Deadline: August 19, 2026
Applications are invited for the Public Policy Fellowship 2026. The public policy fellowship program is a two-month development opportunity designed for young, emerging leaders who are passionate about learning how to engage with and develop public policy and create positive social, political, economic, and environmental change.
Throughout this program, fellows collaborate with their peers, YIP department executives, political and educational leaders, and community stakeholders to analyze and develop innovative solutions to current issues in a wide variety of mediums. Fellows will collaborate with their peers and mentors to gain a deeper understanding of the various sub-sectors related to their fields of focus while honing their project management, policy analysis, and development skills. All fellows explore policy from a personal, local, and global angle, and complete a capstone project.
The fellowship empowers young leaders on their policy journey. Each session is crafted to be unique and impactful, giving fellows invaluable knowledge, skills, and experiences that will shape their future through workshops and discussions (often in collaboration with YIP’s other departments). Fellows will work on numerous fronts and focus on topics including social change, urban renewal, public policy reform, SMART infrastructure/technology initiatives, and education to create a brighter and more collaborative future for all.
Program Details
After qualified applicants are selected to participate in the fellowship program, they embark upon an immersive journey of personal, professional, and political growth through engaging seminars, thought-provoking debates, interactive workshops, and exclusive guest speaker opportunities. Throughout the program, fellows will also work with their peers on writing an original policy brief and presenting it, as well as developing their own original capstone project. Fellows receive ongoing guidance and mentorship throughout the program to ensure that they are building a unique skill set of policy analysis, communication, articulation, nonpartisan thinking, debate, and problem-solving.
Eligibility
- Open to all high school and undergraduate students ages 13-23 with interest or experience in social impact, community organizing, civic engagement, design thinking, advocacy, and, of course, discourse.
- Graduate students and graduates are not eligible for the program.
- Unfortunately, the fellowship is not open to international applicants since meetings are scheduled in U.S. time zones and the workshops largely focus on U.S.-oriented public policy and political systems. The fellowship is designed to accomodate students in Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones.
Application
For more information, visit Public Policy Fellowship.
