Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Deadline: December 3, 2025
The Yale Maurice R. Greenberg World Fellows Program 2026 is one of the world’s most prestigious global leadership fellowships, hosted by Yale University in New Haven, USA. This fully funded four-month residential program brings together a diverse group of exceptional mid-career professionals, innovators, and changemakers from around the world who are driving positive change in their communities and professions.
Each year, up to 16 World Fellows are selected from across various sectors—including government, business, academia, media, and civil society—to spend a semester at Yale. During the program, Fellows engage in personal and professional transformation, leadership development, and global collaboration through Yale’s academic resources and networks.
The goal of the World Fellows Program is to build a global community of leaders who work together to address complex challenges and foster peace, prosperity, and equity across nations.
Program Components
Weekly Seminars
Good Society. World Fellows present to each other their vision for making the world a better place, what they do professionally, and how they contribute to building the ‘good society.’
Salon. World Fellows host distinguished guests for discussions on key topics, expanding their knowledge and challenging their views.
Personal Development
World Fellows receive individual and group coaching and skills development training. World Fellows can audit many of the 2,000+ courses offered at Yale, work on individual or collaborative projects, and conduct independent research.
Hosting Events
World Fellows give talks and participate on panels across Yale, sharing their knowledge and expertise with students and faculty. Fellows are a resource to the University and are often in high demand on campus.
Mentoring Students
World Fellows mentor Yale students who apply to be their liaisons. The student liaisons assist World Fellows in putting on events and ensure that they are fully immersed in life at Yale.
Networking
Fellows expand their global network by connecting with World Fellows in their cohort and with other Fellows spread throughout the world. Yale’s campus also provides countless opportunities to connect with faculty and students over shared professional and academic interests.
Benefits
- Full funding covering tuition, accommodation, and travel to and from Yale University.
- A living stipend to cover basic living expenses in New Haven.
- Access to Yale University courses, libraries, and research facilities.
- Intensive leadership and communication training to enhance influence and impact.
- Opportunities to engage with Yale students, faculty, and global leaders through lectures, workshops, and mentoring sessions.
- Lifetime membership in the Yale World Fellows global network, connecting leaders across 100+ countries.
SEE ALSO: Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) Program 2026 for African Secondary School Students (Travel Grant Available to Leadership Summit in Kenya)
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the Yale World Fellows Program 2026, applicants must:
- Be mid-career professionals, typically with 5–20 years of significant professional experience.
- Demonstrate a proven record of leadership and impact in their field.
- Be fluent in English (the working language of the program).
- Be citizens of any country outside the United States.
- Show a strong commitment to driving positive social, political, or economic change.
There are no specific academic or sector requirements, and candidates from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Application Process and Documents Required
- Applicants should be between five and twenty-five years into their professional careers, with demonstrated and significant accomplishments at a regional, national, or international level. The average age of a World Fellow is 39, though there is no minimum or maximum age limit.
- Applicants must be citizens of a country other than the United States. While applicants who hold dual citizenship with the United States are eligible, strong preference is given to candidates whose work is focused outside the United States.
- Applicants must be fluent in English. An excellent command of the English language is essential to successfully participating in the program.
- World Fellows are required to be in residence at Yale University in New Haven for the entirety of the program which runs from mid-August through mid-December.
