Application Process for Team Members

All interested applicants must first have their candidacy endorsed by a Rotary club in the district where the applicant works or lives. From there, endorsed applications are sent on for consideration at the district level. Club and district deadlines for applications vary, often six months before travel. Applications sent to the Foundation without club and district endorsement will be returned.

Eligibility Criteria

Team members must:

• be between the ages of 25-40;
• be employed full-time in a recognized profession;
• not be a Rotarian, honorary Rotarian, or employee of Rotary or the lineal descendant or spouse of a lineal descendant, a Rotarian, an honorary Rotarian, or an employee of Rotary;
• not be the spouse of another team member;
• not be an ex-Rotarian or the lineal descendant or spouse of a lineal descendant of an ex-Rotarian or ex-Rotary employee who resigned less than 36 months before the time of application.

Ideal Candidates

Ideal team members are:

• between the ages of 25 and 40;
• employed full-time in a recognized profession;
• a citizen of the country in which they reside;
• in good health;
• neat in appearance and able to express themselves clearly and logically;
• of a sound, general educational background;
• interested in and clearly enthusiastic about their chosen vocation and in possession of outstanding vocational skills;
• open-minded, tolerant, and flexible;
• proficient in the major language of the partner district;
• comfortable working as part of a team with a schedule that is physically and emotionally demanding.

Application Process for Team Leader

The team leader application must first be endorsed by the applicant's Rotary club. The club must then submit the endorsed team leader application to the district's GSE selection committee, which submits the endorsed appliction to The Rotary Foundation. Deadlines for applications vary within each club and district. Any applications sent to the Foundation without club and district endorsement will be returned.

Responsibilities of the Team Leader

The team leader acts as advocate, confidant, mediator, organizer, intermediary, consultant, colleague, friend, motivator, arbitrator, and protector of team members. As the only Rotarian on the team, the team leader is expected to assume complete control of the team and put its interests first.

Eligibility Criteria

The team leader must:

• be an experienced Rotarian;
• not be the current district governor, immediate past district governor, or district governor-elect;
• remain with the team for the duration of the exchange;
• be willing and able, physically and mentally, to keep pace the GSE;
• not be accompanied by a spouse, companion, or other relatives or dependents.

The team leader should help coordinate the exchange by facilitating the submission of pre- and post-departure documents (including the Travel Request) and by acting as an adviser during the selection of team members. Ideal Candidates for Team Leader

An ideal team leader:

• is not more than 20 years older than the oldest team member;
• possesses outstanding interpersonal communication skills;
• is proficient in the major language of the host district;
• has presentation and public-speaking skills and is able to help the team prepare for speeches at Rotary clubs;
• has the ability to imbue a team with a sense of mission.

GSE Team Leader Application

GSE Team Member Application

GSE Downloads

REConnections Bulletin