The 2026 Medical Student Fellowship Awards application submissions are now open. The application deadline is February 12, 2026.
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The ASTRO Medical Student Fellowship (MSF) Award introduces medical students to the discipline of radiation oncology early in their medical education.
Medical students in all years are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to first- and second-year students. In an effort to promote radiation oncology as a career choice, the fellowship will expose students to clinical, basic and translational research questions in radiation oncology. Additional information on fellowship eligibility and application requirements is located below and included in the 2026 MSF Application Guide.
Learn more about the 2025 Medical Student Fellowship Award Winners
About the MSF Award
All MSF awardees will participate in collaborative research projects, receive expert advice from dedicated mentors, build professional networks with peers and radiation oncology professionals, and gain skills that will help them advance in their academic and professional careers. Award winners will receive a $6,000 package that includes:
- $4,000 stipend for an eight-week training program
- $1,000 upon submission of the final report
- $1,000 toward travel expenses related to the 2027 ASTRO Annual Meeting*
*Applicants must be ASTRO members. ASTRO membership is free for students.
**Award winners must submit an abstract related to their research fellowship project to receive complimentary Annual Meeting registration.
ASTRO mentors whose students are selected to participate in the 2026 program will be eligible to receive the ASTRO-BCRF Medical Student Fellowship: Mentor Award. The Mentor Award includes a $2,000 mentor stipend to support mentor participation. Mentors can receive only one mentor award per program year. Individuals mentoring more than one student are encouraged to consider naming a co-mentor as the primary for each additional student.
Learn more about the 2025 ASTRO-BCRF MSF: Mentor Award Recipients.
2026 MSF Application and Program Activities Timeline
Members of ASTRO's Workforce Development Committee oversee application review and awardee selection. Workforce Diversity Committee members are also assigned as liaisons to each awardee to communicate on a continual basis, provide informal mentorship, receive updates and keep the awardee connected to ASTRO through various activities. Below is a tentative schedule for the 2026 MSF Program.
| Application and Awardee Selection | |
|---|---|
| December 10, 2025 | Application opens |
| February 12, 2026 | Application site closes |
| February 18 – April 3, 2026 | Application review and awardee selection period |
| Mid-April 2026 | 2026 MSF Awardees notified |
| Program Activities | |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | 2026 MSF Awardee Welcome Event for Awardees and Mentors, Mentor orientation session |
| June 19 – July 31 | Weekly webinars/check-in meetings (Friday afternoons) |
| December 4, 2026 | Final Research reports due |
| January 2027 | Virtual check-in meeting – ASTRO 2027 abstract submission prep for awardees and mentors |
| February 2027 | ASTRO 2027 abstract submissions due |
| June 2027 | ASTRO 2027 Annual Meeting registration site opens; 2026 MSF awardees receive complimentary registration |
| August 2027 | Virtual check-in meeting – ASTRO 2027 Annual Meeting prep for 2026 MSF awardees and mentors |
| September 2027 | 2026 MSF attendance at 2027 ASTRO meeting |
Finding a Mentor
Applicants should identify a mentor of their choosing as part of the application process. Should one need assistance in identifying a mentor, the list of volunteer MSF mentors is available online.
Eligibility and Application Information
Browse eligibility criteria, application details and additional program information below.
The following requirements must be met for a trainee to be considered for the grant:
- Applicant must be an ASTRO member. ASTRO membership is free for students.
- Applicant must be enrolled in a U.S. medical school and be in good standing at the time the application is submitted.
- Applicant must identify a mentor with a successful record of research productivity.
- The primary mentor (and the co-mentor, if there is one) must be an ASTRO member.
- Research must be initiated at a North American institution during the summer of 2026.
- The selected institution must have an established research and clinical program and an ACGME-accredited radiation oncology residency program with clinical faculty available to serve as mentors.
- Letters of commitment from both the mentor and the department chair or program director at the selected institution must accompany the application. The letter of commitment from the mentor should confirm that the institution is able to support the project.
- Applications must be submitted in ProposalCentral by Thursday, February 12, 2026. Emailed, faxed or mailed applications will not be considered.
- If you need help creating a ProposalCentral account, please read the instructions.
- Once you create a ProposalCentral account, log in and click on the "Grant Opportunities" tab, then filter by Grant Maker and select ASTRO from the dropdown menu. Finally, click on the link for the Medical Student Fellowship Application and begin submitting your information.
The ASTRO Medical Student Fellowship Award will offer students a $6,000 package that includes a $4,000 stipend for an eight-week training program (exceptions can be made for a longer program but will need to be approved by the Workforce Development Committee), $1,000 for the completion of a final report and $1,000 toward the cost of travel for the 2027 Annual Meeting.
May – June 2026
The awardee will receive a direct payment of $4,000 paid at the beginning of the fellowship upon receipt of a confirmation letter, project timeline and completed W-9 form (awardees will be given more detailed instructions in their notification letters). ASTRO does not pay indirect costs, overhead costs or salary support for the principal or co-principal investigator and has no responsibility for support beyond that stated in this application. This support is not for mentors.
December 2026
After the review of the awardee’s final report, the awardee will receive an additional $1,000. Final reports must be received by Friday, December 4, 2026 (more details are provided in the application guidelines). Awardees who submit reports later than the deadline (unless pre-approved) will not receive this additional $1,000.
Awardees are required to submit an abstract to the 2027 ASTRO Annual Meeting before the abstract submission site closes. Regardless of whether or not the abstract is accepted for presentation, the awardee is expected to attend the 2027 Annual Meeting; complimentary registration will be provided whether or not the abstract is accepted for presentation/inclusion. ASTRO does not cover the abstract submission fee; it is understood that the stipend will help offset that minor cost.
Fall 2027
An additional $1,000 will be awarded toward travel expenses related to the 2027 ASTRO Annual Meeting. Specifically, the awardee will submit travel expenditures with a completed expense form and itemized receipts after attending the meeting and will be reimbursed for up to $1,000 (any additional costs are the responsibility of the awardee). ASTRO will waive the Annual Meeting registration fee for an awardee only if the awardee provides the name and control number of the abstract they submitted, regardless of whether or not the abstract is actually accepted for presentation/inclusion.
ASTRO Blog
ASTROnews
- Summer 2018: Why Mentorship Matters and Reflections from a Minority Summer Fellowship Awardee
- Winter 2017: ASTRO Minority Summer Fellowship awardee Jean-Claude Rwigema shares his experiences
- 2017 Annual Meeting Guide: ASTRO-NCI Diversity Symposium Addresses Impact of the ACA
- Winter 2015: ASTRO Minority Summer Fellowship grants stipends to medical students
