Meet the second cohort of Vivien Thomas Scholars
Published Aug 23, 202315 scholars join JHU to begin pursuing PhDs as part of a $150M initiative designed to advance pathways for students from HBCUs and MSIs in STEM
Shape Our Future. Become a Vivien Thomas Scholar.
Learn how to start your journey as a future leader in STEM with a fully funded doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University.
Inspired by the legacy of Dr. Thomas, the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI) is dedicated to nurturing, mentoring, and connecting diverse talent at historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions to STEM. At Johns Hopkins University, you are empowered to share your unique experiences and grow in discovery on your path to becoming a leader in your field.
As a Vivien Thomas Scholar, you will benefit from:
Research Training
Learn with the world’s leading scholars and scientists at the nation’s first research university.
Community
Join other Hopkins students and scholars whose diverse histories and life journeys bring exceptional community and richness to the Hopkins space.
Mentorship
Thrive personally and professionally during your graduate journey and beyond, with guidance and support from excellent mentors.
Benefits
Discover the benefits VTSI offers: among them, full tuition, a robust stipend, health insurance, and a waiver of the PhD application fee.
Choose from over 30 exceptional Hopkins STEM PhD programs
Click on a school of interest to see their VTSI eligible programs.
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
Whiting School of Engineering
School of Medicine
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Biological Chemistry
- Biomedical Engineering (BME)
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine
- Cellular and Molecular Physiology
- Cross-disciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences (XDBio)
- Functional Anatomy and Evolution
- Health Sciences Informatics
- Human Genetics and Molecular Biology
- Immunology
- Neuroscience
- Pathobiology
- Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
Things to know before applying
From eligibility to deadlines, click on the topics below to learn what you need to know before starting your application.
Eligibility
Before starting your application, it’s important to check your eligibility.
- Have you attended a VTSI-eligible undergraduate institution?
- Are you applying to an eligible VTSI PhD program at Johns Hopkins University?
Before starting
Applicants must indicate interest in the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative when applying to the JHU PhD program.
There are two deadlines to keep in mind:
- November 15:
For application fee waivers for Bloomberg School of Public Health programs, VTSI applicants should contact the individual Bloomberg School of Public Health PhD program office before November 15 and prior to submission of your SOPHAS application. (Fee waivers for other school programs will be granted directly through the program application portal.) - December 1: VTSI supplemental application
To be considered for the VTSI, you must complete and submit all components of the individual PhD program application and the VTSI supplemental components by December 1.
Checklist
Are you ready to submit your application? Review this checklist first before you submit.
- Review the VTSI supplemental questions and prepare responses.
- Submit your completed JHU PhD application, which will include all VTSI supplemental materials.
- Ensure your letters of recommendation are submitted.
- All VTSI applicants will receive a waiver of the JHU application program fee. For Bloomberg School of Public Health programs contact the individual Bloomberg School of Public Health PhD program office before November 15 and prior to submission of your SOPHAS application. Fee waivers for other school programs will be granted directly through the program application portal.
To be considered for the VTSI, you must complete and submit all components of the individual PhD program application by the December 1 deadline. This includes the VTSI supplemental components and all supporting materials including letters of recommendation.
