5 Fully Funded Public Health Scholarships to Apply for in 2026

 5 Fully Funded Public Health Scholarships to Apply for in 2026

If you are a public health student, health professional, epidemiologist, researcher or global health practitioner looking for a fully funded Master’s opportunity, the next few months are important.

Several major scholarship programmes are either currently accepting applications or are opening their 2027/28 cycles soon.

But there is an important distinction between a scholarship that broadly supports health-related Master’s degrees and one that is specifically designed around public health or global health.

In this guide, we have focused on opportunities that are particularly relevant to public health, global health, epidemiology, health systems and related disciplines.

Information in this guide was checked against current 2026 programme information. Deadlines and eligibility conditions can change, so applicants should always confirm the final requirements on the official scholarship website before submitting an application.

Quick comparison

Scholarship	Country	Study area	Deadline	Funding
Chevening	UK	Eligible Master’s programmes, including public health-related courses	6 October 2026	Fully funded
Commonwealth Master’s	UK	Eligible Master’s programmes	20 October 2026	Fully funded
DAAD EPOS International Health	Germany	International/Public Health	15 October 2026	Fully funded
DAAD EPOS Global Urban Health	Germany	Global/Urban Health	15 October 2026	Fully funded
ANTENNA	Cameroon	Epidemiology & Biostatistics	31 August 2026	Fully funded

1. Chevening Scholarships 2027/28

Country: United Kingdom

Level: Master’s

Deadline: 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC

Chevening is one of the UK’s flagship international scholarship programmes and is particularly attractive to applicants who want to combine postgraduate education with leadership and professional development.

The scholarship is not exclusively for public health.

However, public health professionals can use Chevening to pursue eligible one-year Master’s programmes in areas such as public health, global health, health policy, health economics and related disciplines, provided the chosen course meets Chevening’s requirements.

What does Chevening fund?

The official programme states that scholars receive:

• Tuition fees
• Economy travel to and from the UK
• Arrival allowance
• Visa application cost
• Departure allowance
• Travel top-up allowance
• Monthly personal living allowance
• Other programme-related support

The stipend varies according to whether the scholar studies in London or elsewhere in the UK.

Who should consider it?

Chevening is particularly worth considering if you can demonstrate:

• Leadership potential
• A strong academic background
• Professional experience
• A clear career direction
• A realistic plan for contributing to your home country
• Evidence of impact beyond simply obtaining a degree

The programme is designed for people who want to use their UK education to create impact after returning to their countries.

Deadline

Applications for the 2027/28 cycle opened on 4 August 2026.

The official closing deadline is:

6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC.

Do not confuse this with the deadline for securing a university offer. Successful candidates have a later deadline for submitting an unconditional UK university offer.

How to apply

Start with the official Chevening website and country page.

Official application information:

https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/

NextStep Africa advice

Do not begin your Chevening application by writing essays immediately.

First identify the public health problem you want your career to address.

Then identify the skills you need.

Then identify the Master’s programme that will help you develop those skills.

Your scholarship application should tell one coherent story:

Problem → experience → leadership → Master’s → future impact.

2. Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

Country: United Kingdom

Study period: September/October 2027

Application opens: 8 September 2026

Deadline: 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST

The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship is another major UK-funded opportunity for talented candidates from eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries.

It is particularly relevant to African applicants because many African countries are Commonwealth members.

The scholarship is intended for candidates who could not otherwise afford to study for a Master’s degree in the UK.

What does it cover?

The scholarship provides comprehensive support for eligible scholars, including tuition and living-related support and travel arrangements.

Exact benefits should be checked against the current CSC award information.

Who can apply?

The official CSC eligibility requirements include:

• Citizenship or recognised refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Permanent residence in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Ability to begin study in the UK in September 2027
• A qualifying first degree
• Evidence that you could not otherwise afford to study in the UK

Applicants should also carefully examine the eligible courses and development themes.

Public health applicants should therefore identify a qualifying Master’s course before assuming that any MPH is automatically eligible.

Application process

One important difference from some other scholarships is that the CSC does not simply accept applications from everyone directly.

