Are you a graduate student or early-career professional driven to lead with moral courage in an increasingly complex world? Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) offers intensive, two week programs designed for graduate students and early-career professionals in the fields of Business, the Clergy, Design & Technology, Journalism, Law, and Medical that challenge participants to recognize their ethical responsibilities as future leaders and professionals with influence. The FASPE Fellowship 2027 offers a fully funded, transformative two-week summer fellowship in Germany and Poland.
Unlike conventional academic grants, FASPE addresses contemporary professional ethics through the lens of history. By examining how professionals—such as lawyers, doctors, journalists, tech designers, business executives, and religious leaders—enabled or resisted Nazi policies, fellows gain deep insight into their own professional responsibilities today. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know about the 2027 FASPE cohort, including deadlines, eligibility rules, financial coverage, and insider strategies for building a winning application
Basic Information About the FASPE Fellowship 2027
FASPE is an intensive, fully funded professional ethics program designed for rising leaders across six specific professional fields.
- Host Countries: Germany (Berlin) and Poland (Oświęcim/Auschwitz, Kraków)
- Funding Organization: FASPE (Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics)
- Target Audience: International and domestic graduate students and early-career professionals (all nationalities welcome)
- Program Duration: 2 Weeks (Intensive experiential learning & seminars)
- Application Portal Opens: September 2026
- FASPE 2027 Application Deadline: January 3, 2027, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET)
- Letter of Recommendation Deadline: January 10, 2027
2027 Fellowship Dates
- Session 1 (Business, Law, Design & Technology): May 28, 2027 – June 11, 2027
- Session 2 (Medical, Journalism, Clergy & Religious Leaders): June 18, 2027 – July 2, 2027
University/Institution Details: The FASPE Experience
FASPE is not hosted by a single university campus; it is an immersive, multi-site educational institute. The program partners with leading historians, ethicists, legal scholars, and senior practitioners to deliver a curriculum anchored in place-based learning.
Fellows travel as a cohort across Germany and Poland. Learning takes place in historical sites, seminar rooms in Berlin, and key memorial locations near Auschwitz-Birkenau. The program focuses on intimate, interdisciplinary dialogue, creating an environment where fellows tackle tough moral dilemmas together.
Study Areas (Professional Fellowship Tracks)
FASPE offers fellowships tailored to six professional tracks:
- FASPE Business: Focuses on corporate governance, supply chain accountability, financial ethics, and the role of corporate leaders in authoritarian or ethically compromised regimes.
- FASPE Law: Examines how judges, prosecutors, and attorneys designed, legalized, and executed totalitarian policies—and what that means for modern legal frameworks.
- FASPE Design & Technology: Designed for architects, computer scientists, data analysts, and software engineers analyzing the ethical implications of modern technology, AI, surveillance, and built environments.
- FASPE Medical: Tailored for medical students and residents reviewing physician participation in eugenics and human experimentation to address contemporary bioethics.
- FASPE Journalism: Focuses on media objectivity, propaganda, newsroom integrity, and the ethical responsibility of reporters in times of political polarization.
- FASPE Clergy & Religious Leaders: Open to faith leaders across all religious traditions, exploring institutional complicity, pastoral duty, and moral courage during societal crises.
FASPE Fellowship 2027 Benefits
The fellowship provides a fully funded experience including:
- Round-trip Economy-class Airfare
- All transportation fees for group trips and activities in Germany and Poland.
- All admission prices.
- All program materials.
- All hotel expenses.
- All group meal expenses.
- Pocket money for non-group meals.
- Duration: Two weeks in Germany and Poland.
- Intensive learning: Attend daily seminars, discussions, and educational activities at historically important locations.
- Ethical learning: Explore professional ethics and ethical responsibilities across different fields.
- Interdisciplinary learning: Learn how people from different professions approach ethical challenges.
- Technology and ethics: Discuss how emerging technologies affect different professions and create overlapping ethical issues.
- Expert guidance: Learn from FASPE professionals, academic scholars, experienced practitioners, and local experts.
- Lifetime alumni network: Join a global network of more than 900 former fellows.
- Continued learning: Participate in online educational activities, in-person gatherings, lectures, writing projects, and symposiums.
- Networking opportunities: Build long-term social and professional connections with fellows and experts.
