The Ukraine Graduate Fellowship Group Fund (UGFGF) has been launched this month to support students from Ukraine pursuing a Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS).
The effort was spearheaded by Niels Planel, an HKS alumnus who helped establish the fund in coordination with HKS to create new opportunities for Ukrainians committed to leadership and public service. “In the current context, I saw the creation of such a Fellowship as a meaningful way to contribute to Ukraine’s future,” said Planel, a French national.
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The fund establishes and supports the Ukraine Graduate Fellowship, which will be open to admitted HKS MC/MPA Program students from Ukraine with a demonstrated interest in leadership and public service. The Fellowship will be awarded to a minimum of one student annually on a competitive, merit basis, with preference given to students with demonstrated financial need. Recipients will receive up to $100,000 for tuition, fees, and living expenses.
The initiative’s first donor is Gérard Wormser, founder of international review Sens Public. Reflecting on the importance of the effort, Wormser, also a French national, stated: “The next chapter in Europe’s history is the democratic transformation of a friendly nation, thereby shaping a better century.”
Founded in 1936, the Harvard Kennedy School is considered the world’s premier leadership and public policy school. Its alumni worldwide include heads of state and government, cabinet ministers, legislators, and leaders across the business, military, media, finance, nonprofit, arts, and technology sectors.
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The Fellowship will be awarded at the discretion of Harvard Kennedy School’s Degree Programs and Student Affairs office. All admissions and fellowship decisions will be made solely by Harvard Kennedy School in accordance with its established policies and procedures.
HKS considers the following attributes when evaluating applications for admission: Strong academic achievement and intellectual distinction, leadership capabilities and personal character, quantitative proficiency, commitment to public service, diverse experiences and backgrounds.
The program’s length is one year, and on average, the entering age in the MC/MPA program is 38 and students have 14 years of work experience. The admission application deadline for the next school year is Dec. 1, 2026.
Says Planel: “I am hopeful that this Fellowship will create new opportunities for Ukrainians to gain the skills, networks, and experience needed to help shape their country’s future. I encourage Ukrainians committed to leadership and public service to apply.”
More information about the MC/MPA program and admissions process is available through the Harvard Kennedy School’s website.
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