459 programmes and training pathways found from official sources. Confirm current availability, licensing, and operating privileges directly with each institution.
459 programmes235 institutions96 cities16 focus areas
Compare the options in United States.
This summary describes the profiles indexed here; it is not a count of vacancies.
Ask the selected host in United States whether your qualifications fit this specific post, which patient-care activities are permitted, and who arranges registration and immigration documentation. Country coverage does not imply that every profile accepts international applicants.
Before committing, request the current cohort dates, supervisor, expected weekly activities and a breakdown of support and costs. Confirm whether the official source describes this programme, an institution-wide policy or an older intake.
Post-residency neurosurgery fellowships may use SF Match, NRMP, NASBS Match or a direct institutional process. Follow the route named by the programme; residency ERAS instructions do not automatically apply to fellowship posts.
LICENSURE & CREDENTIALING
A fellowship listing does not guarantee appointment eligibility. State medical licensure, hospital privileges, residency recognition, board eligibility and sometimes DEA registration are separate gates.
INTERNATIONAL GRADUATES
Verify ECFMG status, USMLE requirements, visa sponsorship and whether foreign residency training is accepted before applying. Several programmes restrict eligibility to graduates of US ACGME-accredited residencies.
ACCREDITATION SIGNALS
CAST, ACPNF and society recognition describe subspecialty-training standards. They do not replace state licensure, institutional appointment or programme-specific eligibility.
Clinical · Directory · Research · Travelling fellowship pathways are represented. Country-level licensing, language and visa requirements are not inferred; confirm them with the host and the current national or regional regulator.
2029–2031 cohort: 1 February 2027. 2030–2032 cohort: 1 February 2028. The 2028–2030 deadline (1 February 2026) has passed.
Funding
Institution-wide Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education stipend scale (effective 11 March 2026): Graduate Level 1 USD 75,105 to Graduate Level 10 USD 106,096 a year (e.g. Level 7 USD 95,417); the fellow's level depends on prior training.
Exposure
Year 1 provides a general neurosurgical education; year 2 is tailored to the fellow's interests, with particularly robust exposure to brain tumours, epilepsy and functional surgery.
Source reviewed 12 Oct 202688% of decision fields recorded
Application status: The application table publishes future cohort deadlines; confirm the selected cohort in Mayo Recruit before applying.
Funding: Institution-wide Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education stipend scale (effective 11 March 2026): Graduate Level 1 USD 75,105 to Graduate Level 10 USD 106,096 a year (e.g. Level 7 USD 95,417); the fellow's level depends on prior training.
Exposure: Year 1 provides a general neurosurgical education; year 2 is tailored to the fellow's interests, with particularly robust exposure to brain tumours, epilepsy and functional surgery.
Eligibility: Explicitly designed for international medical graduates who completed neurosurgery residency abroad and meet ECFMG, language and visa prerequisites.
Still to confirm: Language · Fees · Accommodation
Source: Official Mayo Clinic College Neurosurgical International Fellowship page (Minnesota). Reviewed 12 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Funding: Salary and benefits, plus travel and international housing costs.
Exposure: Global health leadership, clinical practice, teaching and research across Arizona and northern Tanzania.
Eligibility: The published clinical fellowship is directed to an ACGME-trained neurosurgeon; international applicants should verify credentialing eligibility before applying.
Still to confirm: Eligibility · Deadline · Fees · Insurance · Accreditation
Source: Official Barrow programme page. Reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; decisions generally made near June/July
Funding
Not published on the directory page.
Exposure
Complex surgical aneurysms, vascular malformations (including brainstem and thalamic lesions), minimally invasive endovascular procedures, carotid stenosis and moyamoya disease at a high-volume quaternary referral centre.
Source reviewed 17 Oct 202680% of decision fields recorded
Exposure: Complex surgical aneurysms, vascular malformations (including brainstem and thalamic lesions), minimally invasive endovascular procedures, carotid stenosis and moyamoya disease at a high-volume quaternary referral centre.
Eligibility: Stanford GME welcomes international medical graduates to its sponsored training programmes. Non-US-citizen IMGs must secure an approved visa and California licensure; the fellowship's residency prerequisites and appointment approval still apply.
