Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program on Democracy and Development 2026 at Stanford University

Deadline: January 15, 2026

Applications are open for the Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program on Democracy and Development 2026 at Stanford University. The Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program on Democracy and Development is a training program hosted annually by Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI).

Launched in 2005 and formerly known as the Draper Hills Summer Fellows Program, the program brings together a group of approximately 28-30 mid-career practitioners from transitioning countries who are working to advance democratic practices and economic and legal reform in contexts where freedom, human development, and good governance are fragile or at risk. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, the program participants are selected from among hundreds of applicants every year for the significant contributions they have already made to their societies and their potential to make an even greater impact with some help from Stanford.

Costs

• Stanford asks all applicants to be prepared to contribute towards the cost of their participation in the fellowship if they are selected. Typically, this comes in the form of a fellow covering round-trip airfare to the Program. Stanford will pay for accommodations, meals, and transportation costs for the duration of the Program. In the past, some fellows have asked their employers to subsidize their travel to Stanford based on the benefits that the training will contribute to their professional and organizational advancement. Fellows may also choose to fundraise for these costs after selection decisions are issued in April 2026.
• A small travel fund is available for fellows who cannot afford their travel or need to apply for a partial subsidy. Priority for accessing the travel fund will be given based on need and destinations from which airline fares to California are exorbitant. 

Eligibility

• This program is aimed at mid-career practitioners working actively in the fields of democracy, development, and the rule of law.
• Applicants can be working as policy-makers, academics, legal professionals, social entrepreneurs, business entrepreneurs, and leaders of civil society organizations (such as representatives of trade unions, nongovernmental organizations, the media, business and professional associations). In their present capacity, applicants should play important and influential roles in their country’s political, economic, and social development. Participants should have demonstrated professional and personal achievements in a relevant sector of democracy, development, and the rule of law.
• Each year, they strive to recruit a diverse group of 25 to 30 individuals who are at the right stage in their professional trajectory to benefit from rigorous academic training to enhance their potential to promote democratic change in their home countries. Successful applicants will have the academic credentials necessary to participate and contribute to the six-hour seminars each day and tackle advanced academic readings to complement the classroom-based curriculum. Ninety-nine percent of their alumni hold a bachelor’s degree at the time of their participation in the program, but this is not a requirement for admission to the program.
• A working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program. Each fellow is expected to have a solid command of written and spoken English to fully benefit from and participate in the program.

Application

The application contains the following sections:

• Applicant Information
• Academics & Career Information
• Resume/CV
• Essay Questions
• English Language Proficiency
• Video Submission
• Financial Information
• Personal Certification
• References/Letters of Recommendation

Click here to apply

For more information, see FAQ and visit Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program.