Policy Leader Fellowship - Candidates affected by the war in Ukraine

No, all the information and documents must be submitted via the online application form. Applications received by email will not be considered. 

No, the STG Policy Leader Fellowship is a residential programme. You must reside in Florence for the whole duration of the fellowship. The overall evolution of the pandemic will be constantly monitored and EUI activities will be adjusted accordingly. However, the programme remains residential. 

Each year the STG awards approximately thirty fellowships. 

Candidates who have not produced any recent work samples are encouraged to prepare an ad hoc writing sample in English on a topic of their choice, preferably in line with their policy interests.  

Yes, candidates may reapply to the programme if they wish.

Unfortunately, due to a high volume of applications, the EUI is not in a position to provide individual feedback to the applicants who have not been selected.

You may contact STG faculty or fellows if you have specific inquiries about their work area. However, given the high numbers of applicants, we cannot guarantee a timely response to all interested candidates. Therefore, the candidates are encouraged to do so only in very specific cases.

Given the nature of this fellowship, usually, the work plan of selected candidates is policy-oriented. If academic, or research-based, the plan has to show direct policy implications and/or generate evidence for applied policy decisions.

There is no explicit minimum number of professional years of experience required for the programme. The programme is targeting early to mid-career professionals taking into consideration that the exact definition of each “career level” might vary from one individual to another. The Selection Committee will look for candidates who have already obtained relevant experience in their sector/policy area and can use their past work experience as a solid foundation for building on and further developing their work and ideas during the fellowship months. Candidates with strictly academic background are likely to be less successful given the scope of this fellowship.

There is no preference given based on the fellowship duration that the candidates have applied for. The candidates are selected based on their professional profile and various application components. The requested number of months (five or ten) should however be reasonable considering the fellowship work plan. The final cohort for each year is composed based on the funds’ availability.

While there are no minimum degree requirements, most successful candidates are in possession of a master’s degree. A Ph.D. degree is not required. 

There is no age recommendation or cut-off for this fellowship. In 2021, the average age of candidates was 36, ranging from 27 to 48 years. The STG does not have an age recommendation or preference.

No, academic/research/teaching experience is not necessary for the Policy Leader Fellowship. The call is for early- to mid-career policy leaders, so it is expected that the applicants are experts in their policy field with some leadership experience and/or high potential. Candidates with a strictly academic background are likely to be less successful given the scope of this fellowship.

The structure of the fellowship programme includes both individual work and peer interactions as well as skills development and thematic workshops. The exact schedule will be made available to the accepted candidates. Please note that the fellowship is not a degree course nor requires a university course-type of work, however, the fellows can audit courses through the STG, if they wish to.

While each fellow works independently to achieve their own work plan, the fellowship programme also offers the opportunity of interdisciplinary discourses with peers at STG, the broader EUI community, and beyond to benefit the work of the fellows. The fellows are highly encouraged to meet colleagues, interact with members of the EUI community and beyond. Fellows are welcome to use the offerings of the STG and EUI or find their own ways of networking.

No, it is not possible to combine the fellowship with another job. The fellowship is a full-time and fully-funded programme, and successful applicants are expected to provide a statement from their current employer stating that they have taken leave for the whole duration of the programme (5 or 10 months). 

Each year, the Policy Leader fellows make use of the offerings of the EUI and not just the STG as much as possible, e.g. library use, open events, workshops, and training. The fellows can join the EUI interdisciplinary clusters and participate in activities at other EUI departments and centres.

If you have any questions on the application process or the programme, please contact: [email protected].