Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation supports early postdoctoral training across the basic biomedical sciences. The three-year fellowship funds researchers working in academic or nonprofit research laboratories, not commercial or industrial laboratories.

Placement depends on citizenship: US citizens may train in the United States, Canada, or elsewhere, while non-US citizens may train only in the United States. The Foundation has awarded 23–25 fellowships annually since 2020 from a pool of about 600 applications.

Benefits & funding

Annual stipends are US$73,000 in year one, US$75,000 in year two, and US$77,000 in year three.
The host institution receives a US$1,500 annual research allowance controlled by the fellow and free of institutional overhead.
A US$1,500 annual allowance is available for each dependent child; there is no spouse allowance.
The Foundation covers travel for the fellow and family to the fellowship location and travel to the annual fellows’ meeting, but not household-goods transport.
Support lasts three years and remains contingent on satisfactory performance.

Eligibility

The fellowship is for early postdoctoral research in the basic biomedical sciences.
Applicants must have received a PhD, DPhil, or equivalent no more than two years before the deadline, or an MD or MD-PhD no more than four years before it. Applicants may apply before receiving the degree if it will be awarded before fellowship training starts.
Applicants may have worked in the proposed postdoctoral laboratory for no more than one year by the deadline. Clinical residencies, military service, and parental leave do not count as postdoctoral research experience.
Training must take place in an academic or nonprofit research setting; commercial and industrial laboratories are ineligible.
US citizens may train in the United States, Canada, or another country. Applicants of other nationalities may train only in the United States and must obtain the immigration documentation required by the host institution and US authorities.
The Foundation ordinarily expects applicants to move from a laboratory where they received extensive prior training.

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Education required
PhD Enrolled · PhD
Experience required
≤ 1 yrs

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Application process

1
Review the current eligibility rules and create or access an account on ProposalCentral through the Foundation’s application page.
2
Complete the online sections, including summaries of the proposed and prior research, an autobiographical sketch, and a statement of professional interests.
3
Register four referees, including the thesis adviser, plus the prospective supervisor so they receive individual upload links for their confidential letters.
4
Upload the required bibliography and research proposal, together with any applicable supporting documents.
5
Submit the complete application through ProposalCentral by the published deadline.

Program timeline

Online application opened.
April 24, 2026, 5:00 p.m. EST
Application and supporting letters were due.
June 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m. EST
Applicants receive interview or decline notifications.
Early to mid-October 2026
Selected applicants are interviewed.
October 2026
The Scientific Advisory Committee selects candidates to recommend.
November 13, 2026
Interviewed applicants receive the committee’s decision.
November 16, 2026
April 1–September 1, 2027
Awardees may activate the fellowship.