants.
  • Contribute to research and a national dialogue on the policy changes necessary for creating the conditions for good health, including the dismantling of structural racism.

Focus Areas

• Effective leadership to advance health equity by changing systems and addressing structural racism and other injustices requires:
  • A deep understanding of society’s systems and power dynamics over the course of history and willingness to challenge pervasive and systemic issues;
  • The desire and ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and sectors to co-design new solutions;
  • An understanding of the role of policy in advancing systems change alongside other strategies, such as forging meaningful partnerships, sharing and building power, and developing and amplifying compelling narratives.

Funding Information

• Grant funds from RWJF will include:
  • Award funds: $30,000 per year for up to four years or until recipient completes their doctoral program (whichever is sooner).
  • Administrative fee: Home institutions receive an administrative fee of $1,000 per year ($4,000 in total) added to the grant amount to cover the administrative costs of managing the award.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be starting full-time, second-year doctoral studies in a research-based program in fall 2025 at a degree-granting institution based in the United States or its territories. Applicants must remain full-time doctoral students while enrolled in HPRS;
• Applicants must have at least three academic years remaining in their doctoral program and not expect to graduate before spring/summer 2028;
• Applicants must be from marginalized backgrounds, and be able to describe how their background, identity, or lived experiences have positioned them to contribute to the goals of the program. Examples of marginalized backgrounds include, but are not limited to, first generation college graduates; individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; individuals from minoritized populations, and individuals with disabilities.
• Applicants cannot be a recipient of a national fellowship program that prohibits participation in additional programs such as HPRS. Applicants should make sure to check the policies of other fellowships;
• Applicants must be at least 21 years old as of September 1, 2025;
• Federal, state, tribal, and local government employees are eligible to apply unless they are considered government officials1 under Section 4946 of the Internal Revenue Code;
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or individuals granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Status or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the time of application. As federal policy or laws change, they may need to consider adjustments in eligibility and grant terms;

Application Requirements

• You will submit one application through the RWJF online application and review system.
• Here’s how:
  • If you haven’t already done so, first register at MyRWJF;
  • Complete the online application;
  • Select a home institution mentor;
  • Collect your mentor’s curriculum vitae (CV) (a National Institutes of Health biosketch is also acceptable);
  • Prepare your CV (maximum of four pages);
  • Identify one person to provide a reference for you. Your home institution mentor must provide the second reference. Share this CFA with both of your references and obtain their email addresses for the online application. Because two references are required, they recommend sharing the CFA as early as possible and confirming that both references are prepared to submit their reference on time. It may also be helpful to have a backup reference in mind in case the first option cannot complete the reference on time. You will not be able to submit your application without the two references;
  • Obtain your doctoral transcript;
  • Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to register at MyRWJF, familiarize yourself with the online submission requirements, gather your materials, and complete all sections of the application. Because they receive so many applications, staff may not be able to assist all applicants in the final 24 hours before the submission deadline. Accordingly, they recommend building in extra time as you build and complete your application, so you are not rushed at the last minute;
  • RWJF will accept only those applications that are completed and submitted at the time of the deadline. Because one of our Guiding Principles is to treat everyone with fairness and respect, RWJF’s deadline policy applies to all applicants without exceptions.

For more information, visit RWJF.