At a Glance
Public health fellowships are paid, competitive programs that place recent graduates and early-career professionals in roles at agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS, and state health departments. Programs like PHAP, PMF, and the ASPPH/CDC Fellowship run one to three years, carry real salaries or stipends, and many offer direct pathways to permanent government employment.
The 2020 COVID-19 response exposed a gap the public health field had been quietly managing for years: there weren’t enough trained professionals to staff the surge. By 2022, multiple national workforce reports had documented that state and local health departments faced significant workforce losses, staffing shortages, and elevated turnover following years of attrition and chronic underinvestment. Rebuilding that workforce starts with getting new graduates into structured training environments. That’s exactly what fellowships are designed to do.
For MPH graduates and early-career professionals trying to break into a field where entry-level positions often require three to five years of experience, fellowships are one of the most direct paths available. They come with a salary, a mentor, and in some cases a non-competitive hiring pathway that bypasses the standard federal job queue. This guide covers the major programs, who qualify, what they pay, and how to put together a competitive application.
What Is a Public Health Fellowship?
A public health fellowship is a funded, time-limited position that combines real work with structured training, mentorship, and professional development. That’s a different category from a scholarship (tuition support with no employment obligation), an internship (short-term, often unpaid, and school-supervised), or a standard job. The distinction matters because public health scholarships and grants fund your education, while fellowships launch your career from inside a working agency or organization.
Most fellowships are full-time and paid at or near entry-level government salaries. Some are run directly by federal agencies, such as the CDC. Others are administered through professional associations like the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). A few are leadership cohort programs offered by groups such as the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
What separates a fellowship from a first job isn’t just the structure. It’s the access. Fellows work on national initiatives, publish alongside senior staff, and build relationships inside agencies that would otherwise take years to develop through standard channels. For someone who wants to work for the CDC, a two-year PHAP placement is often a faster route than applying cold from the outside. That’s the point.
Why Fellowships Change Career Trajectories
The most common complaint in public health career forums is the experience paradox: entry-level positions that require three to five years of experience. Fellowships are a direct structural answer to that problem. They’re built to provide the kind of field experience that agencies will later recognize as equivalent to years of independent work.
~$65K
ASPPH/CDC fellows at the master’s level receive a 2026 stipend of approximately $64,625, plus a health insurance allowance, comparable to entry-level analyst positions in state government. Doctoral-level fellows typically receive higher stipends.
Beyond the pay, fellowship structures provide something a job posting rarely offers: deliberate professional development with built-in senior mentorship. PHAP associates are placed with supervisors at state and local health departments and receive structured competency-based training from CDC staff. The ASPPH/CDC Fellowship pairs doctoral and master’s-level fellows with CDC scientists for project-focused work in epidemiology, policy, health communication, and biostatistics. The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program includes leadership rotations and access to senior government officials across HHS, NIH, and beyond.
The hiring pathway is the other piece most people don’t know about until they’re already applying. Completing PHAP or PMF grants non-competitive eligibility for permanent positions at the CDC and HHS, which means you can be hired directly into a federal role without competing in the standard applicant pool. For federal career goals, that’s a significant advantage that a standard entry-level job doesn’t provide.
Major Public Health Fellowship Programs
Not all fellowships serve the same audience. Here’s a breakdown of the major programs, who they’re built for, and what each one actually offers.
CDC Public Health Associate Program (PHAP)
PHAP is the CDC’s flagship entry-level fellowship. It’s a two-year, field-based program for recent college graduates and early-career professionals. Advanced degrees aren’t required. Associates are placed at state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments, as well as partner nonprofits. Work areas include communicable disease response, chronic disease prevention, maternal and child health, emergency preparedness, and health promotion.
Best for: Recent BA/BS graduates or early-career professionals with limited public health experience
Length: 2 years, full-time
Pay: Full-time salary as a CDC employee or equivalent
Key outcome: Non-competitive eligibility for permanent positions at CDC and HHS
Citizenship: U.S. citizenship required
PHAP is one of the most recognized entry points into the federal public health system. Recruitment cycles can be intermittent. Applications are submitted through USAJobs, and timelines from application to placement can span several months. Always check the CDC PHAP program page directly for current application windows.
