The Academy
Experience
Join a community of determined young leaders from around the world. Through our signature leadership course, talks with today’s top changemakers, and personalized mentorship, you’ll build power skills for a lifetime of social impact.
Eligibility
Students worldwide ages 17-21
Timing
Sep 19 - Dec 17, 2021 7-10 hours per week
Tuition
$5,000 USD
Application Deadlines
Early: June 18 Regular: July 23
LEARN FROM EXPERIENCED CHANGEMAKERS LEADING IN THEIR FIELDS
The Academy speaker series puts today’s most influential changemakers (like Melinda Gates, Jay Shetty, and Adam Grant) in conversation with Global Citizen Year students -- the rising leaders of tomorrow. Unlike traditional lectures or TEDtalks, these deeply human conversations are unscripted and student led, featuring alumni moderators and questions from Academy students.
In your leadership course, you’ll learn from expert instructors routinely rated with 99% satisfaction by students. Instructors bring diverse and inspiring expertise including international development work, Fulbright grants, and PhDs in educational theory.
You’ll also receive one-on-one support from a personal mentor. Our network of nearly 200 mentors includes entrepreneurs, social impact leaders, filmmakers, environmental researchers, and much more -- all eager to support your leadership journey.
SPEAKER SERIES: Learn directly from people like the CEO of Google, the Founder of the Sunrise Movement, and a leading activist of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Explore Speaker List
Our world needs young leaders now more than ever. By working with Global Citizen Year Academy, we can empower many more young people around the world with the resources and tools they need to make an impact.”
SHAWN MENDES, GLOBAL CITIZEN YEAR’S GLOBAL YOUTH CHAIR
BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT
The Academy experience will prepare you to join the generation of young leaders rising to address our shared, global challenges. Explore your identity, worldview and the values that drive you. Learn how to connect your purpose with the issues you care about in the world and in your community. Maximize your impact by developing concrete leadership skills including public speaking, asset-based community development, root cause analysis, and how to create and pitch a project proposal.
Rather than traditional lectures, the Academy emphasizes active collaboration guided by our expert instructors. On Minerva’s Forum online learning environment, you’ll engage in Socratic discussion, live polling, breakout groups, debate, role-playing, and simulations. You’ll also have the opportunity to put theory into practice by volunteering with our impact partners working at the forefront of confronting global issues.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Engage directly with causes you care about by volunteering with our Impact Partners.
See Impact Partners
Global Citizen Year Academy is so important. We have a chance in this century to address a lot of the problems that began in the last century. It really is up to us. Young people are the future -- and the now-- of social change.”
PREMAL SHAH, CO-FOUNDER KIVA.ORG
JOIN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF DETERMINED YOUNG LEADERS LIKE YOU
You are passionate, curious, and deeply motivated to make an impact. From all across the globe, we’re bringing together students like you who care deeply about the state of our world and are committed to doing something about it.
Academy students come from over 80 countries and bring an incredible diversity of perspectives, passions, and lived experiences. Connect with LGBTQ+ poets, bloggers for mental health, environmental entrepreneurs, and students taking creative approaches to challenges of all kinds. Discuss the big issues in your leadership course, and then keep the conversation going on our community Discord which is alive with student-led initiatives, clubs, and events.
View our alumni network across the globe
View the MapExplore a typical week
Global Citizen Academy offers an engaging blend of interactive online learning, discussions with leading innovators, real-world projects, and peer collaboration.
Explore the sample schedule below to get a taste of the exploration, community, and growth that’s possible with Global Citizen Academy. To accommodate different time zones and schedules, there will be multiple sections for each course. Your schedule may not look exactly like the sample below, but we'll do our absolute best to make sure every student can join a session that works for them!
Leadership As A Practice: Seminar
19 students / 90 minutesGain clarity, confidence and concrete skills to connect the values that drive you with the change you want to see in the world.
Speaker Series: Leadership in Action
60 minutesJoin weekly conversations with today’s most innovative leaders.
Leadership As A Practice: Learning Group
6-8 students / 60 minutesDiscuss the concepts from the seminar in a supportive small group setting with peers from across the globe.
Leadership As A Practice
6-8 students / 60 minutesDiscuss the concepts from the seminar in a supportive small group setting with peers from across the globe.
Volunteer with our Impact Partners
Put theory into practice by volunteering with one of our impact partners working at the forefront of global challenges. [Optional]
Personalized Mentorship
Connect one-on-one with your personal mentor to set leadership goals and receive guidance on topics spanning college, career, and personal growth.
Reflect & Prep
Prepare for class with thought-provoking podcasts, TEDtalks, readings, and prompts for reflection.
Student-Led Clubs & Events
Connect with classmates across the world on the Academy’s Discord server which is overflowing with student-led clubs, discussions, events, resources, and collaborative projects.
What’s the time commitment?
Students should plan for an average weekly commitment of 7-10 hours a week. Each week students will engage in 3.5 hours on Forum participating in their leadership course and learning groups. The remaining hours are a mix of attending speaker series events, one-on-one mentorship, optional volunteer opportunties, and completing course-related pre-work, reflections, and projects.
Sign up for more!
For interested students, sign up here to learn more about our programs! For educators, visit our educator form to request more information
