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, from 2026 through 2028/2029, the Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education (NEOA) will cover the entire program fee for 70 participants who are students at Semmelweis University or other Hungarian institutions. In the 2026/2027 academic year, an additional 20 open enrollment participants will be eligible for a 50 percent scholarship. The program is now open to applications from young clinicians, PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and residents until July 1.
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 feature the same program curriculum but with somewhat different admissions goals: Each academic year, 70 participants will be drawn from Semmelweis University and other Hungarian institutions. In 2026, an additional 20 participants are expected from Europe, Asia, and Africa. This number will increase to 25 in 2027 and 30 in 2028.
Thanks to state subsidies, the Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education will cover the entire program fee for 70 students from Semmelweis University or other Hungarian institutions. Participants from outside Hungary can apply for a scholarship that covers 50 percent of the participation 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 July 1.
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
