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Public Health Training and Fellowships

If you are in college, have recently graduated, or are currently working in the public health arena, click here to learn more about the public health training and fellowship opportunities at CDC.

Service Fellowship for U.S. Citizens and Non-Citizens

Are you a talented scientist engaged in public health research, studies, training, or investigations? If so, you may qualify for one of our many fellowship programs. Contact the specific CDC organization for information about service fellowships.

Fellowship programs covered by Title 42, Public Health Service Act are open to U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Initial assignments are up to five years long and may be extended in five-year increments.

Fellowships are classified by education and experience:

Senior Service Fellow
Associate Service Fellow
Regular Fellow

Senior Service Fellows

Senior Service Fellow

Qualifications: Doctoral degree or foreign equivalent obtained from a recognized college or university and substantial post-doctoral experience in a scientific field related to CDC's mission

Stipend: Pay is equivalent to GS-13, step 1 to GS-15, step 10

Associate Service Fellow

Qualifications: Masters degree or foreign equivalent obtained from a recognized college or university and related post-graduate experience

Stipend: Pay is equivalent to GS-9, step 1 to GS-12, Step 10

Length of Assignment
As a senior or associate Service Fellow, you may be appointed to the federal service for up to five years, with possible extensions in five-year increments.

Benefits
The pay for a senior or associate Service Fellow is commensurate with assignments. Fellows are eligible for performance awards and special act or service awards.

Benefits include:

Retirement. Service Fellows whose initial appointment exceeds 12 months are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Non-citizens appointed under the Exchange Visitor Program are not covered by FERS.
Health Benefits and Life Insurance. Service Fellows whose initial appointment exceeds 12 months are eligible to participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program and the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance Program. Supplemental insurance for those appointed under the Exchange Visitor Program is available through the Coordinating Office for Global Health.
Leave. Service Fellows are eligible for annual leave, sick leave, and other leave provisions as established for civil service employees.

Regular Fellows

Regular Fellows are classified as trainees and do not require an FTE. Regular Fellows are appointed to study physical and mental diseases and impairments of humankind; the organization, provision and financing of health services; and information communication.

Appointments for Regular Fellows may be for citizens or non-citizens (not born in the United States or naturalized) and may be full-time (80 hours or more per pay period) or part-time (less than 80 hours per pay period) unless Visa requirements dictate otherwise.

Qualifications:

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or non-immigrant aliens with an appropriate visa and employment authorization.
Candidates must have at least a bachelor's degree from a recognized college or university.
Participants from the Exchange Visitors Program (EVP) must have a bachelor's degree and three or more years of relevant experience. Degrees of non-citizens must be translated into English and certified by an official translator.
Candidates must be able to read, write, and speak English.
Candidates must provide a letter of support from a public or non-profit institution for the training as it relates to the individual's academic studies, post-graduate training, and/or career.

Stipend: Pay is equivalent to GS-5, step 1 to GS-9, step 10. The stipend is set within a range based on the appointee's education and experience as follows:

Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) GS-5, step 1 – 10
Master's degree (or equivalent) GS-7, step 1 – 10
Doctoral degree (or equivalent) GS-9, step 1 – 10

Benefits: Regular Fellows are entitled to:

The cost of travel to the first duty station, when travel is to or from outside the United States
CDC sponsored training (except the Project Officers training course.)

Length of Assignment: The initial appointment for Regular Fellows is for a period not to exceed one year and may be extended up to seven years. Extensions may be made in one-year increments, not to exceed seven years. The appointment and extensions assume there are no visa time constraints.

Click here for more information on the provisions of the fellowship programs and the benefits for individuals appointed the Service Fellowship Program.