Applicants must apply through an approved nominating body or route as specified by the CSC.

Some universities and organisations have their own nomination procedures and internal deadlines.

Therefore, do not wait until 20 October to begin.

Your nominator may have an earlier deadline.

Deadline

The 2027/28 Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship application opens:

8 September 2026

and closes:

20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST.

Official information

https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-masters-scholarships/

NextStep Africa advice

If you are interested, start preparing before the application window opens.

Have these ready:

• Degree certificate
• Academic transcript
• CV
• Personal statement material
• Development-impact narrative
• References
• University/course shortlist

3. DAAD EPOS MSc International Health at Charité

Country: Germany

Institution: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Field: International Health, Global Health and Public Health

Application window: 1 August to 15 October 2026

This is one of the most directly relevant opportunities on this list for experienced public health professionals.

The MSc International Health programme covers areas including:

• Public health
• Epidemiology
• Tropical medicine
• Health economics
• Health management
• Health systems
• Infectious diseases
• Health security

Who is eligible for the DAAD EPOS scholarship?

Charité states that applicants for the DAAD EPOS route should generally:

• Come from an eligible low- or middle-income country
• Hold an academic degree equivalent to at least four years/240 ECTS
• Have far-above-average academic results
• Have at least two years of relevant professional experience after their first degree
• Have a relatively recent final degree

The programme is therefore not designed primarily for someone who has just completed their undergraduate degree with no professional experience.

Special point for African applicants

Charité specifically lists several countries whose applicants can use a university confirmation of English-medium instruction instead of IELTS/TOEFL, including:

• Ghana
• Kenya
• Liberia
• Malawi
• Nigeria
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Applicants should still follow the current instructions carefully.

Funding

The DAAD EPOS scholarship is the funding route, rather than the MSc programme itself providing general scholarships.

Charité states that it can host up to three DAAD EPOS scholars per academic year.

The scholarship supports eligible candidates through the DAAD funding framework.

Deadline

The current Charité application window is:

1 August to 15 October 2026

for admission in September 2027.

Official application information

https://internationalhealth.charite.de/en/application_admission/application_daad_epos_scholarships

NextStep Africa advice

This is particularly important:

Do not apply if you do not meet the professional experience requirement and assume the scholarship committee will overlook it.

DAAD EPOS is designed around development-related professional experience.

Your CV should therefore demonstrate what you have actually done in public health, not simply list your qualifications.

4. DAAD EPOS MSc Global Urban Health at the University of Freiburg

Country: Germany

Institution: University of Freiburg

Programme: MSc Global Urban Health

Deadline: 15 October 2026

Urbanisation is increasingly becoming a public health issue.

Population density, housing, sanitation, transport, environmental exposure, climate change, health inequalities and access to services all interact with health outcomes.

The University of Freiburg’s MSc Global Urban Health is designed around these intersections.

The programme is therefore particularly interesting for people working or planning careers in:

• Public health
• Global health
• Urban health
• Health systems
• Environmental health
• Epidemiology
• Population health
• Development

DAAD EPOS requirements

The current programme checklist indicates that applicants seeking DAAD EPOS funding should prepare substantial documentation, including:

• DAAD application form
• Motivation letter
• Employer recommendation
• Employment certificates
• Personally signed CV
• English proficiency evidence
• Academic degrees
• Academic transcripts

The checklist also specifies a minimum of two years of relevant work experience after the Bachelor’s degree.

Deadline

For the 2027/28 DAAD EPOS application:

15 October 2026

Official programme

https://mscglobalurbanhealth.uni-freiburg.de/

Why this is interesting for African public health professionals

African cities are expanding rapidly, and urbanisation is creating increasingly complex health challenges.

That makes urban health a potentially strong specialisation for people interested in:

• Environmental health
• Health policy
• Epidemiology
• Noncommunicable diseases
• Health equity
• Climate and health
• Urban planning and health

5. ANTENNA MPH Epidemiology & Biostatistics Scholarships

Country: Cameroon

Institution: University of Buea

Programme: MPH Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Number of scholarships: 3

Deadline: 31 August 2026

This opportunity is different from the others on our list because it is much more geographically restricted.

