Funding

Fully Funded

Fellowship•Hybrid

IWA LeaP Leadership Programme for Young Water Professionals

International Water Association (IWA)

Application Deadline

Closed · June 21, 2026

Expected to reopen

Official Page

IWA LeaP is the International Water Association’s leadership programme for young water professionals. Each cohort takes 12 people from different regions and different corners of the water sector — utilities, research, engineering, sanitation, policy — and runs them through twelve months of coaching, virtual learning and team project work. The second cohort was recruited through a call that closed on 21 June 2026, and the selected members are announced at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Glasgow on 4–8 October 2026.

The cohort then launches virtually in November 2026, meets in person for a four-day retreat in early 2027, and delivers its workshop at the 2028 IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Kuching, Malaysia. Applicants must already be IWA members, with membership active for at least a year when they apply, so the entry gate is set well before the call opens.

Benefits & funding

  • Twelve places per cohort in a 12-month structured leadership programme.
  • Access to professional coaches and mentors, plus a peer group drawn from different regions and professional backgrounds.
  • IWA’s call states that the association funds participation in the two in-person elements — the four-day retreat and the World Water Congress & Exhibition — covering economy class flights, accommodation, daily subsistence, ground transport, travel insurance and visa fees. Candidates submit their own visa applications.
  • A workshop slot at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, the sector’s largest global meeting.
  • Time commitment is roughly 5 hours a month in virtual learning, coaching and project team meetings, plus about 4 hours a month of preparation and project work.

Eligibility

  • Aged at least 18 at application, and no older than 35 when the programme concludes in November 2027.
  • Active IWA membership held for at least one year at the time of application.
  • Proficient English, enough to read and take part in discussion.
  • Demonstrated leadership experience and capacity, shown through professional achievements, roles within IWA, academic credentials or other organisational involvement.
  • A strong commitment to driving positive change in the water sector.
  • No nationality or residency restriction is stated. The first cohort included members based in Austria, Canada, China, Colombia, Ghana, India, Rwanda, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
  • No degree level is required.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

  • Age requirement

    18–35 yrs

Check my eligibility — free

Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.

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

Application process

  1. 1
    Hold IWA individual membership for at least a year before applying. IWA membership fees vary by country classification and the association publishes a fee calculator.
  2. 2
    Watch the programme page for the call. The second cohort’s call opened on 11 May 2026 and closed on 21 June 2026, after an extension from the original 12 June date.
  3. 3
    Submit the nomination form on IWA’s Connect Plus portal. The earlier call asked for a CV of no more than two pages, a one-page motivation letter and a one-page reference letter from the applicant’s organisation.
  4. 4
    Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by the IWA Secretariat and the LeaP Programme Committee in July.
  5. 5
    The cohort is announced at the World Water Congress & Exhibition in October, and starts with a virtual launch event in November.

Program timeline

  1. Call for applications opens for the second cohort

    May 11, 2026

  2. Application deadline (extended from 12 June)

    Jun 21, 2026

  3. Interviews by the IWA Secretariat and the LeaP Programme Committee

    July 2026

  4. Cohort announced at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, Glasgow

    Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 8, 2026

  5. Virtual launch event

    November 2026

  6. Four-day residential retreat

    Late January to early February 2027

  7. Virtual learning, coaching and project phase

    February to November 2027

  8. Cohort workshop at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, Kuching, Malaysia

    2028

The monthly round-up

New fellowships, scholarships and programs, once a month. No account needed.