Eisenhower Fellowships USA Program — Fellowship

The USA Program is the outbound half of Eisenhower Fellowships (EF), a nonprofit founded in 1953 and based in Philadelphia. Each year it selects 10–12 mid-career American leaders from any field and sends them to one or two countries in the EF network for a fellowship built around their own work.

Fellows travel for four to five weeks, combining in-person meetings with virtual ones, and meet leaders and experts chosen for their field and their project. EF also selects an American farmer or rancher as its Agriculture Fellow on a regular basis.

In the 2026 cycle American fellows are paired with the international fellows arriving that autumn: ten days to two weeks of travel across the United States with their counterpart, starting in Austin, Texas, then two to three weeks in the country they are assigned overseas. EF has selected nearly 400 Americans since 1989, and fellows join a lifetime network of more than 1,900 leaders with regional hubs in eight U.S. cities.

Benefits & funding

EF covers a fellow’s expenses while on fellowship.
A customized four- to five-week itinerary of meetings abroad, built around the fellow’s field and project.
In the 2026 cycle, ten days to two weeks of U.S. travel with the paired international fellow or fellows, beginning with several days in Austin, Texas.
Lifetime membership in the EF network of more than 1,900 active fellows worldwide.
Access to the eight U.S. regional hubs: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, San Francisco and St. Louis.

Eligibility

Mid-career American leaders with a proven record of leadership, from any field.
Citizenship and/or current residence of at least five years in the country the applicant represents — the United States for this program.
Priority goes to applicants aged 32–45 at the time of the program; candidates somewhat above or below that range are still considered when they are strong on the other criteria.
Strong proficiency in English is required.
Approval from the fellow’s workplace to take part full time for the whole program period.
An American farmer or rancher may be selected for the Agriculture Fellow place.
Candidates who have held any other fellowship in the previous two years are not considered.
Children may not accompany a fellow, and EF does not fund spousal travel.
The fellowship may not be used to make business deals or to raise money for a project.
Generative AI may not be used to write the application.

Can you apply?

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Eligible nationalities
USA

Appears to have an age limit “aged 32”
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Application process

1
Read the cycle’s eligibility and selection criteria and confirm U.S. citizenship or at least five years of U.S. residence.
2
Define the project you intend to carry out after the fellowship, and secure your employer’s approval to take part full time.
3
Submit the application through EF’s online portal before the annual deadline.
4
Take part in application review and interviews from March to May; fellows are selected in June.

Program timeline

Application deadline for the 2026 USA Program
Feb 14, 2026
Application review and interviews
March–May 2026
Fellows selected
June 2026
USA and international fellows convene in Austin, Texas
Early October 2026
Domestic travel across the United States
October–November 2026
International travel leg
Late 2026 to Q1 2027