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. The Fellowship allows participants to engage in group cultural activities like a D.C. Monuments Tour, sporting events, U.S. holiday celebrations, and more. Atlas Corps sponsors the J-1 Trainee visa and covers most visa expenses. Atlas Corps also provides each Fellow with a living stipend to cover basic expenses (food, local transportation, and shared housing), a monthly phone plan, emergency health and travel insurance, and round-trip international airfare.
Through this Fellowship, Atlas Corps seeks to advance the U.S. State Department Education and Cultural Exchange Bureau’s Mission: To promote mutual understanding through people-to-people exchanges and to further U.S. foreign policy objectives by engaging international exchange visitors and American communities in a diversity of positive, safe, and enriching educational, cultural and professional exchange programs.
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Location:
United StatesBenefits
- 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)
Eligibilities
- 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 applicants are from (U.S. citizens are not eligible for the U.S. Fellowship)
- Commitment to return to applicant’s 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 Process
Online Application:
- Part 1: applicants will need to create a login and can save their responses so that they can return to the application at any time. In Part 1 of the application (known as the “short form”), they provide contact information and complete the initial eligibility test. If they pass the initial eligibility test, they will complete additional background questions and one short essay.
- 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 applicant’s skills and interests and several short essay questions. They will also be required to submit contact information for at least two references who know them in a professional capacity and will write a letter of recommendation about their skills and experiences as well as their potential for success as an Atlas Corps Fellow. Applicants will need to send their requests for letter of recommendation directly through the application system. Applicant’s recommenders will receive an email that asks for a recommendation. More detailed instructions can be found in the online application form.
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Atlas Corps Review 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 for placements based on their interests and skillset and the organization’s needs.
Host Organization Interview Process (by invitation only):
- Host Organizations invite Semi-Finalists that best match their positions to conduct Skype video interviews with them, moving on to the Finalist stage.
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, moving back to the Step 3, the Host Organization Review Process. 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.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2020
Application ClosedOfficial link
