The Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellowship that was open for 2027 closed on 26 June 2026 at 23:59 GMT+1 — four days ago. If you’ve seen this fellowship referred to as “NGFP 2026” elsewhere, that’s outdated: the 2026 cohort already completed recruitment in 2025 and is currently in its programme year, and the cycle that just closed was for 2027.
If you are 18 to 35, or older with less than a year of experience in futures and foresight, and you missed this window, this post tells you exactly what was required so you can apply the moment the next cycle opens. The fellowship offers a $1,000 kick-starter fund, a year of mentorship and training, and a shot at a $10,000 prize for the most impactful project at year’s end.
About the NGFP Fellowship
The Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP) is a global network launched in 2018 by the School of International Futures (SOIF). Its purpose is to bring young, diverse voices into the futures and foresight field — a discipline concerned not with predicting the future, but with understanding your current and future operating environment so communities and organisations can recognise and respond to emerging threats and opportunities.
Each annual cohort is intentionally small: only 25 spaces are available, though all strong applicants are invited to join the wider NGFP Sensing Network, a global community of over 900 practitioners. The fellowship reserves one space specifically for a fellow from the Balkans, in memory of former SOIF colleague Sophie Middlemiss, and two spaces for fellows from the Middle East and North Africa in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation.
NGFP is especially interested in applicants working on what it calls Foresight Transformation Missions — Climate & Just Transitions, Democracy & Sustainable Development, Emerging Technologies, Futures Methods From Around the World & Indigenous Futures, Health, Intergenerational Fairness, Nuclear Security & Peacebuilding, and Rural Futures. The fellowship is structured as a one-year journey rather than a short programme: it begins with a $1,000 kick-starter fund and ends with the chance to win a $10,000 grand prize for significant progress and contribution to the wider NGFP community.
Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellowship Summary
| Fellowship Name ⇒ | Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP) Fellowship |
| Host Organisation ⇒ | School of International Futures (SOIF) |
| Host Country ⇒ | United Kingdom |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Global, with particular interest in Asia, Africa (including MENA), the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, and the Balkans |
| Age Requirement ⇒ | 18–35 years old, or older with less than one year of foresight experience |
| Number of Fellowships ⇒ | 25 per annual cohort |
| Benefits ⇒ | $1,000 kick-starter fund, mentorship, training, networking, eligibility for a $10,000 prize |
| Application Status ⇒ | Closed — last deadline was 26 June 2026, 23:59 GMT+1. Next cycle dates not yet announced |
This Application Cycle Has Closed
To be direct: the deadline to apply for the NGFP Fellowship was 23:59 GMT+1 on 26 June 2026. That window has passed. If you’re reading this hoping to submit an application today, you cannot — the portal is no longer accepting entries for this cycle.
This matters because several sources online still circulate this fellowship under the “2026” label, which causes real confusion. The 2026 cohort had recruitment completed back in 2025, and those fellows are currently midway through their one-year programme, which runs through 2026. The cycle that just closed in June was actually for the 2027 cohort. If you see “2026” attached to an active application call anywhere right now, treat that as outdated.
Judging for the applications already submitted will take place from July to August 2026, with the new fellows announced by September 2026. If you didn’t get your application in, the realistic next opportunity is the following annual cycle.
What the Fellowship Covers
Selected fellows in the last cycle received:
- A USD $1,000 kick-starter fund to support their project at the start of the fellowship year
- A dedicated project partner, usually an expert foresight practitioner
- An introductory foresight training course to build core capability
- Bi-weekly news and opportunity emails, including information about further grants to develop their projects
- Platform access to connect with foresight practitioners globally
- The opportunity to join regional or thematic hubs
- Invitations to participate in relevant futures and foresight events throughout the year
- Eligibility to compete for a USD $10,000 grand prize at the end of the fellowship year, awarded for significant progress and contribution to the NGFP community
A practical note: the $10,000 prize is not guaranteed to every fellow — it is awarded competitively at the end of the year based on demonstrated progress, not handed out automatically for completing the programme.
Eligibility Requirements (Last Cycle)
To qualify, applicants needed to meet the following:
- You must be 18 to 35 years old at the start of your foresight journey, or older with less than one year of experience in the field.
- You must be working on, or proposing, a scalable, future-focused project idea, whether community-level or global.
- Your project proposal must be for a new initiative, or a new phase of an existing initiative that had not started prior to your entry.
- You must demonstrate a genuine desire to deepen your knowledge and networks in futures and foresight.
- You must be collaborative, a lifelong learner, and able to articulate a long-term vision for impact spanning at least 10 years.
- You must show active commitment to community engagement and networking, not just interest in the subject.
You could apply individually or as part of a group of up to five people, but only one entry per qualifying individual was permitted. Responsibility for sharing any benefits among group members rested with the lead applicant.
Key disqualifier: eligibility was determined at SOIF’s discretion based on the submitted application, judges’ scoring, and any additional information gathered through interviews or references — meeting the basic criteria did not guarantee consideration if the project itself didn’t meet the judging standards.
Required Documents and Application Components
Based on the most recent cycle:
- A completed application through the official NGFP platform at apply.nextgenforesight.org
- A 2–3 minute video explaining your project plans and why you should be selected
- Written responses to a short question-and-answer section
- Entries had to stay within any word limits specified in the Judging Criteria — exceeding them risked disqualification at SOIF’s discretion
Practical warning: the application could not be edited once submitted. Draft your video script and written answers separately beforehand, and review everything carefully, since there is no opportunity to revise after you click submit.
How to Apply (When the Next Cycle Opens)
Based on the most recently closed cycle’s process:
- Register for an account on the official NGFP application platform.
- Create your profile and add team members if applying as a group.
- Record and upload a 2–3 minute video explaining your project and why you should be selected as a fellow.
- Complete the written question-and-answer section.
- Review your full application — remember it cannot be edited after submission — then submit before the deadline.
- Judging takes place through a panel process with a minimum of three judges per panel, who score entries against the published Judging Criteria. Judges may also nominate a wildcard entry they consider particularly innovative.
Since applications are currently closed, use this time to refine your project idea and prepare your video and written responses in advance.
Application Deadline
The most recent deadline was 23:59 GMT+1 on 26 June 2026. NGFP has not published a date for the next cycle. Foresight fellowships in this space often operate without long advance notice, so check the official NGFP website regularly rather than relying on outdated third-party posts that may still reference earlier “2026” deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellowship still accepting applications?
No. The most recent application deadline was 26 June 2026, 23:59 GMT+1, and that window has closed. NGFP has not announced when the next cycle will open.
Can Nigerian and African applicants apply?
Yes. NGFP is open globally and is particularly interested in applicants from Africa, including the MENA region, alongside Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, and the Balkans.
What happens if I’m not selected as a fellow?
You are not eliminated from the network. You become part of the NGFP community and can apply again in a future cycle, and many fellows who are eventually selected first spent a year in the network before reapplying.
Do I need prior experience in foresight to apply?
No. The fellowship is designed for those just beginning to explore the futures and foresight field, and also welcomes applicants over 35 who have less than one year of experience in the sector.
Can I apply as part of a team rather than individually?
Yes. Entries could be submitted individually or as part of a group of up to five people, though each qualifying individual was limited to one entry overall.
Disclaimer: All fellowship details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria were verified directly from the official Next Generation Foresight Practitioners website (nextgenforesight.org) as of 30 June 2026. The most recent application cycle is confirmed closed as of this verification date. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official source before assuming any information here applies to a future cycle.
Official Application Portal
Join ScholarWaka Community
Get the latest scholarship updates and study abroad opportunities before anyone else.