Presidential Management Fellows (PMF)
PMF is the federal government’s flagship leadership development program for advanced-degree holders, administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It’s open to candidates from any discipline. Still, public health graduates with MPHs, Master of Health Administration (MHA) degrees, or related degrees regularly place in health-focused federal roles at HHS, CDC, NIH, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
Best for: Final-year graduate students and recent advanced-degree graduates with strong analytic or policy backgrounds
Length: 2 years, full-time
Pay: Typically GS-9 through GS-12, depending on agency and qualifications, with possible student loan repayment available
Key outcome: Conversion to permanent federal career-ladder positions after program completion
Citizenship: U.S. citizenship required
PMF is extremely competitive. Successful candidates typically bring strong quantitative or analytic experience, prior federal internships or exposure, and a clear articulation of why they want to build a career in government. Finalists have 12 months to secure a fellowship appointment. Full details and current application cycles are on the official PMF program site.
ASPPH/CDC Public Health Fellowship Program
The ASPPH/CDC Fellowship is a post-graduate program for master’s and doctoral graduates of Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited, ASPPH-member schools of public health. Fellows work on active projects at CDC headquarters in Atlanta or regional offices, across areas including epidemiology, biostatistics, health communication, policy analysis, informatics, and monitoring and evaluation.
Best for: MPH and DrPH graduates within approximately five years of graduation from a CEPH-accredited program
Length: 1 year. Extension opportunities vary by placement and funding availability.
Pay: Stipend of approximately $64,625 for master’s-level fellows (2026 stipend rate), plus a health insurance allowance. Doctoral-level fellows receive higher stipends.
Key outcome: Project-level experience at CDC, with strong preparation for advanced analytic or policy careers at health agencies, NGOs, or academia
Citizenship: U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required for most placements
ASPPH also runs specialized tracks, including a Tribal Health Department Fellowship that places fellows directly with tribal public health agencies for one-year placements. The CEPH accreditation requirement is strict, and not all MPH programs qualify their graduates for this track. Confirm your program’s eligibility through the ASPPH Applied Learning and Training page before investing time in this application.
Preventive Medicine Residencies
Preventive medicine residencies are a different category from MPH-focused fellowship programs. They’re designed for physicians (MD or DO) who want formal, credentialed training in population health, occupational health, or public health practice. Most programs combine a year of clinical training with a year of academic preparation, and many either require or incorporate an MPH for candidates who don’t already hold one.
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) maintains a directory of accredited programs. For clinicians, this is the structured pathway into public health leadership, offering board eligibility in preventive medicine and placement at health departments, academic medical centers, or federal agencies upon completion.
ASTHO, NACCHO, and RWJF Programs
Three other organizations run programs worth knowing at different career stages. ASTHO’s Building Climate and Health Capacity peer-to-peer fellowship supports state and territorial health agency staff working on climate-related public health challenges. It’s a peer-learning and capacity-building model for in-service staff, not a graduate-entry program. NACCHO runs RISE: A Roadmap for New Local Health Officials, a 12-month leadership cohort for new local health department directors, as well as the Public Health Law Fellowship for students and recent graduates interested in careers in public health law and policy.
RWJF’s national leadership programs focus on health equity, systems change, and cross-sector collaboration. They’re generally better suited to professionals with three to five years of experience than to new graduates. These programs change frequently, so review RWJF’s current programming page to see active cohorts and eligibility requirements.
