The CDC Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP) 2027 is one of the best-paid training fellowships in public health: two years as a full-time US federal employee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Applications close at 11:59 p.m. ET on 6 November 2026.
We covered the full programme, documents and dates in our main CDC PHIFP 2027 post. The question we get most from readers in Africa and elsewhere is simpler: can I apply if I am not American? This guide answers that, and explains the pay and other conditions you should know first.
Short Answer: Only With the Right US Status
PHIFP is not a scholarship for applicants abroad. Fellows are hired as federal employees and must work on-site in the United States. According to CDC’s eligibility guidance, you can apply if you are:
- a US citizen, or
- a US lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or
- a non-citizen who will be eligible for a J-1, TN, H-1B or OPT-EAD (STEM extension) status before the programme starts
CDC has also said that F-1 students must hold OPT with an EAD that is valid for the whole first year of the fellowship before it begins. Applicants must confirm they are not citizens of a country the US lists as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Important: CDC’s published eligibility page was written for an earlier class. Rules on visas can change, so confirm the current wording on the official PHIFP eligibility page before you spend time on an application.
Who This Realistically Suits
- Africans and other internationals already studying in the US (master’s or PhD) who can get OPT or J-1 status
- US green card holders and dual citizens
- professionals already in the US on H-1B or TN status
If you live outside the US and have no US status or route to one, this fellowship is very unlikely to work for you. Look at the related opportunities at the end of this post instead.
Pay and Benefits
- Master’s degree fellows: paid at GS-11, step 3 on the US federal pay scale
- Doctoral degree fellows: paid at GS-12, step 3
- the same benefits as other CDC employees, including health cover and paid annual and sick leave
- possible pay rises after year one, based on performance
Exact salary depends on the city of your assignment, because federal pay includes a local adjustment. Relocation costs are not covered, and remote work is not allowed.
Eligibility: Education and Experience
- a master’s or doctoral degree in a relevant field: public health, informatics, computer or data science, statistics, epidemiology, engineering or similar
- research or evaluation experience
- master’s applicants also need at least one year of relevant full-time work or volunteer experience
- willingness to commit to two full-time years and relocate to the assigned CDC site
Degrees from outside the US: you must submit a course-by-course credential evaluation from a NACES member organisation by the deadline. Evaluations that do not list individual courses are rejected. This can take several weeks, so order it now.
How to Apply
- Check your US status against the official eligibility page.
- If your degree is from outside the US, order a NACES course-by-course evaluation immediately.
- Prepare your CV, academic and work history, a personal statement (up to 1,000 words) and unofficial transcripts for every degree.
- Line up three recommenders; their forms are due one week after the application deadline.
- Submit through the official CDC application portal before 11:59 p.m. ET, 6 November 2026. Late applications are not accepted.
More details: CDC PHIFP official website.
Related Opportunities
- CDC Public Health Informatics Fellowship 2027: Full Programme Details
- Climate Risk Lab Data Science and Machine Learning Fellowship 2027 (Cape Town)
- mBio Early-Career Editorial Board 2027–2028
Deadline: 6 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET.
