ICANN Fellowship Program: A Pathway for Underserved Voices in Internet Policy (Open Globally)

The ICANN Fellowship Program aims to strengthen the diversity of the multistakeholder model by providing opportunities for individuals from underserved and underrepresented communities to engage actively in the ICANN community. Fellows are exposed to the workings of the ICANN community, are assigned a mentor, and receive training across different areas of knowledge and skill building before, during, and after an ICANN Public Meeting. Travel assistance to attend the meeting is also provided.

Fellowship participants come from a variety of backgrounds. Check out program participants and statistics for more information

About the Program

The ICANN Fellowship Program seeks to:

• Enhance Diversity: Increase the representation of underserved and underrepresented groups within ICANN.
• Provide Support: Offer mentorship, training, and travel assistance to ensure full participation in ICANN Public Meetings.
• Foster Engagement: Expose fellows to ICANN’s workings, helping them become active contributors to the community.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates from all regions and sectors are encouraged to apply. To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be interested in, or already engaged in, the various components of ICANN‘s work in policy building, the operation of the Domain Name System and the security and stability of the global Internet
• Complete mandatory ICANN Learn course(s); learn more here
• NOT be involved in or associated with other ICANN supported travel programs at time of selection
• Policy Forum applicants must have successfully completed an ICANN Fellowship
• Have previously received no more than two fellowships; second and third time fellows must prove their involvement and engagement in one of the ICANN communities (learn more here)

Returning fellows will be considered for the Tarek Kamel Fellowship Recognition. The award recognizes outstanding contributions of fellows in furthering ICANN‘s capacity development efforts in their respective regions. Learn more here.

A selected Fellow, who lives or works in African region with technical background will be considered for Paul Muchene Fellow Award. The Paul Muchene Fellow Award is a tribute to Paul Muchene, an ICANN Fellowship Program participant and ICANN organization staff member who passed away in August 2022. To learn more here.

For more information, please see the program’s Terms & Conditions and Selection Criteria.

Requirements

Fellowship recipients are expected to:

• Engage in Fellowship Program Mentoring processes
• Complete additional required ICANN Learn courses
• Attend the ICANN Public Meeting and required activities, including but not limited to ICANN Fellowship sessions during the ICANN Meeting
• Network and interact with program alumni and community members
• Complete the post-meeting survey

Participants are encouraged to actively contribute to ICANN policy development processes and Fellowship alumni network upon completion of the Fellowship Program.

Apply

• The Fellowship application round for ICANN84 Annual General Meeting is now open. The deadline to submit applications is March 25, 2025 at 23:59 UTC Time.
• Please note, that you need an ICANN Account in order to apply for the Fellowship Program.
• If ICANN meeting is held virtually, the Fellowship Program will also be held virtually.
• ICANN83 Policy Forum Fellowship Program Successful Candidates Announced – The following individuals had been selected to participate at ICANN83 Policy Forum to be held from 9-12 June 2025 in Prague, Czech Republic, Europe.

For more information please see program’s Frequently Asked Questions and Selection Committee.

For more information, please contact fellowships@icann.org. You can also visit the website.