Funding

Free

Program dates

TBA

Course / Training•Germany · Bonn · Hybrid

IPC Para Athlete Professionals Course

International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

Application Deadline

Closed · July 24, 2026

Reopens ~Jul 2027

Official Page

The Para Athlete Professionals Course is a professional-development programme run by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and made possible by a grant from the Toyota Mobility Foundation. It is built for Paralympians who are retiring or have retired from competition and want to plan a second career. Selected participants gather for an opening week at the IPC Campus in Bonn, then complete several months of online learning covering leadership, financial literacy, strategic thinking and public speaking. The course closes with each athlete producing an Athlete Transition Action Plan — a personal roadmap for life after sport. This is the second cycle (2026/2027); the inaugural class of 19 Paralympians from 17 countries graduated in May 2026.

Benefits & funding

  • No course fee — funded through the IPC’s grant agreement with the Toyota Mobility Foundation.
  • Six months of structured learning in leadership, financial literacy, strategic thinking and public speaking.
  • An in-person kickoff week at the IPC Campus in Bonn, Germany, followed by online modules.
  • A completed Athlete Transition Action Plan and a global peer network of fellow Paralympians.
  • (Travel, accommodation and any other personal costs are not specified on the announcement.)

Eligibility

  • Must have competed in at least one edition of the Paralympic Games.
  • Must have retired from competition, or be in the process of retiring.
  • Open to Paralympians of any nationality; no age or degree requirement is stated.

Can you apply?

Open to all applicants

No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Application process

  1. 1
    Open the application form linked from the IPC announcement for the 2026/2027 cycle.
  2. 2
    Complete the online form before the deadline.
  3. 3
    Await IPC selection; the inaugural cycle drew over 80 applications for 19 places.

Program timeline

  1. Applications open

    8 July 2026

  2. Application deadline

    24 July 2026

  3. Course begins with an in-person week in Bonn

    November 2026

  4. Six-month course concludes

    Around May 2027