Applications are now open for the 2027/28 Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice for midcareer professionals in USA

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Closing Date: 1 November 2026

Applications are now open for the 2027/28 Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice for midcareer professionals in USA

Overview

First offered in 1925 and envisioned as a “reverse Rhodes Scholarship,” the Harkness Fellowships are the Commonwealth Fund’s longest-running program. Nearly 100 years later, they remain a flagship of the Fund’s International Health Policy and Practice Innovations program. Today, the Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice provide a unique leadership development experience for midcareer professionals — policymakers, researchers, clinical leaders, health care executives, and journalists — from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.*

During their year in the United States, Harkness Fellows conduct internationally comparative research on a key health care delivery or policy issue with mentorship from leading U.S. experts. They gain an in-depth understanding of the U.S. health care system and policy landscape, engage in leadership development activities, and build a robust network for cross-national exchange and collaboration. Perhaps most important, the Harkness Fellowships give future leaders the space to think and reflect.

Tapping into its extensive network in the United States, Commonwealth Fund staff work closely with all selected fellows to identify potential mentors who are experts in their area of interest. Mentors supervise Fellows’ research, provide technical expertise and guidance, and facilitate access to relevant data, contacts, and organizations. Through their mentors, Fellows are affiliated with an institution — whether a university, think tank, health care organization, or government agency — that serves as their home base for the year.

Applicants must demonstrate their commitment to advancing health policy and practice in line with the Commonwealth Fund’s mission to promote a high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society’s most vulnerable, including low-income people, the uninsured, and people of color.

Harkness Fellows are expected to disseminate the results of their research. Products may include a peer-reviewed journal article or report for a high-level policy audience, as well as issue or data briefs, op-eds, blogs, or audio/video recordings. Depending on the nature of the research, we also encourage the creation of other products more relevant to frontline delivery system innovation.

Building on the fellowship experience, Harkness Senior Fellows (alumni) have moved into prominent positions within government, academia, and care delivery organizations, making valuable contributions to health policy and practice both at home and in the United States. Senior Fellows also become part of a strong international network of health policy researchers and practitioners, enjoying continued opportunities to engage with the Commonwealth Fund.

Eligibility, Review, and Selection Criteria

Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice are designed for midcareer professionals who are committed to advancing health policy and practice in the Commonwealth Fund’s principal areas of interest: improving health insurance coverage, access to care, the quality and efficiency of care delivery, and advancing health equity.

All applicants must:

Be established residents of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, or the United Kingdom and eligible to receive a J1 Research Scholar Visa. In addition, applicants must be committed to continuing their career in the country from which they are applying.
Show significant promise as a policy-oriented health care leader. Fellows come from a variety of backgrounds: government/policy, health services research, clinical practice, health care management, and journalism, among others. If you have specific questions about whether your career path fits with the Harkness Fellowship program, please contact us.
Have a demonstrated expertise in health policy issues and a track record of informing health policy through research, policy analysis, care delivery, or clinical leadership.
Propose a research project that is relevant to both the U.S. and their home country and is focused on creating policy or system-level change.
Have the relevant education and work experience to carry out the proposed research and take full advantage of the fellowship experience.

People from historically marginalized backgrounds and/or populations underrepresented in health policy and health care delivery are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that Harkness Fellowship awards cannot be used to support study for academic degrees. In addition, the fellowship cannot be undertaken in conjunction with other programs.

All submitted applications are reviewed by Commonwealth Fund staff and a panel of experts appointed in each of the participating countries. Following the review period, a limited number of applicants will be invited for interviews, which may be conducted either virtually or in person. If held in person, interviews will take place in Sydney (for Australian applicants), Toronto (for Canadian applicants), Paris (for French applicants), Berlin or the Hague (for German and Dutch applicants), Auckland (for New Zealand applicants), Oslo (for Norwegian applicants), Singapore (for Singaporean applicants), and London (for U.K. applicants). Once confirmed, interview dates will be shared directly with applicants via email.

Applicants are short-listed for an interview based on their qualifications, leadership potential, and commitment to improving health care; the quality and policy relevance of the proposed research project; and the strength of the reference letters submitted on their behalf. While the Fund does not provide critiques of applications that are declined, qualified applicants are encouraged to reapply in future years.

Application Process

The 2027–28 Harkness Fellowship application is open from June 1, 2026 to November 1, 2026.

All candidates must complete an application via the Harkness Fellowship portal, including the following:

Statement of professional objectives;
Curriculum vitae;
Preliminary project proposal (up to five pages, exclusive of references) for a policy-oriented project that fits within the Commonwealth Fund’s principal areas of interest;
A total of three letters of reference: one (1) Institutional / Organizational Reference from someone in a senior leadership or supervisory role within your current organization and two (2)Professional References from anyone in your network who can comment on your qualifications, accomplishments, and potential to influence health care policy and/or practice.* 
Three (3) examples of work products, such as journal articles, reports, or other pieces of writing (if submitting unpublished products, please add a description of the piece/its purpose).

In preparing an application, candidates are encouraged to review the Fund’s recent work. The proposed research project must be relevant to both the U.S. and the applicant’s home country and be focused on creating policy or system-level change. For quantitative research proposals, candidates must explore the availability and accessibility of data sets. For qualitative proposals, they must consider how they will collect data (document review, interviews, focus groups, etc.).