Rotary Peace Fellowship Program 2026-2027 – All eligible and interested applicants may apply online for this opportunity before the application deadline-closing date.
Rotary Peace Fellowship Program Application Process
- The 2026-27 application will be available online in February 2025.
Follow these steps to prepare a competitive application:
- Review the eligibility restrictions below and the relevant experience guide.
- Research the curriculum and programs at each of the Rotary Peace Centers. For the master’s program, you will be asked to rank the two centers you prefer if you meet the eligibility criteria for both programs.
- Engage with Rotary. Use the Club Finder to locate the Rotary or Rotaract club nearest you. Connecting with a Rotary club or district is a great way to learn about Rotary’s work in your community and around the world. Many Rotary districts have a District Rotary Peace Fellowship Subcommittee Chair contact who can provide mentorship and advice for your application. A club or district recommendation is optional, but strongly encouraged as part of your application.
- Read the Application Overview to learn the steps involved. An overview with more instructions on submitting a thorough and complete application is available when you start an application.
- Gather required documents. Applications require a resume, academic and/or professional recommendations, personal statement video and essays, transcripts from postsecondary colleges and universities attended (master’s only), English language proficiency test scores (master’s only), and social impact plan (certificate only). Allow time to request university transcripts and register for IELTS or TOEFL exams if your program requires these. All materials must be in English.
- Submit your application between February and 15 May. All applications are considered final upon submission. Ensure your academic and/or professional recommendations and Rotary club or district recommendations (optional) are entered prior to submitting your application.
- Await qualification notification and selection results. If you are selected for a fellowship, you will be notified in November which Rotary Peace Center will be the site for your studies.
- Apply for admission to the university where your Peace Center is located. Being selected for the fellowship does not mean you have been admitted to the university.
Certificate Program Eligibility
- Candidates for the certificate program at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, either must be from Africa, have worked in Africa, work with African communities or initiatives outside the continent, or demonstrate a compelling interest in learning about peacebuilding approaches within the region.
- Candidates for the certificate program at Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Turkey, either must be from the Middle East or North Africa, have worked in the region, work elsewhere around the world with communities or initiatives related to the Middle East or North Africa, or demonstrate a compelling interest in learning about peacebuilding approaches within the region.
Selection Process
Submitted applications are screened for eligibility requirements. Qualified applications move forward for further review and evaluation. The Rotary Peace Centers Committee, composed of Rotary members, and university representatives review the top candidates and select finalists. Selected candidates are notified in November.
Throughout the process, applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:
- Qualification based on the eligibility requirements
- English proficiency
- Commitment to peace and development
- Leadership potential
- Compatibility with fellowship objectives and fit with Rotary
- Academic record and compatibility with preferred university program
- Feasibility and impact of Social Change Initiative (certificate only)
Eligibility Restrictions
Rotary Peace Fellowships may not be used for doctoral study. The following people are not eligible for the fellowship:
- Active Rotary members, or Rotaract members who are also Rotary members*
- Employees of a Rotary club or district, Rotary International, or other Rotary entity
- Spouses, lineal descendants (children or grandchildren by blood or legal adoption), spouses of lineal descendants, or ancestors (parents or grandparents by blood) of any living person in these categories
- Former Rotary members and their relatives as described above (within 36 months of their resignation)
* Rotaract club members who are not also Rotary club members are eligible to apply.
Candidates must have at least three years between the completion of their most recent academic degree program (undergraduate or graduate degree) and their intended start date for the fellowship. Candidates currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or who will be enrolled in the upcoming academic year, are not eligible to apply.
Rotary Peace Fellows who have completed the certificate program, master’s program, or a Global Grant Scholarship, must wait three years between the end date of that program and their intended start date for the fellowship.
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