Rotary Peace Fellowship for Masters

Rotary Peace Fellowship for Masters – 2025/26

The Rotary Peace Fellowship is for a candidate academically strong, has a bachelor’s degree in a related field, and has work experience in peace and development. We are looking for early-career candidates who demonstrate a commitment to peace and conflict resolution, can undertake extensive reading and research, and can participate actively within a diverse cohort of students. Successful candidates have a record of prior achievements in peacebuilding as well as the potential for future growth and impact as leaders in the field resulting from their participation in the Rotary Peace Fellowship. After the program, candidates should be willing to share their own work and experience, stay in touch with peace fellows in their region, and maintain strong connections with Rotary members.

Host Countries:

USA
Japan
UK
Australia
Sweden

Host Universities:

Duke University and University of North Carolina, USA

Fellows can earn a master’s degree in international development policy from Duke or a master’s from various departments at the University of North Carolina. In addition, Fellows at both universities can earn a graduate certificate in international peace and conflict resolution from UNC.

International Christian University, Japan

The ICU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is known for its interdisciplinary program and liberal arts approach. Fellows pursue a master’s degree in Peace Studies within the Department of Public Policy and Social Research.

University of Bradford, UK

The Division of Peace Studies and International Development at Bradford is the largest in the world and offers several master’s degrees related to peace, conflict, security, and development.

University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Fellows earn a master’s degree in international studies and peace and conflict studies at the Graduate Centre of Governance and International Affairs.

Uppsala University, Sweden

The Department of Peace and Conflict Studies offers a master’s degree in social science. It is internationally renowned for its free and globally accessible collection of data related to armed conflict and organized violence.

Eligible Countries: All Nationalities

Program Level: Masters

Programs: Peace and Development

Eligibility Requirements: Master’s degree candidates must also:

Be proficient in English
Have a bachelor’s degree
Have a strong commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace as shown through professional and academic achievements and personal or community service
Have the potential for leadership
Have at least three years of full-time relevant experience in peace or development work

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. Candidates currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program are not eligible to apply.

Rotary Peace Fellows who have completed the certificate 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.

We encourage people with disabilities and people from other diverse backgrounds to apply. Rotary provides reasonable accommodations as needed to people with disabilities.

You are not eligible if you are an active Rotary member or an employee of a Rotary club, Rotary International, or other Rotary entity.

* Rotaract club members who are not also Rotary club members are eligible to apply.

Learn more about eligibility restrictions.

Fellowship Components:

Academic Training
Applied field experience
Networking
Workshop Series
Final seminar

The application process for candidates:

The 2025-26 Rotary Peace Fellowship application will be available online in February 2024. Candidates can visit this page at that time to access the application.

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 the required documents. Applications require a resume, academic and/or professional recommendations, essays, transcripts from postsecondary colleges and universities attended (master’s only), English language proficiency test scores (master’s only), and a 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 election 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 (master’s only) 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, or work with African communities or initiatives outside the continent.
Candidates for the certificate program at Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Turkey, must be from the Middle East or North Africa, have worked in the region, or work elsewhere around the world with communities or initiatives related to the Middle East or North Africa.

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 reviews the top candidates and selects 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 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.

Official Link: Rotary