Young changemakers around the world interested in the Dalai Lama Fellows 2027 programme can begin preparing for the next application cycle, although the official 2027 opening date and deadline have not yet been announced.
As of September 14, 2026, the official application page continues to display the previous 2026 Fellowship Application as closed. That cycle sought 15–20 changemakers from around the world and accepted applications from October 1 to November 12, 2025.
The year-long fellowship supports young social innovators working on issues including health and well-being, education, environmental sustainability, cultural understanding and human rights. Fellows participate in leadership development, coaching, contemplative practice and a global community while continuing to work on their own social-change projects.
Because the 2027 application dates have not yet been published, candidates should use the previous cycle as a preparation guide only, not as confirmation of 2027 eligibility or deadlines.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Programme | Dalai Lama Fellows |
| Fellowship Year | 2027 cycle anticipated |
| Application Status | 2027 dates not yet officially announced |
| Previous Cohort Size | 15–20 changemakers |
| Geographic Scope | Global |
| Previous Age Requirement | 20–36 years |
| Student Status Required | No |
| English | Fluency required in previous cycle |
| Social Change Project | Required or concrete plans required |
| Fellowship Format | Year-long leadership programme |
| Estimated Commitment | About 12 hours per month, excluding project work |
| Project Funding | Not provided |
| Leadership Assembly | Previous cycle covered travel, lodging and meals |
| Application Components | Essays, video, CV, recommendation and background information |
| Official 2027 Deadline | Not announced |
Is the Dalai Lama Fellows 2027 Application Open?
Not yet, based on the official information currently available.
The Dalai Lama Fellows website still states:
“2026 Application IS Now Closed.”
No official 2027 application opening date or closing date was available on the programme’s application page at the time of verification.
Opportunities Feed Clarification
Applicants should therefore avoid relying on websites claiming a confirmed:
Dalai Lama Fellows 2027 deadline
unless the information can be traced directly to the official fellowship.
When Could the 2027 Application Open?
The most recent confirmed cycle opened on:
October 1, 2025
and closed on:
November 12, 2025 at 22:00 UTC.
That timeline may help applicants understand when recruitment has occurred previously.
However:
it does not confirm that applications for the 2027 programme will open on October 1, 2026.
Candidates should monitor the official programme for the next announcement.
What Is the Dalai Lama Fellows Program?
Dalai Lama Fellows is a year-long leadership programme supporting young changemakers addressing complex social and environmental challenges.
The programme describes itself as cultivating an international movement of young changemakers addressing needs including:
- Health and well-being
- Education
- Environmental sustainability
- Cultural understanding
- Human rights
The fellowship places significant emphasis on developing the individual leader alongside the social-change project.
What Do Fellows Receive?
According to the programme, fellows receive access to:
- A year-long Head, Heart, Hands leadership curriculum
- One-on-one coaching
- Small-group coaching
- A global fellowship community
- Participation in a Contemplative Leadership Assembly
- Lifelong affiliation with the Fellows network
Opportunities Feed Insight
This fellowship is different from many grant-focused programmes.
Its primary value is:
leadership development, coaching, community and personal transformation
rather than direct project financing.
Does the Fellowship Fund Your Project?
No.
Dalai Lama Fellows explicitly states that it:
does not offer funding for Fellows’ projects.
Participants are encouraged to develop other sources of funding for their social innovation initiatives.
Opportunities Feed Warning
Do not describe this programme as:
“fully funded project funding”
or:
“a grant for social entrepreneurs.”
The fellowship itself does not provide project grants.
What Costs Did the Previous Fellowship Cover?
For the previous cycle, Dalai Lama Fellows stated that it would cover all costs associated with attendance at the Contemplative Leadership Assembly, including:
- Travel
- Lodging
- Meals
This should not yet be presented as a confirmed 2027 benefit until the new application guidelines are published.
Who Could Apply in the Previous Cycle?
For the 2026 fellowship, applicants had to be:
20–36 years old as of April 1, 2026.
They also needed:
- Fluency in written English
- Fluency in spoken English
- A social-change project or concrete plans to launch one
- Strong knowledge of the community and problem being addressed
- Interest in contemplative practices
- Capacity to participate fully in the fellowship
2027 Eligibility Warning
The 2027 age reference date has not yet been officially published.
Applicants should therefore wait for the new guidelines before determining their final eligibility.
Do You Need to Be a Student?
No.
The programme states that educational status is not a requirement.
