The Echidna Global Scholars Program is a visiting fellowship at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., for experienced leaders working to improve education for girls, young women, and gender-nonconforming people in the Global South. It is run by Brookings’ Center for Universal Education and funded by Echidna Giving.
Scholars do their own research, get mentoring on turning research into policy change, and meet education experts and decision-makers. Since 2012, the program has hosted 14 cohorts and 48 alumni from 25 countries. Applications for the Visiting Fellowship are open now, with a deadline of 1 December at 11:59 p.m. EST.
What the fellowship covers
The official page lists a living stipend, furnished accommodation, medical insurance, and round-trip travel. No dollar figures are published, so judge the package by what it covers: your living costs in D.C., a place to live, health cover, and your flights.
This is not a degree program and there are no tuition fees — you arrive with a research idea, work on it at Brookings, and leave with a finished project plus new connections. If you like programs that place working professionals inside major policy institutions, the Yale World Fellows Program follows a similar idea with a different home and focus.
How the schedule works
The fellowship runs in stages, and part of it happens before you travel. A kickoff retreat is scheduled in April, then pre-residency research runs from mid-June from your home country, followed by the Washington, D.C. residency from August to December, with post-residency support after.
| Stage | Timing | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff retreat | April | Location not specified on the official page |
| Pre-residency research | From mid-June | Your home country |
| Residency | August to December | Washington, D.C. |
| Post-residency support | After the residency | Not specified on the official page |
Who this is for — and who it is not for
The program targets mid-career leaders from the Global South who intend to return to their countries after the fellowship. Your work should connect to gender-transformative education — education work that challenges unfair gender roles, not just education work in general. The requirements are a Master’s degree or higher, ten or more years of professional experience, and English proficiency.
You are a strong fit if you:
- Have deep experience and strong ties in a Global South country and plan to go back
- Can show real results from work on girls’ education or gender equality in education
- Have a research question you genuinely want to answer
- Work outside the classroom — in an NGO, a government department, or a policy role
Full-time students and full-time academics are not the target. If you are doing a PhD and not yet working in the field, or if your education work has no gender focus, you will struggle to make a convincing case.
Your application: four documents
The application has four parts: your CV, a cover letter, a questionnaire, and a 3-to-5-page research proposal. The proposal is the heart of it — three to five pages is short on purpose, enough to show you can think clearly and write tightly.
A strong proposal does three things. First, it names a real problem in gender-transformative education that you know from experience, not just from reading. Second, it asks a question narrow enough to research in six months. Third, it explains what you will do with the answer back home. Reviewers want research that serves your return, not just your CV. Do not recycle a proposal from another application — anything generic will stand out badly.
Write the proposal first; it takes the longest and shapes everything else. Then make sure your CV clearly shows the Master’s degree and ten-plus years of experience, and your cover letter states your Global South ties and intent to return.
How to apply
The official Brookings page hosts a “Start your application” button, placed right below. Open the page, prepare your four documents, check every detail, and submit before 1 December at 11:59 p.m. EST. Do not rely on the last day — portals slow down near deadlines.
What makes this fellowship different
Most research fellowships reward academic publishing. This one rewards policy influence — the mentoring is about how research reaches decision-makers, a skill few programs teach directly. For a mid-career leader, learning how to make research matter is the real value.
The alumni network is unusually tight for its size: 48 alumni across 25 countries since 2012. Small cohorts mean real relationships, and those tend to last into jobs, partnerships, and funding. Readers drawn to fellowships at top U.S. policy institutions may also want to look at the Harvard Belfer Center Fellowships, while the World Bank Government Analytics Fellowship suits data-focused applicants.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What does the fellowship cover financially?
A: The official page lists a living stipend, furnished accommodation, medical insurance, and round-trip travel. No dollar figures are published, and there are no tuition fees — it is a non-degree program.
Q: Do I need a PhD to apply?
A: No. The requirement is a Master’s degree or higher. Ten-plus years of professional experience and a record in gender-transformative education matter more.
Q: Can full-time students or university professors apply?
A: The official page says they are not the target audience. The program is built for mid-career professionals in research, NGO, civil society, or government roles.
Q: Does my work need a gender focus, or is any education work eligible?
A: A gender focus is central. The program targets gender-transformative education — better learning outcomes for girls, young women, and gender-nonconforming people. General education work without that lens is unlikely to fit.
Q: How long is the residency in Washington, D.C.?
A: August to December. Before that, a kickoff retreat takes place in April and pre-residency research runs from mid-June from your home country. You are expected to return to your country afterward.
Q: When is the deadline?
A: Applications close on 1 December at 11:59 p.m. EST. Submit early.
