2026 Vivien Thomas Postgraduate Scholarship Initiative at Johns Hopkins University in USA

Location: USA

Program: Postgraduate (PhD Degrees in STEM Fields)

Eligibility: Students from HBCUs, MSIs, and other eligible institutions

Duration: Up to 6 years

Deadline: December 1, 2025

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The Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI) is a groundbreaking $150 million endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins University, backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, that honors Dr. Vivien Thomas’s legacy by establishing and strengthening pathways so that students from a broad range of academic backgrounds can pursue and receive PhDs in STEM fields at Johns Hopkins. Named after the renowned Black scientist who developed a cardiac surgery technique at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1940s, this initiative is dedicated to nurturing, mentoring, and connecting exceptional diverse talent from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority serving institutions (MSIs) to STEM graduate education and future leadership in STEM careers.

Since its founding in 2021, the VTSI has welcomed 74 students from more than 40 institutions across the United States into PhD programs in 23 different disciplines across four Hopkins divisions. As America’s first research university and the nation’s leader in annual federal research funding for over 40 years, Johns Hopkins is a great place to learn, do science, and grow in STEM. The initiative provides permanent funding for a sustained cohort of approximately 100 new positions for diverse PhD students in JHU’s more than 30 STEM programs, representing disciplines ranging from neuroscience to physics to engineering.

Benefits of the Initiative

This fellowship provides comprehensive support including:

Up to six years of full tuition support
Generous annual stipend for living expenses
Health insurance coverage
Travel funding for conferences and research
Full waiver of PhD application fee
Dedicated VTSI mentorship in addition to STEM program faculty mentors
Regular individual check-ins and complementary advising
Mentorship and sponsorship dedicated to ensuring scholars fully thrive personally and professionally
Professional, career, and experiential life design opportunities to provide robust foundation for future STEM careers
Community-building activities including dedicated VTSI social events
Access to world-class research facilities at Johns Hopkins
Other benefits

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Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this initiative, applicants must:

Have attended a VTSI-eligible undergraduate institution, including:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)
- Community colleges across the country
- Regional institutions in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia
- Review the list of eligible MSIs on the VTSI website
Be applying to an eligible VTSI PhD program in STEM fields
Be accepted into a Johns Hopkins PhD STEM program through the regular, rigorous and competitive application process
Go through an interview and selection process for the VTSI program
Meet the specific admission requirements for the chosen PhD STEM program
Demonstrate commitment to excellence in STEM research
Show leadership potential and commitment to future leadership in STEM careers

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.

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Selection Criteria

The VTSI selection process follows a rigorous two-stage evaluation system in which applicants must first gain admission to a Johns Hopkins PhD STEM program based on academic excellence, research potential, strong recommendations, and program fit, after which successful candidates undergo a dedicated VTSI interview and assessment that considers their leadership potential, resilience, motivation, commitment to community service, and alignment with VTSI’s mission of advancing diversity and inclusion in STEM—culminating in a holistic evaluation of their overall suitability for the program.