ELIGIBILITY:

MCW Global’s Young Leaders Fellowship begins with the Community Needs Assessment—a one-month community needs mapping that prepares young people, between the ages of 18 and 26, from around the world to understand their local communities better. After the community needs assessment, Young Leaders participate in a 10-day intensive in-person training program that helps them become leaders of positive change in their communities. After the in-person training program, participants return to their communities to spend ten months developing their action plans with virtual support from alumni mentors.

Young Leaders Must:

Demonstrate commitment to their community.

Identify an issue in their community in the areas of education, health, or economic security.

Demonstrate a strong motivation to create positive change and an interest in social projects, while expressing your most authentic and original thoughts. Original ideas and genuine reflections will be valued more than AI-generated responses.

Be between the ages of 18 and 26 at the start of the program (June 1, 2027).

Be fluent in written and spoken English.

Commit to doing the Community Needs Assessment in June, attending the 10-day in-person program in July, and spending the following year aiming to execute their community project.

Have access to email and the internet to allow for consistent communication with the MCW Global Team and Young Leaders Fellowship alumni-mentor for the duration of the year-long program

Adhere to Young Leaders Fellowship graduation guidelines (to be provided upon acceptance to the program)

Be eligible for appropriate visa and travel documentation.

Submit a completed application on or before Thursday, December 3, 2026, 11:59 PM (NYC EST time)

Stay on Track:

November 5, 2026: Young Leaders Fellowship Application Opens

December 3, 2026: Young Leaders Fellowship Application Closes

December 21, 2026: First-round Decisions Sent Out; Shortlisted Candidates Notified; Second-Round Application Opens

January 8, 2027: Second-Round Application Closes

February 3 – 16, 2027: Interviews with Alumni

February 23, 2027: Acceptances Sent Out

March 2, 2027: Confirmation of Acceptance

March 16, 2027: Confirmation of U.S. Visa Interview Date and Deposit by Mentees

June – July 2027: Community Needs Assessment

July 20 – 29, 2027: In-Person Training Program – Young Leaders Fellowship

July 2027 – July 2028: The Entire Young Leaders Fellowship Duration

BENEFIT:

The Young Leaders Fellowship Program is a fully funded and one-of-a-kind leadership opportunity open to all young people between 18 – 26 from all over the world who wish to address community projects in the areas of education, health, and economic security. The year-long Fellowship prepares young people to become leaders of change in their communities through leadership development, global citizenship, self-awareness, and vision planning.