Still to confirm: Funding · Examinations · Benefits · Fees · Insurance
Source: Official Stanford Cerebrovascular Clinical Instructorship page. Reviewed 17 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery including neuromodulation and related open and stereotactic procedures for movement disorders, epilepsy, chronic pain and psychiatric disorders.
Source reviewed 13 Oct 202676% of decision fields recorded
Exposure: Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery including neuromodulation and related open and stereotactic procedures for movement disorders, epilepsy, chronic pain and psychiatric disorders.
Eligibility: Stanford GME welcomes international medical graduates to its sponsored training programmes. Non-US-citizen IMGs must secure an approved visa and California licensure; the fellowship's residency prerequisites and appointment approval still apply.
Still to confirm: Funding · Deadline · Examinations · Benefits · Fees · Insurance
Source: Official Stanford Stereotactic and Functional Clinical Instructorship page. Reviewed 13 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Listed lead Supervised by Geoffrey Manley, MD, PhD and Michael Huang, MD
Duration
1–2 years
Deadline
30 December 2026 (2027–2028 fellowship year)
Funding
Salary and benefits follow the UCSF Graduate Medical Education schedule; the fellowship page refers applicants to the UCSF GME website.
Exposure
Surgical and medical management of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, including multimodality neuromonitoring, at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, with rotations at Highland Hospital in Oakland and the UCSF Weill Neurorecovery Clinic, plus mentored clinical trial and research training.
Source reviewed 14 Oct 202668% of decision fields recorded
Funding: Salary and benefits follow the UCSF Graduate Medical Education schedule; the fellowship page refers applicants to the UCSF GME website.
Exposure: Surgical and medical management of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, including multimodality neuromonitoring, at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, with rotations at Highland Hospital in Oakland and the UCSF Weill Neurorecovery Clinic, plus mentored clinical trial and research training.
Eligibility: The programme invites current and recent graduates of US neurosurgery residencies and requires California medical-licence eligibility. A medical degree or residency completed abroad alone does not meet the published training route.
Still to confirm: Participation level · Examinations · Language · Visa / work authorisation · Benefits · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation
Source: Official UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery fellowship page. Reviewed 14 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Listed lead Shuichi Suzuki, MD, PhD (co-director Kiarash Golshani, MD)
Duration
24 months
Deadline
Not recorded · check official call
Funding
Fellows hold an academic appointment as health sciences clinical instructor/fellow; stipend figures are not listed on the UCI fellowship programmes page.
Exposure
Multidisciplinary neuroendovascular patient care with state-of-the-art technology and some clinical research at UCI Health – Orange.
Source reviewed 12 Oct 202664% of decision fields recorded
Funding: Fellows hold an academic appointment as health sciences clinical instructor/fellow; stipend figures are not listed on the UCI fellowship programmes page.
Exposure: Multidisciplinary neuroendovascular patient care with state-of-the-art technology and some clinical research at UCI Health – Orange.
Eligibility: Selected through the SNIS Neurointerventional Fellowship Match; detailed criteria follow CAST/match requirements.
Still to confirm: Funding · Deadline · International eligibility · Examinations · Benefits · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation · Application documents
Source: Official UC Irvine neurological surgery fellowships page. Reviewed 12 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
The official page does not publish the current salary and benefits package.
Exposure
Movement disorders, epilepsy, chronic pain, spasticity and peripheral nerve, with surgery and rounds at Tampa General Hospital (intraoperative MRI, epilepsy monitoring unit, neuromodulation research labs) and a weekly multidisciplinary Movement Disorders Neuromodulation Clinic with stimulator programming.
Source reviewed 15 Oct 202664% of decision fields recorded
Application status: The application page lists 2027–2028, 2028–2029 and 2029–2030; its submission section repeats spine-programme contacts, so confirm the correct functional-programme recipient.
Funding: The official page does not publish the current salary and benefits package.
Exposure: Movement disorders, epilepsy, chronic pain, spasticity and peripheral nerve, with surgery and rounds at Tampa General Hospital (intraoperative MRI, epilepsy monitoring unit, neuromodulation research labs) and a weekly multidisciplinary Movement Disorders Neuromodulation Clinic with stimulator programming.
