IGF Fellowship Opportunities for Young Professionals

Your Passport to the World's Most Important Internet Governance Dialogue — and How to Get It for Free
A Complete Guide to IGF Fellowship Programs — Who Offers Them, Who Qualifies, How to Apply, and Why This Could Be the Most Important Step in Your Digital Career

Every year, thousands of the world’s most influential internet governance professionals gather at the Internet Governance Forum — the UN-mandated global platform where governments, civil society, the private sector, and technical experts debate the policies that shape the internet for billions of people.

The conversations happening at the IGF determine how AI is regulated, whether encryption stays legal, who controls platform content, how cybersecurity policy evolves, and whether the next billion people come online with their rights protected or their data exploited. These are conversations that matter deeply to young people — and yet young professionals, particularly from the Global South, are dramatically underrepresented in them.

IGF fellowship programs exist precisely to close that gap. Offered by the Internet Society, ICANN, the IGF Secretariat, DiploFoundation, and regional internet governance bodies, these fellowships provide young professionals with funded access to the IGF and the internet governance community — breaking down the economic and geographic barriers that keep too many voices out of these critical conversations.

If you are a young professional passionate about the internet’s future, this guide gives you everything you need to understand, find, and successfully apply for an IGF fellowship program.

Why IGF Fellowships:  Internet governance decisions affect everyone on Earth. But the people making those decisions have historically been concentrated in wealthy countries and established institutions. IGF fellowship programs specifically target the next generation of leaders from underrepresented communities — because the legitimacy of global internet governance depends on diverse voices in the room.

Understanding the IGF: The Forum Your Fellowship Gets You Into

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is the premier global multistakeholder platform for internet governance dialogue. Established by the UN Secretary-General following the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2005, the IGF convenes annually for three to five days in a different host country, bringing together 6,000 to 10,000 participants from governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, the technical community, and individual internet users.

Unlike most UN bodies, the IGF is non-binding — it does not make decisions with legal force. What it does instead is create the world’s most inclusive space for internet policy dialogue. Ideas debated at the IGF become proposals in ICANN working groups. IGF sessions shape national legislation and regional frameworks. IGF Best Practice Forums produce guidance that operators and governments adopt globally. The IGF is where internet governance norms are created before they become formal rules.

For a young professional entering the internet governance field, attending the IGF is not just an educational experience — it is a credibility signal. Having participated in the IGF, having engaged with senior policy figures from across the globe, having contributed to session discussions on topics you care about — this experience positions you as a serious practitioner in the field rather than a student looking in from the outside.

IGF 2026:  IGF 2026 is hosted in Oslo, Norway. Like all recent IGFs, it features hybrid participation — in-person and online. Fellowship programs support in-person attendance, which provides the full community immersion experience. Online participation is free and open to everyone at intgovforum.org.

The IGF Fellowship Ecosystem: Who Offers What

There is not a single IGF fellowship program — there is an ecosystem of programs offered by different organizations, each with its own focus, eligibility criteria, and application process. Understanding this ecosystem is the first step to identifying which program is the right fit for you.

The Internet Society (ISOC) IGF Fellowship

The Internet Society’s IGF Fellowship is the largest and most established fellowship program specifically designed to support participation at the global IGF. Launched and maintained by ISOC as a central pillar of its internet governance capacity building work, the program provides fully funded attendance — international flights, accommodation, registration, and daily expenses — for civil society professionals and community advocates from developing nations.

The ISOC IGF Fellowship targets people who are already engaged in internet governance in their communities but who face economic barriers to attending the global IGF. Candidates typically work in civil society organizations, community advocacy, digital rights, academic research, or government policy in developing country contexts. The selection process is competitive, with applicants expected to demonstrate genuine existing engagement with internet policy issues and a clear commitment to bringing what they learn back to their home communities.

