Our criteria

Experienced leaders

ALI Fellows have at least 20 years of executive-level, senior leadership experience in any industry sector or public service capacity, are notable for a consistent level of superior accomplishment, and have a track record of action and innovation.

Dedicated to service

ALI Fellows are transitioning to a next phase dedicated to contributing to society by helping find and deploy solutions to critical problems.

Focused on impact

ALI Fellows aspire to have big impact—no matter the scale—through projects, ventures, or leadership roles that drive positive change in societal challenge areas of their choosing, including education, health, and the environment.

Eager to learn

ALI Fellows feel they can benefit from Harvard’s intellectual resources and from interaction and collaboration with peers with similar goals.

Fully committed

ALI Fellows make a commitment to a rigorous but flexible program of activities, with two semesters in residence at Harvard, including mentoring students and helping peers.

1. Initial review

Following a careful review of the initial information submitted, the Advanced Leadership Initiative will contact those candidates whose accomplishments indicate a potential match with the nature of the ALI Fellowship and expectations for ALI Fellows. After an initial interview by telephone or video with a member of the ALI team, those candidates exhibiting the strongest alignment with ALI’s mission and the greatest potential for meaningful, positive social impact will be asked to write a personal statement which further describes their interests, aspirations, and motivations for pursuing the ALI Fellowship, and to submit two letters of recommendation. The most promising candidates will then have a mandatory interview by telephone or video with a member of the Advanced Leadership Initiative Faculty.

2. Decision rounds

Over three decision rounds, highly curated groups of finalists will have their candidate dossiers presented for consideration by ALI’s Faculty Selection Committee. Ahead of this presentation, finalists are asked to confirm that they have the ability to accept, fund, and join the ALI Fellowship if invited to do so, and to attest that they will both fully commit to fulfill the fellowship’s participation requirements and that they meet the high ethical standards expected of ALI Fellows. Program costs for the ALI Fellowship are comparable to a year of graduate study at a peer institution.

3. Status update

Following the faculty committee's review of dossiers, finalists will be informed of their status, and a number may be invited to become an Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow. Strong candidates may be put on a “hold” status pending the review of the broader pool. A small group of individuals may be placed on a waiting list. Candidates placed on the waiting list will be notified of their status as soon as final information is available, which may occur shortly before the start of the next year's program. The faculty do not grant deferrals to join a future cohort.

First Selection Round
October 31, 2024

Apply by submitting CV. Presented candidates in this selection round will receive notification of the decision on their candidacy by mid-December.

Second Selection Round
March 31, 2025

Apply by submitting CV. Presented candidates in this selection round will receive notification of the decision on their candidacy by late May.

Third Selection Round
June 30, 2025

Apply by submitting CV. A select amount of spots will be saved for the final selection round for exceptional candidates to be considered.