Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution
How to apply
Interested candidates must apply for Rotary World Peace Fellowships through their local Rotary club. Use the Club Locator to find Rotary club contact information. If your hometown doesn’t have a Rotary club, try entering the names of nearby cities. You also can try searching for Rotary club Web sites. If you have difficulty finding or contacting a Rotary club in your area, contact Rotary Centers staff for assistance.
Fellowship types
Applicants can choose from two Rotary World Peace Fellowship options:
| Master's degree |
Professional development certificate |
| Six centers, seven universities |
One center, one university |
| 15- to 24-month course |
3-month course |
| Study timelines differ according to each university’s schedule |
Two sessions per year (January-April and June-August) |
| Up to 10 new fellows at each center each year; up to 60 fellows per year |
Up to 25 new fellows in each session; up to 50 fellows per year |
| Two- to three-month practical internship during summer break |
Two to three weeks of field study incorporated into curriculum |
| Building the leaders of tomorrow |
Strengthening the leaders of today |
Eligibility criteria
- A strong commitment to international understanding and peace demonstrated through professional and academic achievements and personal and community service activities
- A bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience as a minimum, with strong academic achievement
- A minimum of three years’ combined paid or unpaid full-time relevant work experience (master’s degree) or five years’ relevant work experience with current full-time employment in a mid- to upper-level position (professional development certificate)
- Proficiency in a second language (master’s degree) or in English (professional development certificate)
- Strong leadership skills
Individuals applying immediately after obtaining an undergraduate degree are generally not strong candidates for Rotary World Peace Fellowships. People with disabilities and members of Rotaract clubs are eligible and encouraged to apply.
The following people are ineligible for master’s degree Rotary World Peace Fellowships but may apply for the professional development certificate on an exception basis:
- Active and honorary Rotarians
- Employees of a Rotary club, RI 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 the categories above
- Former Rotarians and their relatives as described above (within 36 months of resignation)
Application process
The fellowship application and selection process consists of three levels: club, district, and world. There is no limit to the number of qualified candidates a club and/or district may submit to the world competition.
Club level
Interested applicants should download Rotary World Peace Fellowship applications. Applicants should submit completed applications to their local Rotary club, not to the Rotary Centers university partners or The Rotary Foundation.
Individual Rotary clubs initially screen and select fellowship applications to forward to the district level for competition. Club deadlines may be as early as March or as late as June for Rotary World Peace Fellowships and vary by club district deadlines.
District level
Districts must allow sufficient time for interview and selection in order to meet the 1 July deadline for candidate submission to The Rotary Foundation. Because application deadlines vary by club and district, applicants must contact their local clubs and districts for specific deadline information.
World level
Each Rotary district submits candidates’ applications to the Foundation on or before 1 July. The world-level selection committee includes Trustees-appointed Rotarians and representatives from the university partners. The Foundation will inform candidates and districts about final selection decisions in November.
For more information, contact your local Rotary club or the Rotary Centers Department at The Rotary Foundation.