Beyond the financial support, ISOC’s fellowship includes a structured preparation program: fellows participate in an online orientation covering internet governance fundamentals, meet their cohort virtually before the meeting, and receive mentorship support throughout the IGF week. After the meeting, ISOC fellows are expected to report on their experience and many go on to present at local and regional internet governance events, multiplying the fellowship’s community impact.

DiploFoundation Internet Governance Course Fellowship

DiploFoundation, the Geneva and Malta-based capacity building organization, offers a distinct fellowship pathway: scholarship support for its twelve-week online Internet Governance Course, which in some cycles includes support for in-person IGF participation for top graduates. DiploFoundation has trained over 4,000 internet governance professionals from 170+ countries through this course, and its alumni network is one of the most influential in the field.

The DiploFoundation approach is particularly valuable for young professionals who are genuinely new to internet governance and want a structured educational foundation before diving into the IGF. The twelve-week course covers history, actors, infrastructure, security, legal frameworks, AI governance, and human rights dimensions of internet governance — providing a comprehensive curriculum that transforms a curious newcomer into a knowledgeable participant. Scholarships are available on application, with priority for professionals from developing nations.

National and Regional IGF Fellowship Programs

Beyond the global-level programs, a significant and often overlooked fellowship ecosystem exists at the national and regional level. The IGF’s network of National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs) includes over 170 national and regional internet governance forums worldwide, many of which run their own fellowship programs to support participation at regional events — and some of which provide support for national champions to attend the global IGF.

These national and regional programs vary enormously in their design and resources, but they share a common logic: building local internet governance capacity by supporting local voices to engage first at the national level, then at the regional level, and ultimately at the global IGF. For young professionals in countries with active national IGF initiatives, engaging locally first is often the most practical pathway to eventually attending the global IGF — with local fellowship support as the entry point.

Finding your national IGF initiative is easy: the IGF Secretariat maintains a comprehensive list of NRIs at intgovforum.org/en/content/nris. Reach out to your national or regional IGF initiative coordinator and ask about fellowship or capacity building support for participation. Many NRIs have small fellowship programs that are not widely publicized but are available to well-prepared applicants.

ICANN Fellowship — Linked to IGF Engagement

While ICANN’s Fellowship Program is technically focused on ICANN’s own Public Meetings rather than the IGF specifically, it is deeply relevant to IGF fellowship seekers for two reasons. First, ICANN Public Meetings and the IGF are part of the same internet governance ecosystem — fellows who attend ICANN meetings develop knowledge and networks that directly strengthen their IGF engagement. Second, many ICANN Fellows go on to apply for ISOC’s IGF Fellowship after their ICANN experience, using the credibility and knowledge built through ICANN participation to produce stronger IGF fellowship applications. The two programs are complementary, and engagement with one strengthens candidacy for the other.

Who Can Apply for IGF Fellowship Programs?

Eligibility varies somewhat across the different programs in the IGF fellowship ecosystem, but several common themes emerge from all of them. Understanding these shared criteria is essential to assessing your readiness to apply.

Geographic focus is the most consistent eligibility factor. All major IGF fellowship programs prioritize applicants from developing regions — Africa, Asia Pacific (particularly South and Southeast Asia and Pacific Island nations), Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This geographic focus reflects the fundamental purpose of the programs: to bring voices into internet governance that are currently underrepresented because of economic rather than intellectual barriers.

Existing internet governance engagement is the second key factor. The most competitive fellowship applications do not come from people who are new to internet governance — they come from people who are already doing meaningful work in the field and need fellowship support to take their engagement to the global level. This might mean work in digital rights advocacy, network operations, government technology policy, academic research on internet-related topics, civil society campaigns, or community network building. What matters is that your engagement is real, documented, and clearly connected to internet governance issues.

A commitment to community impact is the third factor that distinguishes successful from unsuccessful applications. Fellowship programs are not scholarships for personal enrichment — they are investments in community capacity. Applications that articulate a clear, credible plan for how the fellowship experience will benefit the applicant’s home community — through training, advocacy, reporting, or direct policy engagement — are consistently more competitive than those that focus solely on individual learning goals.

