BAFF Fellowship Program

A prestigious nine-month U.S. fellowship for emerging Baltic professionals in security, defense, resilience, and related strategic fields.

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  • ✦ Up to USD 35,000

  • ✦ 9 months

  • ✦ Master students & recent graduates

  • ✦ From Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

  • ✦ United States

Why Participate?

The BAFF Fellowship Program is a competitive and prestigious scholarship designed to support the next generation of Baltic civic and business leaders with a strong interest in security, defense, resilience, and related strategic fields, and in U.S.-Baltic ties.

The program provides driven young professionals from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with the opportunity to participate in a specialized nine-month fellowship in the United States, combining professional experience, learning, and intercultural exchange. Depending on the participant’s professional background and goals, the fellowship may focus on a professional internship, research, or a combination of both.

BAFF provides a comprehensive scholarship covering the costs of participation, enabling Fellows to fully immerse themselves in the U.S. professional environment and American culture while gaining the experience, knowledge, and skills needed to advance their careers and contribute to their fields upon returning to the Baltics.

Fellows are placed with U.S. organizations, institutions, companies, or other relevant hosts where they can develop practical expertise, learn from U.S. professionals, contribute their own knowledge, and establish lasting professional connections between the Baltic States and the United States.

Through this experience, BAFF Fellows strengthen not only their individual professional and leadership capacity but also the knowledge, networks, and transatlantic relationships that contribute to a stronger, more secure, and resilient Baltic region.

What You’ll gain

  • Gain U.S. Professional Experience

    Work alongside professionals at U.S. organizations and gain practical experience, knowledge, and perspectives that can be applied in your future career in the Baltic States.

  • Build an International Professional Network

    Develop relationships with U.S. professionals, organizations, researchers, and experts while becoming part of the wider BAFF alumni community.

  • Develop Expertise in Security and Resilience

    Build specialized knowledge in fields relevant to contemporary security challenges, including cybersecurity and digital security, engineering and technology, media and information security, critical infrastructure, civil protection, crisis management, economic and strategic security, and other related areas.

  • Combine Professional Practice and Research

    Depending on the fellowship and host organization, participants may undertake a professional internship, conduct research, or combine practical work with a research component.

  • Bring Knowledge Back to the Baltics

    Apply the knowledge, professional practices, methodologies, and networks developed in the United States to contribute to your professional field and strengthen institutional and professional capacity in Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

  • Receive Comprehensive BAFF Support

    Selected Fellows receive financial and program support including roundtrip airfare to the U.S., J-1 visa sponsorship, health insurance, a monthly stipend, and dedicated program support throughout the fellowship. Fellows will also have opportunities to participate in the BAFF Fellows Forum and BAFF alumni activities upon their return home.

Who can participate?

Eligibility

The BAFF Fellowship Program is open to citizens of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania who demonstrate strong academic and professional potential and a clear interest in contributing to their field following their experience in the United States.

  • Citizenship: Must be a citizen of Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

  • Education & Experience: You must either be currently enrolled in a Master’s degree program, OR hold a Master’s degree with up to 5 years of professional experience in your field.

Relevant fields

The program is intended for emerging professionals pursuing careers related to security, defense, and societal resilience in a broad sense. Relevant fields may include, but are not limited to:

  • Diplomacy and International Relations

  •  Defense and security technologies

  •  Cybersecurity and digital security

  •  Media, journalism, and information security

  •  Engineering and technology

  •  Critical infrastructure protection

  •  Energy security

  •  Civil protection and crisis management

  •  Economic and strategic security

  •  Supply-chain and transportation security

  •  Social and community resilience

  •  Other fields contributing to security and resilience in the Baltic States

BAFF support

Selected Fellows receive a comprehensive BAFF scholarship of up to USD 35,000 to support their nine-month professional and/or research experience in the United States. The scholarship is designed to remove financial barriers and enable Fellows to focus fully on their professional development, learning, and U.S. experience.

The Fellowship includes

  • Roundtrip airfare to the United States

  • Bridge USA (J-1 visa) sponsorship by our U.S. implementer, Cenet

  • Health insurance

  • Monthly living stipend from BAFF or an equivalent salary from the host organization

  • Dedicated program and placement support

  • Participation in BAFF professional development and enrichment activities, including the BAFF Fellows Forum

  • Access to the BAFF alumni community

Who can participate?

Eligibility

The BAFF Fellowship Program is open to citizens of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania who demonstrate strong academic and professional potential and a clear interest in contributing to their field following their experience in the United States.

  • Citizenship: Must be a citizen of Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

  • Education & Experience: You must either be currently enrolled in a Master’s degree program, OR hold a Master’s degree with up to 5 years of professional experience in your field.

Relevant fields

The program is intended for emerging professionals pursuing careers related to security, defense, and societal resilience in a broad sense. Relevant fields may include, but are not limited to:

  • Diplomacy and International Relations

  •  Defense and security technologies

  •  Cybersecurity and digital security

  •  Media, journalism, and information security

  •  Engineering and technology

  •  Critical infrastructure protection

  •  Energy security

  •  Civil protection and crisis management

  •  Economic and strategic security

  •  Supply-chain and transportation security

  •  Social and community resilience

  •  Other fields contributing to security and resilience in the Baltic States

BAFF support

Selected Fellows receive a comprehensive BAFF scholarship of up to USD 35,000 to support their nine-month professional and/or research experience in the United States. The scholarship is designed to remove financial barriers and enable Fellows to focus fully on their professional development, learning, and U.S. experience.

