***Mark your calendars! Registration for the 2026 Idealist Grad Fair opens on April 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET.

You'll need to be an administrator of your program's account on Idealist.

1) Log in to your Idealist account and select your program's account from the dropdown list in the upper right corner. You will be taken to your program's Dashboard.

2) Click "Grad Fairs," which is located on the left side of the Dashboard. Alternatively, you can also access the registration portal here: idealist.org/gradfairs

3) Select the fair(s) you'd like to attend from the list on the right.

4) Click the blue "REGISTER" button. If a fair is full, you will automatically be added to the waitlist.

NOTE: Once you've hit "REGISTER," an invoice will be generated. You will be able to view it in your Dashboard and pay via credit card or check.

Programs with the most success at our events are those that offer degrees relevant to public-service professionals, such as anthropology, applied math and science, conflict resolution, counseling, divinity, education, environmental sciences, global and public health, international affairs, nonprofit management, nursing, psychology, public interest law, public administration, public policy, social work, socially responsible business, sociology, urban planning... and the list goes on.

Appropriate fellowship programs that partner with an accredited graduate program (so that fellows earn a graduate degree) are welcome to register. Some schools and organizations cannot register for a table. These include: 

for-profit schools

any institution that does not offer graduate degrees

fellowships through which fellows do not earn a graduate degree

post-baccalaureate programs

undergraduate programs

non-school organizations certificate programs

for-profit third party recruiters

The Idealist Grad Fairs attract prospective students who are interested in programs that will help further their careers in the social-impact sector.

Attendees include people who are at different stages in their careers: professionals, recent college grads, current members and alumni of service corps (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps), interns, and current undergraduates.

Exhibitor registration for the Idealist Grad School Fair costs $875.

The 2026 Idealist Grad School Fair will be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 30, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET.

The venue is located at 125 W 18th Street, New York, NY 10011.

Program Listing: Your program will be listed on both the attendee-facing event page and in the printed program provided to fair attendees.

Booth Setup: Each exhibitor will receive one 6’x24’’ table along with two chairs.

WiFi Access: Exhibitors will have access to WiFi throughout the event venue.

Attendee Information: After the event, you’ll receive the list of fair registrants who opted in to receive communication from exhibitors, allowing you to follow up with potential candidates.

Food and Refreshments: Complimentary food and refreshments, including coffee, tea, soda, and water, will be provided.

Shipping Services: You'll have the ability to ship your recruitment materials to the venue ahead of time for convenient setup.

Yes. After the event, you’ll receive the list of registrants who opted in to hear from exhibitors. This list will include contact information to help you follow up with potential candidates.

The cancellation deadline for the Idealist Grad School Fair is July 31, 2026.

Exhibitors that wish to cancel their grad fair registration must submit their cancellation requests to gradschools@idealist.org by the cancellation deadline in order to receive a refund for the registration fees.

Cancellations requests made after this deadline are non-refundable. 

We're excited to have you join us! You can find all the day-of details for exhibitors here.