David Leuschen Global Energy Fellows Program — Fellowship

The David Leuschen Global Energy Fellows Program is run by the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York. Each year it selects a small cohort of Columbia graduate students and spends a full year building their expertise in energy and climate policy, starting every January. Fellows meet monthly with CGEP scholars and visiting energy leaders, are paired one-to-one with a senior research scholar, and are paid as Student Research Workers supporting that scholar’s writing and convenings.

The center also funds a summer internship in the energy and climate field and helps fellows find one. The program is named for its donor, David Leuschen, whose stated aim is to give promising individuals best-in-class training and networking in a field facing hard challenges. The 2026 cohort, the fourth, had 16 fellows from the School of International and Public Affairs, the School of Professional Studies, and the Columbia Climate School.

Benefits & funding

Monthly luncheons and learning sessions with CGEP scholars and energy industry leaders.
One-to-one pairing with a senior research scholar, with compensation for up to 10 hours as a Student Research Worker.
Full funding for a summer internship in the energy and climate field, plus support with the internship search.
A CV and writing-sample repository shared with CGEP’s corporate partners.
Access to networking events, team dinners, career workshops, and other professional development activities.

Eligibility

Full-time graduate students at Columbia University, including PhD candidates.
Enrollment must run for the whole duration of the program.
Open across Columbia’s graduate schools; recent cohorts came from the School of International and Public Affairs, the School of Professional Studies, and the Columbia Climate School.
The program states no nationality or residency requirement.
About 15 places per cohort.
The funded internship must be unpaid, including from outside funding, may only be done in the summer, and may not be at a family-owned or personally connected organization.

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Master Enrolled · PhD Enrolled

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Application process

1
Watch the program page for the annual call; the 2026 cycle ran from 9 September to 10 October 2025 and is now marked closed.
2
Submit the online application through CGEP’s application form inside that window.
3
Some applicants are asked to interview with CGEP scholars, virtually or in person.
4
Receive the decision and begin the program the following January. The program page lists acceptance notifications in October; the FAQ says students are notified in December.

Program timeline

9 September 2025
Applications open for the 2026 cohort.
10 October 2025
Application deadline for the 2026 cohort.
Interviews with CGEP scholars and acceptance notifications.
October to December 2025
Program begins and runs for one year.
January 2026
Funded internship in the energy and climate field.
Summer 2026
Next cycle expected to open, matching the previous window; the site has not confirmed a date.
Around September 2026