Introduction
The °®ÍþÄÌapp of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a global leader in research and postgraduate education in health. We aim to promote excellence in public and global health research and education, and to translate knowledge into policy and practice.
LSHTM has partnered with the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) to set up the Creating Opportunities for Master's Programmes for Africa: Support and Scholarships (COMPASS) Fellowship Scheme.
This project is part of the EDCTP2 Programme supported by the European Union.
The scheme has two components:
- A training component, consisting of a two-year period of module-based master’s-level coursework leading to the award of an LSHTM Master's degree in Clinical Trials or Epidemiology by Distance Learning (MSc by DL).
- An internship component supported by a 6 or 12 month award to undertake a policy or research focused internship selected from a list of opportunities collated by LSHTM or identified by the fellow. The internship is expected to be undertaken following completion of the training component for candidates whose training has been funded independently of the scheme, or as a stand-alone award to applicants at the end of their MSc. Fellows will be hosted at their employing institutions or at host institutions identified by LSHTM. Host institutions will:
- be located in a sub-Saharan African country;
- have ongoing direct involvement in research in collaboration with LSHTM, with research activities expected to continue throughout the duration of hosting; and
- have embedded LSHTM staff or academic staff from other local or international institutions or other staff capable and willing to provide mentorship during the internship period.
Candidates are welcome to apply for either a full fellowship which includes financial support for both the training component and the internship component, or a part-fellowship to support either the training component only or the internship component only.
LSHTM will be responsible for selection of candidates and management of the fellowship.
Eligibility criteria
Candidates will be eligible for the fellowship if they are:
- a national of a sub-Saharan African country;
- employed for at least the last 12 months in an organisation that is located in sub-Saharan Africa;
- working in research on strategically important areas of unmet public health need, namely: HIV, TB, malaria, neglected infectious diseases, diarrhoeal diseases, lower respiratory tract infections, and emerging/re-emerging infections affecting sub-Saharan Africa, maternal and child health, antimicrobial resistance, climate crisis-provoked changes in infectious disease incidence, and co-infections and co-morbidities, including co-morbid non-communicable conditions associated with target diseases or their treatment;
- supported by their employer to undertake the fellowship with a commitment to retain them as a staff member for a minimum of two years post-fellowship;
- committed to remain working at their employing institution for a minimum of two years post-completion of the fellowship. Case-by-case exceptions to this requirement may be made if a fellow moves to a similar sub-Saharan African institution with the agreement of their employer. Fellows who terminate their employment before the end of the two years post-completion period may be required to return 100% of the fellowship costs if terminating employment in the first post-completion year, or 50% in the second year;
- not receiving any additional support and/or funding for their MSc from an organisation other than their employing organisation.
Applications from women, non-anglophone candidates who meet the English language requirements for registering on the MSc by DL programmes, and those working in African countries with limited research capacity are particularly encouraged. Applicants who have a post-training placement arranged, as well as applicants seeking to be matched up with a suitable placement, are welcome.
All applicants must also meet the academic criteria for eligibility to the MSc by DL programmes:
- New entrants to the MSc by DL programmes:
- A first or second class honours degree, or the equivalent, from a university or other institution acceptable to the University of London, in a subject appropriate to the course; or
- An appropriate professional or technical qualification, together with at least three years' relevant experience, which satisfies the University as a qualification equivalent to at least a second class honours degree. All applications in this category will be considered on an individual basis.
- Candidates already registered on the MSc by DL programmes:
- Be in the first year of their registration and intending to exit the programme with an MSc; or
- If beyond the second year of registration, be entering the final year of registration and committed to complete coursework for the award of an MSc.
How to apply
Interested individuals should apply through the , and should include documentary evidence showing how you meet each of the eligibility criteria, for example, documentation of nationality, curricula vitae, support letters from employer, a cover letter. Please note that this application process is separate to that for the MSc in Clinical Trials by Distance Learning and MSc in Epidemiology by Distance Learning programmes. Candidates should apply directly to those programmes if not already registered. Fellowship offer will be contingent on acceptance to either MSc by DL programme.
Applications for the COMPASS Fellowship Scheme should be submitted by 23:59 GMT on 15 August 2025.
Contact us
Enquiries about the COMPASS Fellowship Scheme should be emailed to compass@lshtm.ac.uk.