Eligibility Quick Check:  Are you from a developing region? Do you have existing engagement with internet governance issues? Do you have a clear plan to bring what you learn back to your community? Is your English sufficient for active participation in sessions? If yes to all four, you are a strong candidate. Start your application.

How to Apply: A Step-by-Step Guide to IGF Fellowship Programs

Each program has its own application portal and timeline, but the core application journey is remarkably similar across all IGF fellowship programs. Here is your step-by-step guide.

Start Monitoring Fellowship Announcements Early IGF fellowship applications typically open 3 to 5 months before the global IGF meeting (usually held in November or December). Subscribe to the Internet Society’s newsletter, the IGF Secretariat’s mailing list, DiploFoundation’s updates, and your national IGF initiative’s communications. Early awareness gives you time to prepare a strong application rather than rushing at the last minute.

Do Your Homework on the Specific Program Before applying to any fellowship program, read the eligibility criteria and application guidelines for that specific cycle carefully. Programs update their focus areas, eligibility requirements, and application questions each cycle. Do not rely on information from previous years — always read the current cycle’s guidelines.

Build Your Internet Governance Foundation If you have not already done so, build your foundational knowledge of internet governance before applying. Complete the free ICANN Learn Introduction to Internet Governance course at learn.icann.org. Attend virtual sessions of your national or regional IGF. Read the IGF’s Best Practice Forum outputs and session recordings at intgovforum.org. Applicants who demonstrate knowledge of the field in their applications are significantly more competitive than those who say they want to learn about it.

Craft a Specific, Evidence-Based Personal Statement Your personal statement is the most important element of your application. It should do three things: explain your existing internet governance engagement with specific examples; connect that engagement to the specific IGF themes or sessions you plan to engage with; and articulate a clear, credible community impact plan for after the fellowship. Avoid generic language. Name specific policy issues, specific IGF sessions or tracks, and specific community activities you will undertake after returning.

Gather Supporting Materials Prepare your CV with an internet governance focus — highlight relevant work, publications, events attended, and community roles. If organizationally affiliated, request a letter of support from your organization. Collect any evidence of prior internet governance engagement: links to written work, event attendance records, training certificates, or community leadership documentation. Strong supporting materials substantiate the claims in your personal statement.

Submit and Follow Up Submit your complete application before the deadline — late or incomplete applications are typically not reviewed. After submission, follow the application platform’s instructions for any confirmation steps. If you are not selected, request feedback if the program offers it, and reapply in the next cycle with a strengthened application. Many successful IGF fellows applied two or three times before being selected.

Why IGF Fellowship Programs Matter — and What You Gain

The benefits of an IGF fellowship extend far beyond a week of conference sessions. Here is what a fellowship experience actually delivers for young professionals.

Direct Access to the World’s Internet Governance Community The IGF brings together ministers, ambassadors, civil society leaders, technical experts, and internet governance professionals from 160+ countries. As a fellow, you are in the same rooms, at the same social events, in the same working sessions as these people. The hallway conversations, the networking dinners, the informal exchanges between sessions — these produce relationships and opportunities that no online course or virtual event can replicate.

A Credibility Signal in the Internet Governance Field Having participated in the IGF as a fellow is recognized by employers, co-authors, and collaborators in the internet governance field as evidence of serious engagement. Fellowship alumni are sought out for collaborations, advisory roles, and speaking opportunities because their fellowship demonstrates that they have invested in genuine participation rather than passive observation. This credibility compounds over time as fellows become more active in the community.

Skills and Knowledge That Transfer Directly to Your Work IGF participation builds practical skills: how to engage in multistakeholder policy dialogue, how to develop and present a position on a complex technical policy issue, how to navigate an international negotiation context, and how to collaborate with people from radically different professional and cultural backgrounds. These are skills that transfer directly to careers in government, civil society, international organizations, law, technology policy, and academic research.

