RIPE Fellowship 2027: Travel, Accommodation and Coaching for Internet Community Newcomers
The RIPE Fellowship supports eligible newcomers with meeting travel, accommodation, a ticket, coaching and community training to attend RIPE 94 in Vilnius or RIPE 95 in Madrid in 2027.
RIPE Fellowship 2027: Travel, Accommodation and Coaching for Internet Community Newcomers
The RIPE Fellowship is an entry route into the community that coordinates and operates the Internet across the RIPE NCC service region. For the 2027 cycle, applicants may seek support to attend either RIPE 94 in Vilnius, Lithuania, or RIPE 95 in Madrid, Spain. The program combines practical travel support with a guided learning experience before and after the meeting. Its goal is to help people who are new to RIPE find a useful way to participate and continue contributing afterward.
The application call is open now and closes on 23 November 2026 at 23:59 UTC+1. Before submitting the fellowship form, applicants must complete the RIPE 101 online course and pass its quiz. Passing triggers an invitation to the application form. This sequence matters: finishing the course and quiz is a prerequisite, not a substitute for the fellowship application.
Key details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opportunity | RIPE Fellowship for RIPE 94 or RIPE 95 |
| Organizer | RIPE Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) |
| Cycle | Meetings taking place in 2027 |
| Support | Meeting ticket, economy travel and accommodation, plus coaching and training |
| Application deadline | 23 November 2026, 23:59 UTC+1 |
| RIPE 94 | 24–28 May 2027, Vilnius, Lithuania |
| RIPE 95 | 15–19 November 2027, Madrid, Spain |
| Main eligibility | Age 18 or older; resident in RIPE NCC service region; relevant Internet coordination or operations interest; passed RIPE 101 quiz |
| Application system | Hypha, after passing the RIPE 101 quiz and receiving an invitation |
| Official page | RIPE Fellowship |
What the fellowship provides
The fellowship covers participation costs that can prevent newcomers from attending a RIPE Meeting. RIPE NCC says it provides a meeting ticket, economy flight tickets to and from the fellow’s departure location, and accommodation for the meeting. The ticket includes access to the meeting’s social events. The formal terms explain that RIPE NCC arranges flights and accommodation; fellows should not book these themselves expecting reimbursement unless RIPE NCC has consulted on it.
There is also structured preparation. Each fellow works with an experienced community member who serves as a coach. The published program includes three mandatory one-to-one online coaching sessions of 45 minutes each, mandatory group sessions, and training in public speaking and community participation. Fellows meet peers and create an individual learning path tied to a RIPE subject area. A coordinator provides ongoing support.
The meeting week includes attendance at the full RIPE Meeting, fellowship activities, time with the coach and peer group, and participation in working group sessions relevant to the fellow’s goals. Once the meeting is over, fellows have a feedback stage and a mandatory one-to-one session with a RIPE NCC mentor to plan continued involvement. This is a program of participation and learning, rather than a cash award or a research grant. RIPE NCC does not publish a fixed cash amount for the support package.
The program page also describes some practical incidentals. Under the terms, fellows arrange travel insurance and RIPE NCC reimburses eligible insurance costs up to €30. Fellows arrange any required visa and their own ground transport to and from the departure point and meeting location; relevant expenses are reimbursable according to the published process. Visa and local transport costs are not described as an unrestricted allowance, and receipts and the required bank details must be submitted on time.
Who is likely to fit
Applicants must be at least 18 and live in the RIPE NCC service region. They should study or work in a field directly connected to the technical coordination and operation of the Internet. Examples on the official page include network engineering and operations, Internet measurement and analysis, routing and addressing, Internet governance and policy, and community coordination through organizations such as network operator groups and Internet exchange points.
A conventional technical degree is not an absolute requirement. RIPE NCC says that a technical background is recommended but may not be needed, depending on the learning path. That flexibility should not be mistaken for a general technology fellowship: the program says it is not intended for people working solely in general IT, software development, or broader digital sectors. A convincing applicant can explain a real connection to Internet infrastructure, operations, coordination, or governance.
Returning RIPE Fellows and people who completed certain regional fellowships may also apply if they meet additional criteria. A returning RIPE Fellow must show continuing engagement with the RIPE community, have completed the previous fellowship at least one year before, and propose a new or meaningfully updated learning path. The published page names SEE, CAPIF, and MENOG regional fellowships as relevant prior experience and refers readers to additional criteria.