Benefits Not Included
While the program covers travel and living costs during the fellowship, participants should note the following excluded items:
- Passport and Schengen Visa Fees: Fellows are responsible for obtaining their passports and any necessary entry visas (FASPE provides supporting invitation letters).
- Personal Travel Insurance: Comprehensive personal baggage or emergency trip-cancellation insurance outside standard medical emergency provisions.
- Pre- or Post-Fellowship Tourism: Accommodations and personal expenses if you choose to arrive in Europe early or stay past the official program end date.
- Personal Expenses: Souvenirs, international phone plans, or private leisure activities outside the official itinerary.
Eligibility Criteria for FASPE Fellowship 2027
Eligibility by Programme
1. Business Fellowship
- Applicants must be pursuing a career in business.
- Must meet one of these conditions:
- Currently enrolled in an MBA or related graduate programme.
- Completed an MBA or related graduate degree and working in business.
- Completed a Bachelor’s degree and working as a business professional.
- Generally, professional experience should not exceed 10 years.
- Apply for Business
2. Law Fellowship
- Applicants must meet one of these conditions:
- Be a second- or third-year student in a JD or equivalent law programme.
- Be working in the legal profession and have received a JD degree in May 2020 or later.
- In systems where law is studied at undergraduate level, have completed legal education and work as a trainee or associate lawyer (up to sixth-year associate).
- Apply for Law
3. Design & Technology Fellowship
- Applicants must be pursuing a career in a related field, such as:
- Architecture, design, or landscape architecture.
- Urban planning.
- Computer science, data science, or artificial intelligence.
- Engineering, statistics, or applied mathematics.
- Must be enrolled in a relevant graduate programme, or have completed a Bachelor’s or graduate degree and be working in a related field.
- Generally, professional experience should not exceed 10 years.
- Apply for Design & Technology
4. Medical Fellowship
- Applicants must either:
- Be enrolled in an MD, DO, or equivalent medical degree and expect to complete at least one clinical year before the fellowship begins.
- Be enrolled in a medical residency programme.
- Applicants may be pursuing careers in medicine, medical research, or public health.
- Apply for Medical
5. Clergy & Religious Leaders Fellowship
- Applicants must either:
- Be enrolled in graduate school preparing for religious leadership.
- Be working as a religious leader with a relevant graduate degree received in May 2020 or later.
- Applicants may come from any faith tradition.
- Ordination is not required.
- Apply for Clergy & Religious Leaders
6. Journalism Fellowship
- Applicants must meet one of these conditions:
- Have some journalism experience, including college journalism, and be enrolled in a graduate programme planning to work as a journalist.
- Have completed a Bachelor’s degree and be working as a journalist.
- Have completed a graduate degree and be working as a journalist.
- Published or broadcast work from a recognised news organisation is preferred.
- Generally, professional experience should not exceed 10 years.
- Apply for Journalism
Explore the requirements for each field:
- Business,
- the Clergy,
- Design & Technology,
- Journalism, Law, and
- Medical.
Required Documents for Application
To apply, candidates must submit:
1. Online Application Form
- Complete the online application form through Submittable.
- Provide your personal and contact information.
- List the schools and universities you have attended.
- Provide the names and contact details of your recommenders and references.
2. Resume/CV
Your CV should include:
- Educational background.
- Employment and work experience.
- Honors and awards.
- Publications, if any.
3. Academic Transcripts
- Submit transcripts from all higher education institutions where you studied for a significant period.
- Electronic transcripts and scanned copies of paper transcripts are accepted.
- Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
- Screenshots of online transcripts are not accepted.
- Transcripts from a single summer course or semester abroad are not required.
- If you are a first-year student whose grades are not yet available, submit a letter from your dean confirming your enrollment and good academic standing. The letter should ideally include your current courses.
- An admission letter or a registrar’s letter without your degree programme details is not acceptable as proof of enrollment.
4. Short Essay Questions
- Answer the short essay questions for your selected fellowship programme.
- Questions vary depending on the programme.
- Follow the required word limits or total response length specified in the questions.
5. Letters of Recommendation
- Submit two letters of recommendation from academic faculty or professional references.
- Students are encouraged to obtain letters from professors who taught them in their current or most recent graduate programme.
- Letters from undergraduate professors are also accepted.
- Early-career professionals may request letters from supervisors or employers.
- Deadline for recommendation letters: January 10, 2027.