Eligibility: Completion of a chief resident year in neurological surgery or orthopaedic surgery at an accredited institution; applicants seeking a position concurrent with their final residency year need a programme director letter confirming all ACGME graduation requirements, including minimum case logs.
Still to confirm: Eligibility · Deadline · Positions · International eligibility · Medical registration · Language · Fees · Accommodation · Application route
Source: Official USF Health fellowship page. Reviewed 15 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Funding: The official page does not publish the current salary and benefits package.
Exposure: Advanced training in the comprehensive management of spinal disorders, including complex and minimally invasive spine surgery.
Eligibility: Graduates of an equivalent international residency programme may apply if eligible for a New York State licence and DEA registration.
Still to confirm: Deadline · Participation level · Examinations · Language · Visa / work authorisation · Benefits · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation
Source: Official Columbia Neurosurgery fellowships page. Reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
An active study to implement, test and report an intervention to correct a known healthcare disparity or improve diversity in the neurosurgery workforce.
Source reviewed 29 Oct 202664% of decision fields recorded
Application status: Application window listed as November 13, 2026 to January 31, 2027, winners announced March 31, 2027.
Funding: Up to $10,000 for pilot project expenses.
Exposure: An active study to implement, test and report an intervention to correct a known healthcare disparity or improve diversity in the neurosurgery workforce.
Eligibility: US-based residents/neurosurgeons only; the project must be implemented within the United States.
Still to confirm: Positions · Examinations · Language · Visa / work authorisation · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation · Programme director · Accreditation
Source: Official CNS Foundation Community, Culture & Engagement awards page. Reviewed 29 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Application status: Spring cycle opens November 6, 2026 and closes February 1, 2027; fall cycle April 1 - July 1, 2027.
Funding: $7,500 to support research in traumatic brain injury/neurocritical care and travel to the CNS/AANS meeting.
Exposure: Research support for early-career neurosurgeons committed to neurotrauma and neurocritical care; awardee presents at the following year's meeting.
Eligibility: Limited to practicing neurosurgeons in the US, Mexico or Canada.
Still to confirm: Duration · Examinations · Language · Visa / work authorisation · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation · Programme director · Accreditation
Source: Official CNS Foundation Clinical Scientist Career Development page. Reviewed 29 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Funding: The official programme page does not publish the current salary and benefits package.
Exposure: Open and minimally invasive skull-base surgery, cadaveric dissection, simulation, multidisciplinary management and translational or clinical research.
Eligibility: Non-US citizens require a valid visa and US work authorisation; equivalent residency training and Illinois licensure eligibility must be confirmed.
Still to confirm: Commencement · Positions · International eligibility · Examinations · Language · Benefits · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation · Application documents
Source: Official Northwestern fellowship page. Reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
Listed lead Ibrahim Hussain, MD (Och Spine co-director Roger Härtl, MD)
Duration
Clinical fellowship in minimally invasive and complex spinal surgery (length set with the programme)
Deadline
SF Match applications close 1 March each year; fellowships are often awarded a year or more in advance
Funding
The official page does not publish the current salary and benefits package.
Exposure
Roughly 70% operative and 30% non-operative work across degenerative (50%), deformity (20%), trauma (15%) and tumour (15%) cases; about 70% MIS and 60% navigated, with lumbar, cervical and thoracic work in adult and paediatric patients. At least two research projects or papers are required.
Source reviewed 12 Oct 202660% of decision fields recorded
Funding: The official page does not publish the current salary and benefits package.
Exposure: Roughly 70% operative and 30% non-operative work across degenerative (50%), deformity (20%), trauma (15%) and tumour (15%) cases; about 70% MIS and 60% navigated, with lumbar, cervical and thoracic work in adult and paediatric patients. At least two research projects or papers are required.
Eligibility: Orthopaedic and neurosurgery trainees are invited to apply.
Still to confirm: Commencement · International eligibility · Medical registration · Examinations · Visa / work authorisation · Benefits · Fees · Insurance · Accommodation · Accreditation
Source: Official Weill Cornell Medicine fellowship page. Reviewed 12 Oct 2026. Status reflects the last review, not a live vacancy check. Completeness is not a quality rating.
