Fellowship FAQs

If you have any questions, the Fellowships Team is here to help! Please contact us at [email protected].

The Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program webinar series features presentations from a panel of current fellows and interns, alumni fellows and interns and public health industry professionals. Please note that the recorded webinars will only be available in the APHL Learning Center (ALC) for one year after the live webinar date. Recordings live in the ALC; see instructions below if you have trouble accessing the site.

• Provide proof of US citizenship or permanent residency.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have completed at least a bachelor's degree or will expect completion by the time the fellowship begins.
• Be prepared to be a fellow for at least one year, attend professional development opportunities and complete periodic reports/surveys as well as training curriculum.

• Transcript (official or unofficial; PDF version will be required for upload/attachment to application)
• Resume or CV (PDF version will be required for upload/attachment to application)
• Professional references and their email addresses (bachelor- and master-level applicants will need two (2), and doctorate level will need three (3) with one being their doctoral program advisor)
• List of desirable placement/location options for your fellowship

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis; there is no deadline to apply. Review the requirements above and submit your application today.

All paychecks will be issued on the last working day of the month.

Supplementary Support Funds are allocated to each fellow to help offset expenses associated with a fellow’s participation in the Fellowship Program. These include relocation, unexpected hardship and other situations that could have prevented the fellow from participating in their fellowship. These funds will be distributed as a one-time payment, which will be included in the fellow’s first stipend payment, and is intended to be used on an as-needed basis by the fellow throughout their participation in the Fellowship Program. Supplementary Support Funds are calculated individually and will therefore differ per fellow depending on relocation parameters. Fellows should refer to their contract for the funding amount.

• Relocation Stipend: Fellows will be provided a relocation stipend in their first stipend payment as part of their Supplementary Support Funds to help offset the cost of relocating from their current home address to be closer to their host laboratory or agency.

• Hardship Support Stipend: Fellows will be provided a hardship support stipend in the amount of $1,500 in their first stipend payment as part of their Supplementary Support Funds to support them through unexpected barriers that may arise while participating in the Fellowship Program, such as those related to housing, relocation, family or medical related situations.

This form instructs Payroll where to deposit your stipend each month. 

Here is a reference guide for the Preferred Payment Method form.

You will initially sign a one-year contract. If funding is available, you will have the option to extend the fellowship to a second year if both you and your mentor agree. Extensions are not guaranteed.

We will send out a Request for Extension form to you and your mentor during the last quarter of the first year of the fellowship to gauge collective interest in a program extension for up to one year (maximum). If both agree to an extension, you will complete and return the Request for Extension form to [email protected]. If funding is available, and therefore the extension is granted, we will notify both mentor and fellow, and a contract/agreement amendment will be drafted by us and distributed to you for your signature.   

Those that your host laboratory observes. Any time taken outside of this will be considered PTO taken out of your 12 days.

The following steps outline the professional development request and disbursement process:

1. Submit a professional development request form prior to making purchases or attending an event. 
   • *Please note: a breakdown of ALL expense estimates will need to be included in the request form. 
   • The submitting fellow will receive a submission summary email, indicating their submission was received.
2. The request will be reviewed by the fellowship team. If approved​, an approval email (along with flight information, if applicable) will be sent to the submitting fellow.  ​​
   ​​It is HIGHLY SUGGESTED that this approval email is saved for future reference as the email contains important information and instructions. ​
   
   
3. If approved, funds will be disbursed in the fellow’s next or subsequent stipend payment. 
   • ​​​​If the new/revised request is approved and the flight is booked (if applicable) by the 15th of the month, funds will be disbursed in the same month's stipend payment.​​ OR
   • If the new/revised request is approved and a flight is booked (if applicable) after the 15th of the month, funds will be disbursed in the following month's stipend payment.​
4. Once the funds are disbursed as part of the stipend payment, fellows will embark on the opportunity to proceed with making travel arrangements (if applicable) and use the disbursed funds to make all associated purchases. ​
   If the opportunity requires air travel, the fellow will not pay for their flight out of pocket but will instead book airfare through the APHL Travel Site. The cost of the flight will be deducted from the allocated disbursable funds. See the airfare instructions guide below.
   
5. ​Following the opportunity, fellows MUST complete the required ‘Highlight Your Experience’ form to confirm they embarked on the approved opportunity  
   • The form will be provided to fellows when applicable
   • For non-travel opportunities, fellows have two weeks from when the funds were disbursed to complete the form
   • ​For travel-related opportunities, fellows have one week from the conclusion of the event to complete the form.
   • If this form is not completed, the amount of disbursed funds will be withheld from a future stipend payment as failure to complete the form signifies the fellow did not embark on the opportunity. Please set a reminder to not forget to complete this required form. 

