Harvard LEAD Fellowship 2026-2027: Empowering Women Leaders in Global Health

Harvard’s Learn, Engage, Advance, Disrupt (LEAD) Fellowship, offered by the Harvard Global Health Institute in collaboration with the Department of Global Health and Population at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is a transformative 1-year programme designed to empower women from low- and middle-income countries in global health leadership.

The fellowship is more than recognition — it’s a platform for innovation, capacity building, and influence. Fellows emerge better equipped to mentor future female leaders and drive improvements in health outcomes in their home countries.

Program Timeline & Structure

• Duration: September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027
• Fall semester (virtual): Fellows remain in their current roles, engage in planning their personal leadership development plan, 1:1 executive coaching, and virtual mentorship & networking.
• Spring semester (in-person at Harvard): Six weeks in residence on the Harvard campus (April 2027), participating in executive education, leadership workshops, public speaking opportunities, small group sessions, mentorship, and masterclasses.

During the in-residence period, Harvard covers housing, flights, visas, course fees, and daily sustenance. Fellows must take leave of absence from their work during that period (six weeks) but are only lightly engaged in fall while maintaining their full-time roles.

 Program Components & Benefits

• Executive Leadership Training: Fellows receive personalized coaching, leadership style assessments (e.g. Leadership Versatility Index), and workshops on negotiation, crisis leadership, communication, dealing with bias, public speaking, and decision-making.
• Mentorship: Each fellow is paired with Harvard faculty mentors aligned to their interests. Monthly mentor meetings provide guidance, networking, and professional support.
• Speaking & Networking Opportunities: Fellows will speak at global health events, serve as panelists, lead sessions, and build networks across academia, health institutions, and policy circles.
• Executive Education & Masterclasses: Specialized courses on leadership, with sessions led by Harvard faculty and global health experts. Past topics include communication, negotiation, organizational equity, crisis leadership, and more.

This immersive program is designed to strengthen leadership skills, expand networks, and foster sustainable impact back in fellows’ home institutions.

 Eligibility & Application Requirements

To apply, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field.
• Be working full-time in global health with at least 10 years of professional experience (student work doesn’t count).
• Obtain support from their employing organization, including commitment to allow a leave of absence for the 6-week in-residence period.
• Be able to secure a J-1 visa and reside in the Boston/Cambridge, MA area during the residency.
• Have not held a full-time fellowship of 4 months or more in the two years preceding arrival at Harvard.

Application materials include:

• CV / Resume
• Letter of Intent (1.5 pages max) describing your global health trajectory & how LEAD will transform your work
• Four essays (max 2,000 characters each), covering your career development plan, a project outline, mentoring plans, and anticipated impact on your organization and country
• Letter of Institutional Commitment from your employer, ensuring support and leave during residence
• Letter of Mentor Commitment from a champion of your development
• Two additional letters of reference (one must come from recent professional engagement)

 Application Deadline

All application materials for the 2026–2027 cohort must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST, Sunday, November 30, 2025.

 Why the LEAD Fellowship Matters

The Harvard LEAD Fellowship is more than an award — it’s an investment in leadership, change, and equity. It empowers women working in global health to scale their influence, mentor others, and reshape health systems with equity at their core. By combining Harvard’s intellectual resources, mentorship, and global networks, LEAD nurtures leaders whose impact ripples far beyond the fellowship year.