Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE) Fellowship 2025 (Funded)

Deadline: August 5, 2024

Applications are open for the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE) Fellowship 2025. The Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE) is a life-changing fellowship for Indigenous social equity in Australia, Aotearoa and Pacific Island nations. Based at the University of Melbourne, the AFSE program represents a 20+ year investment into Indigenous-led social change through a powerful network of Fellows.

It has two features:

An intensive foundation year where Fellows undertake a Master of Social Change Leadership at the University of Melbourne (fee-free), attend six in-person modules and develop a social change project to deliver upon completion.
Following the foundation year, Fellows graduate and become members of the global Atlantic Fellows community, made up of change-makers from across seven hubs coordinated and led by the Atlantic Institute in Oxford. As of May 2024, there are 902 Atlantic Fellows who are active in over 80 countries.

Cost

AFSE meets the full cost of all course fees for the postgraduate study (Master’s or Graduate Certificate of Social Change Leadership) at the University of Melbourne, and all associated Student Services and Amenities Fees. This applies to all Fellows.
In addition to tuition fees, every Fellow receives:
- a basic stipend of $10,000 (to remove barriers to participation, which can be used to purchase laptops, childcare, to cover incidental expenses, etc.)
- access to a professional development fund of AUD$3,500 in total (available for up to three years)
- eligibility to apply for up to AUD$25,000 in project development funds (available for up to three years) post-foundation year, once you have a project plan ready to go
The cost of participation in the foundation year will be met by AFSE, including:
- travel and accommodation expenses
- special events relating to the program (e.g. dinners, graduations, guest speakers, etc.)
- special activities associated with the program (e.g. theatre, art exhibitions, etc.)
In addition, an equity stipend of up to $42,000 is available. The equity stipend is allocated as needed to support participation in the Fellowship. Eligibility for or need for the stipend has no bearing on your selection into the Fellowship. Some examples of previous Fellows receiving the equity stipend include:
- A Fellow takes unpaid leave from time to time to attend face-to-face modules and make time for study.
- A Fellow steps away from paid employment for the year to focus on the Fellowship.
- A self-employed Fellow chooses to take on fewer contracts throughout the year to ensure they have enough time for the Fellowship.

Eligibility

Be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or Aotearoa or a Pacific Island nation;
Not enrolled in any other form of study in 2025 (or have your thesis under examination as of January 2025);
Not already an Atlantic Fellow or a participant in another Atlantic Fellowship program;
Willing to commit to a non-residential foundation year experience, which includes:
- Seven weeks’ travel away from home across the year (see dates in the next section);
- Approximately ten hours of study time per week;
- 5000-word assessments per subject (there are eight subjects in total)?

Selection Criteria

Your application will be assessed against the following criteria:

A compelling Indigenous social change idea (doesn’t have to be fully formed);
Your demonstrated capacity to create a project around it/your capacity to generate a project (vision);
Your demonstrated ability to work collaboratively;
Your critical thinking, communication skills, creativity, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills;
Evidence of personal commitment to lifelong learning and skill development;
Willingness to participate in and benefit from local and global fellowship opportunities;
Examples of how you have worked collaboratively with relevant communities to achieve change.

Final cohort selection will be made with consideration to the composition of the cohort, taking into account several factors, including diversity of Fellows’ work, sector and discipline background, age and gender. The proportion of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Fellows from Australia, Aotearoa and the Pacific will also be considered in the final cohort selection.

Application

In the application form you’ll be asked to complete/provide the following:

An eligibility checklist
An application form including relevant personal information
A curriculum vitae of no more than 2 pages which outlines your previous employment, study and experience in social change advocacy and initiatives (voluntary or paid)
A short video of no longer than two minutes in duration answering the following questions:
- Why will this program benefit you?
- Why is this the right program for you at this point in time?
Tell them about your social change project idea:
- Project Overview (What is the overall aim or vision for your project?) Max. 250 words;
- Approach (How will you implement your project?) Max. 250 words;
- Collaboration (What partnerships do you have or plan to make? Are you already working with these people and/or communities or do you need to develop these relationships?) Max. 250 words;
- Rationale (Why is this project important/ needed?) Max. 250 words.
The names and contact details of two referees. These should include your current employer (if applicable) and someone who has experience in your capacity to work collaboratively within organisations and to engage and work with communities.
Confirmation that your employer (if applicable) will allow sufficient time and space throughout the 12-month program to undertake the foundation year.