The Emory Global Health Institute (EGHI) annually funds multidisciplinary teams of students to conduct global health projects in collaboration with an Emory faculty member and in-country partner organization. EGHI funds global health research and field work to address the needs of underserved or vulnerable populations to improve health equity. While many funded projects focus on low- or middle-income countries, EGHI does consider project applications that help address health disparities and support health, safety, and security for communities in the United States.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

Emory undergraduate and graduate students from all nine schools at Emory University are eligible to apply. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 at the time that they submit their applications. Medical residents, medical fellows, post-graduate fellows, and post-doctoral fellows are also eligible to apply. Applicants must have an Emory and an in-country field mentor, and they must partner with an in-country organization. Students should be enrolled at Emory the semester following their field experience.
Applicants are encouraged to have prior research experience/appropriate coursework and/or have participated in a relevant independent project. Proficiency in the project country's primary language is preferred, but not required.

Team Composition

Multidisciplinary Field Scholars teams can include 2-3 students and must include students from at least two different Emory schools or disciplines. A student who is enrolled in a joint degree program can represent both of the schools in which he/she/they are enrolled. Teams can also include a student from a university located in the low- or middle-income country in which the project is based, and that student's field of study/discipline can also count toward the team's multi-discipline/school requirement. Finally, teams can include a medical resident or post-doctoral fellow, whose field of expertise can also count toward the three discipline/school requirement. Students from other US-based universities can be members of a team, but EGHI will not provide scholarship funding to those students.

Scholarship Awards

Each Emory student/medical resident/post-doctoral fellow on a team will receive up to $3,000 in scholarship funds.  If no international travel is involved and/or it is a virtual project, each Emory student/resident/fellow will receive up to $2,000 in scholarship funds. A student from an LMIC in-country university will receive up to $1,000 in scholarship funds.

Project Ideas

Emory faculty members typically develop field scholar project ideas and have relationships with the in-country partner organizations, however, students sometimes bring ideas to EGHI. The summer 2023 project ideas are available here.

Team Formation

During its annual Networking Night, EGHI brings Emory faculty and students together to discuss project ideas for the summer. In the weeks after Networking Night, faculty members interview students who have expressed an interest in their projects and form their field scholars student team. EGHI assists in recruiting student team members by advertising the project ideas in the weeks after Networking Night until the application due date.

Application Information

The Emory faculty member serving as the project PI or mentor works with the student team to develop the proposal application. The proposal requirements and guidelines will be available here.

As noted in the proposal guidelines, teams must have submitted and received IRB approval for their project prior to initiating project activity. The Emory faculty PI/mentor submits the application by clicking on the APPLY button in the top right hand corner of this website. Faculty PIs/mentors may also submit their application proposals directly via email to [email protected].

Summer 2023 Travel Policies

The Emory Global Health Institute will follow Emory University's policies regarding summer 2023 travel. Approved study abroad programs are selected by the appropriate study abroad office based on health and safety protocols, travel access and availability, provision for academic continuity, and the approval of the Executive Travel Safety Committee (ETSC). Visit Emory College Study Abroad and Goizueta Business School Study Abroad for more information.

Emory faculty and graduate students who would like to study or travel abroad can submit a request to Emory's Executive Travel Safety Committee for permission. Because the university's travel policies may change as COVID circumstances change, please monitor the Emory Forward FAQ website regularly.

Proposal Guidelines

Teams must follow the Field Scholar Proposal Guidelines when preparing their applications.

Application Proposal Deadline

For summer 2023 projects, the deadline has been extended to March 18, 2023.

Proposal Review and Award Announcement

Expert reviewers evaluate and score field scholar proposals in March, and EGHI announces Field Scholars awards in April of each year.

Pre-Project Requirements

Funded Field Scholars team members are required to attend a team-building meeting in April. Funded team members are also required to take an online pre-departure course on Emory Canvas developed in collaboration with the Rollins School of Public Health prior to conducting their projects.

Reporting Requirements

After completing their projects, Field Scholars teams report their project findings and experiences during EGHI's annual Global Health Scholars Symposium during the fall semester.

Questions?

For student related questions regarding EGHI's Field Scholars Awards Program, please contact Farah Dharamshi, Director of Projects, Student Programs, at [email protected]. Inquiries from faculty mentors are directed to Mischka Garel, Director of Programs, at [email protected].