27 Remote Fellowships for Young Professionals and Recent Graduates

Oct 24, 2023
Young black female professional attending a fellowship training session for her remote fellowship. She is taking notes with a pen and paper while sitting in her home office and attending her fellowship meeting remotely.
The ElectHer Future Lawmakers program is an intensive five-month legislative and leadership development program for aspiring Nigerian female lawmakers between the ages of 25 and 45.

Last updated April 2, 2024

Fellowships provide unique, short-term funded opportunities to gain skills and experience for your career. Although most fellowships are in-person, there are partially and fully remote fellowships for individuals at all stages of their careers. In this article, we list remote fellowships for young professionals and recent graduates.

Eligibility for these remote fellowships varies, but many are open to all levels of education or those already in a professional career. Fellowship areas of interest include social change, environmental sustainability, government, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership development. Additionally, there are opportunities for higher education research, public health, literature, and journalism, and those aimed at traditionally underrepresented groups.

It is crucial you look at all the requirements as some, such as fellowships for nonprofit executives, require the applicant to have an established organization with paid employees already. Regardless of your background, this list of multidisciplinary remote fellowships will allow you to continue working at your current occupation, expand your skill set, network with advanced mentors, potentially be given a stipend, and attend seminars all from the comfort of your home office.

The fellowships listed below may have specific degree requirements and may have some in-person components. Bookmark them to your free ProFellow account to conveniently save all the details.

Are you an experienced professional interested in doing a remote fellowship? Check out our list of Remote Fellowships for Mid-Career Professionals.

Remote Fellowships for Young Professionals and Recent Graduates

1. beVisioneers Fellowship

The beVisioneers fellowship provides young professionals (aged 16-28 years) the training, resources, and expert support they need to bring their planet-positive projects or idea to life. This remote fellowship seeks young innovators passionately committed to creating positive environmental change in their community or worldwide. beVisioneers Fellows participate in a one-year hybrid learning program designed and implemented by Education Pioneers. The fellowship is a mixed experience, with most content and training in live online sessions and through access to on-demand content. There are no costs to individual fellows. For 2023, the fellowship is open to residents of the following countries: Denmark, Germany, Hungary, India, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. More regions will be included in subsequent years.

2. Civic Digital Fellowship

The Civic Digital Fellowship is a paid, 10-week remote summer fellowship for early-career technologists. Fellows are placed in federal government organizations and work across software engineering, data, design, and product management to deliver policy, improve systems, and strengthen products for the American people. Although this is a remote fellowship, there is a one-week orientation in Washington, DC, where fellows can visit their host office at the beginning of the program.

3. Council Fire Future Leaders Program

The Future Leaders Program (FLP) is for young professionals in the early stages of their careers and graduate or doctorate students passionate about the sustainability field. The Future Leaders Program provides a unique opportunity to work with a world-class global change agency and sustainability consultancy early for contract-based compensation. The FLP opens a critical career pathway for diverse candidates and those historically underrepresented in these fields. Fellows participate in enrichment activities, networking, and mentorship. The FLP is fully remote and highly competitive. Candidates are chosen on a rolling basis, with participation limited to two years.

4. Environmental Justice Climate Equity Fellowship

MobilizeGreen seeks motivated, passionate undergraduate and graduate students and recent graduates to join its innovative Environmental Justice Climate Equity Fellowship Program. This fully remote fellowship program is a paid 10-week virtual fellowship that empowers future leaders of color to help advance equity and environmental justice in their communities. Fellows collaborate, document, and recommend strategies to leverage, expand, and build capacity through project-based climate justice internships in communities nationwide. Fellows work in teams on the following five concentrations within each city: Green Infrastructure and Community Development; Workforce Development; Sustainable Agriculture; Public Health; and Urban Forestry.

5. Global Changemaker Fellowship

The Global Changemaker Fellowship is a 6-month advancement remote fellowship for young professionals to develop a pipeline of Social Change Leaders to solve challenges in their local communities. Global Changemaker Fellows implement their initiatives throughout the program while participating in immersive workshops, training, and mentorship. Fellows get access to global knowledge, community, training, and tools to become more effective collaborators of change. The program seeks young professionals aged 13-30 with an entrepreneurial mindset. Applicants should already be part of an organization with similar mission statements.

