Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences 2027: Funded U.S. Postdoctoral Training Plus a $70,000 Award to Set Up a Lab Back Home
The Pew Latin American Fellows Program funds early-career scientists from Latin America for two years of postdoctoral biomedical training in the United States, paying a $30,000 annual stipend and an additional $70,000 toward equipment and supplies for fellows who return home to establish their own labs.
Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences 2027: Funded U.S. Postdoctoral Training Plus a $70,000 Award to Set Up a Lab Back Home
The Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences is one of the most established routes for a young scientist from Latin America to train in a top U.S. laboratory and then bring that experience home. Run by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the program has operated for more than three decades and has supported over 200 researchers. Each year it selects about ten fellows, pays them a salary stipend during their postdoctoral training in the United States, and then hands returning fellows a separate award to buy the equipment and supplies they need to open their own labs in Latin America.
That second piece is what sets this program apart from a standard postdoctoral fellowship. Most postdoc funding stops the day your training ends. Pew’s structure is built around the return trip: the goal is not only to give you two years in a strong U.S. lab, but to help you rebuild your research career in your home country afterward. Nearly 70 percent of the program’s participants have gone on to establish independent labs in Latin America, and that track record is the whole point.
This guide explains what the 2027 cycle offers, who fits it, how the money works, what the selection process involves, and how to put together a competitive application before the August 19, 2026 deadline. Where a specific detail is not confirmed on Pew’s own materials, this guide says so plainly rather than guessing.
Key Details at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Program | Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences |
| Administered by | The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) |
| Field | Biomedical sciences (broadly defined) |
| Fellows selected | About 10 per year (the 2027 class) |
| Postdoctoral stipend | $30,000 per year for two years ($60,000 total) |
| Return/lab set-up award | $70,000 for equipment and supplies on returning to Latin America to open an independent lab |
| Training location | A U.S. research laboratory chosen by the fellow |
| Fellowship term | Two years, extendable up to 60 months if the sponsoring lab supports it |
| Who is eligible | Early-career scientists who are citizens of an eligible Latin American country, holding a PhD, MD, or equivalent |
| U.S. sponsor | Required before you apply |
| Application window (2027 class) | Opens June 3, 2026; closes August 19, 2026 |
| Application access | By request from the program office |
| Official page | pewtrusts.org / pew.org — Pew Latin American Fellows Program |
What the Program Offers
The award has two distinct parts, and it helps to think of them separately because they are paid at different stages of your career.
The first part is the postdoctoral stipend. During your training in the United States, Pew provides a salary stipend of $30,000 per year for two years, or $60,000 in total. This is a contribution toward your salary, not a full salary on its own. The sponsoring U.S. laboratory is expected to supplement the stipend to meet National Institutes of Health salary guidelines and to provide medical benefits. In practice, that means you are paid a proper postdoc salary with health coverage; Pew covers a defined slice of it and the host lab covers the rest. The base fellowship runs two years, but the total training period can extend to as much as 60 months if your host lab chooses to keep supporting you beyond the initial term.
The second part is the return award. Fellows who complete their training and go back to Latin America to establish an independent laboratory receive an additional $70,000 from Pew to purchase equipment and supplies. This is the money that helps you set up a working lab in your home country: benchtop instruments, reagents, and the physical resources a new principal investigator needs to start collecting data. It is not automatic on day one; it is tied to your return and to actually starting an independent lab.
Beyond the cash, fellows join a large and active alumni network of Latin American scientists who have moved through the same program. Many past fellows now lead labs across the region, and that community becomes a professional resource for collaborations, references, and advice on the practical challenges of building a research career in Latin America.
Note that Pew has also, in recent cycles, offered separate one-time Advancement Awards to program alumni who have already returned to the region and set up labs. Those are distinct from the core fellowship described here and are aimed at people who are further along, so do not confuse the two when you read Pew’s announcements.
Who the Program Fits
This program is designed for a specific moment in a scientist’s career: the early postdoctoral stage, right after finishing a doctorate, when you are deciding where to train and how to build toward independence.
It fits you well if you are a citizen of a Latin American country, you have recently earned or are about to earn a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree in a biomedical field, and you genuinely intend to return to Latin America to run your own research group. The program’s entire design rewards that intention. If your long-term plan is to settle permanently in the United States or Europe, this is not the right fellowship, because the return award and the mission behind it assume you are coming home.
It also fits you if you have the initiative to find a strong U.S. host lab on your own. Pew does not place you; you have to identify a principal investigator, make contact, and secure a commitment from them before you apply. Candidates who are comfortable reaching out to leading researchers and negotiating a postdoc position will find the process natural. Those who expect to be matched with a lab will struggle, because that is not how this works.
Eligibility Requirements
Based on Pew’s program materials and recent application cycles, the core eligibility criteria are:
- Citizenship. You must be a citizen of an eligible Latin American country. Pew maintains a definitive list of qualifying countries in its official FAQ; countries represented in recent cohorts include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay, but you should confirm your specific country against Pew’s current list rather than assume it qualifies.
- Degree. You must hold a PhD, MD, or an equivalent doctoral degree in the biomedical sciences. The exact cut-off dates for when your degree must be completed vary by cycle and are set out in the application instructions, so check the current year’s rules for the precise window.
- Career stage. The program is for early-career scientists at the start of their postdoctoral training. It is not for established investigators or for people well into an independent career.
- A U.S. sponsor. You must secure a U.S. research sponsor, meaning a principal investigator who agrees to host you in their lab, before you apply. This is mandatory. The sponsor also has to commit to supplementing your stipend to NIH salary levels and providing benefits.
- Intent to return. You must intend to continue your research career in Latin America. The application asks you to state this directly, and the return award is built around it.
