Site icon Opportunities for Youth

FASPE Journalism Fellowship 2027: Fully Funded Two-Week Ethics Programme for Journalism Students and Early-Career Journalists in Germany and Poland

Ning Ma
FASPE Journalism Fellowship 2027: Fully Funded Two-Week Ethics Programme for Journalism Students and Early-Career Journalists in Germany and Poland

FASPE Journalism Fellowship 2027: Fully Funded Two-Week Ethics Programme for Journalism Students and Early-Career Journalists in Germany and Poland

Spread the love

Applications are now open for the 2027 FASPE Journalism Fellowship, a fully funded international programme for graduate students with journalism experience and early-career journalists who want to examine professional ethics, ethical leadership, responsibility, media power and the role of journalists in democratic society.

The Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) Journalism programme brings a small cohort of approximately 13 to 16 Journalism Fellows to Germany and Poland for an intensive two-week programme combining seminars, historical site visits, interdisciplinary discussion and sustained reflection on the ethical responsibilities of journalists.

For the 2027 cycle, the Journalism Fellowship will take place from:

June 18, 2027 to July 2, 2027

Applications are open until:

January 3, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET

Two letters of recommendation are required separately and are due on:

January 10, 2027.

The Fellowship is fully funded. FASPE covers programme costs and related travel so that a candidate’s financial circumstances do not determine whether they can participate. Covered expenses include airfare to and from Europe, programme transportation in Germany and Poland, hotel accommodation, admission costs, programme materials, group meals and pocket money for meals not provided as part of the group programme. FASPE confirms that participants travelling from outside the United States can also have their travel to Berlin and return travel covered.

Importantly, applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens or U.S. residents. FASPE accepts eligible applicants regardless of citizenship or residence, although selected Fellows are responsible for arranging any visas they need; FASPE provides supporting documentation for visa applications.

About the FASPE Journalism Fellowship

FASPE is an intensive professional ethics programme that uses the history of professionals working in Germany and Europe during the Nazi period as a framework for examining ethical responsibility in contemporary professional life.

The Journalism Fellowship focuses particularly on the behavior, decisions and responsibilities of journalists.

Participants examine how German and international journalists:

FASPE then uses these historical examples to encourage Fellows to confront the ethical challenges journalists face today.

The programme is therefore unusual because it does not treat journalism ethics simply as a collection of professional rules.

Instead, Fellows are encouraged to ask more difficult questions about:

FASPE Is Not a Holocaust Studies Programme

Prospective applicants should understand what the Fellowship is—and what it is not.

FASPE explicitly states that it is:

The history of the Nazi period is central to the Fellowship, but it functions as an ethical framework through which participants examine their responsibilities in contemporary professional settings.

The objective is not simply to learn what happened historically.

Rather, Fellows are asked to consider questions such as:

This makes FASPE particularly relevant to journalism students and early-career journalists interested in the relationship between media institutions and ethical decision-making.

2027 Programme Dates

The 2027 Journalism programme runs from:

June 18 to July 2, 2027.

Journalism Fellows travel during the same programme period as Fellows in:

This shared travel structure allows for interdisciplinary discussion among people preparing for very different professions.

FASPE also operates fellowship programmes in:

Each programme examines professional ethics through questions specific to that profession while also creating opportunities for Fellows from different fields to engage with one another.

Where Does the Fellowship Take Place?

The Fellowship is conducted primarily in:

Germany and Poland

Journalism Fellows spend approximately two weeks travelling through historically significant locations while participating in intensive seminars.

The programme uses what FASPE describes as the “power of place”—the idea that ethical questions can be understood differently when discussed in the locations where historical professional decisions had real consequences.

Programme activities include:

The combination of place, history and academic discussion is central to the Fellowship model.

How Many Journalism Fellows Are Selected?

Each year, FASPE Journalism generally selects:

13 to 16 Fellows

from a large applicant pool.

The relatively small cohort allows participants to engage in intensive discussion rather than attend a large lecture-style programme.

FASPE emphasizes that Fellows should be able to participate constructively in discussions involving difficult, controversial and emotionally demanding subjects.

The programme therefore looks not only at academic or professional achievements but also at the applicant’s ability to contribute meaningfully to a small intellectual community.

What Does the FASPE Journalism Fellowship Cover?

FASPE describes its Fellowships as:

Fully funded

so that financial ability does not affect participation.

The programme covers substantial travel and participation expenses.

