Dalai Lama Fellowships 2027 Opening Soon – Application Preparation Guide
You do not have to be Tibetan, Buddhist or even a university student to apply for the upcoming Dalai Lama Fellows Program 2027. The programme is intended for emerging social innovators worldwide who are addressing real problems within their communities.
The 2027 application window has not been announced yet. However, the previous round opened on October 1, meaning potential applicants should already be developing their social-change project, documenting their community involvement and preparing the unusually demanding combination of essays, video, CV and recommendation letter.
This opportunity must not be confused with the Dalai Lama Trust Scholarship, which serves eligible Tibetan students. The Dalai Lama Fellows Program is the globally accessible opportunity covered in this guide.
Dalai Lama Fellows Program 2027 Quick Information
| Basic information | Details |
|---|---|
| Application status | 2027 call not yet announced |
| Eligible nationalities | Previous call accepted applicants worldwide |
| Expected number selected | Approximately 15–20 fellows |
| Student status | Not required |
| Previous age range | 20–36 years |
| Programme duration | Approximately one year |
| English requirement | Fluent written and spoken English |
| Application fee | No fee stated |
| Expected application period | October–November 2026, subject to confirmation |
| Application portal | Dalai Lama Fellows online system |
What Will Selected Dalai Lama Fellows Receive?
The programme provides a year of structured leadership development built around its Head, Heart and Hands model. Fellows learn how self-awareness, emotional intelligence, compassion and resilience can improve the way they design and lead social change.
The previous fellowship included:
- A year-long online leadership curriculum;
- One-to-one coaching;
- Small-group coaching and learning calls;
- Monthly full-group sessions;
- contemplative and reflective practices;
- A five-day Contemplative Leadership Assembly;
- Lifelong membership in the global fellows’ community.
For the previous cohort, Dalai Lama Fellows covered all travel, accommodation and meal expenses connected with the compulsory leadership assembly. The 2027 call must be checked to confirm whether this arrangement continues.
Applicants should understand what the fellowship does not cover. It does not provide a stipend, university scholarship or grant for implementing the participant’s social-change project. Fellows must arrange project funding separately.
Can Applicants From Every Country Apply?
The previous application round invited changemakers from around the world and did not publish a restricted nationality list. Applicants may therefore prepare regardless of their country, subject to confirmation in the 2027 call.
You can apply while studying or working because participants are not required to leave their degree programme or employment. The fellowship is also non-sectarian, so applicants do not need to practise Buddhism or follow another particular religion.
The previous age requirement was 20–36 years as of April 1, 2026. The applicable reference date will change for the next cohort and must not be assumed until the 2027 instructions are released.
What Kind of Social-Change Project Is Required?
Applicants must either be actively involved in a social innovation project or present a well-developed plan that can be launched during the fellowship year.
Suitable projects may address:
- Education;
- Health and well-being;
- Environmental sustainability;
- Human rights;
- Cultural understanding;
- Other clearly demonstrated community needs.
Previous experience of at least one year with the relevant community is preferred. Applicants without an active project may still compete, but they must demonstrate appropriate expertise, resources, community connections and a realistic implementation plan.
You do not have to be the project’s founder. However, you must hold a meaningful role and possess enough influence to shape its activities and outcomes. Projects delivered entirely online may also qualify if they provide genuine and consistent community engagement.
How Much Time Must Fellows Commit?
Participants of Dalai Lama fellowship should reserve approximately 12 hours per month for readings, reflections, individual coaching, group calls and online learning. This estimate does not include the time required to operate the social-change project.
Attendance at the Contemplative Leadership Assembly was compulsory during the previous cycle. Applicants should therefore consider their ability to travel before submitting the final application.
Is IELTS Required for the Dalai Lama Fellows Program?
No IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test or other English certificate was required in the previous round. Applicants must nevertheless be fluent in written and spoken English. Their English ability will be assessed naturally through the application essays, recorded video and finalist interview. There is currently no published minimum test score or formal language waiver process.
Documents and Application Components Required
The previous Dalai Lama Fellows application contained five principal components:
- Applicant background and personal overview;
- Short essay responses;
- Video submission;
- Resume or CV;
- Letter of recommendation.
Applicants should prepare evidence of their community involvement, project responsibilities and understanding of the problem being addressed. The essays and video should explain why the project matters, what role the applicant performs and how contemplative leadership could improve both the applicant and the initiative.
How to Submit the Dalai Lama Fellows Program 2027 Application?
The entire application is expected to be submitted online. Applicants should follow these steps once the 2027 call becomes available:
- Open the official Dalai Lama Fellows application website and confirm that the portal has been updated for the 2027 cohort.
- Select Register and create an applicant account using an active email address.
- Log in using the registered email address and password.
- Select the new fellowship application and complete every required personal, professional and project-information section.
- Write and insert the required short essays directly into the designated fields.
- Prepare and upload the requested video submission according to the new format and time limit.
- Upload the latest resume or CV and the required recommendation letter.
- Save the application as a Draft while completing unfinished sections and checking uploaded files.
- Review every response, attachment and contact detail before changing the application status from Draft to Final.
- Submit the final application and download or print a copy from the Application Summary section for personal records.
Simply registering or saving a draft does not complete the application. All sections and accompanying materials must be finalized through the portal before the deadline.
Dalai Lama Fellows Program 2027 Application Deadline
The expected application opening date to apply for the Dalai Lama Fellows Program 2027 offered by Dalai Lama Fellows is October 1, 2026 whereas the deadline would fall in the month of November 2026.