Call for Applications: UNICEF Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education (grant support of up to $20,000 awarded)
Closing Date: 31 December 2025
Call for Applications: UNICEF Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education (grant support of up to $20,000 awarded)
Join the global cohort transforming the future
Are you passionate about climate education and transforming the way the world responds to the climate crisis?
This is your chance to help reimagine climate education, so that every child, everywhere, grows up prepared, empowered, and able to shape a just and sustainable future.
As a Leading Minds Climate Education Fellow, you will join a global cohort elevating youth-led initiatives, conducting research and foresight, shaping policy and helping design strategic convenings. Selected initiatives are eligible to receive grant support of up to $20,000.
Apply Now for the exciting UNICEF Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education!
Fellowship Overview
The UNICEF Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education is an 18-month initiative (February 2026 – July 2027) that empowers young people to drive systemic transformation in climate education. UNICEF frames climate education as both a fundamental right and a catalyst for intergenerational justice, supporting youth-led research, foresight, and advocacy to influence education policy and climate strategy globally.
The UNICEF Leading Minds Fellowship is designed to work at two complementary levels:
- Supporting individual youth fellows to generate research, foresight, and advocacy that surface systemic barriers and enablers for climate education, and
- Documenting and learning from youth-led initiatives (“Bright Spots”) to anchor these insights in practice.
Together, these tracks will inform frameworks, policy recommendations, and advocacy strategies that can enable system-level change in youth-led and youth-centered climate education. The programme is not focused on scaling pilots, but on elevating evidence, lessons, and opportunities to inform global and regional strategies.
This application consists of 6 sections (estimated time: 45-60 minutes) and requires a 90-second video submission.
Lead the future of climate education
UNICEF is selecting up to 12 young climate leaders (ages 10–30) who are strengthening climate education in their schools, communities, and countries in both formal and informal settings.
A youth-led climate education initiative can include, for example:
- School system integration: curriculum development, educational networks, or school-based climate clubs;
- Government partnerships: collaborative models working with education authorities or policymakers;
- Rights-based and justice frameworks: initiatives linking climate education to equity, justice, and human rights;
- Community resilience and informal education: local projects, campaigns, or community-led learning; and
- Digital campaigns and media: online platforms, storytelling, or awareness-raising initiatives.
If you are helping others learn, adapt, engage, or act on the climate crisis then this Fellowship is for you.
What will you do?
- Document, strengthen and elevate your climate education “Bright Spot”;
- Contribute to youth-led research, foresight, and systems thinking;
- Shape policy and participate in national and global dialogues;
- Produce stories, tools, and evidence that improve education systems; and
- Co-design and co-host strategic convenings.
Why apply?
- Stipend for work and contributions during the fellowship period;
- Technical mentorship and collaboration with research partners;
- Visibility and speaking opportunities;
- Hands-on experience in child rights, foresight, youth engagement, and advocacy; and
- Leadership development and access to a global network of youth advocates and leaders.
Each selected UNICEF Leading Minds fellow will be eligible for up to $20,000 in grant support
Who can apply?
Young people ages 10–30 who are:
- Leading or representing a climate education initiative;
- Passionate about climate action, climate education, and creating positive change;
- Ready to dedicate four to five hours a week from February 2026 to July 2027; and
- Comfortable working in English (other UN languages are an asset).
To learn more about eligibility and who can apply, download FAQs here or join the information session.
Click Here To Apply
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