If any of these points is unclear for your situation, especially the country list or the degree-timing window, treat Pew’s official FAQ and the current application guidelines as the authority.
How the Application and Selection Process Works
Unlike some Pew programs that rely on invited nominations from institutions, the Latin American Fellows Program accepts direct applications from candidates. You do not need a nominating institution to put your name forward; you apply yourself. That said, access to the online application is controlled: you request it from the Pew program office rather than filling out an open public form. In practice you contact the program office, receive access credentials, and then complete the application online.
Selection is competitive and merit-based. Pew selects roughly ten fellows per cycle from applicants across the eligible countries. Review focuses on the strength of the candidate, the quality and originality of the proposed research, the standing of the chosen U.S. sponsor and lab, and the credibility of your plan to return to Latin America and build an independent career. Because only around ten spots exist each year, the bar is high, and a strong sponsor together with a clear, well-argued research proposal matters a great deal.
Timeline and Deadline
For the 2027 class, Pew’s schedule is:
- Application opens: June 3, 2026
- Application closes: August 19, 2026
The deadline used on this page is August 19, 2026. Pew runs this program on a predictable annual cycle, with the application window typically opening in early summer and closing in mid-to-late August, and awards announced the following year. If you are reading this after the 2027 deadline has passed, expect a similar rhythm for the next cycle and check the official page for the exact dates, since they shift slightly year to year.
Because you must line up a U.S. sponsor before you apply, the real work starts months before the deadline. Aim to have a host lab committed well ahead of August so that your sponsor has time to write a strong letter and gather the documents Pew requires from them.
Required Application Materials
Based on recent cycles, applicants are expected to prepare:
- A curriculum vitae covering your education, research experience, and publications.
- A statement of intent to continue your research career in Latin America.
- A statement describing your most significant scientific contribution to date.
- A research proposal outlining the work you plan to carry out during your postdoc.
- Three letters of reference.
- A letter of commitment from your U.S. sponsor, accompanied by the sponsor’s CV and details of the sponsor’s current grant funding.
The sponsor’s package matters as much as your own. Reviewers want to see that you are joining a well-funded, active lab led by a researcher who can genuinely train you, and the sponsor’s grant record and letter are how they judge that. Confirm the exact current requirements in the application instructions, since the precise list and formatting can change between cycles.
How to Prepare a Competitive Application
Start with the sponsor. The single most important early move is identifying and securing a strong U.S. host lab whose research aligns with your interests. Read recent papers from labs you admire, reach out to the principal investigators directly, and be specific about why their work fits your goals. A committed, well-funded sponsor strengthens every other part of your application.
Write a research proposal that is ambitious but realistic. Reviewers want to see a clear scientific question, a sound approach, and work that genuinely benefits from the resources of the U.S. lab you have chosen. Connect the proposal to what you intend to do once you return home, so the two halves of your career plan reinforce each other.
Take the “intent to return” statement seriously. This is not a formality. Explain concretely how the training will translate into a research program in Latin America, what field or problem you plan to build a lab around, and why your home country is the right place to do it. A vague or generic statement here weakens an otherwise strong file.
Give your referees time and context. Provide each of your three referees with your CV, your proposal, and a short note on what the program is looking for. Letters that speak specifically to your research ability and your potential to lead an independent lab carry far more weight than generic praise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying without a confirmed sponsor. The U.S. sponsor is a hard requirement. Trying to apply while still searching for a lab does not work.
- Underestimating the sponsor’s paperwork. The sponsor must supply a letter, a CV, and grant-funding details, and must commit to topping up your salary to NIH levels. Line this up early rather than in the final week.
- Writing a weak return statement. Because the program is built around returning to Latin America, a thin or unconvincing plan to go home is a serious weakness.
- Assuming your country qualifies. Confirm your citizenship against Pew’s official list of eligible countries instead of assuming.
- Missing the request-access step. The application is not a simple public form; you have to request access from the program office, so do not leave that to the last moment.
- Confusing this with other Pew programs. The Pew Scholars Program supports U.S.-based investigators and is a different award. This program is specifically for Latin American scientists, and the Advancement Awards are a separate track for returned alumni.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as the Pew Scholars Program? No. The Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences supports early-career investigators based in the United States. The Latin American Fellows Program is a separate award specifically for scientists from Latin America who train in the U.S. and then return home.
How much money will I receive? During training, a $30,000 stipend per year for two years ($60,000 total), with your U.S. host lab supplementing it to NIH salary levels and covering benefits. If you return to Latin America and set up an independent lab, an additional $70,000 for equipment and supplies.
Do I need to find my own U.S. lab? Yes. You must secure a U.S. research sponsor before you apply. Pew does not place you in a lab.
How many fellows are chosen each year? About ten per cycle, so it is highly competitive.
How long does the fellowship last? The base term is two years. It can extend up to 60 months in total if your sponsoring lab continues to support you beyond the initial period.
Do I have to return to Latin America? The program is designed around returning. Your intent to build a research career in Latin America is part of the application, and the $70,000 lab set-up award is tied to actually going back and establishing an independent lab.
When can I apply for the 2027 class? The application window opens June 3, 2026 and closes August 19, 2026. Request access to the online application from the Pew program office.
Official Links
- Program page: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/projects/pew-latin-american-fellows-program-in-the-biomedical-sciences (redirects to https://www.pew.org/en/projects/pew-latin-american-fellows-program-in-the-biomedical-sciences)
- Program overview and directory of fellows: https://www.pew.org/en/projects/pew-latin-american-fellows
Always confirm current amounts, eligible countries, exact required materials, and deadline dates on Pew’s official pages before applying, since the program updates its guidelines each cycle. Where this guide notes that a detail is not fully confirmed, treat Pew’s own FAQ and application instructions as the final word.