Young Leaders in National Security Fellowship 2026
About the Fellowship
The Counter Extremism Group (CEG) Young Leaders in National Security Fellowship aims to identify, nurture, and guide young people interested in counter-terrorism and counter-extremism issues and looking to pursue a career in these or closely related fields in the UK. It is headed by an eminent expert in this field: Lord Carlile of Berriew.
As part of this free, week-long course, CEG will also provide access to a leading range of experts and decision-makers who can provide an exhaustive and unparalleled insight into key issues facing the UK today.
This Includes:
- The nature of the terrorism threat.
- The roots of extremist ideology.
- Why people join terrorist and extremist groups.
- How these areas impact free speech.
- How counter-terrorism and counter-extremism policies actually get made.
- National defence strategy and the international terrorism threat picture.
- How journalists approach covering extremism and terrorism stories.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for exceptional individuals who are serious about pursuing a future in national security, counter-terrorism, and counter-extremism in the UK. This Fellowship is designed for those at the beginning of their careers, typically students, recent graduates, or those in the first few years of professional life.
We are particularly interested in applicants who combine intellectual curiosity with a willingness to take clear, well-reasoned positions. You should be motivated not only to understand the challenges posed by extremism and terrorism, but to engage critically with them and contribute to real-world responses.
We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, including those on policy, academic, operational, or media pathways. What matters most is not your specific route, but your drive, intellectual seriousness, and potential to contribute to the future of the field.
This is a competitive programme intended for those who want to play a leading role in shaping the UK’s response to extremism and national security challenges.
Information for Applicants
- The course will be delivered in person in central London between September 7th – 11th 2026. ● The course is free. In addition, CEG will offer financial support to cover travel costs within the UK, six nights accommodation and a small daily per diem
- Interviews will take place online in the last two weeks of June.
About the Fellowship Patron Lord Carlile of Berriew
Lord Carlile, Senior Legal Fellow at CEG, is a crossbencher in the House of Lords. He served as Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation between 2001 and 2011. He was the Independent Reviewer of the Government’s Prevent strategy in 2011 and Independent Reviewer of National Security policy in Northern Ireland.
Lord Carlile has agreed to craft an agenda that will help identify and nurture exceptional talent identified during the Fellowship.
Fellowship Speakers
Speakers for the Fellowship typically range from former leaders in the intelligence and security agencies, such as Sir Alex Younger, former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, Sir David Omand, former head of GCHQ, and Suzanne Raine, former Head of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, to politicians and statesmen, such as Lord David Blunkett, former Home Secretary, Lord Michael Gove, former Secretary of State for Justice and for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and Holly Lynch MP, former Shadow Minister for Security.
The course also features specialists in counter-terrorism law and law enforcement, such as Jonathan Hall KC, the Government’s Independent Adviser on Counter Terrorism Legislation, and Dean Haydon, former Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police.
The Fellowship intends to create space for considering the wider societal and cultural issues that are integral to the national security context. As part of the course, there are sessions hearing from those serving in public life as government officials, advisers and diplomats, such as William Shawcross, former Independent Reviewer of Prevent, Sir John Jenkins, former British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dame Sara Khan, Independent Adviser for Social Cohesion and Resilience, Lord Walney, Independent Adviser on Political Violence and Disruption, and Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chair of Equality and Human Rights Commission.
There are sessions led by figures in the fields of media and journalism, such as Fiona Hamilton, Chief Reporter at the Times, Caroline Fourest, former Charlie Hebdo journalist, and Douglas Murray, writer and commentator.
The programme also features academics, former extremists, and those working to reform terrorist offenders in prison, such as Shaikh Abu Muntasir, who fought with jihadists groups and now is devoted to countering radicalisation.
Among other sessions, Fellows have attended seminars at No. 10 Downing Street, the Home Office and Parliament.
Feedback from 2025 CEG Young Leaders in National Security Fellows
“The Fellowship was one of the most informative and interesting weeks of my life.”
“The range and quality of speakers is unmatched – the opportunity to discuss the contemporary terrorism landscape with them is invaluable.”
“The access given to some of the most influential voices in the counter extremism space is something I have never experienced before.”
“I’ve learned more about the practice of counter-terrorism this week than I did in my entire masters.”
How to Apply
Those wishing to apply should send the following documents to fellowship@counterextremism.org.uk:
- CV
- Cover letter explaining
- Why you wish to take the course;
- Which article, book, or thinker has most influenced your attitudes towards terrorism and/or extremism? (200 words max)
- What is the single biggest extremist threat facing Britain today? Why? What is the best argument that you are wrong? (300 words max)
- Include a written declaration that you have complied with CEG’s GenAI policy. Please send application documents as an attached word or pdf document.
The deadline for applications is 5pm June 5th 2026.
CEG’s Generative AI Policy:
You should not use AI tools to generate your application to the Fellowship. Applications must reflect your own thinking, voice, or experience. Applications that appear generic, lack personal detail, or closely resemble AI-generated content may be rejected.