Based on an established curriculum and program format, but with a new funding model and expanded scholarship opportunities, applications are open for Harvard Medical School’s nine-month clinical research training postgraduate certificate program at Semmelweis University. Each academic year between 2026 and 2028/2029, the Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education (NEOA) will provide 70 scholarship places for qualified participants drawn from the Semmelweis communities, including Semmelweis University and its partner institutions. Hungarian participants will receive a 100 percent tuition scholarship, while scholarship recipients from Central and Eastern Europe will receive 50 percent tuition support. In addition, a further 20 international applicants may be admitted to the program at a reduced tuition fee. The program is now open to applications from young clinicians, PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and residents until May 20.
Launched in 2023, Harvard Medical School’s Clinical Science Scholars program (CSS) at Semmelweis University aims to immerse participants in the latest advances and best practices in clinical research, thereby broadening their knowledge of research methodology. Those who complete the nine-month hybrid training program will gain a solid understanding of how to design and conduct clinical trials and research, analyze and interpret research data, and master the skills needed to develop successful grant proposals and lead clinical teams.
In the CSS program, participants will work in teams to discuss and problem-solve, complemented by monthly webinars and more than 85 pre-recorded lectures. The program is anchored by three residential workshops, and the curriculum is structured into five modules covering epidemiology, research ethics, biostatistics, clinical trials, and leadership/teamwork.
Workshop dates for the 2026/2027 cohort:
- July 27-30, 2026 – Semmelweis University, Budapest
- December 1-4, 2026 – Virtual
- March 16-19, 2027 – Harvard Medical School, Boston
Participants in the program will also develop a research proposal; the top ten submissions will be presented in a webinar, and the top three will be presented at the final workshop in Boston.
In the first three academic years, from 2023 to 2026, approximately 220 students were admitted to the program, mainly from Semmelweis University and other Hungarian medical schools, as well as from Central European countries.
The second training period, running from 2026 to 2029, will follow the same program curriculum with updated admissions plans: Each year, 70 places will be reserved for qualified participants from the Semmelweis communities, including Semmelweis University and its partner institutions. Thanks to state subsidies, Hungarian participants will benefit from full tuition coverage, while participants from Central and Eastern Europe will receive a 50 percent tuition scholarship. Additionally, up to 20 international applicants will be eligible to join the program at a reduced tuition fee.
Applications for the program are open on Harvard Medical School’s website, where prospective participants can submit their CV, motivation letter, and letter of recommendation. Applications close on May 20.
The Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education’s call for applications is available HERE.
For questions about the program details, please contact learn@hms.harvard.edu. For questions about tuition assistance, please contact scholarship@semmelweis.hu.
Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Illustration: Bálint Barta – Semmelweis University; cover: Liesl Clark