A Network That Becomes a Career Asset Fellowship alumni networks are some of the most valuable professional resources in the internet governance field. The relationships formed during fellowship cohort preparation, the IGF week itself, and follow-up engagement create connections that last years and open doors to collaborations, employment, research partnerships, and further fellowship opportunities. Many IGF fellowship alumni have gone on to senior roles specifically because of connections formed during or after their fellowship experience.

Making the Field More Representative — Which Matters for Outcomes Every time a young professional from an underrepresented community participates in the IGF because of a fellowship, the resulting policy conversations become more diverse — and more likely to produce outcomes that serve all internet users equitably. Your participation as a fellow is not just personally beneficial: it is a contribution to a more legitimate internet governance system. This matters, and experienced practitioners in the field recognize and value it.

IGF Fellowship Programs: Key Facts at a Glance

IGF Fellowship Fact	Detail
Primary IGF fellowship provider	Internet Society (ISOC) — flagship IGF Fellowship for civil society professionals
DiploFoundation pathway	12-week IG course scholarships + select in-person IGF support for top graduates
National/Regional IGFs (NRIs)	170+ national and regional initiatives — many run local fellowship programs
Global IGF annual attendance	6,000-10,000 participants from 160+ countries per year
IGF 2026 host	Oslo, Norway — hybrid (in-person + online)
Online participation	Free for all — register at intgovforum.org
Application window (typical)	Opens 3-5 months before the annual IGF (usually November/December)
ISOC fellowship coverage	Flights, accommodation, registration, per diem — no out-of-pocket costs
DiploFoundation alumni	4,000+ graduates from 170+ countries since founding
Priority application regions	Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America/Caribbean, Middle East, Eastern Europe/Central Asia

UNIQUE FEATURE:  The Youth IGF Movement — Building the Next Generation of Internet Leaders From the Ground Up

The Youth IGF Movement: An Entry Point Specifically Designed for Young People

Beyond the fellowship programs that provide support for attending the global IGF, a parallel ecosystem of Youth Internet Governance Forums has grown rapidly across regions and countries. These Youth IGFs are not simply junior versions of the main event — they are entry points specifically designed to develop young internet governance leaders through hands-on policy dialogue experience.

Youth IGFs exist at national, regional, and global levels. At the global level, the IGF hosts a dedicated Youth track and connects with youth-led initiatives worldwide. At the regional level, bodies like the African Union, the Asia Pacific Telecommunity, and regional ISOC chapters have supported the development of regional Youth IGFs. At the national level, over 50 countries now have formal Youth IGF initiatives that provide structured internet governance education and policy practice for participants in their teens and twenties.

Participating in a national or regional Youth IGF is one of the most effective ways to build the foundation for a global IGF fellowship application. Youth IGF participation demonstrates genuine internet governance engagement in a format that is explicitly designed for young people — making it directly relevant evidence for fellowship applications. Many fellowship selection committees specifically look for Youth IGF experience as an indicator of serious commitment to the field.

The IGF Secretariat maintains a list of national and regional IGF initiatives — including Youth IGFs — at intgovforum.org/en/content/nris. If a Youth IGF exists in your country or region, engaging with it is your best first step toward eventual global IGF fellowship participation. If no Youth IGF exists in your country, consider starting one — the IGF Secretariat and ISOC chapters can provide guidance on how to establish a national youth initiative, and doing so demonstrates exactly the kind of community leadership that fellowship programs value most.

Youth Advantage:  Young people have a structural advantage in the IGF fellowship ecosystem: the field is actively trying to recruit the next generation of practitioners. The demographics of internet governance skew older and more geographically concentrated than the internet’s actual user base. Your age and your community background are not barriers — they are exactly what fellowship programs are designed to include.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is there a single IGF Fellowship Program, or multiple programs?

