Deadline: February 28, 2019
Atlas Corps is now accepting applications for their 2019 Fellowship in the United States. The Atlas Corps Fellowship is a 12-18 month Fellowship in the United States for the world’s top social change leaders.
Fellows serve full-time at Host Organizations to develop leadership skills and learn effective practices through the Atlas Corps Global Leadership Lab professional development series and networking opportunities with other Fellows. Participants in this prestigious fellowship receive health insurance, flight and visa costs, and a living stipend to cover basic expenses (food, local transportation, and shared housing).
The Atlas Corps Fellowship typically lasts 12-18 months. For those serving in the United States, they will be bringing in new classes every 2 to 4 months. Fellows serve full-time at Host Organizations, develop leadership skills, and learn best practices through the Atlas Corps Global Leadership Lab professional development series and networking opportunities with other Fellows who are talented professionals from around the world.
Benefits
This prestigious fellowship includes health insurance, enrollment in the Atlas Corps Global Leadership Lab, flight and visa costs, and a living stipend to cover basic expenses (groceries, local transportation, and shared housing).
Fellows – but not their dependents – receive:
- Program-related international travel (U.S. Fellows only)
- Program-related domestic travel
- Basic health insurance
- Monthly stipend for basic living expenses (shared housing, food, local transportation)
- Documentation (DS-2019) that enables the Fellow to obtain a J-1 visa.
- Placement at a Host Organization
- Participation in the Atlas Corps Global Leadership Lab (nonprofit management training series)
Eligibility
- Two or more years of relevant experience
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- English proficiency (oral, writing, reading)
- Age 35 or younger
- Apply to serve in a country other than where you are from (U.S. citizens are not eligible for the U.S. Fellowship)
- Commitment to return to your home country after the 12-18 month Fellowship
- Commitment to living on a basic stipend that only covers food, shared housing, and local transportation
Application
They consider applications on a rolling basis, though they encourage you to apply as soon as possible to be considered for Host Organization placements. The application is a multi-step process. The Fellow Classes start four times a year: January, April, July, and October.
To be considered for Fellowships beginning in July and October, they encourage you to submit your Part 1 application no later than February 28. To be considered for Fellowships beginning in January or April, we encourage you to submit your Part 1 application no later than August 15.
- Online Application – Part 1: Part 1: You will need to create a login and you can save your responses so that you can return to the application at any time. In Part 1 of the application (known as the “short form”), you provide contact information and complete the initial eligibility test. If you pass the initial eligibility test, you’ll complete additional background questions and one short essay. NOTE: In order to sponsor Fellows to come to the United States for one year, they require detailed information about each applicant. Please answer each question honestly and thoroughly.
- Online Application – Part 2 (by invitation only): Atlas Corps will review Part 1 applications and invite eligible candidates to complete Part 2 of the application (known as the “long form”), which includes additional questions about your skills and interests and several short essay questions. You will also be required to submit contact information for at least two references who know you in a professional capacity and will write a letter of recommendation about your skills and experiences as well as your potential for success as an Atlas Corps Fellow. You will need to send your requests for letter of recommendation directly through the application system. Your recommenders will receive an email that asks for a recommendation. More detailed instructions can be found in the online application form.
- Atlas Corps Review and Interview Process (by invitation only): Atlas Corps will review Part 2 applications and select top candidates to interview via Skype with the Atlas Corps Selection Board, including Atlas Corps staff and nonprofit sector, government, and business leaders from multiple countries.
- Host Organization Review Process (by invitation only): Candidates who pass the Atlas Corps interview stage will be designated as Semi-Finalists, which means they are eligible to be reviewed by potential Host Organizations . Atlas Corps determines which of our Semi-Finalists may be a good fit for specific positions at potential Host Organizations based on their interests and skill set and the organization’s needs, and forwards those applications to the organizations.
- Host Organization Interview Process (by invitation only): Host Organizations conduct Skype video interviews with selected Semi- Finalists.
- Selection and Visa Process: Host Organizations will make their final recommendations to Atlas Corps, and Atlas Corps will notify the selected candidates. After being selected, Fellows will go to the U.S. Embassy in their respective countries to apply for a J-1 visa. Atlas Corps will provide support in obtaining this visa.
- 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.
NOTE:
- Read tips for applying to the Atlas Corps Fellowship by Oyindamola Johnson.
- Click here to apply for the Atlas Corps Fellowship: MENA Entrepreneurship Initiative.
For more information, visit Atlas Corps Fellowship.