Fellowship Programs at a Glance
| Program |
Best For |
Duration |
| CDC PHAP |
Recent BA/BS grads, early-career professionals |
2 years |
| Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) |
Final-year grad students, recent advanced-degree grads |
2 years |
| ASPPH/CDC Fellowship |
MPH/DrPH grads within ~5 years, CEPH-accredited program required |
1 year (extensions vary) |
| Preventive Medicine Residency |
Physicians (MD/DO) entering population health |
1 to 2 years |
| NACCHO Law Fellowship |
Students/recent grads interested in public health law |
~12 months |
| RWJF Programs |
Early to mid-career leaders in health equity and policy |
Varies by program |
| Program |
Pay Structure |
Career Outcome |
| CDC PHAP |
Full-time CDC salary or equivalent |
Non-competitive eligibility for permanent CDC/HHS roles |
| Presidential Management Fellows |
Typically GS-9 to GS-12, depending on agency and qualifications, with possible loan repayment |
Permanent federal career-ladder position |
| ASPPH/CDC Fellowship |
$64,625 stipend at master’s level (2026 rate) plus health insurance allowance |
Advanced analytic or policy roles at CDC, health agencies, or NGOs |
| Preventive Medicine Residency |
GME-style stipend |
Board eligibility in preventive medicine and public health leadership roles |
| NACCHO Law Fellowship |
Stipend or training funds (varies by program year) |
Expertise in public health law and local governance |
| RWJF Programs |
Funded, varies by program |
Cross-sector leadership and health equity networks |
Finding the Right Fellowship for Your Stage
Not every fellowship is built for the same moment in your career. Applying to a program you don’t qualify for, or one that doesn’t fit where you are professionally, wastes an application cycle and a year of preparation. Match the program to your stage before investing time.
If you’re currently enrolled in an MPH or finishing in the next year: PHAP doesn’t require a graduate degree, so it’s worth applying as a final-year student or recent bachelor’s grad. PMF targets final-year students specifically, making your application window narrow but real. The ASPPH/CDC Fellowship opens immediately after graduation from a CEPH-accredited program, though stronger candidates often have at least one internship or research position under their belt. Build that experience now.
If you graduated within the last two to five years without landing a structured role, the ASPPH/CDC Fellowship still has a window for you. PHAP is open to early-career professionals, not just new graduates. PMF runs annual application cycles, and candidates with more federal or analytic experience after their first attempt often perform significantly better on the second or third try.
If you’re a physician shifting toward population health, Preventive medicine residencies are the structured, credentialed pathway. MPH-track fellowships like PHAP and ASPPH/CDC aren’t designed for your profile. If you haven’t completed an MPH yet, many preventive medicine residency programs incorporate one.
Still mapping out where you want to take your career? Browse public health career guides by specialty to identify which fellowship tracks align with your long-term goals.
How to Build a Competitive Application
Acceptance rates for PMF, ASPPH/CDC, and PHAP aren’t publicly published, but all three are highly selective. The candidates who succeed share a few consistent traits, and none of them are about GPA alone.
Build real public health competencies before you apply
Fellowship evaluators look for evidence of core skills: program evaluation, health data analysis, surveillance, community health practice, and grant writing. Any internship, AmeriCorps service, or research assistant position that builds these directly will strengthen your application. Successful PHAP applicants frequently cite prior AmeriCorps service as a deciding factor in their candidacy.
Learn the federal hiring system before you need it
PHAP and PMF both run through USAJOBS, and federal hiring has its own logic: USAJOBS resume formatting, occupational series codes, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) language. Candidates unfamiliar with federal applications frequently underperform relative to their actual qualifications. Study how to write a federal resume several months before the application window opens.
Be specific about the problem you want to work on
Generic statements about passion for public health are the most common pattern of rejection. Strong applicants can name the specific public health problem they want to address, describe methods they’ve used or studied to examine it, and explain why a fellowship rather than a standard job or a PhD is the right next step for their particular goals. Specificity reads as competence.
Verify CEPH eligibility for ASPPH/CDC early
The ASPPH/CDC Fellowship requires graduation from a CEPH-accredited, ASPPH-member school or program of public health. Not all MPH programs qualify. Confirm your program’s status on the ASPPH member school list before committing significant time to the application, and check directly with your program director if you have any doubts about eligibility.
If You Don’t Land a Fellowship
A rejection from PHAP or PMF isn’t a career verdict. Many public health professionals applied two or three times before getting in, and many more built strong careers without a fellowship at all. If you don’t land a program on the first cycle, here’s how to use the time strategically.
