2025 Global Public Health Doctoral Travel Awards

Request for Proposals

The UM-SPH Office of Global Public Health (OGPH) supports opportunities for innovative multidisciplinary global health engagement, transparent partnership, and capacity building. The OGPH Doctoral Travel Awards provide a travel stipend of up to $7,500 to University of Michigan School of Public Health (SPH) doctoral students in the first two years of their program. Funding is intended to support preliminary visits to prospective overseas dissertation sites, to facilitate planning doctoral dissertation research or to support other research-related expenses for dissertation preparation.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must be:

  • An actively enrolled PhD student in the School of Public Health;
  • In the first two years of their doctoral degree program;
  • In good academic standing and intending to continue their studies at the School of Public Health in the 2025-2026 academic year
  • Planning to complete the proposed travel before December 31, 2025

Additional considerations:

This funding is available to PhD students in any SPH Department to further their own dissertation and research. Funding is not intended to assist the work of faculty advisors, mentors or other research projects unrelated to the student's dissertation.

Priority will be given to support research relevant to the global health needs of low and middle-income countries, however students conducting research in high-income countries may apply. In particular, if their work could be applicable to low-resource settings or communities.

Travel can be for any duration adequate to complete the goals described, and may be combined with other sources of support for longer or more complex activities.

If awarded, students are responsible for complying with all University of Michigan research, research ethics, and travel policies, as applicable.

Any questions about funding criteria, requirements or application process may be directed to sphglobalhealth@umich.edu.  

Application Requirements

Applications, including both the online form and the supporting documents (see below), must be submitted by the posted deadline. Your application will not be considered complete until all documents are uploaded, and you have clicked the "submit" button.

In addition to completing the questions in the online application form, you must submit the following attachments by file upload, in .pdf format, to the application form. 

  • Proposal: Describe your proposed project, including your rationale, objectives, and potential design, and methodology; include a description of the activities you plan to undertake during travel, a tentative travel itinerary, as well as the projected benefits of the trip for your academic program and future career. Identify the institution or partnership through which you will work (new or established), and any connections to U-M if applicable. The proposal should be limited to 3 pages, single-spaced maximum. 
    • Travel Itinerary: Your anticipated travel itinerary (including dates, anticipated air and ground transportation, destination(s) and planned activities there) may be included as an additional attachment beyond the 3 page limit if needed. Travel can begin any time before December 31, 2025.
  • Up-to-date Resume/Curriculum Vitae
  • Copy of your Unofficial transcript
  • Budget: A budget, including estimated cost for travel and research-related expenses such as: flights, ground transportation, lodging, meals, visa fees, travel health insurance, immunizations and other travel prophylaxis, as applicable to your destination. A budget template may be found here. Your budget should demonstrate your efforts to obtain cost-sharing from other units, therefore please list all other funding anticipated or received on your budget. As applicable, please attach screnshots of expenses or explain. 
  • One Reference Letter: Your faculty project advisor should submit a letter that speaks to your ability to carry out your proposed research and any support, financial or otherwise, they may be providing. Please ask your reference to e-mail their letter directly to sphglobalhealth@umich.edu by the deadline. 

The application is a Google Form. Please use your U-M Google account to log in to the form. Once you begin, your progress will be auto-saved for 30 days, and you can return to the form to complete your work within this timeframe. Once you finalize and 'Submit' your application, it can no longer be edited. 

The Global Public Health Application for Early-Dissertation Travel Awards is due at 12:00 PM (Noon) on Monday, March 17, 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Apply Now

Review Process & Timeline

  • Proposals will be reviewed by a team designated by the Office of Global Public Health after the deadline;
  • Reviewers will assess:
    • Quality, significance and feasibility of the proposed activities;
    • Potential contribution to development of student's career in global health research;
    • Relevance to health issues and needs of low and middle-income countries;
    • Strength of relationship with host institution or proposed partnership; and
    • A clear and reasonable budget.

Applicants will be notified of awards in early to mid-April.  These awards will be deposited into the student's account through the U-M financial aid fellowship award system upon completion of all pre-departure requirements as outlined in the award letter.

Final Report:

Upon completion of your travel, you will be required to complete a brief report of 3-5 pages in length and outline the research experience, accomplishments, lessons learned and next steps. Please submit this report within 30 days of the end of your travel. 

Questions?

Email us at sphglobalhealth@umich.edu