Admissions

The Bursky Scholars Program

We are investing in the public health leaders of the future. Leaders who want to change the world around them, are ready to tackle the toughest challenges, are committed to working across disciplines, and are determined to build solutions that improve health for everyone.

The Bursky Scholars Program is a $100,000 scholarship package for 10 exceptional students each year, providing them with the financial support, opportunities for mentorship, and real-world experience and community they need to launch their career in public health. It is one of the most generous, merit-based monetary scholarships available to MPH students in the country.

Emmanuella Agyeman, right, presents her research on systems that track foodborne illness as part of the FARM Food Futures Forum: From Rural Health to Food Security on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, at WashU in St. Louis.

The Future Bursky Scholars

The Bursky Scholars Program is built for our new 12- or 18-month MPH, so you can finish your degree with little or no student loan debt. Scholars will join a tight cohort who will be your peer network from the first day you step on campus. Together, you will explore the biggest questions facing public health, have opportunities to be mentored by Dean Sandro Galea and other esteemed faculty, build your professional skills, and, in time, become mentors to future Bursky Scholars.

The scholarship ($100,000 total) includes:

Qualifications:

Demonstrated academic achievement
Leadership skills developed through academic, professional, or volunteer roles
Commitment to public health exhibited through work, study, or service
A strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing public health now and into the future
Life-long learner and leader, committed to thinking and working differently and collaboratively and across disciplines to advance health for all

Steps to apply:

Every student who is accepted to Bursky Public Health’s 12- or 18-month program will be invited to apply for the Bursky Scholars Program.
This invitation will include additional details on application dates and required materials.
The first class of Bursky Scholars for the 2027-28 school year will be announced in fall 2027.

Apply now

At WashU Bursky School of Public Health, we are reimagining public health and working to move the field forward at one of the most impactful moments of our time. Become part of our academic community, where we are dedicated to addressing the world’s most urgent public health challenges.

Apply to MPH program