The Peace With Women Fellowship is a four-week executive study tour of Canada and the United States for senior women serving in the armed forces of NATO members and NATO-partner countries. It is run by Halifax International Security Forum (HFX), on the conviction that putting women into leadership in international and security affairs produces more peaceful and more equitable outcomes. The 2026 cohort travels from 28 October to 23 November 2026, and the program closes with the Halifax International Security Forum on 20–22 November.
Only active-duty officers holding a rank equivalent to army colonel or naval captain (NATO rank OF-05) or above may apply, and each eligible country may put forward at most five applicants. The call runs every year; the 2026 round closed on 15 June 2026.
Benefits & funding
- A four-week program of institutional visits and meetings across Canada and the United States, ending at the Halifax International Security Forum.
- The US$30,600 program fee covers all travel, lodging and meals from 28 October to 23 November.
- That fee is paid by the government of the selected officer, not by the individual. There is no personal cost, but a sponsoring government has to commit the money before a candidate can take up a place.
Eligibility
- Active-duty female military officers serving a NATO member or a NATO-partner country.
- Rank equivalent to army colonel or naval captain (NATO rank OF-05) or above.
- Oral and written proficiency in English.
- A letter of affirmation from the applicant’s commanding officer.
- A maximum of five applicants per eligible country.
- HFX publishes no age, degree or years-of-service requirement.
- HFX does not publish which countries it counts as NATO partners. Officers outside NATO membership should confirm eligibility with the program before preparing a file.
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.
Gender requirement
Female
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Application process
- 1Assemble one PDF containing a letter of affirmation from your commanding officer, a CV or résumé in list format, a professional biography of 250 words or fewer, and four essay answers of 300 words or fewer each.
- 2Submit it through the HFX fellowship application portal before the deadline — 15 June, 11:59pm ET, in the 2026 cycle.
- 3Selected fellows are notified in July.
- 4Questions, and requests for details of the 2027 cycle, go to fellowship@halifaxtheforum.org.
Program timeline
Application deadline (11:59pm ET)
Jun 15, 2026
Selected fellows notified
2026-07
Program begins
Oct 28, 2026
Halifax International Security Forum
Nov 20, 2026 to Nov 22, 2026
Program ends
Nov 23, 2026