2021 Wellcome International Master’s Fellowships

The Wellcome International Master’s Fellowships scheme offers nationals of low- and middle-income countries the opportunity to receive training at Master’s degree level.

Your research proposal

Your research proposal should be within our science remit and focus on a health priority in a low- or middle-income country.

When we consider your application, we’ll look at the:

quality and importance of your research question(s)
feasibility of your approach to solving these problems
suitability of your choice of research environments
suitability of the taught Master of Science (MSc) course you select – it should take place at a recognised centre of excellence and provide you with training that will complement your research project.

The sponsor must be able to guarantee that you’ll have a post for the duration of the fellowship. The sponsor should not expect you to spend more than eight hours a week on non-research activities (for example clinical duties, teaching or administration).

Your sponsor’s support and mentorship should be part of a longer-term commitment to help you achieve your career aspirations.

Requirements

You can apply for an International Master’s Fellowship if:

you’re a national of a low- or middle-income country
your proposed research focuses on a health priority in a low- or middle-income country
you have sponsorship from an eligible host organisation in a low- or middle-income country apart from mainland China.

You must:

hold a clinical or non-clinical undergraduate degree in a relevant subject
be at an early stage in your career with limited research experience (but you must have demonstrated interest in, or aptitude for, research).

Benefits

An International Master’s Fellowship is for 30 months, unless you want to hold it on a part-time basis.

The first 12 months should be dedicated to doing a taught Master of Science (MSc) course at a recognised centre of excellence anywhere in the world.

The following 18 months is for your research project at an eligible organisation in a low- or middle-income country.

An award of £120,000 provides support for:

Support during the Master’s course

The support includes:

a stipend
travel costs (eg outward and return airfares)
approved tuition fees, according to the rate charged by the training organisation.

Supervisor

You must have a supervisor who will be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of your research project.

You should also have additional supervisors for each period that you spend outside your host organisation, including your taught course. They must agree to provide the space and resources you’ll need.

You should give careful thought to your choice of supervisor(s).

A supervisor should: