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Fall 2026 Application Cycle

For PhD applicants applying in the fall of 2026 with the hope of matriculating in the fall of 2027, please note that we have funding available only in the following category:

• Training Program on HIV and Substance Use in the Criminal Justice System
• Training Program in Social Determinants of HIV
  • We particularly welcome applicants to the PhD who fall within the National Institute of Health definition of Under-Represented Minorities.
  • To be eligible for support by an NIH-funded T32 training programs, applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.

Social Determinants of HIV

The Predoctoral Fellowship in Social Determinants of HIV, is a research training program located in the department of Sociomedical Sciences (SMS). As an interdisciplinary program the fellowship provides funding to doctoral students pursuing their PhD or their DrPh in the Departments of Sociomedical Sciences, Epidemiology, Population and Family Health, and Biostatistics. This program prepares students for research and teaching careers addressing HIV structural interventions and social determinants such as structural racism, stigma, residential segregation, COVID-19, and other marginalizing structures, particularly as they influence HIV. 

Sociomedical Sciences Doctoral Information Session

The SMS PhD program

We seek students with a demonstrated capacity to excel in the behavioral or social sciences or in history, a clear interest in training that will prepare them to advance knowledge in that discipline, and a commitment to applying those theoretical and methodological skills in a way that engages with critical questions about population health. 

The Training Program on HIV and Substance Use in the Criminal Justice System

This program is a joint effort of faculty in Sociomedical Sciences and the Columbia School of Social Work and seeks to train the next generation of scholars in the prevention, treatment, and care of HIV and substance use among individuals in the criminal justice system. The program seeks exceptional candidates applying to the PhD program who are interested in changing the narrative around justice and developing new and bold approaches to social interventions addressing HIV, substance use, and the criminal justice system. Learn more.