Columbia University is inviting passionate students and community members from around the world to apply for the Beyond the Bars Fellowship 2025–2026. This unique fellowship is designed for individuals who have been impacted by incarceration or are committed to ending mass incarceration and criminalization. The goal? To build a safer, more just world through restorative, healing, and transformative justice.
What Is the Beyond the Bars Fellowship?
This interdisciplinary leadership program brings together both students and community members to explore ways to fight injustice in the criminal legal system. Fellows will attend weekly sessions at Columbia’s School of Social Work, where they will learn from expert speakers, attend seminars, and build leadership and social justice skills. They’ll also form strong networks with other like-minded changemakers.
Program Highlights and Benefits:
- Weekly in-person seminars and workshops from October 2025 to May 2026
- Training in community organizing, policy advocacy, and justice reform
- Hands-on projects with real organizations making a difference
- Collaboration with local and national advocacy groups such as RAPP, H.O.L.L.A, and Black Alliance for Just Immigration
- Final team presentation with community impact
- A supportive space to explore your identity, purpose, and role in the movement.
Who Can Apply?
The Fellowship is open to:
- Students from any academic background
- Community members impacted by incarceration
- Individuals passionate about social justice and ending mass incarceration
No prior experience is required—just a strong desire to make meaningful change.
Application Timeline
The application for the Beyond the Bars Fellowship 2025–2026 opens on July 15, 2025. Interested applicants must submit their forms by the deadline of August 15, 2025. Following this, group interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis from August 25 to September 5, 2025. All selected fellows will receive notification of acceptance by September 12, 2025. The fellowship officially begins on October 7, 2025 at Columbia University.