6. Yunus & Youth Global Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurs

The Yunus & Youth Global Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurs is a customized 6-month remote fellowship that empowers young professionals to build, develop and expand innovative and economically viable social businesses that contribute to achieving the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Yunus & Youth provides early-stage social business leaders with the tools and training they need to succeed. Applicants must be between 18 and 30 years of age and hold primary decision-making power in organizations that solve social or sustainability challenges in their community.

7. Global Health Corps U.S. Fellowship

The Global Health Corps U.S. Fellowship identifies diverse, high-potential, emerging public health leaders from various backgrounds in the United States. This 12-month remote fellowship provides skill-building, coaching, mentorship, integration into a global community, and access to networks to deepen fellows’ impact and influence on U.S. health systems. Current public health workers can stay in their organization during the fellowship program. All fellows receive a $1,000 grant for continued learning and leadership development. To cultivate a global perspective, the U.S. fellows engage with the fellows of GHC Sub-Saharan Fellowship through shared workshops and small group discussions throughout the year.

Interested in this fellowship? Read When Civic Duty Calls: 3 Questions With Global Health Corps Fellow Jared Stancombe.

8. Gratitude Network Fellowship

The Gratitude Network Fellowship supports scale-stage social enterprises (nonprofit or for-profit) serving children and youth. Through a year-long leadership development program, the Gratitude Network helps these organizations expand their reach. Fellows are matched and meet monthly with a highly-skilled coach, receive support from expert advisors to help tackle operational and execution issues, and meet regularly by video with their fellow cohort for a leadership roundtable. They are also invited to topical Growth Webinars and the annual Leadership Summit. Applicants must lead a social enterprise that is at least one year old, and the social enterprise must have at least two full-time employees (including the applicant).

9. Great Leaders & Great Biographies Online Fellowship

The Great Leaders & Great Biographies Online Fellowship uses the rigorous study of biographies to investigate broader questions about geopolitics, leadership, and human character. Guest speakers such as scholars and national security leaders will also participate in the seminar. Fellows will have the opportunity to reflect on the role of individual personality in history, what makes for great leadership, and also great biography. Advanced undergraduates, gap-year students, young professionals, and graduate students are all eligible to apply. Each online seminar is capped at 15 fellows. All seminars will meet online via Zoom, with all course materials will be provided.

10. Harrison Middleton University Fellowship in Ideas

The HMU Fellowship in Ideas is a writing and discussion fellowship in the humanities designed for a recent university graduate from any field who has an interest in the humanities, interdisciplinary dialogue, and intellectual and professional enrichment. Except for conference attendance, all HMU Fellowship in Ideas activities may be carried out remotely from any location with adequate telephone and internet access. Applicants must have received a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in any field. Benefits include a $500 stipend, online Socratic discussions, and publication in the HMU blog.

11. Humanities at Hertog Online Seminars

The Humanities at Hertog program is a fully remote fellowship that offers four online seminars centered around an enduring literary work for students seeking an enriching academic experience over winter break. Led by a master teacher, students will plumb classic and contemporary literary works for their insights into fundamental human questions. Undergraduates, gap-year students, young professionals, and graduate students can apply. All seminars meet via Zoom. Fellows receive a small stipend contingent upon participating in their course and completing a brief response paper and evaluation. All course materials are provided.

12. Mellon/SAR Academic Freedom Workshop and Fellowship

The Mellon/SAR Academic Freedom Workshop and Fellowship program provides a research stipend and a supportive professional community for researchers to develop and share related work on academic freedom. This can also include topics related to higher education values leading to a publishable article, new course offering, workshop, webinar, conference presentation, or other identified end product. Throughout the eight-month remote fellowship program, fellows complete their proposed project and participate in regular virtual workshop sessions, during which they will be asked to present their work progress and offer feedback on other fellows’ work. Fellows will receive a stipend of $8,000 to cover research expenses, publication, and related costs.