Applicants may be:
- Undergraduate students
- Graduate students
- Working professionals
- Entrepreneurs
- Community leaders
- Social innovators outside formal education
Opportunities Feed Insight
This makes the fellowship much broader than a conventional academic scholarship.
Selection focuses more heavily on the applicant’s:
- Leadership development
- Social-change work
- Community knowledge
- Personal commitment
Do You Need to Be Buddhist?
No.
Dalai Lama Fellows describes itself as a:
non-sectarian and inclusive programme.
Applicants do not have to:
- Be Buddhist
- Practice Buddhism
- Follow a particular religion
The curriculum draws from multiple wisdom traditions and encourages Fellows to connect with practices relevant to their own backgrounds.
Social Change Project Requirement
A social-change project is central to the fellowship.
Applicants in the previous cycle needed to demonstrate either:
- Current involvement in a social innovation project
or:
- Well-articulated plans to launch one during the fellowship
The programme states that applicants with established projects may receive preference because beginning a social initiative from scratch can be challenging.
However, applicants without an existing project have also previously been selected when they demonstrated:
- A concrete idea
- Relevant expertise
- Resources
- Strong community relationships
What Types of Projects Are Suitable?
The programme highlights social innovation addressing areas such as:
- Health
- Well-being
- Education
- Environmental sustainability
- Human rights
- Cultural understanding
- Gender equality
- Community development
Past examples include initiatives focused on:
- Noncommunicable disease education in Kenya
- Food security and community gardening in Sri Lanka
- Girls’ participation in STEM in Nigeria
- Sustainable energy solutions in India
Must You Be the Founder?
No.
Applicants do not necessarily have to be the founder of their project.
The programme allows participants who have a meaningful role and sufficient ability to influence:
- The project process
- Project decisions
- Outcomes
This may make the fellowship suitable for:
- Project leaders
- Programme managers
- Co-founders
- Community organizers
- Initiative coordinators
Can Your Project Be Your Full-Time Job?
Yes.
Dalai Lama Fellows states that some Fellows work on their social innovation initiative full-time.
Others pursue their project alongside:
- Employment
- University
- Other professional responsibilities
Both approaches are acceptable.
Can You Continue Working or Studying?
Yes.
Fellows do not have to leave their employment or academic programme.
The fellowship is structured so participants can continue:
- Studying
- Working
- Managing their social project
while completing the programme.
Monthly Time Commitment
The previous programme estimated that Fellows should dedicate approximately:
12 hours per month
to fellowship activities.
This does not include time spent working on the Fellow’s own social-change project.
Activities can include:
- Individual readings
- Reflection exercises
- Coaching calls
- Full-group learning calls
- Small-group sessions
- Contemplative practice
The Head, Heart, Hands Curriculum
Dalai Lama Fellows structures its leadership curriculum around:
Head, Heart and Hands.
The year-long online curriculum aims to build three major areas of connection:
Connection to Self
Helping the individual innovator develop deeper:
- Self-awareness
- Resilience
- Emotional intelligence
Connection to Others
Developing compassionate relationships and stronger interpersonal leadership.
Connection to Ecosystems
Helping Fellows understand the complex systems surrounding the social issues they are trying to address.
What Does the Fellowship Look for?
The fellowship assesses more than the scale of an applicant’s project.
Selection also considers how the programme aligns with the applicant’s desire to:
- Increase self-awareness
- Improve emotional intelligence
- Build resilience
- Develop compassionate relationships
- Understand complex social systems
- Improve leadership practice
Opportunities Feed Insight
Applicants should not write their application like a conventional business pitch.
A strong application should demonstrate both:
external impact
and:
internal leadership development.
Community Knowledge Matters
Applicants should demonstrate deep familiarity with:
- The community they serve
- The problem being addressed
- The local context
The previous eligibility criteria preferred candidates with at least:
one year of experience working with the community.
The FAQ also emphasizes meaningful and consistent engagement with the community.
Can the Project Be Online?
Yes.
Dalai Lama Fellows confirms that social innovation projects may be delivered:
fully virtually.
What matters is meaningful engagement and credible implementation.
Previous Application Requirements
The most recent application included five main components:
- Applicant background and overview
- Short essay questions
- Video submission
- Resume/CV
- Letter of recommendation
These documents make it possible for potential 2027 applicants to begin preparing before the new application launches.
How to Prepare for the 2027 Application
Applicants can start working on the elements that are unlikely to be prepared well at the last minute.