The Fellowship includes

  • Roundtrip airfare to the United States

  • Bridge USA (J-1 visa) sponsorship by our U.S. implementer, Cenet

  • Health insurance

  • Monthly living stipend from BAFF or an equivalent salary from the host organization

  • Dedicated program and placement support

  • Participation in BAFF professional development and enrichment activities, including the BAFF Fellows Forum

  • Access to the BAFF alumni community

Who can participate?

BAFF support

Selected Fellows receive a comprehensive BAFF scholarship of up to USD 35,000 to support their nine-month professional and/or research experience in the United States. The scholarship is designed to remove financial barriers and enable Fellows to focus fully on their professional development, learning, and U.S. experience.

The Fellowship includes

  • Roundtrip airfare to the United States

  • Bridge USA (J-1 visa) sponsorship by our U.S. implementer, Cenet

  • Health insurance

  • Monthly living stipend from BAFF or an equivalent salary from the host organization

  • Dedicated program and placement support

  • Participation in BAFF professional development and enrichment activities, including the BAFF Fellows Forum

  • Access to the BAFF alumni community

Who can participate?

Eligibility

The BAFF Fellowship Program is open to citizens of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania who demonstrate strong academic and professional potential and a clear interest in contributing to their field following their experience in the United States.

  • Citizenship: Must be a citizen of Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

  • Education & Experience: You must either be currently enrolled in a Master’s degree program, OR hold a Master’s degree with up to 5 years of professional experience in your field.

Relevant fields

The program is intended for emerging professionals pursuing careers related to security, defense, and societal resilience in a broad sense. Relevant fields may include, but are not limited to:

  •  Diplomacy and International Relations

  •  Defense and security technologies

  •  Cybersecurity and digital security

  •  Media, journalism, and information security

  •  Engineering and technology

  •  Critical infrastructure protection

  •  Energy security

  •  Civil protection and crisis management

  •  Economic and strategic security

  •  Supply-chain and transportation security

  •  Social and community resilience

  •  Other fields contributing to security and resilience in the Baltic States

What You’ll gain

Work alongside professionals at U.S. organizations and gain practical experience, knowledge, and perspectives that can be applied in your future career in the Baltic States.

Gain U.S. Professional Experience

Build specialized knowledge in fields relevant to contemporary security challenges, including cybersecurity and digital security, engineering and technology, media and information security, critical infrastructure, civil protection, crisis management, economic and strategic security, and other related areas.

Develop Expertise in Security and Resilience

Combine Professional Practice and Research

Bring Knowledge Back to the Baltics

Apply the knowledge, professional practices, methodologies, and networks developed in the United States to contribute to your professional field and strengthen institutional and professional capacity in Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

Receive Comprehensive BAFF Support

Selected Fellows receive financial and program support including roundtrip airfare to the U.S., J-1 visa sponsorship, health insurance, a monthly stipend, and dedicated program support throughout the fellowship. Fellows will also have opportunities to participate in the BAFF Fellows Forum and BAFF alumni activities upon their return home.

Build an International Professional Network

Depending on the fellowship and host organization, participants may undertake a professional internship, conduct research, or combine practical work with a research component.

Develop relationships with U.S. professionals, organizations, researchers, and experts while becoming part of the wider BAFF alumni community.

Who can participate?

Eligibility

The BAFF Fellowship Program is open to citizens of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania who demonstrate strong academic and professional potential and a clear interest in contributing to their field following their experience in the United States.

  • Citizenship: Must be a citizen of Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

  • Education & Experience: You must either be currently enrolled in a Master’s degree program, OR hold a Master’s degree with up to 5 years of professional experience in your field.

Relevant fields

The program is intended for emerging professionals pursuing careers related to security, defense, and societal resilience in a broad sense. Relevant fields may include, but are not limited to:

  •  Diplomacy and International Relations

  •  Defense and security technologies

  •  Cybersecurity and digital security

  •  Media, journalism, and information security

  •  Engineering and technology

  •  Critical infrastructure protection

  •  Energy security

  •  Civil protection and crisis management

  •  Economic and strategic security

  •  Supply-chain and transportation security

  •  Social and community resilience

  •  Other fields contributing to security and resilience in the Baltic States

What You’ll gain

Develop Expertise in Security and Resilience

Build specialized knowledge in fields relevant to contemporary security challenges, including cybersecurity and digital security, engineering and technology, media and information security, critical infrastructure, civil protection, crisis management, economic and strategic security, and other related areas.

Gain U.S. Professional Experience

Work alongside professionals at U.S. organizations and gain practical experience, knowledge, and perspectives that can be applied in your future career in the Baltic States.

Combine Professional Practice and Research

Depending on the fellowship and host organization, participants may undertake a professional internship, conduct research, or combine practical work with a research component.

Bring Knowledge Back to the Baltics

Apply the knowledge, professional practices, methodologies, and networks developed in the United States to contribute to your professional field and strengthen institutional and professional capacity in Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania.

Receive Comprehensive BAFF Support

BAFF provides financial and program support to make participation accessible to selected Fellows. Support includes roundtrip airfare to the United States, J-1 visa sponsorship, health insurance, a monthly stipend, and dedicated program support throughout the fellowship. Fellows will also have opportunities to participate in the BAFF Fellows Forum and BAFF alumni activities upon their return home.

Build an International Professional Network

Develop relationships with U.S. professionals, organizations, researchers, and experts while becoming part of the wider BAFF alumni community.