Eligibility Requirements

Applicants to the Bush Fellowship Program:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Must be at least 24 years old at the time of the application deadline.
• Must have lived for one continuous year immediately prior to the application deadline in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or one of the 23 sovereign nations that shares the same geographic area with these states.
• Cannot have previously received a Bush Artist Fellowship, Bush Leadership Fellowship, Bush Medical Fellowship or Enduring Vision Award.
• Elected and public officials applying to the Bush Fellowship Program through GTS Educational Events must meet additional eligibility requirements.

Selection Criteria

Selection committee members consider the following when making their decisions:

Community and Issue

• A thorough understanding of and connection to the community in which the applicant wants to bring about positive and lasting change, including comprehensive knowledge of the stakeholders that need to be engaged and mobilized
• A realistic and in-depth understanding of the issue affecting the community and its impact
• A compelling vision to start with for how the community can be a better place that can also evolve
• The potential positive impact on the community

Work of the Fellowship

•  A realistic understanding of the work required to bring about the necessary change, the conflict that is likely to arise from it and ideas for capturing the learning
• A personal development plan that addresses the whole person and results in increased knowledge, creativity and resiliency
• Belief that the time is right for this work

The Applicant

• Personal qualities
• Commitment to purpose
• Potential for leadership growth