Health Coverage Fellowship 2026

📝 About the Fellowship

The Health Coverage Fellowship is designed to help journalists enhance their ability to cover critical health issues. This program is hosted by the Center for Health Communication at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

🎁 Benefits of the Fellowship

Professional Growth

• Intensive 9-day training with leading health officials, practitioners, researchers, and patients.
• Exposure to cutting-edge health topics such as:
  • Mental health
  • Pandemics
  • Climate impacts
  • Disparities
  • Women’s health
  • Aging, and more.
• Hands-on experiences, including:
  • Shadowing doctors treating the homeless.
  • Visiting labs developing stem cells and vaccines.

Mentorship & Networking

• Year-long mentoring from veteran health journalist Larry Tye.
• Build a community of like-minded journalists across major outlets.
• Gain an address book full of new sources for future reporting.

Practical Advantages

• Requires no financial contribution from media outlets.
• Lasts only nine days, allowing journalists to continue their jobs without long-term interruptions.
• Participants return with story ideas and practical skills ready to implement immediately.

✅ Fellowship Requirements

• Each year, 13 journalists are selected.
• Fellows are chosen from print, broadcast, and online outlets, including freelancers.
• Selection is highly competitive, focusing on journalists who cover health or related issues.

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: 13 February, 2026
• To apply, visit the official application portal.

🔗 Additional Information

For more details about the fellowship, visit the official fellowship page.

This fellowship offers an incredible opportunity for journalists to grow professionally, network with peers, and gain valuable insights into health reporting. Don't miss the chance to apply!

Professional Growth

• Intensive 9-day training with leading health officials, practitioners, researchers, and patients.
• Exposure to cutting-edge health topics: mental health, pandemics, climate impacts, disparities, women’s health, aging, and more.
• Hands-on experiences like shadowing doctors treating the homeless or visiting labs developing stem cells and vaccines.

Mentorship & Networking

• Year-long mentoring from veteran health journalist Larry Tye.
• Build a community of like-minded journalists across major outlets.
• Gain an address book full of new sources for future reporting.

Practical Advantages

• Unlike many fellowships, it:
  • Requires no financial contribution from media outlets.
  • Lasts only nine days, so journalists don’t need to leave their jobs for a year.
  • Ensures participants return with story ideas and practical skills ready to use immediately.