National Institutes of Health - NIH-Oxford-Cambridge Scholars' Programme

What the NIH OxCam Scholars Programme gives you

You get full funding for a four-year PhD in biomedical research. You split your time between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, and either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge in the UK. The NIH pays your tuition and fees. It also pays a monthly stipend (a fixed living allowance) for all four years. On top of that you get medical benefits, a travel allowance, and a place at the NIH as a pre-doctoral trainee. You work on one research project with two supervisors: one at the NIH and one at Oxford or Cambridge. You finish with a PhD or DPhil from the UK university. There are no required courses, so you start your thesis research from day one. The NIH Graduate Partnerships Program runs the programme together with Oxford and Cambridge.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a US citizen or hold permanent resident status (a Green Card holder). This is an essential requirement.
• Degree: You must hold a bachelor’s degree at the start of your studies.
• Field: You work in any field of biomedical research, such as genetics, immunology, neuroscience, cancer biology, structural biology or biomedical engineering.
• Research experience: You have practical research experience, for example gained through a summer project, a work-related project or a research project as part of your Bachelor’s degree.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the ‘NIH Graduate Partnerships Programme Application Centre’. There is no application fee. The portal is open between August and December. The application deadline is 1 December at 12:00 Eastern Time; at least three letters of recommendation must be submitted shortly afterwards. Before applying, it is strongly recommended (though not mandatory) that you contact three to five potential NIH supervisors from the research units listed on the programme website. Shortlisted applicants will receive feedback at the end of January and will take part in three-day virtual interviews in February. Admission decisions will be announced at the end of February.

How realistic are your chances?

The programme is deliberately kept small and admits around 12 to 15 students each year; competition is very fierce. Applicants generally have an outstanding research track record, and many are already scholarship holders in programmes such as Rhodes, Marshall or Gates Cambridge. Your chances improve considerably if you have genuine laboratory experience and a clear research focus, and have already made contact with potential NIH supervisors prior to your application. As the target group is narrowly defined (US citizens or US residents committed to biomedical research), a well-suited, well-prepared applicant has a genuine chance of success.