Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is Rotary International’s leadership-development program for young people aged 14 to 30. Individual events are organized locally by Rotary clubs and districts, so the host, venue, and schedule differ from place to place while the program, brand, and age range stay the same. An event may be a one-day seminar, a three-day retreat, or a weeklong camp, and events typically last 3 to 10 days.
Sessions combine presentations, activities, and workshops covering a range of leadership topics. A local edition may be built for secondary school students, for university students, or for young professionals, depending on what the community needs.
Benefits & funding
- Training in communication and problem-solving, plus strategies for leading in a school or community.
- Sessions led by community leaders, inspirational speakers, and peer mentors.
- Connections with other participants and with Rotary members locally and around the world.
- No central stipend, grant, or cash award: Rotary International publishes no standard fee or funding figure for RYLA.
- Costs are set by the organizing club or district, and the official page directs candidates to ask their local Rotary club about any costs of taking part.
Eligibility
- Open to participants aged 14 to 30.
- Participants are nominated by a local Rotary club.
- Suited to secondary school students, university students, and young professionals; no degree or academic level is required.
- The program pages set no nationality, residency, gender, or work-experience requirement.
- Each club or district adds its own event-specific criteria and application steps.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Age requirement
14–30 yrs
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Application process
- 1Find a nearby Rotary club through the club finder linked from the RYLA page.
- 2Ask that club about RYLA events in the area, how to apply, event dates, and any costs.
- 3Ask to be considered for nomination, since clubs nominate the participants they send.
- 4Complete the application materials the organizing club or district requires for its event.
Program timeline
Year-round
Rotary clubs and districts announce their own RYLA events, and there is no single global application window.
Set locally
Each organizing club or district publishes its nomination deadline and selection steps.
Event
Programs run from one day to about a week, typically 3 to 10 days.