Applications are open for the Youth Global Forum 2027, and this one is worth your attention if you are chasing a genuinely funded seat in Europe rather than just a paid conference ticket. If you’re also weighing longer study options on the continent, it’s worth seeing what studying in Finland actually costs or what Porto’s scholarship and funding programmes look like, but for now, the event lands in Paris from 20 to 23 January 2027, and it brings together 250 young leaders from every corner of the world for four days of leadership training, policy talks, workshops, and real networking. Out of those 250 seats, 30 are fully funded and 40 are partially funded, both awarded through competitive selection rather than handed out automatically.
🔗 Official Application Link: Youth Global Forum 2027 | Centre for Global Dialogue and Leadership (CGDL)
What You Need to Know First
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Host Country | France |
| Event Location | Paris |
| Event Dates | 20 to 23 January 2027 |
| Total Seats Available | 250 |
| Fully Funded Seats | 30 |
| Partially Funded Seats | 40 |
| Application Deadline | 18 November 2026 |
| Organizer | Centre for Global Dialogue and Leadership (CGDL), a public policy institute based in Toronto, Canada |
About the Youth Global Forum 2027
This is the second edition of the forum. The first one took place in Madrid, Spain, in January 2026, and it drew a strong enough response that CGDL decided to expand the program significantly for round two. Paris was chosen because it is home to several major international institutions, and delegates will actually get to walk into some of them. As part of the itinerary, participants will take guided visits to UNESCO Headquarters and other organizations in the city, so this is not a forum where you simply sit in a conference room for four days. You get keynote addresses, high-level panel discussions, interactive workshops, policy masterclasses, cultural exchange activities, and small group discussions built around themes like leadership, public policy, artificial intelligence, climate action, entrepreneurship, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Looking for a longer-term fully funded route rather than a four-day forum? You may also want to check this guide to the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, a fully funded Master’s route through Europe.
What the Fully Funded Package Covers
If you are selected under the fully funded category, here is what you get:
- Round-trip international airfare support
- Twin-shared accommodation at a 4-star hotel
- Meals and coffee breaks throughout the forum
- Full access to all workshops and policy masterclasses
- Institutional visits, including the stop at UNESCO Headquarters
- Conference materials
- A Certificate of Recognition
- A Visa Invitation Letter, plus support with your embassy documentation
What the Partially Funded Package Covers
The partially funded category gets you almost everything above, minus the flight:
- Twin-shared accommodation at a 4-star hotel
- Meals and coffee breaks
- Full forum participation
- Workshops and policy masterclasses
- Institutional visits
- Conference materials
- Certificate of Recognition
- Visa Invitation Letter and support
International airfare is the one thing you will need to cover yourself in this category.
One Thing to Flag Before You Apply
Both the fully funded and partially funded categories share a single application form, and that form carries a $16.99 processing fee. This is not a completely free application, so budget for that small cost before you start filling in your details. If you’re also managing repayment on U.S. federal student loans while juggling costs like this, the Education Department’s recent student loan rule changes are worth tracking too.
Who Can Apply
- You need to be between 16 and 46 years old
- Applicants from any country are welcome
- Students, recent graduates, and young professionals can all apply
- Social entrepreneurs, policy enthusiasts, and human rights defenders are encouraged to apply
- Content creators, digital storytellers, youth workers, and NGO leaders also fit the target group
- No prior international conference experience is required. CGDL states clearly that motivation and commitment matter more than a polished resume
If policy work is your main interest, longer EU-funded routes such as Türkiye’s Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme follow a similar merit-based structure and are worth comparing. If you’d rather widen your options further, it’s also worth comparing something like Saudi Arabia’s government-funded scholarships.
How Selections Are Made
CGDL reviews every fully funded and partially funded application through a rubric-based system, which basically means every applicant is scored against the same criteria instead of being judged case by case. The panel looks at four things: how clear your motivation is, your leadership potential and community engagement so far, how relevant your background is to the forum’s themes, and your general global awareness and willingness to keep learning.
Before you start filling in the form, it’s worth reading up on the most common scholarship application mistakes and how to avoid them — small errors here can cost you a spot.
How to Apply
- Head to the official Youth Global Forum 2027 application page on thecgdl.org.
- Pick either the fully funded or partially funded category. Remember, both share the same form, so you only fill it out once.
- Enter your personal, academic, and professional details accurately. Having a CV formatted the way European institutions expect ready beforehand makes this step faster.
- Write a motivation statement that speaks directly to the forum’s themes rather than a generic paragraph you could send anywhere.
- Pay the $16.99 processing fee and submit your application before 18 November 2026.
Do not wait until the final week to apply. With only 30 fully funded seats up for grabs out of 250 total places, competition is going to be tight, and a rushed application rarely stands out.
Want your motivation statement to actually land? This guide on how to write a scholarship personal statement that actually gets you funded walks through exactly that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really free if I get the fully funded seat?
Almost. You will still pay the $16.99 application processing fee upfront, but once you are selected, your flight, hotel, meals, and forum access are all covered.
Can I apply if I have never attended an international conference before?
Yes. CGDL does not require prior conference experience. What matters more is a genuine, well-written motivation statement and evidence that you are engaged in your community.
What happens if I do not get selected for a funded seat?
CGDL also runs Forum Admission and Self-Funded categories with guaranteed entry, though these come at a cost and do not include the scholarship benefits.
Will I need a visa to attend?
Most applicants outside the European Union will need one, and CGDL provides a Visa Invitation Letter along with embassy coordination support to help with that process.