IPPHL Admissions

• Mid-career public health professional from Africa, working in government, for a government initiative/partner, or entity at the federal, regional, state, or provincial level 
• Responsible for managing public health program(s) with supervisory responsibilities, either individual staff or a team; Accountable for the performance of public health programs and/or for managing front-line health workers 
• Holds a degree related to public health or  is a medical professional 
• A citizen and resident of a country in Africa 
• Strong English-language skills, and the ability to articulate the various policy or program implementation challenges that they deal with in public health 

Participation & Commitment

If accepted, you will be required to attend all live virtual and in-person components of the program including completing prep work for the session. See estimated time(s) below:

• Orientation – virtual sessions (March 14, 15, 16: 4 – 5:30 pm GMT, online sessions)
• Policy Intensive – virtual sessions (April 11 – June 1, online classes every Tuesday and Thursday: 4 pm—5:30 pm GMT): An average of 5-7 hours per week on programmatic assignments, such as reading case studies and articles, completing self-assessments, meeting with their executive coach and faculty advisor, and participating in the live online sessions
• Leadership Immersion – Seattle, WA, USA (June 19 – June 30):  2 weeks of experiential learning, workshopping, networking, and individual leadership development. Full attendance across the two-weeks is required.
• Launch & Learn – virtual touchpoints (July 11, July 25, August 8, August 22: 4 pm – 5:30 pm GMT): Fellows begin applying the leadership, implementation, and policy frameworks in their places of work. The cohort convenes for four 90-minute sessions to check-in on progress with colleagues. Fellows finalize their written policy projects during these six weeks.
• Capstone Seminar – Nairobi, Kenya (August 30 – September 2): The cohort convenes in-person for the final after-action to assess progress and strategize how to move projects, agendas, and teams forward. Full attendance across the five days is required.

Throughout your time in the program, you will complete a policy project that focusses on an implementation or policy challenge you are facing in your work. You will be paired with a faculty advisor who will support you in the development of your project and you will be asked to meet with your advisor for regular feedback.

You will also be asked to complete a “360-evaluation” and other leadership style assessments, which will inform your understanding of your leadership strengths and growth areas. The 360-evaluation will involve soliciting feedback from your boss, peers, direct reports, and others.

US Visa & Travel 

Under extenuating circumstances (ie challenges securing a US visa or health-related issues) individual fellows who are unable to travel to the in-person portions of the program, may be eligible to participate virtually.

We encourage all interested applicants to check current US visa wait times before applying. Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category (J-1 for IPPHL fellows). Please review the interview wait time for the location where you will apply and contact the team (ipphl@uw.edu) with questions.

Technology Requirements

If admitted, participants must have access to a reliable device such as a desktop computer or laptop. Live course sessions, which are roughly three hours per week during the Policy Intensive require stable internet, a webcam, speakers, and microphone. We understand the quality and availability of internet is not always certain and that this may affect participation in some sessions. 

Please be prepared to complete the following steps in the application to apply: 

• Complete the online application form 
  • 3 short-answer questions limited to 1500 characters each on the following topics (please refer to application for full questions and expectations): 
    • How you have used leadership and management skills to affect change in the past (or in your current role), and what personal characteristics help you effectively work through leadership challenges and influence change
    • A critical challenge that you face in your position or in your health program that you would like to address as your policy problem throughout IPPHL
    • How the leadership, policy analysis, and skills of influence learned during this program will further your career aspirations
  • Upload your resume or CV in PDF form. 
  • Upload a Statement of Release from your supervisor in PDF form. This statement should come from an individual or department with the authority to release you for time spent during the in-person and virtual portions of the program, some of which may occur during work hours.
  • Upload a Letter of Recommendation from your employer or supervisor PDF form. Your Letter of Recommendation should include:
    • Several ways that a leadership and policy program like IPPHL would support your professional development
    • One strength or specific talent you would add to the program
    • Two ways your participation in IPPHL would benefit your larger team and organization
    • A statement of willingness from your organization to participate in elements of the program that require their input such as surveys

To access the application, you will be prompted to sign in to a Google account. If you do not already have an account, you will be directed to create a free account before continuing to the application.   

Program Questions

What type of degree is awarded at the end of IPPHL? 

The International Program in Public Health Leadership is a non-degree, non-credit program offering participants a signed certificate of completion from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington. 

What is the cost? 

There is no tuition or program fee. IPPHL makes every effort to cover most direct costs associated with the program, including lodging and airfare for the two-week Seattle Residency and Capstone Seminar. Participants are responsible for covering certain costs, such as visa fees and internet and will receive limited financial support for these expenses either during or after the completion of the program.

Eligibility Questions:  

Am I eligible to apply if I work for a for-profit organization (including WHO, USAID…) in a developing country?  

Our primary objective is to train individuals who work in the country’s government health system. Individuals working for international NGOs or for-profit organizations do not fit the typical candidate profile and may not be a competitive applicant.  

I am originally from Africa but now live in the USA (or other non-African country). Can I still apply for the program? 

To be eligible for this program, applicants must be currently living and working in an African country.  

Is the program only meant for employed individuals?  

A large portion of the program relies on surveys and feedback from the participant’s workplace, as well as the ability to pull from current work situations, so we do require candidates to be employed and provide a letter of support from their organization.   

I do not have a public health degree, am I eligible to apply?  

Our target candidates for the program are individuals with a medical background or an advanced degree related to public health, development or policy. Candidates are not required to have a direct public health credential; however, they should be currently managing public health programs in their country.  

I’m a University lecturer/PhD student, am I eligible?   

Our target candidates for the program are individuals who are currently working in their ministries of health and responsible for managing public health program(s) with supervisory responsibilities. While university lecturers and professors are welcome to apply, these individuals do not fit our typical profile and may not be competitive applicants. Full-time PhD students are not eligible.   

Is there an English language test we need to submit scores for? 

There is no official English language test, but participants will be required to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English during the application process. 

Application Questions:  

Technical difficulties: the “Next” button not working 

Please try accessing the application on a different browser. Chrome is the best, but you can also try Firefox or Safari. If that doesn’t work, please email us at ipphl@uw.edu with what type of device and browser you’re using and we will help troubleshoot.

Technical difficulties: I can’t upload my letter of recommendation, statement of support, or CV/resume

• Please try accessing the application on a different browser. Chrome is the best, but you can also try Firefox or Safari. 

• Make sure you are uploading your documents as PDFs. 

Can I start the application and return to it later?  

Our application does not allow you to save and return later to a started application. Therefore, we encourage you to save your answers to questions in a word document for your own reference and prepare your material before starting the application. 

Can I make changes to my submitted application or edit the documents? 

Unfortunately, we don’t have a way to update already submitted applications or documents. However, you can submit a new application and we’ll make sure to send the most up to date version to our admissions committee. To make it easier for us to recognize the new version, please use the same email as the original application. Thank you for your understanding.