Peace Fellowships: Professional Development Certificate Program Grant

Peace Fellowships: Professional Development Certificate Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Rotary Foundation Of Rotary International
Last Updated: April 03, 2026

Summary

The Rotary Peace Fellowships program offers up to 130 fully funded fellowships annually for leaders dedicated to peace and development. Candidates can pursue master’s degrees or professional development certificates at premier universities, gaining practical skills and a global network. The program encourages mid-career professionals with at least five years of relevant experience to design social change initiatives. Since its inception in 2002, over 1,700 fellows have contributed to peace efforts worldwide, fostering community and international service.

Overview

Each year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of our peace centers. Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, the Rotary Peace Centers program develops the capacity of peace and development professionals to become effective catalysts for peace. The fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and internship and field-study expenses. Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,700 fellows who now work in over 140 countries. Many serve as leaders in governments; NGOs; education and research institutions; peacekeeping and law enforcement agencies; and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank. Our fellowships The Rotary Peace Fellowship is designed for leaders with work experience in peace and development. Our fellows are committed to community and international service and the pursuit of peace. Each year, The Rotary Foundation awards up to 50 fellowships for master’s degrees and up to 80 for certificate studies at premier universities. Master’s degree programs Accepted candidates study peace and development issues with research-informed teaching and a diverse student body. The programs last 15 to 24 months and include a two- to three-month field study, which participants design themselves.  More information about the Master's degree programs can be found here. Professional development certificate program During the one-year blended learning program, experienced peace and development professionals with diverse backgrounds gain practical skills to promote peace within their communities and regions. Fellows complete field studies and design and carry out a social change initiative. This program is intended for working professionals. Fellows earn a post-graduate diploma upon completion of the program. Is the professional development certificate program right for me? The ideal candidate is a proven mid-career peace and development leader with at least five years of relevant work experience. Candidates need to come to the program with a social change initiative to promote peace and development within the program region. They should also have a clear vision of how the fellowship experience and network will help advance their peace work and increase their impact. This program is intended for working professionals and requires 11 weeks of on-site participation. Fellows earn a postgraduate diploma upon completion of the program. After the program, candidates should be willing to share their own work and experience, staying in touch with peace fellows in the region and maintaining strong connections with Rotary members.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Certificate candidates must also:Be proficient in EnglishHave a bachelor’s degreeHave at least five years of full-time relevant experience in peace or development workHave a strong commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace as shown through professional and academic achievements and personal or community serviceDemonstrate leadership skills Be able to explain how their plan to promote peace aligns with Rotary’s mission Candidates for Makerere University: Either 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 Bahçeşehir University: Either 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.Candidates must have a gap of 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.Rotary Peace Fellows who have completed the master’s degree 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.

Ineligibility

You are not eligible if you are an active Rotary member or an employee of a Rotary club, 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 the above category are not eligible.Former Rotary members and their relatives as described above (within 36 months of their resignation)Rotary Peace Fellowships may not be used for doctoral study.Candidates currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program are not eligible to apply.