Airfare

FASPE covers:

Round-trip economy-class airfare

for Fellowship travel.

Its FAQ specifies airfare from the United States to Europe, while also confirming that Fellows travelling from outside the United States can have their travel to Berlin and return travel covered.

This is especially important for international applicants.

Transportation in Germany and Poland

The Fellowship covers transportation associated with:

during the Germany and Poland portion of the programme.

Participants therefore do not need to finance normal group transportation connected with the Fellowship itinerary.

Hotel Accommodation

FASPE covers:

All hotel costs

associated with the programme.

Accommodation arrangements are made as part of the Fellowship structure.

Meals

The programme covers:

All group meals

and also provides:

Pocket money for non-group meals.

This makes the financial package considerably more comprehensive than a programme that covers only airfare and accommodation.

Admission Fees and Programme Materials

FASPE also pays for:

Participants therefore do not need to pay separately for required historical-site admissions or core academic materials.

Who Can Apply for the FASPE Journalism Fellowship?

FASPE identifies three main eligibility pathways for Journalism applicants.

An applicant should generally fall into one of the following categories.

Category 1: Graduate Students With Journalism Experience

Applicants may be:

The graduate programme does not necessarily need to be a journalism degree.

This means a candidate could potentially be studying another field at graduate level while developing a serious journalism career, provided they already have some journalistic experience and intend to work professionally as a journalist.

Journalistic experience may include work in:

Category 2: Bachelor’s Graduates Working as Journalists

Applicants can also qualify if they:

This pathway is particularly relevant to early-career reporters and other journalism professionals who entered the industry after completing university.

Category 3: Graduate-Degree Holders Working as Journalists

Applicants may also qualify if they:

The degree itself does not appear to need to be exclusively in journalism, provided the candidate is professionally working in journalism and otherwise fits the programme’s early-career orientation.

Early-Career Requirement

FASPE seeks Journalism Fellows who are:

Preparing for or in the early stages of their careers.

Candidates generally should have:

No more than 10 years of total professional experience.

This is not designed primarily for highly established senior journalists with decades of professional experience.

The programme focuses on people who are still developing their:

Published Journalism Is Preferred

FASPE states that preference will be given to candidates whose journalism has been:

by a:

Recognized news organization.

This is described as a preference rather than an absolute eligibility condition.

Applicants should therefore not necessarily exclude themselves because they do not have major national publication credits.

However, candidates with relevant published work should make it clearly visible in their application.

Types of Journalists FASPE Welcomes

FASPE seeks Journalism Fellows with diverse professional interests.

Potential candidates may be pursuing careers as:

FASPE welcomes journalism conducted in:

The Fellowship is therefore not restricted to newspaper reporters or traditional print journalism.

What Qualities Does FASPE Look for?

Selection is not based solely on the prestige of an applicant’s newsroom or university.

FASPE seeks people at a formative stage of their professional lives who demonstrate characteristics such as:

FASPE evaluates candidates based on their:

No U.S. Citizenship Requirement

FASPE is based in the United States, but international applicants are welcome.

The programme explicitly states:

Applicants do not need to be American or reside in the United States.

Eligible candidates may apply:

Regardless of citizenship or residency.

This makes the Fellowship genuinely international.

Applicants may therefore potentially come from countries across:

provided they meet the Journalism Fellowship eligibility requirements.

Visa Requirements for International Fellows

International applicants should understand that FASPE does not arrange visas on behalf of Fellows.

Selected participants are responsible for:

Making their own visa arrangements.

However, FASPE provides the necessary supporting documentation to assist selected Fellows with visa applications.

Candidates should therefore ensure that they are able to travel to Germany and Poland during the programme dates if selected.

No Religious, Racial or Gender Preference

Because FASPE’s historical curriculum includes the Holocaust and Nazi Germany, applicants sometimes assume the programme might prioritize candidates of a particular religious background.

FASPE explicitly says this is not the case.

There are no preferences based on:

The organization also states that it welcomes applicants of diverse backgrounds and gender identities.

Selection is based on eligibility, professional and academic experience, leadership potential and the applicant’s capacity to contribute to the Fellowship.

What Journalism Ethics Topics Are Discussed?

The programme covers several major contemporary ethical challenges.

Journalistic Complicity and Misrepresentation

Fellows examine how German and international journalists participated in or enabled Nazi policy through:

The goal is not merely to assign historical blame.

Rather, participants ask what these cases reveal about contemporary journalists’ responsibilities when institutions or political systems begin to normalize harmful behavior.

