International Water Association (IWA), Grundfos

The International Water Association (IWA) and Grundfos are pleased to announce the call for applications for the third cohort of the IWA & Grundfos Youth Action for SDG 6 Fellowship. Established in 2022, the Fellowship supports Young Water Professionals (YWPs) to strengthen their leadership, professional capabilities and contribution to global water challenges.

Building on the experience of the first two cohorts, the 2027–2028 Fellowship will place a stronger focus on innovation and on increasing the uptake of technology and innovative solutions in the water sector. The programme will support YWPs who are already exploring or developing an idea, solution or innovative approach to a clearly identified water challenge and who would benefit from a structured journey to refine, test, strengthen and position that work for wider uptake.

For IWA, YWPs are individuals aged 18 to 35 years old. The Fellowship will remain a global programme and will seek a cohort that reflects gender, geographical and professional diversity.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineNovember 7, 2026
• Study LevelMasters , PhD , Undergraduate
• SponsorInternational Water Association (IWA), Grundfos
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

Funding and participation support
For required Fellowship travel and in-person activities, the Fellowship is expected to cover the following costs for selected Fellows, in line with the arrangements used for previous cohorts:

• Air travel (economy class) and subsistence (breakfast, lunch and dinner);
• Accommodation (single occupancy);
• Ground transportation from and to the airport and from the hotel to Fellowship venues;
• Travel insurance; and
• Visa application fees.

Requirements

First, meet one of the following eligibility criteria:

• Hold an active IWA Young Water Professional membership, which will be verified by the IWA Secretariat; or
• Be employed by Grundfos and meet the Young Water Professional age requirement. Eligible Grundfos employees are not required to hold an IWA membership.

Second, all applicants, regardless of their application route, must meet the remaining Fellowship eligibility requirements:

• Be between 18 and 35 years old. The minimum age to apply is 18 years old, and the maximum age is 35 by the end of the Fellowship (December 2028);
• Be engaged in the water sector through study, research, employment, entrepreneurship or another relevant professional activity;
• Show evidence of commitment to delivering positive change in the water sector;
• Demonstrate leadership capacity and willingness to collaborate;
• Be addressing a relevant local and/or global water challenge through the proposed innovation or solution;
• Demonstrate tangible action towards developing or validating the proposed innovation;
• Have a working knowledge of English;
• Be available and committed to participating in the Fellowship activities throughout the programme; and
• Not be a former IWA & Grundfos Youth Action for SDG 6 Fellow;
• Not be a participant (current or former) of the IWA Leadership Programme (IWA LeaP);
• Not be a participant of the IWA Mentorship Programme.

Selection Process

Applications will first be reviewed by the IWA Secretariat through a preliminary eligibility and quality assessment. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an interview with a selection panel including representatives of IWA and Grundfos and, where appropriate, other Fellowship alumni representatives.

The assessment will consider both the applicant and the proposed innovation. Particular attention will be given to:

• Relevance and clarity of the water-related problem;
• Quality and innovative character of the proposed solution;
• Appropriateness of the solution’s stage of development and evidence of tangible progress or traction;
• Potential for impact and uptake;
• Fit with the Fellowship and the extent to which the programme can add value;
• Applicant capability, leadership potential, motivation and commitment; and
• Potential contribution to cohort learning and collaboration.
   

Following IWA’s vision and strategic goals to promote and create a gender and geographically balanced water sector, the final cohort composition will also consider regional and country representation, gender diversity, professional/background diversity, diversity of water challenges and an appropriate balance across the Fellowship’s innovation areas.

Application Documents

• Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages);
• Motivation letter (maximum 2 pages);
• Letter of reference, ideally from an IWA member (maximum 1 letter, 1 page); and
• Innovation proposal (maximum 2 pages).

Check also:
Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted in English through the online application form. Candidates will be asked to complete the form, upload all required documents, and accept the terms of the selection process. There are two application routes, depending on the applicant's eligibility:

• IWA Young Water Professional members: Applicants who are IWA Young Water Professional members must log in to IWA Connect Plus using their active IWA membership credentials before accessing the application form. The IWA Secretariat will verify membership status.

• Grundfos employees: Eligible Young Water Professionals employed by Grundfos can apply through a dedicated application form and are not required to hold an IWA membership. The dedicated application link is distributed through Grundfos' internal communication channels. Grundfos employees interested in applying should refer to the internal Fellowship announcement or contact the relevant Grundfos team to obtain the application link.

Important: The standard IWA application form requires applicants to be logged in to IWA Connect Plus. Grundfos employees who do not hold an IWA membership should use the dedicated Grundfos application route rather than the standard IWA member application form.

For more information,visit IWA scholarship webpage.