Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026 in Kenya (Fully Funded)
Apply link:https://www.soalliance.org/ocean-leaders-fellowship?utm
Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026 in Kenya (Fully Funded)
1. Introduction The Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026 is a wonderful opportunity for young people globally, especially those youth who are passionate about or very interested in ocean conservation, climate action, and sustainable development, to get year, round benefits from a series of programs/events. The fellowship runs from March to December 2026, and it includes online classes, group work, coaching, and a fully financed, face, to, face leadership institute in Kenya.
2. Program Overview:
Program Title: Ocean Leaders Fellowship (OLF) 2026Organizing Entity: Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA)Financial Support Provided by: Dona Bertarelli PhilanthropyProgram Delivery: Combination of virtual sessions and, in, person instituteIn, Person Venue: KenyaTimeframe of the Program: March 2026 to December 2026In, Person Timeframe: June 9, 19, 2026Type of Funding: Fully Funded
Ocean Leaders Fellowship is a leadership development program that aims at training young ocean advocates through leadership skill development. It is a program aligned to the global 3030 goal, which is a target to conserve 30% of the earth’s ocean and land by 2030.
3. Fellowship Structure and Learning Experience:
The Ocean Leaders Fellowship has an engaging structure that intertwines learning, collaboration, and making a real, world impact.
1 Virtual Learning Sessions:
Fellows engage in weekly online sessions of approximately 5 hours per week. Some of the sessions are:
, Leadership and policy workshops, 
, Climate advocacy and ocean governance training,
, Communication and storytelling skills,
, Systems thinking and strategic campaign planning.
2 Peer Pods and Collaboration:
Every fellow is assigned to a small group of peers, called a leadership pod. These pods serve as a platform for collaboration, shared learning, and accountability; besides, the fellows get a chance to build long, term professional relationships.
3 Mentorship and Expert Access:
Fellows are able to tap into the support of diverse panel of mentors who are made up of ocean scientists, activists, policy experts and global leaders. These meetings serve to sharpen the fellows’ vision and also aid them in figuring out their impact strategies.
4 In, Person Leadership Institute in Kenya:
The main event of the fellowship is the fully sponsored in, person institute in Kenya. During the stay, the fellows will engage in:
, Intensives leadership workshops,
, Policy dialogues and advocacy sessions,
, Global networking events,
, Attendance of an international ocean, related conference.
5 Capstone Outputs:
Once the fellowship is over, the participants will have at least one of the following outputs:
, Policy briefs,
, Country or regional progress reports,
, Advocacy or campaign strategies,
, Digital communication toolkits.
4. Eligibility Criteria:
At least 5 criteria of the total 6 need to be complied by candidates if they want to be considered for the Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026:
Language Requirement:
As all the sessions are conducted in English, the applicant is required to have effective English communication skills at the C1 level. 5.5
Availability:
Applicants must have the time to fully engage in the virtual sessions; Applicants are expected to have the ability to travel across borders and join the residential gathering in Kenya from June 9, 19, 2026.
Restrictions ,:
Dis, qualified may be those candidates who have already been members of some youth leadership summits of SOA; , Candidates are to be committed to the fellowship for the whole duration.
Age Requirement The candidates age should be between 18 and 35 years on June 20, 2026.
Simply, The Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026 is a fully funded program:
which drastically lowers the financial barrier for the participants.
1 What Financial Benefits Can You Expect:
The fellowship provides for: 
International round trip ticket, Visa application fee, Accommodation during the face, to, face institute, Meals and food expenses to program official activities, Local transportation for the facility.Note that: out of the pocket costs, other personal, leisure break or non, program activities that you might take are generally not covered by the program.
2 What are the Professional and Career Benefits:
Fellows, in addition to their financial aid, get:
Top, notch leadership training, Participation in global ocean policy dialogues, Connecting with international professional network, Recognition and reliability in the climate and ocean community.
Important Dates & Program Timeline
EventDateApplications OpenJan 15, 2026 (approx.)Application DeadlineFeb 15, 2026 (11:59 PM PST / U.S. Pacific Time)
Applicants are expected to prepare and submit documents and materials listed here:
A fully filled online application form, An up, to, date CV or résumé, Short answers or essays, A short personal video (generally 1, 2 minutes), English proficiency certificate (if required), Contact information of professional references.All submitted information has to be correct and clear and must be sent before the deadline.
How to Apply (Step, by, Step):
If you desire to submit a successful application, just follow the steps below.
Head to the Ocean Leaders Fellowship official website;Press the Apply button;Give your personal and professional details;Write the essay answers very carefully and honestly;
Attach your CV, documents, and video;Check your application thoroughly for any finish or overlooked details;
Send your application before February 15, 2026. One wise thing to do is to submit your application early so that if you encounter any problem with the internet, you will still have enough time to fix it and submit your application in time.
Quick Summary:
Feature Details
Program Name
Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026
Organizer
Sustainable Ocean Alliance + Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy
Location
Virtual + In, person in Kenya
Duration
March, December 2026
Fellows Selected
40 global leaders
Funding
Fully funded (travel, visa, food, accommodation)
Eligibility
Ages 18, 35; leading initiatives that address ocean/climate change; C1 English
Deadline
February
The fellowship comes with full financial assistance, professional guidance, and worldwide recognition, thus participants are well prepared with the right skills to bring about real change.
If your hearts beats for the ocean, climate justice, and helping people to lead, then you shouldn’t let this fellowship opportunity go by.