Atlas Corps Professional Development Programs(Fully-funded)
Atlas Corps invites social change leaders from around the world to apply for our 12-month US-based and 14-month Blended In-Person Fellowships in the United States and the Virtual Leadership Institute in 2023.
Learn more about our leadership development programs at programs.atlascorps.org and review more information about the application process below.
Please note that Atlas Corps is currently recruiting candidates for the Fellowship and Virtual Leadership Opportunities listed below only.
Virtual Leadership Institute Opportunities
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Eligibility for the Atlas Corps Professional Development Programs
Application Process
Timeline
Eligibility for the Atlas Corps Professional Development Programs
— Two or more years of full-time professional experience;
— Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
— English proficiency (oral, writing, reading);
— Age 35 or younger;
— Commitment to addressing critical social issues in your country or region.
Additional requirements for the 12-month US-based or 14-month Blended Fellowship in the United States:
— Commitment to return to your home country after the 12-month US-based or 14-month Blended Fellowship;
— Commitment to living on a basic stipend that only covers food, shared housing, and local transportation;
— Received a COVID-19 Vaccine approved by the World Health Organization by the program start date;
— Citizens from most countries (except the U.S.) are eligible to apply to the Fellowship.
Please view our FAQ section here for more information on country eligibility for the Fellowship.
Additional requirements for the Virtual Leadership Institute:
— Technological capacity to participate in video calls (1-2 per month);
— Availability to commit to 2-3 hours of online activity and assignments per week for 8 months.
— Citizens from every country are eligible to apply, but certain special initiatives are only open to citizens of select countries.
For more explanation of the eligibility requirements and the full list of the skill-sets we are recruiting for, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Application Process
Atlas Corps considers applications on a rolling basis and year-round, though we encourage you to apply by priority deadlines for special initiatives listed on apply.atlascorps.org for a timely consideration of your application. The application is a multi-step process.
Atlas Corps implements a different selection process for the Virtual Leadership Institute with a shortened application and specific eligibility highlighted on particular web pages for each opportunity. Please check apply.atlascorps.org for the most updated information about deadlines and opportunities.
Candidates for the Atlas Corps Fellowship that reach the Semi-Finalist stage may also be considered for an invitation to the Virtual Leadership Institute and can indicate their interest on the Fellowship application. They may be requested to complete supplemental questions specifically for the Virtual Leadership Institute.
1. Application & Selection Board Review
Applicants are required to register for an account and save their login information through our online application system so that they can return to the application at any time.
The application includes a brief eligibility test to determine if applicants meet the basic requirements of our programs. Once applicants pass that initial eligibility test, they will be asked to give information on their passport, travel/visa history, language skills, employment history, professional skills, and social issue areas. They will also be asked to complete three short essay questions.
The Fellowship application also requires additional attachments:
A. An official transcript or diploma from previously attended universities.
B. Two Recommendations: Applicants are required to submit contact information for at least two recommenders who know them in a professional capacity. Applicants will need to send their requests directly through the application system. Their recommenders will receive an email that asks for a recommendation. More detailed instructions can be found in the online application form.
Applicants may submit the online application before they upload their transcript/diploma and before the recommenders complete their forms. However, applicants will not be able to proceed to the later steps of the selection process until the entire application is complete. At that stage, the Atlas Corps Selection Board will review applications to determine to select strong applicants to move on to the interview stage of the Fellowship program. The Atlas Corps Selection board includes the Atlas Corps staff and nonprofit sector, government, and business leaders from multiple countries.
2. Selection Board Interview (by invitation only)
Atlas Corps selects top applicants who have the potential to match potential Host Organization placements and/or to qualify for the Virtual Leadership Institute for an interview via Skype with the Atlas Corps Selection Board.
3. Semi-Finalist Status
Applicants that pass the interview stage will be designated a Semi-Finalist for the Atlas Corps Fellowship and/or Virtual Leadership Institute. Semi-Finalists for the Fellowship are eligible to be reviewed by potential Host Organizations for placements based on their interests and skillset and the organization’s needs. Semi-Finalists for the Virtual Leadership Institute are eligible to be invited to participate in the program.
4a. Host Organization Review and Interview for the Fellowship
Potential Host Organizations submit position descriptions for their available Fellowship positions to Atlas Corps. We search our pool of Semi-Finalists for the top candidates that are the best fit for those positions and forward their applications to potential Host Organizations for a review.
Potential Host Organizations invite Semi-Finalists that best match their positions to conduct Skype video interviews with them, moving on to the Finalist stage. The Host Organization may ask for additional information from the Finalists, such as sample assignments.
4b. Invitation to Virtual Leadership Institute
Atlas Corps will contact eligible Semi-Finalists when there are opportunities to join the Virtual Leadership Institute, and candidates may be requested to complete supplemental questions. Candidates must confirm that they have the technological capacity and availability to make a commitment of 2-3 hours a week of active online participation over 5 months. Semi-Finalists can be considered for both the Virtual Leadership Institute and the Atlas Corps Fellowship at the same time.
5a. Selection for the Fellowship
Host Organizations will make their final recommendations to Atlas Corps, and Atlas Corps will notify the selected applicants. After being selected, Atlas Corps will support Fellows making the necessary logistical arrangements to prepare for the Fellowship. For the online component of the Blended Fellowship, Atlas Corps will support Fellows in reaching the technological capacity necessary to complete Host Organization requirements. For the In-Person Fellowship and the U.S.-based component of the Blended Fellowship, Atlas Corps will support Fellows in applying for a J-1 visa in their respective countries.
Semi-Finalists who are not selected by a Host Organization will be notified and may be given the option to keep their application on file for consideration for the next class of the Fellowship. Atlas Corps will continually reassess Semi-Finalists to determine if they are still in consideration for future Fellowship placements. Semi-Finalists MUST update their availability through their account every 2-4 months in order to remain in consideration for the Fellowship and to be eligible to have their application sent to prospective Hosts. Semi-Finalists will periodically receive a reminder email to do so.
5b. Selection for the Virtual Leadership Institute
Atlas Corps selects Semi-Finalists who have successfully confirmed their interest and availability to participate in the Virtual Leadership Institute as Atlas Corps Scholars. Atlas Corps facilitates the enrollment of Scholars into the training program.
Timeline
Atlas Corps considers applications on a rolling basis and year-round, though we encourage you to apply by priority deadlines for special initiatives listed on apply.atlascorps.org for a timely consideration of your application. When you apply for our programs, you’re not applying for a specific start date or a specific Host Organization. You are applying for the opportunity to be considered by Atlas Corps (and potential Host Organizations) for leadership development programs starting throughout the year.
Our Fellow Classes start approximately four times a year (typically January, April, July, and October). Placement cycles where we match top Semi-Finalists with our submitted Host roles take place approximately 2-4 months prior to the next Fellowship start date. For example, we place Fellows in our January class from September to November, and our July class from March to May). If it is not possible to bring individual Fellows to the U.S. due to travel, visa, or safety guidelines, we will discuss alternative program options with those Fellows individually (which may include our Blended Fellowship, combining remote service with in-person service).
We notify selected Fellows and Scholars approximately 4-6 weeks before the start of any program. Acceptance to a Fellowship class or Institute cohort cannot be deferred to a future start date. In the case of the Fellowship, you would typically have around 4–6 weeks to give notice to your current employer before starting the Fellowship.
Questions? Learn more about our current programs at apply.atlascorps.org and check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for program details. If your question isn’t answered there, please email apply@atlascorps.org.