Choose the right meeting and learning track
The application is for one of two meetings. RIPE 94 runs from 24 to 28 May 2027 in Vilnius; RIPE 95 runs from 15 to 19 November 2027 in Madrid. Applicants should consider their availability, travel documentation needs, and the relevance of each meeting date before selecting a preference. The official page specifically advises applicants who need a visa to decide which meeting they prefer early because visa processing can take time.
Applicants also select a main learning track. The seven tracks are Domain Name System (DNS), Internet Governance, IP Management, IPv6, Measurements and Tools, Routing, and Security. These are not merely broad labels; each connects to actual technical, policy, or community work. For instance, the Measurements and Tools path can include tools such as RIPE Atlas, RIPEstat, or RIS, while an IPv6 path can focus on adoption and operational deployment challenges. The official description provides examples for all tracks.
Before choosing, identify a question or skill you want to explore and connect it to work you have already encountered. Someone involved in an Internet exchange point could focus on routing or community coordination. Someone studying policy might connect governance principles to the technical structure of Internet infrastructure. An applicant should be able to explain why their selected track makes sense for their background and what they hope to learn through participation.
Eligibility and travel considerations
The first three screening checks are concrete: age, residence in the RIPE NCC service region, and a work or study connection to Internet coordination or operations. The fourth is procedural: completion of RIPE 101 and a passing quiz result. Applicants should confirm their location falls within the service region using RIPE NCC’s official program information if uncertain, rather than assuming that any European or nearby country qualifies.
Selection and travel feasibility are related but separate. The program aims to support participation across the service region, but the page cautions that it may not be possible to support applicants from places facing high travel risks, such as airspace closures, or where embassies may not be operational. An applicant whose country has no Schengen visa processing centre may need to travel to another country to apply; those extra costs may not be fully covered. RIPE NCC also notes it cannot process financial reimbursements for residents of certain countries. If shortlisted, the team will discuss an appropriate support arrangement, but some applicants may have to pay visa costs and part of travel themselves.
Visa approval is not guaranteed by selection. Fellows are responsible for obtaining a visa where necessary, and RIPE NCC may provide an invitation letter if requested. The terms say the fellow is responsible for travel insurance and for arranging local transport. They also provide a reimbursement process for eligible insurance, visa, and local transportation expenses. Budget for possible out-of-pocket costs and clarify any questions with the fellowship team before making purchases.
How to apply
The application has a prerequisite stage and a fellowship application stage. Start by creating a RIPE NCC Access account if you do not already have one. Then take the RIPE 101 course through the RIPE NCC Academy and pass the quiz. The course introduces the RIPE community and RIPE NCC. After passing, the applicant receives an email invitation containing the application form and preparation information.
Before completing the invited form, the official page recommends having an updated CV or LinkedIn profile ready, deciding which meeting to attend, and selecting the primary learning track. The application is submitted through Hypha, RIPE NCC’s application system. The committee reviews applications and says it notifies candidates in early 2027. Submit before 23 November 2026 at 23:59 UTC+1; do not wait until the last hours to complete the quiz or address account issues.
The program explicitly encourages applicants not to use AI when preparing their application. That instruction is relevant to the personal statements and explanations: applicants should describe their own experience and aims in their own words. Use the official prompts and eligibility criteria to organize your thinking, but make sure the application represents your actual motivations and plans.
What the selection committee considers
RIPE NCC says the selection committee includes the fellowship coordinator and participants from the RIPE community. Applications are scored for alignment between the applicant’s personal interests and RIPE’s work, and for regional and gender diversity. The committee also seeks geographic spread and diversity of stakeholder groups and interests. This means a strong application should show a concrete fit with the fellowship’s purpose, while the final selection also reflects cohort balance.
The page does not publish a numeric scoring rubric or a target number of fellows, so applicants should not infer a guaranteed selection threshold. A clear fit case can still help reviewers understand the application: state the part of Internet coordination or operation that matters to you, explain the experience or study that led you there, and identify what you want to learn or contribute at the meeting. Be accurate about your present level of experience. The fellowship is built to support newcomers, so an honest account of being early in the community is more useful than overstating expertise.
