Rise is a program that finds promising young people and provides opportunity for life as they work to serve others. The program starts at ages 15–17 and encourages a lifetime of service and learning by providing support that includes need-based scholarships, mentorship, networking, access to career development opportunities, and the potential for additional funding as Rise Global Winners work toward solving humanity’s most pressing problems.
Rise is a collaborative initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust which is designed to increase opportunities for exceptional young people. Schmidt Futures, in partnership with The Rhodes Trust, announced the inaugural cohort of 100 Global Winners for Rise, a global initiative that finds brilliant people who need opportunity and supports them for life as they work to serve others. Rise is the anchor program of a broader $1 billion philanthropic commitment from Eric and Wendy Schmidt. The 100 Global Winners selected from tens of thousands of applicants speak more than 20 languages and hail from 42 countries, including Afghanistan, China, India, Kenya, Mexico, and the United States. Education Matters is a proud partner of Rise.Â
Everyone who applies joins a global community of leaders and gains access to opportunities from our partners around the world.
BENEFITS
- Residential Summit – One fully-funded residential summit with other Rise Global Winners from their cohort—to be held in a rotating location globally.
- Higher Education Scholarships – A four-year, post-secondary scholarship at any accredited university, including tuition and a living stipend, based on need and where not already covered by financial aid.
- Funding for Ideas on a Competitive Basis – Opportunity to apply for funding for innovative ideas—ranging, for example, from seed money to start a social enterprise to grants for a non-profit. Funds will be designated for these purposes in a total pooled amount of at least $5M/year of the program and will be available competitively to Winners and Finalists.
- Global Winner Network – Access to a network of other Global Winners across cohorts to connect on common interests, make service commitments, launch enterprises, and collaborate together.
- Network Matching – Access to a network of other Global Winners, community members, and partner organizations, as well as career development programming, delivered primarily through technology (via our matching platform).
- Starter technology Packages – Technology packages, such as laptops or tablets, to be determined each year based on budget and individual needs.
- Mentorship & Career Services – Mentorship to provide personal, academic, or professional guidance, and specialized career services for internships and jobs.
In addition, the program may provide additional benefits and services to Winners and other members depending on need and funding. These may include the opportunity to apply for scholarships for a graduate degree, access to partner opportunities, an additional convening, and other relevant activities.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants for the 2024 cohort must be between the ages of 15 and 17 as of July 1, 2024, meaning they are born on or between July 2, 2006 and July 1, 2009.
Not eligible? You can still stay connected to Rise through our newsletter and recommending someone to join.
How to apply to RISEÂ
The application for the 2023-2024 Rise Challenge opens by the end of September 2023.
For more information on how to apply, application timelines and requirements please check out the Rise website.