Public Health AmeriCorps is one of the most underused pathways into the field. It places members in community health organizations for a year of funded service, provides a living allowance, and generates a Segal Education Award that can be applied to student loans or tuition. Many PHAP applicants directly credit prior AmeriCorps service with strengthening their subsequent application.
Grant-funded research assistant or trainee positions at schools of public health are another strong substitute. These roles provide federal research exposure (NIH, CDC, and HRSA fund many such grants), analytic experience, and faculty mentorship. All of these translate directly into credibility in fellowship applications for the next cycle.
State and local health department internships or contract roles remain one of the fastest routes to fieldwork experience. Many entry-level contract positions at state agencies don’t reach national job boards. Check your state health department’s careers page directly and reach out to departments in your geographic area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need U.S. citizenship to apply for most public health fellowships?
For PHAP, PMF, and most placements in the ASPPH/CDC Fellowship, U.S. citizenship is required. Some ASPPH/CDC placements accept permanent residents (green card holders), but this varies by position and funding source. International students and those on student visas are generally ineligible for federally administered fellowship programs. Always confirm citizenship requirements directly with each program before you apply, as requirements can change between application cycles.
Is PHAP worth it if you already have an MPH?
It depends on your end goal. PHAP is an entry-level program. Associates are placed in generalist field roles rather than positions matched to their level of graduate training. For some MPH graduates, that trade-off feels like a step backward. For others, the non-competitive hiring eligibility for CDC and HHS is worth the two years, especially if a long-term federal career is the goal. If you want to work at CDC, a PHAP placement is often the most reliable path in. That’s a real calculation worth making carefully.
How competitive are these fellowship programs?
None publishes acceptance rates. PMF is among the most selective government fellowship programs in the country, with thousands of applications competing for a few hundred finalist appointments each year. PHAP and ASPPH/CDC are also selective, and the CEPH accreditation requirement additionally constrains the ASPPH/CDC track. Plan to apply in multiple cycles if you don’t get in on the first try, and treat each application as an opportunity to improve your materials rather than a pass/fail event.
Can you pursue a PhD or DrPH after completing a fellowship?
Yes, and many fellows do. Fellowship experience at the CDC is strong preparation for doctoral programs in epidemiology, public health policy, or biostatistics. It demonstrates field competence and typically yields substantive projects you can discuss in a research statement. Some fellows convert to permanent positions and later return to doctoral study. Others use the fellowship as a deliberate bridge to a PhD program they’d already targeted. Either way, it’s worth being transparent about that plan in your fellowship application rather than leaving it implied.
What does day-to-day work actually look like?
It varies significantly by program and placement. PHAP associates typically spend their time on disease surveillance, coordination of community health programs, and health data collection at state or local health departments. ASPPH/CDC fellows are generally embedded in a specific team working on a longer research or policy project, analyzing data, writing reports, and presenting findings to senior staff. PMF fellows rotate across roles, which provides broader exposure with less depth in any given area. The hours are consistent with standard government positions, and the pace varies considerably by agency and placement site.
Key Takeaways
- Public health fellowships are paid, full-time positions with structured mentorship that bridge the gap between a graduate degree and a competitive career at the CDC, HHS, or a state health department.
- PHAP, PMF, and the ASPPH/CDC Fellowship are the three flagship entry points into the federal public health system, each designed for a different degree level and career goal.
- Completing PHAP or PMF creates non-competitive hiring eligibility for permanent federal positions, bypassing the standard competitive application process entirely.
- The ASPPH/CDC Fellowship requires graduation from a CEPH-accredited, ASPPH-member program. Not all MPH programs qualify. Verify your institution’s status before applying.
- One rejection cycle is not a final answer. AmeriCorps service, research assistant positions, and local health department roles are all strong preparations for a stronger second application.
An MPH from a CEPH-accredited program opens the door to the most competitive public health fellowships in the country. Browse accredited degree programs by state and find the right fit for your career goals.
Find Schools Near You
Laura Bennett, MPH is a public health professional with over 12 years of experience in community health education and program coordination. She specializes in helping aspiring professionals explore flexible education pathways, including online and hybrid public health degree programs. Laura is passionate about making public health careers more accessible through practical, accredited training
