Rigorous, fair, and transparent.
Deadlines
Alpha Class of 2027
Applications opening soon- Opens
- 2 November 2026 at 09:00 CET (Europe/Rome)
- Deadline
- 31 January 2027 at 23:59 CET (Europe/Rome)
- Decisions
- 1 February 2027 – 12 February 2027
- Application fee
- No application fee has been published
Beta Class of 2027
Applications opening soon- Opens
- 3 May 2027 at 09:00 CEST (Europe/Rome)
- Deadline
- 31 July 2027 at 23:59 CEST (Europe/Rome)
- Decisions
- 2 August 2027 – 13 August 2027
- Application fee
- No application fee has been published
Eligibility
Who we are looking for.
- Adults (18+) anywhere in the world who can study in English.
- Emerging or established leaders, with or without formal authority.
- People able to commit to the 12-week workload (around 5–7 hours each week).
- No minimum degree or management experience is required.
A strong application
What makes an application stand out.
- Specific examples rather than general claims.
- Honest reflection, including on mistakes and changed views.
- Curiosity about why problems persist, not only what is wrong.
- Willingness to challenge assumptions constructively — including your own.
- Awareness of who is affected by the change you care about.
Polished writing is not required. We look for the substance of your thinking.
The rubric
Every application is assessed against the same published criteria.
Reviewers record evidence from your answers for each criterion on a 1–5 scale. The rubric is a decision aid; human reviewers make final decisions.
| Criterion | Weight | What strong evidence looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation and programme fit | 20% | Clear reason for applying, understanding of ISDL's philosophy, and a credible link to the applicant's context. |
| Critical thinking and intellectual curiosity | 20% | Questions assumptions, reasons clearly, recognises complexity, and considers alternative explanations. |
| Reflective capacity and learning orientation | 15% | Can describe learning, acknowledge uncertainty, and explain how their views have evolved. |
| Initiative and capacity to influence change | 15% | Examples of action, influence, experimentation, or thoughtful analysis even without formal authority. |
| Ethical and systems awareness | 15% | Considers stakeholders, power, fairness, risks, and unintended consequences. |
| Contribution to cohort | 10% | Willingness to share experience, learn across difference, and support collective inquiry. |
| Readiness and commitment | 5% | Realistic time commitment and ability to participate, with reasonable accommodations where appropriate. |
Application stages
- Account and consent
- Personal and professional profile
- Leadership context, motivation and readiness (nine short essays)
- Programme commitment
- Optional scholarship consideration
- Documents
- Review and submit
Documents
Requirements are set per cohort and shown in the form. For the 2027 cohorts, a CV and a portfolio or writing sample are optional. Accepted formats: PDF or DOCX, up to 4 MB each. We never ask for identity documents unless a policy genuinely requires them.
Timeline and decisions
We aim to decide within 10–15 business days of a complete application. Possible decisions: accepted (with or without a scholarship, or with the scholarship decision pending), waitlisted or deferred, or declined.
AI and admissions
AI may help reviewers summarise answers against the rubric and check completeness. It does not make admissions or scholarship decisions, and it is never used to infer personality, protected characteristics, or future success from writing style.Appeals and corrections
If you need to correct information after submitting, contact admissions; changes are made through a logged correction process. If you believe there was an error in how your application was handled, you may request a review within 14 days of your decision. See the admissions and scholarship policy.