Review Your Social Change Project
Be ready to explain:
- The problem
- Who is affected
- Why the problem matters
- Your relationship with the community
- What you are doing
- What you have learned
Update Your CV
Your CV should clearly demonstrate:
- Leadership
- Social innovation experience
- Community engagement
- Relevant employment
- Volunteering
- Project achievements
Prepare Your Project Story
Avoid giving only numbers.
Explain:
why you are personally connected to the issue.
Identify a Recommender
The previous cycle required a:
letter of recommendation.
Potential applicants should identify someone who genuinely understands their:
- Leadership
- Character
- Community involvement
- Project work
Prepare for a Video Submission
Because the previous application included a video, applicants should be prepared to communicate their story clearly and authentically on camera.
Previous Selection Timeline
For context, the 2026 selection cycle followed this timeline:
| Stage | Previous Cycle |
|---|---|
| Applications Opened | October 1, 2025 |
| Application Deadline | November 12, 2025 |
| Finalist Interviews | January 2026 |
| Fellows Selected | February 2026 |
| Virtual Onboarding | March 2026 |
| Fellowship Started | April 2026 |
| Leadership Assembly | May 2026 |
| Fellowship Ended | March 2027 |
Important
These are the 2026 cohort dates.
They should not be copied and presented as confirmed 2027 dates.
How Many Fellows Are Selected?
The previous application stated that the programme was seeking:
15–20 changemakers from around the world.
The number of places for the next cohort has not yet been officially confirmed.
How Competitive Is the Fellowship?
No official acceptance rate is provided on the current application page.
However, a cohort of only 15–20 Fellows would make the programme relatively selective if a similar cohort size is retained.
Applicants should therefore focus on demonstrating:
- Genuine community involvement
- A credible social innovation project
- Deep understanding of the problem
- Leadership potential
- Willingness to learn
- Strong personal reflection
Application Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid:
- Claiming the 2027 application is already open
- Using an unconfirmed 2027 deadline
- Assuming the previous age cut-off automatically applies
- Presenting the fellowship as a project grant
- Applying with only a vague social-impact idea
- Focusing entirely on project scale
- Ignoring personal leadership development
- Submitting generic essays
- Demonstrating little connection to the project community
- Waiting until applications open to identify a recommender
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Dalai Lama Fellowships 2027 open?
Not yet based on the current official application page. The site still shows the 2026 application as closed.
When will Dalai Lama Fellows 2027 applications open?
An official opening date has not yet been announced.
When did the previous application open?
The 2026 cycle opened on October 1, 2025.
When was the previous deadline?
November 12, 2025 at 22:00 UTC.
How many Fellows were sought previously?
The programme sought 15–20 changemakers for its 2026 cohort.
Is the programme open internationally?
Yes. The previous programme sought changemakers from around the world.
Do I need to be a university student?
No.
Do I need to be Buddhist?
No. The programme is non-sectarian.
Do I need a social-change project?
Yes. Applicants should either have an existing project or strong, concrete plans to launch one.
Does the fellowship fund projects?
No. Dalai Lama Fellows does not provide project funding.
Can I continue working or studying?
Yes.
What was the previous age requirement?
Applicants had to be 20–36 years old as of April 1, 2026. This should not be assumed to be the exact 2027 rule until new guidance is published.
How much time does the fellowship require?
Approximately 12 hours per month, excluding the Fellow’s social innovation project work.
Are travel expenses covered?
For the previous cohort, DLF said it would cover travel, lodging and meals for the Contemplative Leadership Assembly. The 2027 arrangements have not yet been announced.
Opportunities Feed Verdict
Dalai Lama Fellowships remain a distinctive opportunity for emerging changemakers because the programme focuses not only on building successful social projects, but also on developing the person leading them.
The programme combines a year-long Head, Heart, Hands leadership curriculum, individual and group coaching, a global fellowship community and a Contemplative Leadership Assembly.
For the previous cycle, Dalai Lama Fellows sought 15–20 changemakers from around the world, including students and non-students working on issues such as education, health, environmental sustainability, cultural understanding and human rights.
However, candidates preparing for the 2027 cycle need to distinguish confirmed information from previous-cycle guidance.
As of September 14, 2026, the official site has not published confirmed 2027 application dates or eligibility criteria. The latest published application information remains for the closed 2026 cohort.
This is therefore the ideal preparation period: potential candidates can refine their social-change projects, strengthen community engagement, update their CVs, identify recommenders and prepare to explain both their social impact and personal leadership journey once the official 2027 call is released.
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