Deadline: August 28, 2025

Applications are open for the TIMEP Bassem Sabry Fellowship 2025-2026. The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) is accepting applicants for its Bassem Sabry Fellowship, which it hosts in partnership with the Atlas Corps Fellowship at Cultural Vistas. The Bassem Sabry Fellow will be an in-person, full-time fellow (40 hours/week) based out of TIMEP’s Washington, DC office for a period of six months between November 15, 2025 and May 15, 2026.

Established in memory of the late Egyptian political writer and commentator Bassem Sabry, the Bassem Sabry Fellowship is awarded to a young professional who is committed to the principles of democratic and inclusive change: values that Sabry promoted and espoused during his lifetime. The fellowship affords rising stars working on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of policymaking in Washington, DC, while producing programming and analysis that furthers democratic and inclusive societies in the MENA region.


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Fellowship Specifics

The 2025-2026 Bassem Sabry Fellow will:

  • Have the opportunity to produce solutions-oriented and policy-relevant programming and analysis on a mandate of their choosing;
  • Inform and participate in advocacy and policy opportunities including meetings and briefings with decision-makers in Washington, DC;
  • Drive the discourse through media, policy, and event opportunities;
  • Access targeted and personalized skills-building and leadership opportunities; and
  • Be integrated into TIMEP’s global, regional, and Washington, DC-based network of organizations, advocates, and policymakers.

Additionally, as a result of the partnership with the Atlas Corps Fellowship, the Bassem Sabry Fellow will also receive the following support:

  • A virtual Pre-Fellowship Orientation to prepare for successful on-the-job training at TIMEP, and a virtual U.S. Pre-Arrival Orientation to prepare professionally and personally for arrival in the United States;
  • A virtual Mid-Term and End-of-Fellowship Orientation aimed at helping fellows make the most out of their international exchange experience;
  • Support with visa documentation and travel and logistics coordination for arrival to the United States;
  • Ongoing and continuous personalized support and check-ins through the length of the program;
  • Access to networking and personal and professional development opportunities focused on enhancing fellows’ leadership and social impact skills; and
  • Participation in community-building activities to strengthen networks within the Cultural Vistas and Atlas Corps alumni communities.

Costs

The Atlas Corps Fellowship covers the following costs for the Bassem Sabry Fellow:

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  • travel from home city to Washington, DC;
  • visa fees costs and transportation stipend for appointments;
  • monthly mobile phone bill and health insurance during fellows’ stay in the United States;
  • monthly stipend to cover basic living expenses such as shared housing, meals, and local transportation; and
  • eligibility to access a one-time post fellowship stipend provided that the fellow completed all graduation requirements. 

Eligibility

Applicants must have a Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field and must be:

  • Proficient in English reading, writing, and speaking;
  • International candidates based outside of the United States;
  • 35 years of age or younger; 
  • Committed to returning to their base country after the six-month fellowship; and
  • Have a passport valid for 6 months beyond the program end date.

Applicants should also be:

  • Proficient in Arabic reading, writing, and speaking;
  • Have at least 3 years of relevant work experience;
  • Demonstrate a commitment to the values that the late Bassem Sabry espoused in his lifetime and to TIMEP’s mission and principles; and
  • Show connectivity to civil society, grassroots groups, and/or experts and advocates in the MENA region.

Application

To apply for the Bassem Sabry Fellowship, candidates must submit the following:

  • Resume
  • One-Page Cover Letter:
    • Introducing yourself and your background;
    • Explaining your interest in the fellowship; and 
    • Demonstrating how your application contributes to the continuation of the values that the late Bassem Sabry espoused during his lifetime.
  • Two-Page Statement of Interest:
    • Proposing a specific mandate that you would like your six-month fellowship to focus on. Note that this is not an academic or scholarly fellowship. All mandates should be policy-relevant, contemporary, and made up of both a topic and focus country.
    • Addressing the following questions:
      • Why is the topic of your mandate important in and for the MENA region? Why is this topic important for a policy audience? How does this topic fit into and further TIMEP’s mission?
      • Which of TIMEP’s programmatic tools would you use during your fellowship to work on the mandate you have proposed? (Competitive applications will leverage more than one tool. TIMEP’s programmatic tools are analysis, advocacy, events, legal interventions, network building, and media and social media).
  • Three Professional References
  • Bachelor’s Degree Diploma or Official Transcripts
  • (Optional) English Proficiency Documentation

Click here to apply


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For more information, visit TIMEP Bassem Sabry Fellowship.

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