APPLICATION TIPS

• Thoroughly research academic programs in which you are interested.
• Check with your local Rotary club for application deadlines.
• Be specific in your application as to your past and future commitment to working towards peace.

TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR ROTARY PEACE FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION

Being qualified is not enough to be selected. It is essential you use the application to demonstrate how you are qualified and how your experience applies to the field of peace and conflict resolution. You can demonstrate this through the following application components:

RESUME/CV

Be certain to put the month and year for each job, internship, or volunteer experience in order to fully represent your work experience. For the certificate program, the requirement is at least five years. We consider full-time work to be more than 30 hours per week in one position. This can be paid or unpaid and does not need to be in consecutive years. Relevant work experience could be something directly related to peace building or conflict resolution. It can also be work in other areas such as resource and environmental issues, education and literacy, women’s rights, journalism, public health and disease prevention among others. The Rotary Peace Fellowship also considers international experience, working with a non-profit or multilateral institution, working in a developing country, working with youth, or volunteer work either locally or abroad as relevant experience. If you have work experience that you believe is relevant, but might not seem relevant to someone outside of your particular field of employment, show the connection to peace and conflict resolution as you describe your primary responsibilities in that role. Additionally, we recommend that you also enrich your explanation of this connection within your essays.

ESSAYS

Your essays are your opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants. Use examples to demonstrate your commitment to the field of peace and conflict resolution. Here are some easy-to- follow tips for writing great essays:

 

• Make clear, detailed points on how the Fellowship will help you achieve your long-term goals. The selection committee strongly considers future plans and goals, so clearly state how this fellowship will affect your future aspirations. Don’t assume that the person reading your essay will automatically make the connection between your goal and what the fellowship offers.
• Read the questions carefully and be sure to answer each of them clearly.
• Be honest. Every applicant has a story and a reason for wanting to dedicate their life to peacebuilding. Essays that are honest and tell a true story are the ones that come alive and best engage the reader.
• Don’t use lists. Instead of listing a lifetime of accomplishments, focus on the achievements that tell your story best. Elaborate on how you reached your goals and the impact this had on others.
• Organization is important. Make an outline of key points you’d like to convey, and use that as a guide.
• Always review your writing for spelling and grammar mistakes.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Choose references who can articulate why you are a strong applicant for the program.

For Professional Development Certificate Program, it requires two professional recommendations and one of which must be from the current employer.

You can select colleagues, supervisors, and employers as your professional reference(s). A professional reference should know why you are applying to the fellowship program and how you are a good fit.

When choosing a reference, look at the recommendation form carefully and consider whether the person you have in mind would be able to answer all pertinent questions. You are encouraged to ask your reference to write thorough examples. This increases the quality of your recommendation and shows that the reference is a reliable resource when determining your candidacy for the fellowship.

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

While professional development certificate candidates aren’t required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score, all courses are conducted in English. The candidates should be highly proficient in all three skills of English.