One Young World Leading Scholarship 2026, South Africa
The One Young World Leading Scholarship 2026 is an international leadership opportunity for young people who are already making a meaningful difference in their communities, countries or professional fields.
The scholarship enables selected young leaders to attend the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, taking place from November 3–6, 2026. The program is open to applicants from around the world and is particularly interested in young people working on important social, environmental and community challenges.
Applications opened on June 11, 2026, and the published final deadline is October 31, 2026. However, applications are assessed on a rolling basis, so candidates are strongly encouraged to apply early.
One Young World Leading Scholarship 2026 Overview
- Scholarship Name: One Young World Leading Scholarship
- Summit: One Young World Summit 2026
- Host City: Cape Town, South Africa
- Summit Dates: November 3–6, 2026
- Eligible Age: 18–35 years
- Eligible Nationalities: Applicants from around the world
- Academic Requirement: No specific degree required
- Target Group: Young leaders and changemakers
- Focus Areas: Social, environmental, community and global challenges
- Application Opens: June 11, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 31, 2026
- Selection: Rolling basis
- First-Time Summit Participants: Prioritized
- Visa Fee: Paid by the selected applicant if required
What Is the One Young World Leading Scholarship?
The Leading Scholarship is designed to bring exceptional young leaders from different parts of the world to the One Young World Summit.
The program is not a conventional university scholarship. You do not need to be enrolled in a degree program to apply.
Instead, the opportunity focuses on leadership, impact, innovation and commitment to positive change.
Applicants may come from many different backgrounds, including social entrepreneurship, nonprofit work, environmental activism, community development, advocacy, business and other professional fie
Degree Level
No specific degree required
Available Subjects
- Social, environmental, community and global challenges
Benefits
The main benefit is the opportunity to attend the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town and become part of a global network of young leaders.
Selected scholars can benefit from:
One Young World Summit Participation
Scholars attend the four-day Summit alongside young leaders, experts and influential figures from around the world.
Global Leadership Network
Participants can join a network of more than 20,000 young leaders from 196 countries.
International Networking
The Summit provides opportunities to connect with other young leaders working on social, environmental and community challenges.
Mentoring Opportunities
Participants can access mentoring and leadership-related opportunities through the One Young World network.
Ambassador Opportunities
After the Summit, participants can become part of the One Young World Ambassador community and continue engaging with the network.
Visibility for Your Work
The program can provide international exposure for applicants' projects, organizations and initiatives.
International Representation
Selected scholars can represent their country during the Summit's Opening Ceremony and interact with other young leaders from around the world.
Eligible Nationalities
The Leading Scholarship is an international opportunity.
Young leaders from countries around the world can apply. Applicants from countries with lower representation at previous One Young World Summits may receive particular consideration.
The program also prioritizes first-time Summit participants, making it especially relevant to young leaders who have never attended a One Young World Summit before.
Do You Need to Be a University Student?
No.
The Leading Scholarship does not require applicants to be university students. The selection criteria focus primarily on the applicant's leadership, commitment, innovation and demonstrated impact.
Students can apply if they meet the age and leadership requirements, but professionals, entrepreneurs, nonprofit workers, activists and other young changemakers are also eligible.
Eligibility Criteria
What Kind of Applicants Are Strong Candidates?
A strong applicant should be able to demonstrate existing impact, rather than simply describing what they hope to accomplish in the future.
Potential candidates may include:
- Social entrepreneurs
- NGO founders and professionals
- Community leaders
- Environmental activists
- Climate advocates
- Youth-development professionals
- Human-rights advocates
- Education campaigners
- Healthcare innovators
- Startup founders
- Nonprofit leaders
- Community organizers
You do not necessarily need to own an NGO or company. What matters is the evidence that you have taken action and created meaningful change.
Who Can Apply?
The scholarship is intended for young people who are already creating positive change.
Applicants should generally:
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Be actively committed to creating positive change.
- Be working on an important local or global issue.
- Demonstrate leadership.
- Show evidence of meaningful impact.
- Have innovative ideas or approaches.
- Be able to explain how their work contributes to positive change.
Applicants who will still be under 18 when the Summit begins are not eligible.
The scholarship particularly encourages applications from countries and communities that have historically been under-represented at One Young World Summits.
Selection Criteria
The scholarship looks for applicants who can demonstrate:
Leadership
Show how you have taken initiative and influenced others.
Positive Impact
Explain what has changed because of your work and provide measurable evidence wherever possible.
Innovation
Describe what makes your approach different, effective or creative.
Commitment to Change
Show that your work is connected to a genuine long-term commitment to solving an important issue.
Relevance of Your Work
Explain why the challenge you are addressing matters to your community, country or the wider world.
Applicants should focus on specific achievements and measurable outcomes rather than making broad statements about wanting to change the world.
Is the Scholarship Fully Funded?
Applicants should carefully distinguish between Summit participation support and every possible travel expense.
The scholarship provides selected young leaders with access to the One Young World Summit and associated opportunities. However, international applicants who require a South African visa must pay the visa fee themselves.
Additional visa-related expenses, such as travel to a visa application center, may also need to be covered by the applicant.
Therefore, candidates should check the official terms carefully and prepare for any personal expenses that may arise.
How Does the Selection Process Work?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
This means that candidates do not necessarily have to wait until the final deadline to hear about the outcome.
Successful applicants may be notified between June and October 2026.
Because selections can take place throughout the application period, applying early can be advantageous. Applicants should avoid assuming that waiting until October 31 will give them the same practical opportunity as submitting an application earlier.
One Young World does not provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
Application Procedure
Applicants should prepare their application around their leadership experience and demonstrated impact.
Before applying, candidates should:
- Identify the social, environmental or community challenge they are addressing.
- Clearly explain their role in solving the problem.
- Gather evidence of their impact.
- Describe innovative elements of their work.
- Explain their future goals.
- Show why participating in the One Young World Summit would benefit their work.
- Complete the online application.
- Submit the application as early as possible.
A strong application should focus on what you have already achieved, supported by specific examples, rather than relying entirely on future plans.
Important Deadline
The published final application deadline for the One Young World Leading Scholarship 2026 is October 31, 2026.
However, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Therefore, applicants should ideally submit their applications well before October 31 rather than waiting until the last day.
The One Young World Summit will take place in Cape Town from November 3–6, 2026.
Final Thoughts
The One Young World Leading Scholarship 2026 is an opportunity for young changemakers who have already demonstrated leadership and impact. It is particularly suitable for individuals working on social, environmental, community and global challenges who want to expand their international network and gain exposure to other young leaders.
Although the final deadline is October 31, 2026, the rolling selection process makes early application important. Candidates should focus their application on concrete achievements, measurable impact and a clear explanation of how their work is creating positive change.