Technology and Journalism

FASPE also examines:

The impact of technology on journalism.

This topic has become increasingly important as journalists work in an environment shaped by:

Participants can consider how technological systems affect both professional practice and ethical responsibility.

Journalism and Electoral Politics

Another theme concerns the role of journalists in:

Journalists frequently have to balance:

FASPE provides a space for Fellows to examine those tensions through an ethical rather than purely technical lens.

Advocacy Journalism

Participants examine:

The nature and propriety of advocacy journalism.

Questions can include:

These questions are especially relevant in coverage involving:

Normalizing Aberrant Behavior

FASPE also examines how media coverage can:

Normalize aberrant behavior

through repetition, framing or treatment as ordinary political or social activity.

This raises important questions about:

Participants are encouraged to consider how routine journalistic practices can sometimes produce unintended ethical consequences.

Fake News and Accusations of Fake News

The Fellowship also addresses reporting in an environment where:

Fellows consider how journalists can maintain:

while operating within polarized information environments.

Access Journalism

Another ethical question concerns:

Access tactics

and the trade-offs involved in maintaining access to:

Journalists frequently face the possibility that aggressive scrutiny may reduce future access, while excessive accommodation may undermine independence.

FASPE encourages Fellows to examine where ethical responsibility lies when professional incentives conflict with public-interest reporting.

Interdisciplinary Learning

Journalism Fellows do not study entirely separately from other professional cohorts.

During the 2027 programme they travel alongside:

Participants share:

This structure allows journalists to compare their ethical responsibilities with those of professionals in areas such as:

FASPE believes this interdisciplinary element helps participants understand professional ethics beyond the assumptions of their own field.

The Fellowship Continues Beyond the Two-Week Programme

The FASPE experience does not end when participants return home.

Fellows become part of a lifetime alumni network that now includes more than 900 alumni across FASPE’s professional programmes.

FASPE supports continuing engagement through activities such as:

For emerging journalists, this network can create long-term connections with professionals who share an interest in ethical leadership.

Where Former Journalism Fellows Work

Former FASPE Journalism Fellows have gone on to careers as:

FASPE emphasizes that Fellows frequently form long-lasting personal and professional relationships through their shared programme experience.

Connection With Columbia Journalism School

The FASPE Journalism programme was originally developed in consultation with faculty from:

Columbia Journalism School.

The programme has since developed its own international alumni network and interdisciplinary professional-ethics model.

How to Apply

FASPE requires all candidates to use its online application portal.

Apply for the 2027 FASPE Journalism Fellowship

Applicants should carefully review the application instructions before submitting.

Application Requirement 1: Online Form

Applicants must complete the online application form.

It requests basic information including:

Candidates should ensure that names and contact details are accurate, particularly because recommendation letters are handled separately through Submittable.

Application Requirement 2: Resume or CV

Applicants must submit a:

Resume or curriculum vitae

The document should include:

Journalism candidates should make relevant experience particularly easy to identify.

This could include:

Application Requirement 3: Academic Transcripts

Applicants must provide transcripts from institutions of higher education where they spent significant periods of study.

FASPE accepts:

However:

Screenshots of online transcripts are not accepted.

Applicants do not normally need to submit transcripts for brief experiences such as:

What If You Are a First-Year Graduate Student?

Applicants in the first year of a programme may not yet have grades available.

In that situation, FASPE allows the applicant to provide a letter from the relevant dean confirming:

A general admissions letter or registrar letter that does not identify the degree programme is not sufficient.

Application Requirement 4: Journalism Short Essays

Journalism candidates must respond to:

Programme-specific short essay questions.

These questions are intended to give FASPE insight into the applicant’s:

The current How to Apply page provides the Journalism short-essay materials for the 2027 cycle.

Applicants should take these essays seriously.

The Fellowship is built around discussion and self-examination, so reflective writing may be just as important as demonstrating professional accomplishments.

Application Requirement 5: Two Letters of Recommendation

Applicants need:

Two recommendation letters

from:

For students, FASPE generally prefers recommendations from academic faculty who have taught the candidate in their current or most recent graduate programme.

However, recommendations can also come from:

particularly for early-career professionals.

Recommendation Letter Deadline

An important detail is that recommendation letters have a later deadline than the main application.

Applicant deadline: January 3, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET

Recommendation deadline: January 10, 2027

Letters must be submitted:

Directly by the recommenders through Submittable.

