If I were preparing my application for the ICANN88 Fellowship Program, the first thing I would understand is that this is not simply a travel opportunity to attend an international technology conference.
The fellowship is built around participation.
ICANN is one of the organisations at the centre of how the global Internet’s unique identifiers are coordinated, and its fellowship programme is designed to bring people from communities that have historically had less representation into that multistakeholder environment.
For the ICANN88 Community Forum, the meeting is scheduled to take place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 13 to 18 March 2027. The current application round opened on 21 July 2026, and the deadline is 21 August 2026 at 23:59 UTC.
Successful fellows are expected to be announced on 10 November 2026.
That gives applicants a relatively short window to put together an application that shows genuine interest in ICANN’s work rather than simply saying, “I want to attend an international conference.”
What Is the ICANN Fellowship Program?
The ICANN Fellowship Program gives selected participants an opportunity to become more actively involved in the ICANN community.
The programme is open to people who are either already involved in, or interested in, areas connected to ICANN’s work.
That includes topics such as:
- Internet policymaking
- Domain Name System (DNS) operations
- Internet governance
- Security and stability of the global Internet
- ICANN’s multistakeholder model
- Internet infrastructure
- Community policy development
What makes the programme particularly interesting is that ICANN isn’t looking only for people who already have long careers in Internet governance.
The fellowship is intended to strengthen participation from underserved and underrepresented communities.
So, from a successful applicant’s perspective, the opportunity isn’t simply about what I already know.
It is also about demonstrating that I can become a meaningful participant in the ICANN community.
ICANN88 Will Take Place in Lisbon
The next opportunity is connected to ICANN88, which is scheduled for:
13–18 March 2027
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon will host the ICANN Community Forum, bringing together members of the global Internet community.
The meeting is expected to provide opportunities to engage with people working across different parts of the ICANN ecosystem.
For a new fellow, that can be a lot to take in.
ICANN has its own terminology, policy processes, working groups and community structures. The value of the fellowship is therefore not just being physically present at the meeting.
It is learning how to navigate that environment and finding where your own interests fit.
What Happens If the ICANN88 Meeting Goes Virtual?
There is an important contingency in the announcement.
If the ICANN88 meeting is ultimately held virtually, the Fellowship Program will also be conducted virtually.
That means applicants shouldn’t view the fellowship solely as a guaranteed trip to Portugal.
The central benefit is participation in the ICANN community and its programme, while the format depends on how the meeting itself is conducted.
For me, that distinction matters when evaluating the opportunity.
The location is attractive, but the real value is the access to ICANN’s multistakeholder discussions and the opportunity to build relationships within the community.
Why ICANN Created the Fellowship Program
ICANN’s work can seem technical from the outside.
But the decisions surrounding Internet identifiers and the Domain Name System affect people, businesses, governments and organisations around the world.
ICANN describes its mission around maintaining a stable, secure and unified global Internet.
At a basic level, whenever someone enters an Internet address, computers need to know where to find the corresponding destination.
ICANN helps coordinate the unique identifiers that make that system work globally.
But ICANN isn’t simply a technical organisation making decisions behind closed doors.
Its model is based on participation from different groups with different interests.
That is where the fellowship comes in.
The Multistakeholder Model Is the Real Learning Experience
One of the biggest things I would pay attention to as a fellow is the ICANN multistakeholder model.
Instead of assuming that one group should make all the decisions about Internet governance, ICANN brings different communities into the process.
These can include:
- Governments
- Businesses
- Technical experts
- Civil society
- Internet users
- Domain name industry participants
- Researchers
- Other interested stakeholders
For someone coming into ICANN for the first time, this can be more complicated than it initially sounds.
Different groups can have very different priorities.
A technical community might approach a problem from an operational perspective.
A government representative might be thinking about public policy.
A business might be concerned about costs and implementation.
Civil society may focus on user rights and public interest concerns.
The interesting part is seeing how those perspectives interact.
What Can I Actually Learn Through the Fellowship?
The fellowship can be particularly useful if I’m interested in how Internet policy is made rather than simply learning about technology itself.
For example, I might be interested in:
Domain Name System Operations
The DNS is fundamental to how users find websites and online services.
Understanding how this infrastructure works provides useful context for anyone interested in Internet governance.
Internet Policy
ICANN’s policy development activities offer an opportunity to see how complex Internet-related issues are discussed and developed through community processes.
Internet Security and Stability
The security and stability of the global Internet are central to ICANN’s mission.
For people interested in cybersecurity, digital governance or Internet infrastructure, this can provide a valuable policy-level perspective.
Digital Governance
The fellowship can also be relevant to people interested in the broader question of who makes decisions about the Internet and how different stakeholders participate.
Who Is the ICANN Fellowship For?
The programme is open to applicants who are interested in or already engaged with various aspects of ICANN’s work.
That wording is important.
You don’t necessarily need to already be an ICANN insider.
If I am relatively new to Internet governance but can demonstrate a genuine interest in the organisation’s work, the fellowship may still be relevant.
At the same time, an application becomes much stronger when the applicant can explain a real connection to Internet policy, DNS, digital governance, cybersecurity, technology or another area related to ICANN.
I Wouldn’t Apply With a Generic Technology Story
This is probably one of the biggest lessons I would take from the opportunity.
Saying:
“Technology is changing the world and I want to be part of the future of the Internet.”
doesn’t tell the selection team very much.
It is too broad.
A much more useful application story would explain something specific.
For example:
- I work on digital policy and have encountered challenges around Internet governance.
- I research cybersecurity and want to understand the policy structures surrounding global Internet infrastructure.
