Cambridge

Scholarships to pursue a doctorate at either Oxford or Cambridge University in the United Kingdom are available to student trainees through two collaborative arrangements established by the Graduate Partnership Program (GPP) at NIH—the NIH-University of Oxford Scholars in Biomedical Sciences program and the NIH-University of Cambridge Health Science Scholars program. Six research scholarships are available for each of the programs.

Oxford

Recipients of these awards participate in an interdisciplinary program designed to train outstanding students in various areas of biomedical research leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil.) degree from either Oxford or Cambridge. The curriculum includes courses taught at both institutions (NIH and the respective university). Research projects are collaborative efforts between faculty here at the NIH and abroad.

Becoming a Mentor

All intramural investigators are eligible to collaborate in the training of a scholar (including those who are not stationed at the Bethesda campus). To serve as a mentor, the principal investigator must be supervising an independent research program at the rank of tenure-track or above.

The best way to attract a doctoral fellow is to contact a potential collaborator at Oxford or Cambridge and create a collaborative proposal for a research project that could involve a student. Investigators should send collaborative project descriptions (one paragraph) with the links to their web pages as well as those of their collaborators at Cambridge or Oxford to Patty McCarthy.

These projects will be advertised to the students, who will be encouraged to discuss them directly with potential mentors. It is also possible for a student to devise a course of study with a particular mentor in mind and initiate contact with that person.

Student Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this program, a student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university. All applicants are expected to have had undergraduate preparation in biology, chemistry (both inorganic and organic), physics, and mathematics. Candidates should demonstrate outstanding academic performance and promise for a career in biomedical research. Previous laboratory research experience is also a strong qualification for this program. Students already enrolled in medical schools, as well as college graduates interested in pursuing a D.Phil., are encouraged to apply.

The application package should include:

A completed form (available at web site)

A photocopy of the official report of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), including results from the advanced test in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

A photocopy of the college transcript.

Four letters of reference (at least one should be from a current or former research advisor). Letters should be in sealed envelopes bearing the signature of the person serving as reference across the seal.

For more information on this program, visit the GPP web site or contact Patty McCarthy, NIH, Building 10, Room 1C129, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1158, Bethesda, MD 20892-1158, USA. Phone: 301-594-9603/9604.

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