ANTENNA is an EDCTP3-funded initiative designed to strengthen epidemiology and biostatistics capacity in Africa.

The European Union’s Global Health EDCTP3 page describes ANTENNA as a programme creating training hubs for epidemiologists and statisticians in East, Central and West Africa.

The University of Buea is one of the participating institutions.

What is offered?

The current 2026 scholarship announcement describes:

• Three fully funded MPH places
• Epidemiology and Biostatistics specialisation
• Two-year programme
• Academic fee coverage
• Stipend
• Scientific mentorship
• Additional training in areas such as data science, AI, scientific writing and professional development
• Participation in workshops and scientific networks

Who should pay attention?

The opportunity is specifically aimed at eligible candidates in Cameroon and includes requirements connected to the country’s public-health system.

The current announcement lists candidates with backgrounds such as:

• Public health
• Epidemiology
• Biological sciences
• Statistics
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Computer science
• Related disciplines

Relevant professional experience is also important.

Deadline

31 August 2026 at 23:59 Cameroon time.

Because this is a highly specific national opportunity, applicants should verify the current application instructions before submitting.

Official ANTENNA information

https://www.global-health-edctp3.europa.eu/projects/antenna_en

Which scholarship should you choose?

There is no universally “best” scholarship.

The better question is:

Which one fits your current career stage?

If you are an emerging leader:

Consider Chevening.

If you are from an eligible Commonwealth country and want UK Master’s study:

Look closely at the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship.

If you already have substantial public health experience:

The DAAD EPOS International Health route at Charité may be particularly relevant.

If you are interested in urbanisation and population health:

Consider Global Urban Health at Freiburg.

If you are an eligible Cameroon-based applicant interested in epidemiology and biostatistics:

The ANTENNA scholarship deserves immediate attention.

What you should prepare before applying

Scholarship applications are rarely won simply because someone has good grades.

Your application needs a coherent story.

1. Academic documents

Prepare:

• Degree certificates
• Academic transcripts
• Grading scale
• Professional certificates where relevant

2. A strong CV

Your CV should demonstrate:

• Education
• Professional experience
• Research
• Leadership
• Community involvement
• Publications
• Projects
• Relevant technical skills

Do not turn your CV into a list of unrelated activities.

Make the connection between your experience and your intended field obvious.

3. Strong references

Do not wait until the deadline to ask for recommendation letters.

Identify potential referees early.

Give them:

• Your CV
• Programme information
• Your career goals
• Your draft personal statement where appropriate
• The deadline

This makes it much easier for them to write a meaningful recommendation.

4. A convincing motivation letter

A strong motivation letter should answer:

Why this field?

Why this programme?

Why now?

Why you?

What problem do you want to solve?

What will you do with the training afterward?

Avoid writing:

“I have always dreamed of studying abroad.”

That does not explain your development impact.

Instead, connect your education to a specific public health problem and a realistic career pathway.

The most important thing to remember

A scholarship deadline is not the beginning of the application process.

It is the end.

By the time applications open, competitive candidates should already know:

• Which programmes they want
• Why they want them
• Whether they meet the eligibility criteria
• Who their referees are
• What their career narrative is
• Which documents they need
• How they will demonstrate impact

If you are waiting until the final week to begin, you are already behind.

And if you are applying simply because the scholarship is “fully funded”, you may be applying for the wrong reason.

Choose the programme that fits the professional you are trying to become.

Final deadline calendar

31 August 2026
ANTENNA MPH Epidemiology & Biostatistics

6 October 2026
Chevening Scholarships

15 October 2026
DAAD EPOS MSc International Health, Charité
DAAD EPOS MSc Global Urban Health, Freiburg

8 September 2026
Commonwealth Master’s applications open

20 October 2026
Commonwealth Master’s applications close

Before submitting any application, verify the deadline and requirements on the official programme website. Scholarship cycles can change, and some universities or nominators impose earlier internal deadlines.