Preparation strategy
Complete RIPE 101 early enough to retake the quiz if necessary and receive the invitation before the deadline approaches. Keep a short record of the course topics that connect to your work or study. Use that record to choose a learning track with a specific objective. A focused goal, such as understanding how routing security practices are discussed in the community, is easier to develop into a learning path than a generic wish to learn more about networking.
Review the meeting’s location and dates before deciding. If a visa may be required, research the official visa application process for your circumstances and start promptly. The fellowship page warns that processing may require travel to another country for some applicants. Do not purchase flights or accommodation independently; RIPE NCC arranges those benefits under the program terms. Keep potential insurance, visa, and local transit receipts if selected, and follow the actual reimbursement directions.
For the CV or LinkedIn profile, emphasize relevant experience rather than trying to make unrelated technical activity sound relevant. Community participation, network operations, measurements, policy work, addressing, routing, Internet exchange activity, or research can all help show the connection. If your experience comes from study, volunteering, or a local community, describe your role plainly. Review the official learning tracks and make sure the selected one is consistent with your stated goals.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most consequential mistake is treating the RIPE 101 quiz as the full application. Applicants must pass it, receive an invitation, and complete the Hypha application by the deadline. Another is leaving the course until late November and discovering too late that an account or quiz attempt needs attention.
Applicants can also misjudge the fit by focusing only on general IT or software development. RIPE NCC draws a boundary around work that directly relates to Internet coordination and operations. Explain that connection explicitly. A related mistake is selecting a track by name without showing why it connects to a real interest or learning objective.
On logistics, do not assume every cost is automatically paid in advance. The meeting ticket, economy airfare, and accommodation are arranged by RIPE NCC; travel insurance, visa fees, and local transport follow reimbursement terms. The insurance reimbursement is capped at €30. Visa-related extra travel may not be fully covered in every situation, and some residents may face reimbursement limitations. Ask the fellowship team about your circumstances if the official page flags a constraint.
Finally, respect the program’s request for authentic, personal applications. Do not submit generic claims or language that does not reflect your own experience. Answer the actual questions in the form and use accurate examples.
Timeline and what happens after selection
Applications close on 23 November 2026 at 23:59 UTC+1. The committee expects to notify candidates in early 2027, and the general selection page says selected candidates are notified at least three months before their meeting. RIPE 94 takes place in May 2027 and RIPE 95 in November 2027. Selected fellows then undertake preparation with their coach and peer group, attend their meeting, and complete the post-meeting feedback and mentoring stage.
The pre-meeting stage typically lasts about three months and concludes during the week before the RIPE Meeting. Fellows design their learning path with activities agreed with their coach. During the meeting, attendance is expected for the full event and dedicated fellowship activities. The final stage lasts around one month and includes a feedback survey and a mandatory mentor conversation about next steps. If visa problems or other circumstances make in-person attendance impossible, the official page says RIPE NCC will provide access to the rest of the fellowship program, though the terms still make no guarantee that travel can proceed.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a cash grant?
No fixed cash award is listed. The fellowship provides a meeting ticket, economy travel, accommodation, coaching, training, and a structured program. Certain incidental costs may be reimbursed under the terms.
Can I apply without a technical degree?
The page says a technical background is recommended but not always necessary, depending on the learning path. The applicant must still study or work in an area directly connected to Internet coordination and operation. General IT or software development alone is not the intended fit.
Do I need to attend RIPE 101 before applying?
Yes. Applicants must complete the online course and pass the quiz before receiving an invitation to the fellowship application form.
Can previous fellows apply again?
Returning RIPE Fellows may reapply if they meet additional requirements: continuing community engagement, at least a year since the previous fellowship, and a new or updated learning path.
Will RIPE NCC guarantee a visa?
No. Fellows are responsible for arranging visas. RIPE NCC may provide an invitation letter upon request and reimburse eligible costs according to its terms, but visa approval and travel feasibility are not guaranteed.
Official links and next step
Start with the official RIPE Fellowship page for the current eligibility rules, RIPE 101 course link, application invitation process, track descriptions, and contact email. Read the separate RIPE Fellowship Terms and Conditions before booking or paying for travel-related items. The application deadline is 23 November 2026 at 23:59 UTC+1. Applicants with program questions can contact [email protected].