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Apply To Be a Leadership Fellow

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Take Your Career To The Next Level

Apply to become a Fellow

IWF’s Leadership Fellows program accelerates the career path of high-performing women and elevates their impact within companies and communities worldwide. The program, which marked its 30th year in 2024, is highly successful:

  • Corporate sponsors consistently report that the program accelerates the career trajectories of high potential women leaders
  • 93% of Alumnae report a lasting impact on their professional lives

We seek high-potential women executives who are looking to break through to top leadership roles. Each year, we select a geographically, culturally, ethnically, and professionally diverse group of leaders in corporate, government, nonprofit, academic, and entrepreneurial and social impact organizations.

“Life-changing”
“A transformative opportunity”
“The best leadership training I’ve ever had”

Selection Criteria

IWF Seeks Candidates With:

Achievement

  • Track records of significant direct accomplishments within their organizations
  • Positions of substantial professional responsibility, scope, and decision-making authority
  • Expanding influence in their companies, fields, or industries

Recognition

  • Recognition within their organizations as valued leaders, as evidenced by awards, promotions, and inclusion in corporate succession plans
  • External recognition of achievements by industry, community, or other relevant organizations

Leadership

  • Exemplary integrity, strength of character, and interpersonal skills
  • Records of bringing about positive change and taking action for women in their organizations or communities
  • Ambition and ability to lead at the highest professional levels and to support colleagues’ growth and advancement

Commitment

  • Capacity to both contribute to and gain from the Leadership Fellows Program
  • Willingness to share knowledge and lessons from the program through completion of a Legacy Project during the fellowship
  • Ability to participate fully in all program activities, including three 5-day in-person training sessions and approximately 50 hours of independent work with an IWF mentor, on a Legacy Project, preparing for in-person sessions, and participating in virtual meetings

Applications Are Now Open

Applications for the 2025-2026 Leadership Fellows Program will be accepted starting January 1, 2025.

Applications are due June 1, 2025.

Apply Now

Program Details

January 1, 2025 – Leadership Fellows Program Application Portal Opens

June 1, 2025 – Submission Deadline for 2024-2025 Leadership Fellows Program Applications

Mid-June 2025 – Candidates moving forward to interview stage are notified.

Mid-June to Early-July 2025 – Candidates are contacted and virtually interviewed by two IWF Members (separately).

Mid July 2025 – Applicants are notified whether their candidacies will move forward for consideration by the IWF Global Selection Committee.

Mid-July to Early-August 2025 – IWF Selection Committee evaluates and selects candidates.

Early August 2025 – Accepted candidates are notified.

Mid to Late August 2025 – Accepted Candidates must confirm their participation in the program.

Late September 2025 – Deadline for payment of tuition.

October 2025 –IWF Leadership Fellows Program Immersion

February/March 2026 – IWF-INSEAD Women’s Global Leadership Program in Fontainebleau, France

May 21 – 23, 2026 –  IWF World Leadership Conference in Seattle, Washington (attendance optional)

Early June 2026 – IWF Transformative Leadership Program at Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Program tuition is US $35,000, which includes:

  • Immersive 3-day orientation and training
  • IWF World Leadership Conference and Gala
  • Customized training at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France
  • Customized training at Harvard Business School in Cambridge, MA, USA
  • Mentoring focused on individual needs
  • Meals and accommodations
  • All course materials

Transportation (ground and/or air travel) is not included.

IWF offers a limited number of highly competitive scholarships for the Leadership Fellows Program.

The Global Selection Committee makes scholarship decisions in parallel with overall Fellows program selection. Successful scholarship applicants will be notified upon acceptance to the Fellows program.

The scholarships include:

  • Global Scholarships (2-4 awards per year) for candidates from:
    • nonprofits
    • civic and educational institutions
    • entrepreneurial and social impact organizations
    • other entities where resources for professional development are scarce.
  • Life sciences, technology, and communications scholarships (funds vary annually, from partial scholarship to 1 full award, and may not be available every year) for candidates who:
    • are scientists, healthcare, medical, biotechnology or technology experts, and who work in entrepreneurial companies with less than 2,000 employees
    • work in communications
  • Federal Agency Scholarships (1-2 awards per year)
    • For employees of U.S. federal government agencies

To apply:

  • In the online Fellows program application, mark, “I would like to apply for a scholarship.”
  • Indicate a request for a full or partial scholarship. (A full scholarship covers tuition and air travel to in-person events.)

To learn more, please contact Lynne Manrique, Vice President of Leadership and Educational Programs at [email protected].

Application Deadline: June 1, 2025

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