About this opportunity
Some fellowships reward what you have already achieved. The CPL Equity Fellowship rewards where you intend to go, and who you intend to bring along. Run by the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it supports students who have shown real leadership promise and a serious commitment to narrowing disparities, whether that work sits in the Black and African American community in the United States, the Latino community in the United States, or with marginalised populations anywhere on earth.
That third stream is the reason this call travels well. A founder in Lagos, a health organiser in Nairobi, an education advocate in Accra can each build an application around marginalised populations in their own setting, because the fellowship asks what you intend to do rather than which passport you carry. Students from all backgrounds are eligible to apply, and Harvard Kennedy School especially encourages applicants from underrepresented groups.
The award is a full tuition scholarship paired with a structured leadership experience: seminars, mentorship, experiential learning, an annual retreat, and a cohort of peers working on equity. It covers tuition rather than living costs, so budget separately for housing, travel and personal expenses, and confirm the exact terms for your degree programme with the school.
The sequence matters more than most applicants expect. You cannot ask for this fellowship on its own. You apply first to a Harvard Kennedy School master's programme, and only once you are admitted do you request the Equity Fellowship on the financial aid application. The admission round closes first, on 1 December 2026, which makes that the date to work backwards from.
What you receive
- Full tuition scholarship toward a Harvard Kennedy School master's degree
- Structured leadership development through seminars and intensive sessions run by the Center for Public Leadership
- Mentorship from practitioners and faculty working on equity and public leadership
- Experiential learning opportunities alongside the fellowship curriculum
- An annual fellowship retreat with peers from all three focus areas
- A standing network of CPL fellows and alumni interested in reducing disparities
Who can apply
- Open to students newly admitted to a degree programme at Harvard Kennedy School
- Students from all backgrounds and all nationalities are eligible to apply, and applicants from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged
- Demonstrated leadership promise, interest and work aimed at reducing disparities in Black and African American, Latino or other underserved communities
- Applicants must choose one of three focus areas when they apply: the Black and African American community in the United States, the Latino community in the United States, or marginalised populations globally
- Ready for full-time study at the Harvard Kennedy School campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- A strong application connects your past leadership, your chosen focus area and the master's degree you intend to read for
Who should not apply
- The fellowship cannot be held without first being admitted to a Harvard Kennedy School master's degree programme
- Applicants who do not indicate one of the three equity focus areas cannot be matched to the fellowship
- Choosing an area of focus does not by itself establish eligibility; the admission and fellowship requirements still have to be met
- Living costs, housing, travel and personal expenses sit outside the award as published
Documents to prepare
- The Harvard Kennedy School master's degree admission application for your chosen programme
- The HKS financial aid application, with the Equity Fellowship box selected and your focus area named
- A biographical profile as requested in the fellowship application information
- Fellowship essays that address your leadership record and your chosen focus area
- Academic transcripts from every institution attended
- Recommendation letters as required by the degree programme you apply to
- A current resume or curriculum vitae outlining leadership and community work
- Standardised test scores only if your chosen master's programme requires them
How to apply
- Choose the Harvard Kennedy School master's degree that fits your leadership goals and read its admission requirements at https://www.hks.harvard.edu/admissions-aid/masters-program-admissions/how-apply
- Submit your admission application to that programme by 1 December 2026 at 12 p.m. noon Eastern Time, which is the earlier of the two deadlines and the one that gates the fellowship
- Watch for your admission decision and, once you are admitted, open the HKS financial aid application
- Complete the financial aid application by 15 January 2027 at 12 p.m. noon Eastern Time and tick the Equity Fellowship box
- Select the single focus area you want to pursue, naming the community or populations your leadership work serves
- Write your biographical profile and fellowship essays with concrete examples of disparities you have worked to reduce, not general statements of intent
- Send any remaining materials and confirm with admissionsandaid@hks.harvard.edu that your file is complete, and write to fellowship programme manager carlosmarkvera@hks.harvard.edu for questions about the fellowship itself
Selection process
- The Center for Public Leadership reviews applications from students newly admitted to a Harvard Kennedy School degree programme
- Readers weigh demonstrated leadership promise and a track record of work to reduce disparities, alongside the fit between your focus area and your intended contribution
- Fellows are announced for the coming academic year after the financial aid round closes, and the cohort is welcomed in the autumn, as the 2026 to 2027 CPL fellows were announced in September 2026
- Selected fellows join a named cohort and take up the seminar, mentorship and retreat programme across the year
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
Can I apply for the Equity Fellowship directly?
No. The fellowship is requested through the HKS financial aid application, and only after you have been admitted to a Harvard Kennedy School master's degree programme. The admission deadline of 1 December 2026 at 12 p.m. noon Eastern Time comes first, and the fellowship request closes on 15 January 2027 at the same hour.
Is this open to applicants from Nigeria and other African countries?
Yes. Harvard Kennedy School states that students from all backgrounds are eligible and that applicants from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. The global marginalised populations focus area is written for leadership work that spans countries and regions, so applicants whose equity work sits outside the United States can apply under it.
What exactly does the award cover?
Full tuition for your Harvard Kennedy School master's degree, plus the leadership programme of seminars, mentorship, experiential learning and the annual retreat. Housing, food, travel, books and personal costs are not listed as covered, so plan for them separately and confirm the terms attached to your specific degree programme.
How do I choose between the three focus areas?
Pick the one that most closely reflects your own experience and the contribution you intend to make. You must name a single area on the application. The global marginalised populations area suits applicants whose leadership interests cross borders, though selecting it does not on its own establish eligibility.
What are the two deadlines I should put in my calendar?
The admission application is due 1 December 2026 at 12 p.m. noon Eastern Time. The financial aid application carrying the fellowship request is due 15 January 2027 at 12 p.m. noon Eastern Time. Missing the first one means the second never applies to you.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Write to admissionsandaid@hks.harvard.edu for admissions and financial aid questions, and to Carlos Mark Vera, the CPL Equity Fellowship programme manager, at carlosmarkvera@hks.harvard.edu for questions about the fellowship itself.
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