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Applications are now open for the 2026 mHealth Training Institute (mHTI). The application deadline for the 2025 mHealth Training Institute is January 20, 2026 @ 11:59 PM (Eastern Time).
Participation in the mHTI is by invitation only. Because of the institute’s immersive, team-science format, enrollment is limited to 25 scholars selected from a competitive pool of applicants.
In-person Institute dates start June 7, 2026
Eligibility Requirements
Hold a doctoral level degree (PhD, ScD, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.), in one or more of the following areas:
- Behavioral & Social Sciences
- Health Sciences Specialties (Medical, Dental, Nursing, Public Health, Optometry, Kinesiology, etc.)
- Biological, Physical or Earth sciences
- Computational Sciences & Biostatistics
- Engineering
- Economics
Priority will be given to academic faculty—junior, mid-career, or senior—who plan to use the training to expand their mHealth research and develop innovative, high-impact solutions.
Applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or non-citizen nationals.
All accepted participants are expected to:
- Attend the entire hybrid institute
- Engage fully in team-based projects and capstone proposal development
- Complete all course evaluations
- Please review the current program schedule to confirm full availability.
Key Dates
- Application Date: January 20, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)
- Notification of Acceptance: March 20, 2026
Costs & Scholarships
There are no registration or tuition fees to attend the mHTI.
The four-day in-person session at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center and Hotel is generously subsidized by the mHTI to promote broad participation. Participants (or their sponsoring institutions) are asked to provide a cost-share of $400 ($100 per day) to help offset lodging, meal, and meeting facility expenses ($550/day).
Frequently Asked Questions - For Applicants
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Deadline to submit applications: 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by March 20, 2026.
Additional Information:
If you have any questions about the program that are not contained in our website, please email us your questions through our Contact page. Please understand that we are not in a position to individually respond to phone inquiries.
To be considered eligible, applicants will need to have a doctoral level degree (PhD, ScD, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.) or have the degree conferred by the start of the training (June 7, 2026). Examples of doctoral level degrees include those obtained in the following disciplines: Behavioral and Social Sciences; Health Sciences Specialties (including Medical, Dental, Nursing, Public Health, Optometry, Kinesiology, or other like fields); Biological, Physical or Earth sciences; Computational Sciences and Biostatistics; Engineering; and Economics. If you have a doctorate-level degree in a discipline that is not listed, you may still apply, but please indicate in your application how your field relates to mHealth.
All doctoral students should have obtained their degree before the start of training. Students not graduating this year are welcome to apply in future years!
Yes, you are welcome to apply! Please be sure to detail your interest in research even though you have a non-traditional setting.
Because the mHTI is funded by the NIH, its focus is on academic research advancement. Correspondingly, the training institute emphasizes the development of the next generation of academic mHealth researchers and translational scientists. Key outcome metrics of the mHTI are (a) the academic career narrative of mHTI graduates and (b) their success in obtaining extramural funding for their mHealth research. Absent these qualifiers, the enormous interest in the institute and sheer number of applicants for the 25 positions will quickly overwhelm the carefully calibrated, multi-reviewer process in place. Please note that NIH does have other brief trainings that are open regardless of the candidate’s degree.
Of course you can! We have a diverse group at the training and welcome your participation. We seek a balance of junior and senior mHealth researchers and welcome different backgrounds and perspectives. There are no age requirements for the mHealth Institute.
We are sorry, but due to the volume of applicants, providing individual feedback on applications is not possible.
Frequently Asked Questions - For Scholars
Program Structure & Recording
Yes. With IRB approval, team sessions at the mHTI will be recorded to support ongoing social network analyses. These analyses help the program better understand how multidisciplinary teams collaborate and evolve, providing valuable insights into best practices for interdisciplinary teamwork, communication, and trust-building.
Accommodation & Logistics
There are no registration or tuition fees to attend the mHTI.
The four-day in-person session at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center and Hotel is generously subsidized by the mHTI to promote broad participation. Participants (or their sponsoring institutions) are asked to provide a cost-share of $400 ($100 per day) to help offset lodging, meal, and meeting facility expenses ($550/day).
The four-day in-person session at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center and Hotel is generously subsidized by the mHTI to promote broad participation. Participants (or their sponsoring institutions) are asked to provide a cost-share of $400 ($100 per day) to help offset lodging, meal, and meeting facility expenses ($550/day).
Family members are welcome to visit Los Angeles during your stay; however, the mHTI is unable to provide accommodations or funding for them. The in-person institute is designed as an immersive and intensive learning experience, so we encourage participants to fully engage with the program and limit outside commitments to make the most of their time at mHTI.
Yes. The mHTI is committed to supporting participants with young families. The UCLA Luskin Conference Center offers a dedicated lactation room for nursing mothers - a quiet, private, and comfortable space equipped with the necessary amenities to meet your needs throughout the program.
NIH funding covers accommodation for the official mHTI program dates. For early arrivals or extended stays, your sponsoring institution should cover the additional costs. Please coordinate these arrangements with your institution in advance.
To maximize your learning experience, we discourage attending external events during the mHTI. If a critical event related to your work emerges, exceptions may be made. Please consult with the program director prior to making any commitments.
We strive to make our programs accessible to everyone. Please inform us of any special accommodations you may require when you send in your acceptance.
Research & Team Formation
Teams are formed based on participants' interests and expertise. While you may express preferences, final assignments are determined by program coordinators to ensure balanced and effective collaborations.
The mHTI is designed to foster the development of new mHealth projects, which may not directly align with your current research. Our primary goal is to equip you with the skills to contribute effectively to multidisciplinary projects, potentially expanding your research horizons.
