Applications are now open for the 2027 FASPE Journalism Fellowship, a fully funded two-week programme that will bring a small cohort of journalism fellows to Germany and Poland to study professional ethics, leadership and the responsibilities of journalists in democratic society. The fellowship runs from June 18, 2027 to July 2, 2027, and applications close on January 3, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET.
Key facts
- The fellowship is open to graduate students with journalism experience and to early-career journalists.
- FASPE says it is fully funded and covers airfare, transportation, hotel accommodation, admission costs, programme materials and meals.
- The 2027 programme will take place in Germany and Poland over two weeks.
- Two letters of recommendation are required and are due by January 10, 2027.
- Applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens or U.S. residents.
What does this mean for students and early-career journalists?
The fellowship is aimed at people who are preparing for journalism careers or are already in the early stages of them. FASPE says eligible applicants generally include graduate students with some journalism experience who plan to work as journalists, as well as bachelor’s or graduate-degree holders already working in journalism.
That makes the programme relevant for students building a reporting portfolio, newsroom staff seeking an ethics-focused international experience, and journalists who want to examine questions of professional responsibility in a small, discussion-based cohort. FASPE says it generally looks for applicants with no more than 10 years of total professional experience.
- Applications close: January 3, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET
- Recommendation deadline: January 10, 2027
- Programme dates: June 18, 2027 to July 2, 2027
- Location: Germany and Poland
What will fellows study?
The programme uses the history of professionals in Nazi-era Germany and Europe as a framework for discussing ethics in contemporary journalism. FASPE says fellows examine topics including professional responsibility, media power, institutional pressure, public trust, advocacy journalism, technology, electoral politics, misrepresentation and the normalizing of harmful behavior.
FASPE describes the programme as an ethics fellowship rather than a Holocaust studies or genocide-prevention course. Its focus is on how historical examples can sharpen current questions about decision-making inside news organizations and the public consequences of journalistic choices.
How does the programme work?
FASPE says the Journalism Fellowship typically selects about 13 to 16 fellows each year for an intensive two-week experience. Participants travel together through historically significant locations in Germany and Poland, combining seminars, site visits, interdisciplinary sessions and group discussion.
The fellowship is also run alongside FASPE programmes in Medicine and Clergy and Religious Leadership during the same travel period, which creates opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange across professions.
Who can apply?
FASPE accepts applicants from outside the United States and says citizenship or residence in the U.S. is not required. International fellows selected for the programme must arrange their own visas, while FASPE provides supporting documentation.
Applicants are generally expected to fit one of three paths: a graduate student with journalism experience, a bachelor’s-degree holder working as a journalist, or a graduate-degree holder working as a journalist. FASPE says preference is given to journalism that has been published or aired by a recognized news organization.
Frequently asked questions
Do applicants need to be U.S. citizens or residents?
No. FASPE says applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens or U.S. residents, and eligible candidates may apply regardless of citizenship or residence.
What expenses does the fellowship cover?
FASPE says the fellowship is fully funded and covers round-trip economy airfare, travel in Germany and Poland, hotel accommodation, admission fees, programme materials, group meals and pocket money for meals not provided by the programme.
