The Healthy Food Policy Fellowship is run by Vital Strategies, a global public health organization, and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. It pays for PhD study that builds the research skills national food policy needs.
This round is for people from five focus countries who are about to start a PhD. Fellows’ universities span several continents, among them Cambridge, Oxford, Johns Hopkins and the University of the Western Cape.
Benefits & funding
- Covers tuition; living costs (rent, local public transport and utilities only); health insurance for the fellow, not dependants; travel; and one-off costs such as a laptop, software and books.
- Length: the 2020 call funded the whole PhD, up to five years; the current page states no term.
- Duty: take no support from the sugary drink, ultra-processed food, alcohol or tobacco industries until at least five years after your studies; a breach can end the fellowship and require repayment.
Eligibility
- Citizen or permanent resident of Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda or Vietnam; the main page also counts non-citizens with long-term residency there.
- Applying to, or accepted into, a PhD for the upcoming semester, and not yet enrolled.
- A PhD field that serves food environment policy, such as health economics, nutrition, marketing, food access or health behavior.
- A background in healthy food policy or experience in one of those fields.
- No affiliation with the sugary drink, ultra-processed food, alcohol or tobacco industries now or in the past two years.
- The application form asks you to intend to return to, stay in, or keep working for your country after the PhD.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“In the process of applying for, or already accepted to, a Ph.D. for the upcoming semester but not enrolled yet.” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
Ghana · Indonesia · Kenya · Uganda · Vietnam
Residents of Ghana · Indonesia · Kenya · Uganda · Vietnam can also apply.
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We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Complete the online application on ReviewR, with a CV in English.
- 2Through ReviewR, ask two referees for letters in English; both must arrive by the deadline.
- 3Submit by 11:59 pm US Eastern time on 2 November 2026.
Program timeline
Application deadline, 11:59 pm EST
Nov 2, 2026
Results announced
2026-12