Applicants should therefore enter referee information early enough to give recommenders adequate preparation time.

What FASPE Wants Recommenders to Address

FASPE says recommendation letters can usefully discuss areas including:

Candidates should therefore select recommenders who know them meaningfully rather than choosing only the most prestigious person available.

How FASPE Selects Fellows

FASPE evaluates candidates using a combination of:

The Fellowship is especially interested in applicants who are willing to question their own assumptions and participate respectfully in challenging conversations.

Preparing a Competitive FASPE Journalism Application

1. Demonstrate Real Journalism Commitment

If you are still studying, explain why journalism is not simply an extracurricular interest.

Show evidence such as:

and explain where you want your journalism career to go.

2. Do Not Treat the Ethics Essays Like Generic Personal Statements

FASPE is specifically about professional ethics.

The strongest responses are likely to engage seriously with:

Avoid writing only that ethics is “important.”

Explain how ethical conflicts actually arise in journalism.

3. Be Willing to Examine Your Own Vulnerabilities

A programme centered on ethical leadership is likely to value applicants who can identify the circumstances under which they themselves might make poor professional decisions.

For example:

Self-reflection is stronger than presenting yourself as someone who would never make an ethical mistake.

4. Highlight Published Work Clearly

Because FASPE gives preference to applicants whose journalism has been published or broadcast by recognized news organizations, include relevant work prominently.

Provide clear information about:

where appropriate.

5. Choose Recommenders Who Can Discuss How You Think

A useful FASPE recommendation is not merely:

“This candidate received excellent grades.”

A stronger referee can discuss:

6. Show That You Can Participate in Difficult Dialogue

FASPE explicitly seeks Fellows capable of discussing controversial and emotionally difficult issues:

Responsibly and respectfully.

Your application should show intellectual confidence without presenting yourself as unwilling to reconsider your assumptions.

Key Details at a Glance

Programme: FASPE Journalism Fellowship

Year: 2027

Programme dates: June 18–July 2, 2027

Locations: Germany and Poland

Duration: Approximately two weeks

Number of Journalism Fellows: Around 13–16

Primary focus: Professional ethics and ethical leadership in journalism

Target applicants: Graduate students with journalism experience and early-career journalists

Career stage: Generally no more than 10 years of professional experience

Funding: Fully funded

Airfare: Covered

Programme transportation: Covered

Hotels: Covered

Admission fees: Covered

Programme materials: Covered

Group meals: Covered

Pocket money for non-group meals: Provided

Citizenship restriction: None

Application platform: Submittable

Main application deadline: January 3, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET

Recommendation deadline: January 10, 2027

Official FASPE Journalism Fellowship information

FASPE 2027 application instructions

Conclusion

The FASPE Journalism Fellowship 2027 offers journalism students and early-career journalists an unusual opportunity to spend two intensive weeks in Germany and Poland examining some of the most difficult ethical questions confronting the profession.

Rather than functioning as a conventional journalism skills course, the Fellowship focuses on the deeper responsibilities associated with being a journalist. Participants examine the conduct of journalists during the Nazi period and use those historical cases to explore contemporary questions involving media power, political accountability, technology, advocacy journalism, misinformation, professional access and the normalization of harmful behavior.

Approximately 13 to 16 Journalism Fellows are selected each year. Eligible applicants generally include graduate students with journalism experience who plan to enter the profession, Bachelor’s graduates currently working as journalists, and graduate-degree holders working as journalists. FASPE generally seeks candidates with no more than ten years of professional experience.

The Fellowship is particularly accessible because it is fully funded. FASPE covers airfare, programme transportation, hotels, admission costs, materials, group meals and pocket money for meals outside organized group activities. International applicants are also eligible for travel support.

There is no U.S. citizenship or residency requirement, and FASPE explicitly welcomes eligible applicants regardless of nationality. It also states that there are no preferences based on race, religion, ideology, political background, gender or socioeconomic status.

The 2027 Journalism programme will run from June 18 to July 2, 2027.

Applications must be submitted through Submittable by:

January 3, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET

and the two required recommendation letters must arrive by:

January 10, 2027.

For emerging journalists interested not simply in how to report, but in what responsibilities come with the power to report, the FASPE Journalism Fellowship offers a distinctive opportunity for professional reflection, international learning and long-term engagement with an interdisciplinary community of ethical leaders.

To know more about this opportunity, VISIT HERE.

To discover more global fellowship opportunities, CLICK HERE.

Exit mobile version