Stanford Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program

📖 About the Program

The Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program on Democracy and Development is 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 (formerly known as the Draper Hills Summer Fellows Program), the program brings together approximately 28-30 mid-career practitioners from transitioning countries. These individuals work to advance democratic practices, economic and legal reform in contexts where freedom, human development, and good governance are fragile or at risk.

📅 Opportunity Details

• Date Published: October 10, 2025
• Application Deadline: January 15, 2026
• Category: Fellowship, Bachelors, Fully Funded
• Opportunity Location: United States
• School: Stanford University

🎁 Benefits of the Program

The Stanford Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program provides the following benefits:

• Accommodations
• Meals
• Transportation costs
• Small travel fund available for those who cannot afford to travel to California.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the program, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Must be from and currently reside in a country where democracy is not well entrenched.
• Applicants will not be accepted from highly democratic nations, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, and member states of the European Union.
• No application fee is required to apply for the Summer Fellowship.
• Target Audience: Mid-career professionals in democracy, development, and the rule of law.
• Backgrounds: Professionals from government, academia, law, social entrepreneurship, business, civil society organizations (trade unions, NGOs, media, professional associations).
• Must have a proven track record of success in a relevant field related to democracy, development, or the rule of law.
• IELTS or TOEFL is not required.
• Applicants must have graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree.
• Currently enrolled full-time university students cannot apply.

🗓 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: January 15, 2026
• To apply, visit the Stanford Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program Application Portal.
• Submit your application via Stanford CDDRL Slideroom.

For more details, visit the official Stanford Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program page.

• Accommodations
• Meals
• Transportation costs
• A small travel fund is available for those who can not afford to travel to California.