CREATE PhD Fellowship Programme

The AFRICA-ASIA Research Training Programme 

The Wellcome-funded CREATE PhD Programme offers fully funded 3 year full-time fellowships (part-time is available), for UK registered health professionals who wish to undertake Discovery Research as per Wellcome’s guidance.  

The scope of the research is deliberately broad and should focus on the health problems pertinent to the countries/region where the research will be conducted. Wellcome defines Discovery Research as ‘covering studies across fields and disciplines that lead to new knowledge of life, health and wellbeing’, incorporating disciplinary breath. Projects that range from the fundamentals of biology to the development of new methods, tools and technologies will be within remit. We will also fund population health studies exploring the social, ethical, cultural, political, economic and historical contexts of human health. We encourage inter-disciplinary research ideas and welcome enquiries and applications from those who have had fewer research opportunities so far, but who can evidence great potential for and commitment to a clinical academic career. 

PhD Fellowship funding includes salary, overseas allowances, PhD fees, and research costs. 

Applicants must have an interest in global health research and successful applicants will develop their potential to become global health leaders within a structured and mentored training environment.  

CREATE has 5 UK University partners, where successful applicants can register their PhD 

  • University of Bristol
  • Brighton & Sussex Medical School
  • London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
  • University of Sheffield
  • University of Southampton. 

 We have 6 African/Asian partners where the PhD research will be carried out: 

  • Biomedical Research Training Institute, Zimbabwe
  • University of Ghana
  • MRC The Gambia
  • MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Uganda
  • University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Aga Khan University, Pakistan 

 We expect PhD Fellows to spend a minimum of 18 months overseas at their chosen partner institution, from those listed above. 

Core criteria: 

  • Health professional with a relevant undergraduate degree
  • Health professional registered with a national professional regulatory body in the UK
  • Minimum of 2 years of clinical practice following qualifying as a health care professional
  • Eligible to work in the UK
  • Qualify for home/UK fees
  • Nurses, midwives and allied health professionals must have a Masters in a relevant subject
  • Resident doctors (not GPs) must have at least 12 months left on their training programme once the fellowship has completed 

Wellcome’s list of health professions can be found here 

Learn more about Wellcome and Discovery Research  

Applications to CREATE follow a 2-stage process 

  1. The Stage 1 process is an online application form that will consider the applicant’s suitability for the CREATE PhD Programme including their motivation to undertake doctoral research training, and their vision of their PhD research and their career. Each question in the application form should be completed, adhering to the word limit. Failure to comply will result in the application not being considered. 
  2. Approximately 15-20 applicants will be selected from Stage 1, and be invited to develop a full Stage 2 application comprising a competitive PhD proposal with a detailed budget and to find relevant supervisors to adhere to the required supervision model described above. Up to five applicants will be selected for funding following external peer review and interview in May 2027.  If successful, fellows will be required to take up the fellowship within 12 months of the award being made.  

Our first year of recruitment is now open, apply here: 

 

Please note, applications for PhDs at any of the UK Universities - University of Bristol, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of Sheffield, and University of Southampton – must all be made through this LSHTM application portal. 

Enquiries 

If you have any questions about the application process, please email us at create-phd@lshtm.ac.uk  

If you have any questions specific to the University of Bristol, the programme director is Professor Celia Gregson and can be contacted celia.gregson@bristol.ac.uk  

Closing date is Sunday the 8th of November 2026 (midnight).