Apply for the 2026 International AIDS Society (IAS) Scholarship Program in Rio de Janeiro

Job Description

The International AIDS Society (IAS) is inviting applications for the AIDS 2026 Scholarship Program, which supports individuals who wish to attend the AIDS 2026 Conference holding in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and virtually from 26 to 31 August 2026.

The scholarship is designed for people who do not have the financial means to attend the conference but are actively involved in HIV-related work, study, or advocacy, and who can demonstrate that they will transfer the skills and knowledge gained back to their organizations and communities.

Summary of the 2026 International AIDS Society Scholarship Program
• Type – Fellowship / Scholarship
• Location – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil + Virtual
• Organizer / Sponsor – International AIDS Society (IAS)
• Duration – 5 days (26–31 August 2026)
• Eligible Countries – All countries
• Benefits – In-person and/or virtual conference registration, travel support, accommodation, daily allowance, IAS membership, etc.
• Application Deadline – 27 January 2026 (23:59 CET)

Eligibility Criteria for the 2026 IAS AIDS Scholarship
The AIDS 2026 Scholarship Programme is open to
• Anyone working, volunteering, or studying in the area of HIV
• Applicants who are at least 18 years old on 26 July 2026

Priority will be given to
• Abstract presenters, workshop facilitators/co-facilitators, and Global Village organizers/co-organizers whose submissions are selected
• Applicants from low- and middle-income countries
• Applicants who are part of key populations and people living with HIV
• Young people and early-career investigators below the age of 35
• Applicants who have not previously received a scholarship for an International AIDS Conference

Scholarship recipients must be available to attend for the full duration of the conference (26–31 August 2026).

Benefits of the 2026 International AIDS Society Scholarship Program
The IAS will award both in-person and virtual scholarships. Applicants must select their preferred attendance type and the type of financial support they require.

Because of high demand, not all selected candidates will receive full scholarships.

Support for In-Person Attendance
May include
• In-person + virtual conference registration, including
o Access to all in-person conference sessions, satellite sessions, poster discussions, exhibition, Global Village, and pre-conferences
o Online access to live-streamed sessions, recordings, on-demand content, e-posters, and the virtual Global Village
• Travel support – Pre-paid economy class return ticket from the nearest international airport in your country of residence (for conference dates)
• Accommodation – Single room in a budget hotel for the duration of the conference
• Daily living allowance – For each day of the conference

Support for Virtual Attendance
• Full online access to all live-streamed sessions, pre-conferences, on-demand content, e-posters, and the virtual Global Village

Additional Benefit for All Scholarship Recipients
• Free IAS membership for two years after the conference

Application Guidelines for the 2026 IAS Scholarship Program
• The application process is free.
• Applications must be completed in English, including all supporting documents.
• Applications will be accepted until 27 January 2026, 23:59 Central European Time (CET).
• You may save your application as a draft and complete it later, but the full application, including the letter of recommendation, must be submitted by the deadline.

Important
• Submit only one online application form.
• Multiple submissions (even with different emails) or identical/partially identical applications will be treated as fraudulent and discarded.
• AI-generated applications will be considered invalid.

By applying, you also agree that an anonymous version of your application may be shared with AIDS 2026 scholarship reviewers.

Selection & Notification Timeline
• 20 November 2025 – Submissions open
• 27 January 2026 – Submissions close
• February–March 2026 – Application review and selection
• Early April 2026 – Notification of results by email

Successful applicants will have 10 days from the date of the notification email to accept their scholarship offer. If you do not accept within this timeframe, IAS may not be able to proceed with logistical arrangements for your participation.