There is not a single IGF Fellowship Program — there is an ecosystem of fellowship programs offered by different organizations, all supporting participation in internet governance forums including the IGF. The major programs are: the Internet Society’s IGF Fellowship (the largest and most established); DiploFoundation’s Internet Governance Course scholarships (educational pathway with select IGF support); national and regional IGF initiative fellowships (local and regional entry points); and the ICANN Fellowship Program (focused on ICANN Public Meetings but deeply connected to the IGF ecosystem). Applicants can and should consider multiple programs, as they are complementary rather than competing.

Q2: Do I need a technical background to apply for an IGF fellowship?

No. The IGF is explicitly a multistakeholder forum where non-technical perspectives are not just welcome but essential. Internet governance requires expertise in law, policy analysis, human rights, economics, civil society advocacy, academic research, journalism, and community organizing — not just technical networking knowledge. Fellowship selection committees actively seek diverse professional backgrounds. What matters is genuine engagement with internet governance issues and the ability to contribute to policy dialogue — not a computer science degree or network engineering experience.

Q3: What is the ISOC IGF Fellowship application process and timeline?

The Internet Society’s IGF Fellowship application typically opens in June or July for the annual IGF held in November or December. The application is submitted through ISOC’s online portal and includes a personal statement, CV, organizational affiliation details, and prior internet governance engagement documentation. Selection is made by an ISOC review committee and announced approximately 6-8 weeks after the application window closes. Selected fellows receive preparation materials, online orientation access, and meeting logistics support. The application page is at internetsociety.org/fellowships/igf — subscribe to ISOC’s community newsletter to be notified when applications open each year.

Q4: Can I attend the IGF without a fellowship if I am not selected?

Yes. Online participation in the IGF is free and open to anyone — register at intgovforum.org and you can watch all sessions live, participate in online discussions, and access all materials. For in-person attendance, registration fees and travel costs apply. However, online participation is genuinely valuable: you can engage with sessions, contribute to remote participant queues for questions, and follow the discussions in real time. Many internet governance professionals have built significant community engagement through consistent online IGF participation before ever attending in person. Do not let the fellowship application outcome determine whether you engage with the IGF’s content.

Q5: How do I strengthen my fellowship application if I was rejected in a previous cycle?

The most effective way to strengthen a rejected application is to build more concrete internet governance engagement between application cycles. Specifically: attend your national or regional IGF (virtually or in person); participate in online ICANN working group mailing lists or public comment periods; take the DiploFoundation Internet Governance Course; complete ICANN Learn courses; write a public blog post or article on an internet governance topic; present at a local event on an internet policy issue. Then reapply in the next cycle with updated evidence of this engagement. Committees that see a candidate who has demonstrably invested in the field between cycles tend to view reapplications very favorably — persistence combined with genuine learning is exactly what fellowship programs want to reward.

The Internet’s Future Is Being Written Now. Young Professionals Need to Be in the Room.

IGF fellowship programs exist because internet governance decisions affect everyone on Earth — but the rooms where those decisions are shaped have historically not reflected that universality. Every fellowship cohort that includes more young professionals from more diverse communities moves the needle toward internet governance that works for all of its users.

Your voice belongs in the IGF. A fellowship can put you there. Here is how to start:

Start Your IGF Fellowship Journey Today

• Apply for the ISOC IGF Fellowship at internetsociety.org/fellowships/igf — opens June/July
• Apply for DiploFoundation IG Course scholarship at diplomacy.edu/ig
• Find your national IGF initiative at intgovforum.org/en/content/nris
• Attend IGF 2026 online for free at intgovforum.org — start engaging now
• Complete free ICANN Learn IG course at learn.icann.org — strengthen your application
• Follow the IGF on social media and subscribe to the IGF newsletter for fellowship announcements

The people governing the internet need to look like the people using it. Apply for your fellowship. Show up. Make the internet better for everyone.

© 2026 Internet Governance Expert Blog. Published for educational purposes only.