Duration: 3 years
Organization: Africa Health Research Training Programme
Deadline for Stage 1 applications: November 7th, 2025
Deadline for Stage 2 application: March 17th, 2026
ABOUT
The CREATE PhD Programme offers 25 fellowships for UK-registered health professionals and an equal number for fellows from partner African countries (Uganda, The Gambia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia). Fellows will register at either a UK or African institution and spend about two years conducting research in Africa. UK fellows will be paired with African fellows to form a joint cohort. The programme provides supervisory support from both UK and African institutions, mentorship, and extensive training. Research should address key public health issues in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches. The goal is to build future academic leaders equipped to reduce global health inequalities.
BENEFITS OF THE PhD PROGRAMME
- Dedicated support from the Project Management Group to support the application process and to provide oversight of your PhD.
- Outstanding global health supervisory expertise across a broad range of research themes and academic disciplines including laboratory science, bioinformatics, epidemiology, biostatistics, implementation science, social science and anthropology, development geography, health economics and health policy.
- Access to African Partner Institutions spread across the continent in countries with different disease burdens and health systems and with exceptional research platforms providing rich research opportunities.
- Access to relevant postgraduate training courses to promote scientifically rigorous research, and a rich programme of training and cohort activities.
- The Digital Global Health Academy, a modular research training programme, aimed at equipping fellows to be future global health leaders
- A centralised mentorship scheme as an additional support to the supervisory team.
- Peer-partnering of UK and African PhD fellows, sharing knowledge, ideas and training opportunities, building a mutually supportive community of fellows.
UK APPLICANTS
Eligibility
· Eligible to work in the UK and qualify for home or UK-level fees
· Willing to be based in one of the programme’s African Partner Institutions for 18-24 months
· Propose research within the remit of the programme, focusing on issues of public health importance to Africa
Funding
The programme will cover the fellow’s salary (this will be matched as closely as possible to your current salary), research costs, PhD registration fees, and overseas living costs.
AFRICAN APPLICANTS
Eligibility
- African national
- Professional with appropriate experience in health (note – not necessarily a health professional i.e. doctor, nurse etc)
- Willing to be based in one of the Programme African Partner Institutions (linked to the PhD) for the duration of their PhD
- Requisite training required to undertake the PhD Project (as specified for each project)
Funding
The programme will provide a stipend, research costs, PhD registration, and training costs.
How to Apply:
Stage 1
The application needs to contain the following elements:
1. Application form – completed on the:
jobs.lshtm.ac.uk
2. Supporting letter from academic referee
3. Completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (only used for programme monitoring)
Stage 2
Shortlisted applicants from Stage 1 will submit an application for one of the five available PhD fellowships. This will include;
1) A project details form
2) A detailed budget
3) Endorsement of application and budget from your proposed host UK and African Institutions.
For more information:
Visit Create PhD Programme official website on the link below:
PROGRAMME | CREATE PhD Programme
About the Author