Effective February 1, 2026, proof of purchase or attendance must be submitted through the Highlight Your Experience form after the event, once funds have been disbursed. Acceptable proof includes a registration confirmation email, conference badge, or receipt showing your name and event date, as well as screenshots, confirmations, or photos taken at the event to demonstrate participation.​

*Please note the following: 

• APHL Annual Conference (for the first term only): ​​This conference, sponsored by APHL, occurs annually in May. First-term fellows are required to attend and will not need to use their allocated professional development funds for travel expenses.​ 
  
• New requests for subscriptions, memberships and exam preparation materials submitted within the last 90 calendar days of the fellowship, and all new requests submitted within the last 30 calendar days, will not be approved except on a case-by-case basis as this time frame hinders the fellow’s ability to maximize the use of resources during their fellowship.
  
• If a fellow has already received the funds but needs to cancel a request due to last-minute changes (sudden illness, etc.), then they still need to notify the APHL Fellowship Team prior to the opportunity taking place or incurring expenses so APHL can take applicable action. The amount of disbursed funds will determine the next steps.
  
• The approval email sent to fellows will include an airfare instruction guide that explains how to book a flight via the APHL Travel Site.
  

If an extension is granted, second-year fellows will again be allocated professional development funds to embark on approved professional development opportunities. For reference, please review the categories of approved opportunities on this form.

Professional development funds are available during the second year of the fellowship, with a maximum allocation of $4,000. Funding allocations are based on the length of the extension and funding availability at the time of contracting. If you have questions about your allocation or remaining balance, please contact [email protected].

 Approved professional development opportunities/purchases are intended to support the fellow’s growth while in the program by enhancing their knowledge and skillset to assist them with their fellowship project(s). Please keep in mind that the allocated funds are meant to defray expenses associated with approved professional development opportunities and may not necessarily cover the entire cost of the expense(s). 

A list of suggested, approved in-person experiential learning opportunities is below:

1. Attend the APHL Annual Conference again 
   The conference occurs annually in May. If fellows plan to attend, they will need to reserve some of their allocated professional development funds to do so. Further details will be shared with fellows as the conference approaches. 
2. ​Attend another appropriate scientific conference other than the APHL Annual Conference 
3. Attend an on-site training/immersion experience at another laboratory 
4. Attend the Public Health Laboratory Fellow Leadership Training  

• ​The training is currently limited to second-year fellows with a master's or doctorate degree. 
• The training typically takes place at APHL Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland and can occur at any time in the year.
• If fellows plan to attend, they will need to reserve some of their allocated professional development funds to do so. Further details will be shared with fellows once the training is confirmed.

1. Submit a professional development request fo​rm​ prior to making purchases or attending an event. 
   • *Please note: a breakdown of ALL expense estimates will need to be included in the request form.
   • ​The submitting fellow will receive a submission summary email, indicating their submission was received.
2. The fellowship team will review the request. If approved, the submitting fellow will receive an approval email, along with flight information, if applicable. ​It is HIGHLY SUGGESTED that this approval email is saved for future reference as the email contains important information and instructions. 
3. If ​approved, funds will be disbursed in the fellow’s next or subsequent stipend payment.  
   1. If the new/revised request is approved and the flight is booked (if applicable) by the 15th of the month, funds will be disbursed in the same month's stipend payment. OR 
   2. If the new/revised request is approved and the flight booked (if applicable) after the 15th of the month, funds will be disbursed in the following month's stipend payment.
4. Once the funds are disbursed as part of the stipend payment, fellows will embark on the opportunity where they will proceed with making travel arrangements (if applicable) and use the disbursed funds to make all associated purchases.   

If the opportunity requires air travel, the fellow will not pay for their flight out of pocket but will instead book airfare through the APHL Travel Site. The cost of the flight will be deducted from the allocated disbursable funds. See the airfare instructions guide below.  ​

Following the opportunity, fellows MUST complete the required ‘Highlight Your Experience’ form to confirm they embarked on the approved opportunity.  

To clarify, APHL is not your "employer" but actually is an educational experience program that oversees your fellowship, which makes a difference for the IRS. Since your fellowship does count as being an educational experience, you can likely get deferment while in the fellowship program but not loan forgiveness, but please ask your tax professional.

Additional information about deferment, including the Graduate Fellowship Deferment Request form, can be found on studentaid.gov. It is also advised that you contact your loan service provider with other questions about eligibility.

After completing the form you need, please send it to [email protected] as a PDF where we will complete Section 4. Once we have reviewed and signed the form, we will return it to you along with a verification letter and a previous correspondence from the IRS, all of which you can provide to your student loan institution.

Here is a reference guide to filling out your Traveler Profile

• Traveler Profile Standard Operating Procedure

Please refer to the 2026 program handbook for updated information regarding the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program.

If you have any questions, the Fellowships Team is here to help! Please contact us at [email protected].

In addition, we host weekly office hours, every Wednesday, 3:00-4:00 pm ET, where you can ask any of your questions.​ Office hours is open to current fellows and mentors.