Prepare Application Information and Materials
On This Page
- Have the following information ready for application prompts: contact information; education; post-graduate training and skills; work and volunteer experience; publications, presentations, and grants; honors and awards.
Personal Statement
- Write your personal statement by considering these questions (in 300 words for each):
- What influenced you to consider a career in public health service?
- Describe how this fellowship/program will help you achieve your goals. *
- Understanding that there are different topical and geographical assignments, in which do you prefer to work and why? *
- For re-applicants: When did you apply and what has changed since your last application?
*Indicates required field in eFMS
- Identify four people to complete standardized letters of recommendation on your behalf, following the guidelines in the next section.
- Obtain copies of transcripts for all earned degrees.
- Physicians, nurses, veterinarians, and allied healthcare professionals must obtain a photocopy of their active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice a clinical specialty. Veterinarians graduating between the May 22nd application deadline and July 1st will be asked to provide their U.S. license at a later date.
- Non U.S. citizens and non-U.S. permanent residents must demonstrate English-language proficiency by submitting TOEFL scores, unless exempt as outlined in the EIS TOEFL Requirements pdf icon[PDF – 2 pages].
To learn more about specific centers, institutes, and offices at CDC, visit the CDC Organization web page.
Standardized Letters of Recommendation
- Four standardized letters of recommendation are required from persons familiar with your academic achievements, aspirations, personal qualities, and professional attributes.
- Two letters of recommendation must be from persons who are not currently employed at the CDC.
- Persons writing letters should typically be current or former supervisors or professors. Avoid requesting letters from colleagues or friends.
- Recommendations must be written in English.
- Let recommenders know that you are requesting a recommendation and tell them to expect a system-generated email from EIS with instructions for completing the standardized letter of recommendation in the EIS web-based application system (eFMS).
Transcripts
Your application requires copies of unofficial transcripts for all earned degrees or qualifying degrees in progress.
- You will be prompted in the online application form for your college/university education, which will enable you to browse and attach a PDF version of your unofficial transcripts.
- Transcripts must state your degree of study, courses taken, earned grades, and graduation date if the degree has been conferred.
- When a transcript is issued by a non-U.S. institution:
- A foreign credential evaluation is required for all degrees for which English-language transcripts are not available. A credential evaluation service is not the same as a translation service.
- If any academic institutions you attended are unable to issue your transcripts, you must contact the EIS program via email EIS@cdc.gov for further instructions.
- All documents must be in English.
- Transcripts and other proof of degree completion will not be returned to you.
- Do not send high school transcripts.
Official Transcripts for New EIS Officers
- If you are accepted into the program, CDC must receive your official transcript by January 31 of the fellowship year. Send official transcripts by mail to:
Epidemic Intelligence Service
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
Mailstop V24-5
Atlanta, GA 30329-4018 - If your degree requires a completed thesis or dissertation, you must have defended your thesis or dissertation on or before March 31 of the year you enter EIS, and you will need to submit your transcripts with conferred degree as soon as they become available.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for Non-U.S. Citizens and Non-U.S. Permanent Residents
See the EIS TOEFL Requirement pdf icon[120 KB, 2 Pages, 508] to learn about the TOEFL criteria for scores and exemptions, as well as submission instructions.
- If you are exempt from taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the online application system will automatically recognize you as being exempt from this requirement. In this case, you do not need to provide TOEFL scores or an exemption letter.
- If you are not exempt from the TOEFL requirements, you will need to upload your TOEFL scores.
- If you feel your exemption status is incorrect, please contact the EIS program.
Page last reviewed: June 4, 2020