13. MJ Bear Fellowship

The MJ Bear Fellowship identifies and supports digital journalists under 30 whose work represents the best of digital news. Six fellows from around the world who are up-and-coming journalists and leading innovative digital journalism projects participate in the yearlong, primarily remote fellowship program. Program components include a speaking opportunity at ONA’s annual conference (with an expenses-paid trip), coaching sessions, complimentary membership to ONA for three years, and other opportunities to showcase work and expertise with the ONA community and broader industry.

14. Morgridge Acceleration Program (MAP) Fellowship

The Morgridge Acceleration Program (MAP) Fellowship is a remote fellowship for young professionals that matches nonprofit executives, called MAP Mentors, with emerging leaders, MAP Fellows, looking to create a positive impact while developing professional skill sets and networks. MAP Mentors commit to sharing their expertise, industry knowledge, and professional network with fellows during the program. Fellows remain in their current full-time jobs while dedicating approximately 15 hours a month, or 90 hours throughout the program, toward solving a challenge posed by their mentor. All expenses and experiences associated with the MAP Fellowship are fully funded. After completing the program, fellows are invited to apply for an exclusive grant of up to $50,000 to continue growing their nonprofit organization.

Interested in this fellowship? Read our interview with Morgridge Acceleration Program (MAP) Fellows Jessica Chriesman and Megan McClendon and An Inside View into the Morgridge Acceleration Program (MAP) Fellowship Experience.

15. NPR Next Gen Radio

Next Generation Radio is a 5-day, audio-focused, digital journalism project. Projects are hybrid (remote and in-person), designed to allow competitively selected participants to learn how to report and produce a non-narrated audio piece and a companion multimedia story. Those chosen for the program are paired with a professional journalist who serves as their mentor for the week and is paid a stipend for their work. Successful applicants have some qualitative experience with digital media. You do not need to be an enrolled student to apply. You can apply for a project at any time.

Interested in this fellowship? Read our interview with Doug Mitchell, a multi-fellowship award winner and NPR veteran.

16. Obama Foundation Leaders Program

The Obama Foundation Leaders program is a 6-month, fully remote fellowship for young professionals. This non-residential leadership development program seeks to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders worldwide. During their program experience, emerging leaders, ages 24 through 45, build a strong support community founded on a shared commitment to values-based leadership, as President and Mrs. Obama demonstrated. Leaders receive opportunities to meet virtually in breakout groups, are paired with an executive coach to help them clarify and build out their individual goals, and participate in an in-person convening. Leaders must have at least three years of demonstrated impact.

17. OMNI Institute Research Fellowship Program

The OMNI Institute Research Fellowship Program is a two-year program for young professionals who are recent undergraduates with a BA/BS degree and are passionate about solving pressing social challenges. Fellows serve as research assistants, an entry-level social sciences research and evaluation position with an annual salary of $50,000 plus full benefits. The position is remote-flexible and within the continental U.S. states. Applicants with diverse identities and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

18. PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship

The PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship is a remote fellowship that offers a 5-month immersive mentorship program for early-career writers from traditionally underrepresented communities in the publishing world. The program is committed to cultivating the careers of Black writers and serves writers who identify as Indigenous, persons of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, writers with disabilities, and those living outside of urban centers. Fellows are given one-on-one mentorship, introduced to publishers and agents, and participate in workshops to build their writing skillset. A stipend of $7,000 is provided. Although U.S. residency or citizenship is not required, fellows must reside in the United States at the time of applying for and during the duration of the fellowship. Applicants cannot be a recipient of an advanced degree in fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.

19. PEN America Gap Year Fellowship Program

The PEN America Gap Year Fellowship Program offers a unique fellowship for individuals passionate about human rights, free speech, and creative expression and interested in how the nonprofit sector works. This fellowship opportunity is nine months long and ideal for a student seeking a “gap year” post-grad, between studies, or pausing undergraduate or graduate school. Fellows typically operate from our headquarters in New York City and potentially our offices in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. However, applicants needing an entirely remote arrangement are also welcome to apply.

20. Second Nature Fellows Program

Second Nature Fellows Program fosters the development of decarbonization, resilience, and climate justice researchers and practitioners. Second Nature Fellows work with the nation’s premier colleges and universities leading on climate action. This year-long remote fellowship program provides talented and diverse individuals with a unique experience working in a small nonprofit team setting. Fellows get direct access and exposure to varied stakeholders and partners to support their pursuit of influential and impactful careers. These positions are 100% remote and designed to be challenging and build desired skill sets.

