The Reagan Fascell Democracy Fellowship is a fully funded international fellowship in the United States for mid-career professionals, democracy activists, journalists, civil society leaders, and scholars from around the world to spend five months in residence at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Washington, D.C. The fellowships allow participants to carry out independent research on democracy in a particular country or region. Monthly Stipend, meals, accommodation, airfare, a fully equipped office, local transport, and health insurance will be provided to the participants. This is a fully funded international exchange program in the USA. More details are below.
Details About Reagan Fascell Democracy Fellowship 2026 in the USA
- Host Country: USA
- Funded by: National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
- Duration: Five months
- Benefits: Fully Funded
- Deadline: 31st December 2025
Financial Benefits
Fellows will receive:
- A monthly stipend.
- Comprehensive health insurance.
- A furnished rental apartment.
- Round-trip travel to and from Washington, D.C.
- Living expenses, including food, local transportation, and other necessities.
- A fully equipped office.
- Reimbursement for long-distance phone calls and professional trips (within a limited budget).
- Fellows must obtain a J-1 exchange visitor visa to travel to the United States, and Family members must obtain a J-2 visa.
Two Tracks of the Reagan Fascell Democracy Fellowship
Practitioners as well as scholars will work on specific democracy-related projects. The projects must be focused on political, social, economic, legal, or cultural aspects of democratic development.
- Practitioners Track: This track allows individuals from developing countries to learn and develop more effective strategies for promoting democratic values and practices. Generally, mid-career professionals with some years of work experience should apply for the Practitioner track.
- Scholars Track: Scholarly track applicants must demonstrate their expertise through a doctoral degree, publications, and a well-defined research project.
The Reagan-Fascell Democracy offers a five-month fellowship for practitioners and five–month fellowships for scholars.
Examples of Eligible Candidates for Practitioners Track
This includes human rights advocates, civil society leaders, political party figures, human rights lawyers, parliamentarians, labor union activists, journalists, and other members of the media.
Examples of Eligible Candidates for Scholars Track
This includes college and university professors, analysts at research centers and think tanks, writers, and public intellectuals.
Eligibility Criteria
All applicants must:
- Proficient in English
- Propose a project focused on political, social, economic, legal, or cultural aspects of democratic development.
- Be available for the five-month fellowship period (October 1st-February 28 or March 1-July 31).
- For the Practitioner track: Mid-career professionals must have significant practical experience promoting democracy or human rights in their country of origin or interest.
- For the Scholarly track: Applicants must possess a doctorate, have a proven record of publications in their field, and have developed a detailed research outline for their fellowship project.
Required Documents
- Applicant information
- Project proposal for the practitioner or the scholarly fellowship track
- Letters of recommendation
- Resume/CV and Biography
How to Apply for the Reagan Fascell Democracy Fellowship?
Fellows must create an account through an online portal. The link to the official website is below.
USE THIS LINK TO APPLY
