One Young World strives to identify the most impactful young leaders from every country in the world. Scholarships provide the opportunity for exceptional young people to attend on the merit of their proven leadership and ability to create change in their home country.
Many of our scholars are changing the world starting at the grassroots, sent to attend the Summit by organisations who want to support young people making waves. Some are top performing professionals, sent by forward thinking managers who see the need for talent development. While others are paving the way politically in their countries, and are sent to the Summit by governments who see the value in empowering young people.
We only develop and support young leaders who can demonstrate a proactive commitment to build a positive impact on their communities. But we believe the world needs leaders from every background. We are not just inclusive, we proactively welcome diversity - across every country and every sector. This means we look for people who are doing the best they can within their individual circumstances, to improve the lives of others, no matter their field of interest or expertise.
Our scholarship programme means that the best and brightest young leaders from around the world are able to attend our Summit entirely free, from beginning to end including travel, catering and accomodation, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Who we work with:
550+ |
| scholarship recipients in 2024 |
70,000+ |
| applications in 2024 |
190+ |
| countries represented in 2024 |
Scholarship FAQs
What is a One Young World scholarship?
One Young World’s annual Summit convenes the brightest young talent from every country and sector. Every year, One Young World runs a number of scholarship programmes which provide funding for young leaders to attend a One Young World Summit.
What costs are covered by the scholarship?
Most scholarships cover the costs of:
- Access to the One Young World Summit 2023, taking place from 2-5 October 2023 in Belfast, UK.
- Hotel accommodation on a shared basis for the duration of the Summit.
- Catering which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the duration of the Summit.
- The cost of travel to and from the Summit location.
Am I eligible for a scholarship?
Each Scholarship programme has its own set of eligibility criteria. Please check these before applying.
Can I apply for more than one scholarship?
Yes! You may apply for more than one scholarship but you can only be selected to win one scholarship.
I am a One Young World Ambassador. Can I still apply to attend via a scholarship?
Yes you can. Our scholarship places are open to all, though please note that priority will be given to first-time Summit attendees (not OYW Ambassadors). This is because One Young World is committed to ensuring that the opportunity to attend the Summit is available to as many people as possible, regardless of their ability to pay.
You can also attend the One Young World Summit as an Independent Delegate by paying the Returning Ambassador fee of £1,820 (no accommodation included) or £2,880 (accommodation included).
How will I know if I have been selected?
We will send individual emails to all applicants - regardless of whether they have been shortlisted or not - informing them of the outcome. We are not able to respond to individual emails enquiring about the status of individual scholarship applications.
Can I get feedback on my application?
One Young World receives an overwhelming number of applications for each scholarship programme so we are afraid that it is simply not possible to give individual feedback to each applicant.
I wasn't selected for a scholarship. What do I do now?
We're sorry to hear that you were not selected for a scholarship. Please do not be discouraged; we regularly add new scholarships to our scholarships page so please apply for any other scholarships you would like to be considered for. If you are ultimately not selected for a scholarship, you could consider attending the Summit independently - by paying your own Independent Delegate Fee of £3,150 (no accommodation included) or £4,210 (accommodation included)
Application tips
Use English
Unless explicitly stated on the application form, most scholarship applications must be submitted in English. Please bear this in mind when writing your application.
Be relevant
Carefully read through the selection criteria to make sure that you are eligible for the opportunity. It is much better to submit one great application, than waste time applying for 20 that you are not suitable for!
Tell us what makes you unique
We would like to know what distinguishes you. Don’t only introduce yourself as a highly determined, dedicated leader - explain what makes you those things and give evidence for this. What makes your application different from the rest?
Tell us about the impact you've made
We love hearing about your goals and plans for the future. Even more important is the impact that you have already made. What is the mission of your business/organisation? How many people have you impacted? Please tell us all about it!
Tell us why you want to be a One Young World Ambassador
The Summit is an incredible experience, but what do you hope to gain from it? Why do you want to join the world’s most impactful community of young leaders? We are looking for leaders who will be active contributors to our Ambassador community after the Summit is over.
Share your work
Illustrate your work to us by adding in useful resources which help us clarify and validate your work. Include links to any articles, videos or online documentation. We want to see your work in action.
Read, re-read and re-read again
Please check through your application before you submit it. Is it easy to read? Does it clearly communicate everything that you wanted to tell us? Before you submit your application, consider asking a friend, family member or colleague to check for any mistakes and to give you some feedback.
Save your application before submitting
You may lose internet connection while completing your application - it happens to us all. We recommend copying the application on a document beforehand so that if anything happens, you don’t lose all of your hard work!
Don't submit an incomplete application
In a rush to fill out a form, you may miss important fields or worse still enter incorrect information e.g your email address. Take your time and read the application questions thoroughly to ensure that your application is complete.
Don't be discouraged
If you’re having second thoughts about applying, don’t be discouraged. If you don’t apply, you will never know if you would have earned a place. If you do and are unsuccessful, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year ranging from amazing events organised by the Ambassador Community to the opportunities page, and more. Do try!
Nominating Supporters
One Young World works with a wide network of partners and supporters to ensure that the brightest young leaders from around the world are able to participate in the annual Summit. We would like to thank our network of Nominating Supporters for making active nominations of high-calibre individuals who would be deserving of a place to attend the One Young World Summit for our Scholarship opportunities.