21. Tarbell Fellowship For Early Career Journalists

The Tarbell Fellowship for Early Career Journalists is a one-year, remote fellowship opportunity to do great journalism, covering emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI) topics. Fellows receive a stipend of up to $50,000 to support 9-month placements at major publications and independent freelance reporting. The program incorporates expert speakers, feedback & mentorship from experienced journalists, extensive training on AI, and a two-week, fully covered journalism summit in Oxford.

22. The BMGA Fellows Program

The BMGA Fellows Program is a 6-month online, blended learning program that narrows the gender skills gap. The program provides young women from Africa and Asia from all professions and career paths with the knowledge and resources required to gain fundamental employability skills. The program offers high-level professional development courses, mentorship from graduate students in top global universities such as the University of Cambridge and Imperial College, coaching from executives with international careers, and life skills designed to prepare young women for the future of work. Final-year students, recent graduates, and early career professionals with up to three years of post-university work experience are welcome to apply. The BMGA Fellows Program is an entirely virtual learning experience.

23. The Ripple Fellowship

The Ripple Fellowship is a fully funded, 9-month educational program for young adults ages 18-24. With a comprehensive curriculum, immersive travel experiences, and 1:1 mentorship, The Ripple Fellowship will mold impactful social entrepreneurs who will go on to create lasting change in their communities. Fellows will have two domestic travel experiences, engage in a weekly online curriculum facilitated by a variety of experts and changemakers, be paired with a mentor, construct a business plan that supports people and the planet, and participate in a formal incentivized business pitch to The Ripple Center community at large.

24. U Revolution Media Fellowships

Uncomfortable Revolution offers four paid media fellowships to support up-and-coming media talent and give them a launchpad for their future careers. These remote fellowships last for a total of 6 months and can be done from anywhere in the world. Fellows receive a $2,000 stipend to develop creative work on awkward conversations arising from chronic illness or disability. The four fellowship options include writing, visual arts, podcasts, and video projects. Authentic stories about any health condition, from cancer, HIV/AIDS, and heart disease to mental illness, addiction or eating disorders, and MS or other mobility-affecting illnesses, are welcome. Applications from disabled people and people with chronic conditions are encouraged to apply.

25. Venture Fellow Program

The Venture Fellow Program provides individuals with a Bachelor’s degree exposure to venture capital. Fellows experience the entire lifecycle of a venture fund: raising capital, investor relations, deal sourcing, diligence, and making investments. No prior experience in venture capital is required. Venture Fellows receive professional training, ongoing and regularly scheduled mentorship, and a unique, hands-on venture capital experience. The fellowship is for one year and can be completed remotely. Applications from students who have graduated from universities affiliated with Alumni Ventures are preferred, although not required.

26. Wild Gift Fellowship

The Wild Gift Fellowship is a mostly remote fellowship that offers wilderness-based experiences designed to provide young entrepreneurs with leadership skills, community, and connection to the outdoors. Fellows receive a $2,500 stipend, a 3-week backpacking trip (May), and six months of virtual programming (April-November). Eligible applicants have launched (or are ready to launch) a social or environmental venture and are between the ages of 21-35. The Wild Gift selects social and environmental entrepreneurs who have a breakthrough idea and demonstrate the ability to grow a sustainable enterprise, execute a business plan, and significantly impact the problem they are trying to solve.

27. America’s Future Writing Fellows Program

The America’s Future Writing Fellows Program is for aspiring political writers. The fellowship offers small-group writing workshops where fellows can dive in deep with instructors and get personalized feedback over six evening sessions, whether in person or remotely. The Washington, DC-based fellowship is tailored for aspiring writers interested in covering issues and publishing in outlets surrounding our nation’s capital. The state-based fellowship is held remotely and is designed for writers outside the DC area. Both fellowship formats allow connecting with well-known writers in their sessions.

Interested in more fellowships like these? Sign up for the ProFellow database, which includes more than 2,700 funded opportunities for professional development and graduate school.

© 2023-2024 ProFellow, LLC, all rights reserved.