Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) Program 2027 – USA

Location: United States

Program: Leadership Development Program Fellowship

Eligibility: US citizens

Duration: 6 months

Deadline: July 19, 2026

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Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) brings together bold and principled leaders committed to facing critical challenges, who are interested in exploring lessons learned during the administrations of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Each applicant applies with a Personal Leadership Project (PLP) a significant leadership challenge they will work on throughout the program, with an achievable six-month goal that leverages their existing knowledge, experience, and network. The 2027 cohort begins with an onboarding webinar on January 6, 2027, followed by six in-person modules running from January through June 2027, and the program is fully funded, with tuition, housing, meals, and domestic travel during the sessions covered at no cost to Scholars.

Presidential Leadership Scholars is jointly led by four presidential centers: the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation (in partnership with the George & Barbara Bush Foundation), and the LBJ Foundation. Sessions rotate among these centers, with a faculty of distinguished professors and practitioners leading the curriculum, and Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton participating personally when their schedules permit.

Benefits of the Programme

This programme will provide the following to its recipients:

Full funding of program tuition
Housing during the in-person sessions
Meals during the in-person sessions
Domestic travel during the course sessions in the host city
No application fee
Access to a growing network of PLS alumni, fellow Scholars, faculty, and presidential administration alumni
Structured support for a Personal Leadership Project (PLP) addressing a significant leadership challenge throughout the program

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Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:

Must be a citizen of the United States living and working in the country; or a citizen of the United States living and working outside the country who can pay for all non-domestic costs associated with traveling to each module; or a legal resident of the United States living and working in the country
A college degree is not necessary to qualify for consideration
Typically has 10+ years of professional experience, though exceptionally qualified candidates with less experience will also be considered
Must present an established record of demonstrated leadership (PLS is not an introductory leadership course)
Must be civically minded, open to feedback, accepting of diverse points of view, and willing to collaborate with others
Must be able to fully participate in the entire 6-month program, including every module in its entirety
Must apply with a Personal Leadership Project (PLP) that focuses on a positive outcome for a specific group of people, has an achievable six-month goal, leverages the applicant’s existing knowledge, experience, and/or network, and would benefit from participation in the program

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.

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Selection Criteria

Applicants are required to provide personal background information (academic, professional, etc.), responses to essay questions, two recommendations, and a summary of their Personal Leadership Project. Following a thorough review of each application, a group of applicants is invited to interview for final selection into the program. Finalists are notified by mid-September 2026 if they have been invited to participate in the interview process, with interviews conducted in early October 2026 and final acceptance decisions made in December 2026.