AHA Predoctoral Fellowship

AHA Predoctoral Fellowship

Offers predoctoral cardiovascular fellowships for scientists entering heart research to strengthen real-world implementation.

The American Heart Association (AHA) Predoctoral Fellowship supports doctoral students conducting mentored research aimed at improving cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health. Established in 1924 and the largest non-government funder of cardiovascular research in the United States with more than $6 billion invested since inception, the AHA administers this fellowship as part of its annual funding cycle. The 2027 cycle carries an August 4, 2026 deadline for proposals submitted via ProposalCentral, with awards activating January 1, 2027.

Each award provides an annual stipend of $29,364, a health insurance allowance of $4,550, and $2,000 in project support, totaling approximately $35,914 per year. Awards run one or two years. Applicants must be full-time students in MD, DO, DVM, PharmD, DDS, DrPH, or PhD programs spanning science, nursing, public health, or equivalent clinical health science fields. At award activation, candidates must have completed initial coursework and commit at least 80% effort to research. Eligible visa categories include U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, and qualifying statuses such as F-1, H-1B, J-1, O-1, E-3, TN, and DACA. AHA Professional Membership is required at submission.

Competitive applications present a focused five-page research plan developed primarily by the applicant, not the mentor. Applicants should align their proposed investigation with AHA's cardiovascular and brain health mission and demonstrate mentored independence. Applications hosted at U.S. universities and accredited research institutions are eligible; for-profit entities are not. The non-renewable nature of this fellowship and its January award start date require careful alignment of degree milestones with the August submission deadline.