Scholarship Guides Rotary Peace Fellowships: How to Apply

Global (Rotary) · Application Guide

Rotary Peace Fellowships: How to Apply

The Rotary Peace Fellowship supports professionals who want to study for a Master's degree or a post-graduate certificate in peace and conflict prevention and resolution at designated Rotary Peace Centers, which are partner universities, plus one-day and week-long certificate options. The fellowship is fully funded and built around leadership development. You must be endorsed by a local Rotary district, or a Rotary club or district for the certificate, before you can apply. The district runs its own interview and sets its own deadline.

Administered by: Rotary International, delivered at Rotary Peace Centers (partner universities)

Written by Zain Aqdas, Founder and lead researcher, Scholarships AtlasLast updated 3 September 2026

What it covers

Fully-funded Master's: tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and internship/field-study expenses
Certificate programme funding for tuition and fees
Master's fellows also complete a 2-3 month applied field experience / professional development plan
Admission to a global network of peace fellows and Rotary's broader network

Eligibility

Commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace as shown through professional and volunteer experience
English proficiency (for English-taught certificate and Master's) and in some cases a second language for peace-related study
For the Master's: a bachelor's degree, leadership experience, and a strong academic record
Certificate applicants: minimum years of relevant work experience in the field as set by Rotary
Regional criteria for the certificate program (e.g. applicants from or working in Africa for that certificate) as set by Rotary

Application — step by step

1
Review the current fellowship programs and requirements
Identify which program fits you (Master's at a Rotary Peace Center vs the post-graduate certificate) and read the eligibility and qualifications, which change each cycle.
2
Contact and obtain endorsement from your local Rotary district
Inform your local Rotary district (for the Master's) or Rotary club/district (for the certificate) that you are applying, and request an interview. District endorsement is required to complete the application, and districts set their own local submission deadlines (commonly between roughly March and June).
3
Complete the online application
Prepare and submit the Rotary Peace Fellowship online application (available on my.rotary.org during the application window; for the 2027-28 cycle, applications opened 1 February and closed 15 May 2026).
4
Selection by Rotary and the Peace Centers
Rotary and the cooperating Peace Centers review endorsed applications; selected fellows are placed at a Rotary Peace Center.
5
Begin the fellowship
Fellows begin their Master's or certificate, including the internship / applied field experience for Master's fellows.

Typical documents needed

Rotary Peace Fellowship online application
Evidence of local Rotary district endorsement (gained via their interview process)
Academic transcripts / degree certificates (Master's)
English proficiency test scores where required (and other language evidence where set)
Resume / CV and leadership experience description
References as requested by the application

Annual cycle

Dates move every year — always confirm on the official portal before planning around them.

Early February: Applications open (e.g. 1 February for the 2027-28 cycle)
Mid-May: Application deadline (e.g. 15 May)
Roughly March to June: Local District endorsement deadlines (set per district)
Following academic year: Fellowship at a Rotary Peace Center begins

Start your application

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Rotary Peace Fellowships: How to Apply

Administered by: Rotary International, delivered at Rotary Peace Centers (partner universities)

Written by Zain Aqdas, Founder and lead researcher, Scholarships AtlasLast updated 3 September 2026

What it covers

Fully-funded Master's: tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and internship/field-study expenses

Certificate programme funding for tuition and fees

Master's fellows also complete a 2-3 month applied field experience / professional development plan

Admission to a global network of peace fellows and Rotary's broader network

Eligibility

Commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace as shown through professional and volunteer experience

English proficiency (for English-taught certificate and Master's) and in some cases a second language for peace-related study

For the Master's: a bachelor's degree, leadership experience, and a strong academic record

Certificate applicants: minimum years of relevant work experience in the field as set by Rotary

Regional criteria for the certificate program (e.g. applicants from or working in Africa for that certificate) as set by Rotary

Application — step by step

Review the current fellowship programs and requirements

Identify which program fits you (Master's at a Rotary Peace Center vs the post-graduate certificate) and read the eligibility and qualifications, which change each cycle.

Contact and obtain endorsement from your local Rotary district

Inform your local Rotary district (for the Master's) or Rotary club/district (for the certificate) that you are applying, and request an interview. District endorsement is required to complete the application, and districts set their own local submission deadlines (commonly between roughly March and June).

Complete the online application

Prepare and submit the Rotary Peace Fellowship online application (available on my.rotary.org during the application window; for the 2027-28 cycle, applications opened 1 February and closed 15 May 2026).

Selection by Rotary and the Peace Centers

Rotary and the cooperating Peace Centers review endorsed applications; selected fellows are placed at a Rotary Peace Center.

Begin the fellowship

Fellows begin their Master's or certificate, including the internship / applied field experience for Master's fellows.

Typical documents needed

Rotary Peace Fellowship online application

Evidence of local Rotary district endorsement (gained via their interview process)

Academic transcripts / degree certificates (Master's)

English proficiency test scores where required (and other language evidence where set)

Resume / CV and leadership experience description

References as requested by the application

Annual cycle

Dates move every year — always confirm on the official portal before planning around them.

Early February

Applications open (e.g. 1 February for the 2027-28 cycle)

Mid-May

Application deadline (e.g. 15 May)

Roughly March to June

Local District endorsement deadlines (set per district)

Following academic year

Fellowship at a Rotary Peace Center begins