Dalai Lama Fellowship 2026 for Emerging Changemakers

If you are someone driven by purpose and eager to align your inner growth with social innovation, the Dalai Lama Fellowship 2026 for Emerging Changemakers is a one-year program you should explore. This fellowship weaves together contemplative leadership, coaching, community, and action to help you deepen your capacity to serve. Applications open October 1, 2025, and the journey begins in April 2026.

📝Fellowship Summary

• Location / Format: Global, largely virtual with in-person Contemplative Leadership Assembly

• Partners: Dalai Lama Fellows (stewarded by UVA Contemplative Sciences Center, CU Boulder Crown Institute)

• Program Level: Leadership / social innovation fellowship

• Target Group: Emerging changemakers aged 20–36 years old

• Focus Areas & Themes: Social innovation, contemplative leadership, compassion, systems thinking, well-being, justice, environmental sustainability, cultural understanding

• Value & Coverage: Program participation support, travel, lodging, and meals for the in-person Assembly (costs covered by DLF)

• Duration: April 2026 – March 2027 (1 year)

• Number of Fellows: 15–20 selected annually

• Application Window: October 1, 2025 – November 12, 2025 (until 22:00 UTC)

• Selection Notification: February 2026

• Fellowship Start: April 2026, with a 5-day Contemplative Leadership Assembly in May 2026 (location TBD)

• Eligible To: Individuals aged 20–36 (as of April 1, 2026), fluent in English, and engaged (or planning) a social change project

  
  

🧭 Fellowship Overview & Structure

The Dalai Lama Fellows Program is not a typical grant or scholarship—it’s a year-long leadership journey combining contemplative practices, coaching, community, and project-based learning.

🧩 Core Components

• Head, Heart, Hands Curriculum

  A multi-module, semi-synchronous online curriculum that cultivates capacities for self-awareness (Head), empathy and connection (Heart), and putting values into action (Hands).

• Coaching / Mentorship

  Fellows receive both contemplative coaching (inner growth) and social innovation coaching (project support), individually and in small groups.

• Cohort Learning Calls & Regional Pods

  Regular full-group calls and smaller “learning pods” (regional or thematic) foster peer learning and accountability.

• Contemplative Leadership Assembly (In-Person Gathering)

  A 5-day immersive assembly (May 2026) where Fellows connect deeply, practice contemplative exercises, attend workshops, and network. DLF covers travel, lodging, meals, and visa costs.

• Compassion-in-Action Projects

  Each Fellow designs, implements, and reflects on a project addressing a real community challenge. Projects may be ongoing or newly launched, but DLF expects meaningful engagement throughout the year.

• Becoming a LifeLong Fellow

  After completion, Fellows join the LifeLong Fellows network, with continued coaching, webinars, retreats, and opportunities to contribute back.

🎁 Benefits & Support Provided

• Full coverage for travel, lodging, meals, and visas related to the in-person Assembly

• Access to the full Head, Heart, Hands curriculum and online learning platform

• One-on-one coaching (contemplative and project)

• Ongoing connections with a global cohort and regional peers

• Long-term integration into the LifeLong Fellows network for sustained support and learning

• Opportunity to combine inner transformation and social impact — the hallmark of DLF’s approach

Note: The program does not generally provide direct funding for the implementation of Fellows’ projects. Fellows are encouraged to seek other resources or grants to support project costs.

✅ Eligibility & Selection Criteria

To be considered for the 2026 cohort, applicants must:

• Be 20 to 36 years old as of April 1, 2026

• Be fluent in English (spoken and written)

• Have ongoing engagement in a social innovation or change project, or a well-articulated plan to launch one, with commitment to sustain it through the fellowship year

• Possess in-depth knowledge of the community and issue the project addresses (preferably at least one year of prior engagement)

• Demonstrate interest in contemplative practices (mindfulness, reflection, etc.) and willingness to integrate them throughout the year

• Commit to participating fully in curriculum, group calls, coaching, and community (estimated ~12 hours/month, beyond project work)

• Be available to attend the Contemplative Leadership Assembly in May 2026 (costs covered by DLF)

🔍 Selection Criteria & Approach

When selecting Fellows, the program looks for:

• Alignment between applicant’s leadership aspirations and the contemplative, values-based orientation of DLF

• Demonstrated commitment in social innovation and community engagement

• Capacity and openness for personal transformation — not only external impact

• Clarity in how the applicant proposes to integrate the internal (self) and external (project) dimensions

• Diversity of geography, background, issue focus, and perspectives to enrich the cohort

DLF values both the intention behind a candidate’s growth and the vision for social contribution equally when assessing applications.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates must submit their applications online through the official application portal

🗂️ Application Components & Documents

The fellowship application consists of:

1. Applicant Background / Overview — your story, leadership path, aspirations

2. Short Essay Questions — prompts about your project, values, learning goals

3. Video Submission — often a brief recorded introduction or personal statement

4. Resume / CV — your academic, professional, or social innovation experience

5. Letter of Recommendation — from someone who can speak to your leadership, character, or project work

Be sure each component reflects coherence, clarity, authenticity, and alignment with DLF’s guiding values.

ℹ️ Tips & Insights

• Start drafting your essays and project narrative early — clarity helps communicate your vision.

• If you don’t have an ongoing project, propose a feasible one grounded in your community context, with a credible plan for implementation.

• Choose a recommender who knows your work deeply and can speak to both your character and impact.

• Show awareness of contemplative practices and willingness to grow inwardly, not just outwardly.

• Attend one of the live info sessions (DLF often hosts Q&A sessions) to clear doubts.

• Highlight how your proposed project connects with your local community and how you will remain engaged over the year.

• Illustrate how the fellowship’s contemplative learning and project component can magnify your impact.

🔗 Apply Now

🔗 Official Website

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