WHO Summer School 2027 in France | Free Training

 The WHO Summer School 2027 in France offers four days of practical public health training in Nice. It is aimed at researchers, postgraduate students, health practitioners, and policy professionals who want to use systems thinking in their work. The course runs from July 20 to 23, 2027, with applications due by November 23, 2026. Training and selected meals are free.

The program brings together WHO/Europe, the WHO Collaborating Centre at Université Côte d’Azur, and Ulysseus European University. Its focus is preventing noncommunicable diseases and supporting healthy aging. Rather than treating each public health challenge separately, participants explore how policies, organizations, and everyday environments affect one another.

 WHO Summer School at a Glance

•  Host city: Nice, France
•  Format: In-person training in English
•  Places: 30 participants
•  Duration: Four days
•  Award: Certificate of participation

 For the complete announcement, read the official WHO application call.

 Benefits and Costs to Plan For

 The summer school covers:

•  The training course.
•  Lunch and coffee breaks each day.
•  A welcome dinner on July 21.

 Travel, accommodation, and other costs of staying in Nice are the participant’s responsibility. This is a free training opportunity, not a fully funded trip.

 Before applying, put together a realistic budget. Include transport to France, nights before or after the course, local travel, and meals outside the scheduled program. Leave room for unexpected expenses instead of calculating only the cheapest possible journey.

 If your university or employer supports professional development, ask whether it can cover the remaining costs. Give the relevant office a short explanation of how the training relates to your current work. Any support would depend on that organization’s own rules; it is separate from the summer school’s offer.

 What Will You Learn?

 According to the Ulysseus program overview, teaching combines presentations, workshops, and practical exercises. Participants can apply the methods to their own projects and learn from WHO and international experts.

 The planned curriculum includes:

•  Systems-thinking methods for disease prevention.
•  Recognizing recurring patterns and exploring policy scenarios.
•  Using practical tools to support decisions.
•  Designing research informed by systems thinking.
•  Public health innovation and innovation ecosystems.

 The curriculum is still being finalized. Treat these as planned themes, rather than a fixed daily timetable.

 To understand the approach, imagine a local project that encourages older adults to walk more. A useful discussion might consider street lighting, safe crossings, public transport, community activities, and the people responsible for each service. Looking at those connections can help a project team ask better questions than simply asking why residents do not exercise.

 Bring a practical question from your own work. A focused problem gives you something concrete to discuss during exercises and a way to judge which ideas could help when you return.

 Who Can Apply?

 The intended audience includes:

•  PhD and other postgraduate students.
•  Researchers in relevant fields.
•  Health practitioners.
•  Policy professionals.
•  Early- and mid-career professionals interested in applying these methods.

 Selection considers relevant education and experience, the personal statement, and potential for future collaboration. Experience connected to public health, innovation, healthy aging, or noncommunicable disease prevention is particularly relevant.

 The published call does not give a general nationality list or specify an IELTS score. Teaching is in English, so applicants should be comfortable joining discussions and explaining their work in that language. The absence of a stated test score should not be presented as a confirmed IELTS waiver.

 Assess your fit through the work you actually do. You might have a research question, a community initiative, or a policy implementation challenge that connects to the course. Explain that connection clearly instead of relying on broad statements about wanting international experience.

 Experienced global health professionals exploring leadership development can also review the Harvard LEAD Fellowship. Its eligibility and time commitment differ from this short summer school, so compare the requirements before choosing where to apply.

 How to Apply for the WHO Summer School

1.  Read the current announcement. Check the audience, costs, and course dates before preparing your application.
2.  Open the official form. Use the WHO summer school application portal, which introduces a survey containing 19 questions.
3.  Review every question. Follow the form’s instructions for the information and supporting items it requests.
4.  Prepare focused answers. Connect your background, interests, and professional goals to the program.
5.  Check the completed application. Review contact details, dates, wording, and any requested attachments.
6.  Submit before the deadline. Keep a copy of your answers and any confirmation the portal provides.

 Information to Prepare

 The following is a preparation checklist, not a confirmed list of mandatory uploads:

•  A clear summary of your education and relevant work.
•  Examples of projects or responsibilities connected to the course.
•  Notes for your personal statement.
•  A practical idea you would like to explore during the training.

 The public announcement does not provide a complete attachment checklist. Follow the live form rather than assuming that a passport scan, recommendation letter, or transcript is required. Our application document checklist can help you organize files, but the WHO form determines what to submit.

 Writing a Useful Personal Statement

 Start with one real challenge from your work or research. Explain what you have done so far, what you still need to understand, and why the course would help. A small, specific example usually says more than several paragraphs about the importance of public health.

 Describe your own contribution accurately. If you worked in a team, identify your role rather than taking credit for the whole project. Where possible, explain what happened after your involvement and what you learned from it.

 Finish with a realistic next step. That could be discussing a new approach with colleagues, revisiting a project’s assumptions, or developing a research question. These are writing suggestions, not extra WHO selection requirements. You do not need to promise a major policy change to explain why the training matters to you.

 Deadline, Results, and Next Steps

•  Application deadline: November 23, 2026.
•  Successful applicants informed by: December 18, 2026.
•  Training dates: July 20–23, 2027.

 Submit early enough to deal with a missing answer or a technical problem. The deadline falls well before the training dates, so do not wait until the summer to apply.

 After submission, keep your application copy somewhere easy to find and monitor the email address you used. If selected, review the organizer’s instructions before making travel commitments. Confirm attendance, check the practical arrangements, and work out how you will meet the costs that are not covered.

 WHO has held previous editions, including a summer school in Nice in 2024. Each edition has its own call. Applicants considering a later intake should use the announcement for that intake rather than carrying forward an old deadline or funding arrangement.

 For broader help with preparing applications and organizing your next steps, browse our study abroad guidelines. Use the advice that fits your situation alongside the summer school’s own instructions.