- I participate in digital rights advocacy and want to understand how Internet policies are developed.
- I work in the technology sector and want to become more involved in the DNS ecosystem.
- I represent a community that is underrepresented in global Internet governance.
The more clearly I can connect my background to ICANN’s actual work, the easier it becomes to understand why the fellowship makes sense for me.
The Fellowship Is Especially Relevant to Underrepresented Communities
ICANN says that one of the programme’s goals is to strengthen representation within its multistakeholder model.
The fellowship therefore creates opportunities for individuals from underserved and underrepresented communities to participate more actively.
That doesn’t mean I should manufacture a story about being underrepresented.
Instead, I would explain honestly what perspective I bring and what community, professional environment or regional context I understand.
For applicants from regions that have historically had fewer opportunities to participate in global Internet governance discussions, this can be particularly significant.
ICANN88 Fellowship Deadline
The application deadline is:
21 August 2026 at 23:59 UTC
This is an important detail because the deadline is expressed in UTC, not necessarily in the applicant’s local time.
I would therefore avoid waiting until the final hour.
If I’m applying from a different time zone, I would convert the deadline to my local time and submit earlier.
When Will ICANN88 Fellowship Results Be Announced?
The announcement states that successful candidates will be announced on:
10 November 2026
The results will be published on the ICANN website.
That means there is roughly a few months between the application deadline and the announcement of selected fellows.
What Makes This Different From a Normal Conference?
A normal conference can be useful.
I attend sessions, listen to speakers, exchange business cards, perhaps participate in discussions and return home.
The ICANN Fellowship is different because the objective is deeper participation in the organisation’s community.
The fellowship gives participants an opportunity to understand the ICANN environment and potentially continue participating beyond one meeting.
That longer-term community element is important.
The real value isn’t just:
“I attended ICANN88 in Lisbon.”
It is:
“I became familiar with ICANN’s processes and found ways to participate in global Internet governance.”
ICANN Is Not Just About Websites
This is another misconception I would clear up before applying.
ICANN is not simply an organisation that manages websites.
Its work is closely associated with the coordination of the Internet’s unique identifiers, including the systems that allow domain names and other identifiers to work consistently around the world.
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a major part of that ecosystem.
That makes ICANN relevant to a much wider range of professionals than people sometimes realise.
You don’t have to be a programmer to have an interest in ICANN.
Someone working in:
- Public policy
- International relations
- Law
- Cybersecurity
- Digital rights
- Telecommunications
- Technology
- Internet infrastructure
- Government
- Civil society
- Research
could potentially find the programme highly relevant.
What I Would Want to Get From the Lisbon Experience
If selected, I wouldn’t approach ICANN88 as six days of sitting in conference rooms.
I would want to leave with three things.
First: A clearer understanding of Internet governance
I would want to understand how the different parts of the ICANN community interact and how policy discussions develop.
Second: A professional network
The people I meet could become more valuable than any individual session.
ICANN brings together people with different technical, policy, business and civil society perspectives.
That makes networking unusually relevant to the purpose of the programme.
Third: A pathway to continued participation
The most valuable outcome would be finding where I can continue contributing after ICANN88.
The fellowship is much more useful if the experience becomes the beginning of continued engagement rather than the end of a trip.
ICANN88 Fellowship 2027: Important Dates
| Event | Date |
| Application opens | 21 July 2026 |
| Application deadline | 21 August 2026, 23:59 UTC |
| Successful candidates announced | 10 November 2026 |
| ICANN88 Community Forum | 13–18 March 2027 |
| Location | Lisbon, Portugal |
| If meeting is virtual | Fellowship also becomes virtual |
How I Would Position My Application
I would keep the application grounded in what I actually do.
The strongest story is likely to be something along these lines:
My background → the Internet governance issue I care about → what I currently contribute → what I don’t yet understand → why ICANN is the right environment → how I will use the experience afterward.
That is much stronger than trying to sound like an expert on every aspect of ICANN.
In fact, pretending to know everything would probably work against the purpose of the fellowship.
The programme explicitly welcomes people who are interested in or already engaged in ICANN’s work.
So there is room for applicants who are still developing their understanding.
What matters is that the interest is genuine and that there is a credible reason for wanting to become involved.
My Summary on the ICANN88 Fellowship
The ICANN88 Fellowship 2027 in Lisbon is an interesting opportunity for anyone who wants to move beyond simply consuming technology and start understanding how the global Internet is governed.
The fellowship is particularly valuable because it sits at the intersection of technology, policy, international cooperation and community participation.
I wouldn’t apply simply because Lisbon sounds exciting.
I would apply because I have a genuine interest in one or more areas connected to ICANN, Internet governance, DNS operations, policymaking, cybersecurity, or the security and stability of the global Internet, and I can explain how participating would help me contribute more effectively.
The current application round opened on 21 July 2026, and the deadline is 21 August 2026 at 23:59 UTC.
Successful candidates will be announced on 10 November 2026, ahead of the 13–18 March 2027 ICANN88 Community Forum in Lisbon, Portugal.
And if the meeting is eventually moved online, the fellowship will move online with it.For someone serious about entering the global Internet governance space, that distinction is worth remembering: the real opportunity isn’t simply the destination. It’s gaining a place in the conversation.
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About Scholars Africa Editorial Team
Scholars Africa Editorial Team is dedicated to researching and publishing verified scholarships, jobs, and global opportunities. Our content is built on extensive analysis of application trends, eligibility criteria, and selection patterns to help applicants succeed at every stage. Our team has reviewed hundreds of scholarship programs and application processes across multiple countries.