- Letters must be submitted directly by the recommenders through Submittable, following the instructions provided in the application form.
6. What Should Recommendation Letters Include?
Recommenders should discuss:
- Your academic achievements, professional work, and relevant experiences.
- Your ability to contribute to discussions about professional ethics.
- Your participation in class discussions and communication skills.
- How you respond to challenging intellectual or emotional situations.
- Your ability to work and travel in small groups.
- Your leadership potential compared with others in similar fields.
- Any other relevant strengths or experiences.
Short Essay Questions
Applicants must answer short essay questions specific to their chosen fellowship programme. The required total response length is provided with each set of questions.
- Business Fellowship: View Essay Questions (PDF)
- Clergy & Religious Leaders Fellowship: View Essay Questions (PDF)
- Design & Technology Fellowship: View Essay Questions (PDF)
- Journalism Fellowship: View Essay Questions (PDF)
- Law Fellowship: View Essay Questions (PDF)
- Medical Fellowship: View Essay Questions (PDF)
FASPE Fellowship 2027 Application Process (Step-by-Step Guide)
- Visit the official FASPE website and access the Submittable application portal.
- Complete the online form with contact information, education, and recommender details.
- Upload required documents: resume, transcripts, essays, and letters of recommendation.
- Submit the application before the deadline of January 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
- Ensure recommenders submit letters by January 9, 2026.
- Await notification of results and prepare for program participation if selected.
Tips for a Successful Application
- Demonstrate Ethical Reflection, Not Self-Righteousness: FASPE seeks fellows who recognize how easy it is for well-meaning professionals to compromise under institutional pressure. Show self-awareness and nuance.
- Show Passion for Interdisciplinary Dialogue: You will spend two weeks living and learning alongside fellows from other fields. Highlight experiences where you collaborated with people outside your specialization.
- Connect History to Modern Practice: Your essays should bridge the gap between historical case studies and contemporary dilemmas in artificial intelligence, bioethics, financial transparency, or human rights law.
- Choose Recommenders Who Know Your Character: Strong letters speak to your willingness to engage in challenging discussions, receive feedback, and contribute constructively to group dynamics.
Monthly Living Expenses for International Students (USD)
Because FASPE is a fully funded 2-week fellowship, your primary accommodation, inter-city transport, program site entries, and group meals are covered by the organization.
However, if you plan to extend your stay in Europe before or after the program, here is an estimated breakdown of typical living expenses in Germany and Poland in USD ($):
| Expense Category | Germany (Berlin) Costs (USD) | Poland (Kraków) Costs (USD) | FASPE Fellowship Coverage |
| Accommodation (per night) | $80 – $150 / night | $50 – $100 / night | 100% Covered |
| Food & Daily Meals | $30 – $55 / day | $20 – $35 / day | 100% Covered |
| Local Transportation | $10 – $15 / day | $5 – $10 / day | 100% Covered |
| Museums & Cultural Sites | $15 – $30 / entry | $8 – $18 / entry | 100% Covered |
| Emergency Incidental Fund | $150 – $300 / total | $100 – $200 / total | Out-of-Pocket / Optional |
Why Choose the FASPE Fellowship? (5 Core Reasons)
- Fully Funded International Experience: Airfare, high-speed rail, boutique accommodations, and dining across Germany and Poland are fully covered.
- Unmatched Interdisciplinary Exposure: You will learn alongside future leaders in law, business, technology, medicine, journalism, and religious studies.
- Place-Based Historical Learning: Studying ethics at actual historical sites in Berlin, Kraków, and Auschwitz provides an immersive educational experience that standard campus lectures cannot match.
- A Global Alumni Network: Join a community of over 1,100 alumni who hold influential roles worldwide. FASPE continues to support alumni through symposiums, research grants, and collaborative projects.
- Critical Career Advantage: Demonstrating formal training in ethical leadership sets your resume apart when applying for competitive roles, clerkships, medical residencies, or executive positions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is FASPE open to non-U.S. citizens?
Yes. Applicants from any country are eligible, provided they meet the educational or professional requirements of their specific track and speak fluent English.
Do I need to be enrolled in a university to apply?
Not necessarily. Many FASPE tracks accept early-career professionals (such as practicing lawyers, working journalists, medical residents, or software engineers) within their first few years of practice.
Is FASPE a religious or Holocaust-studies-only program?
No. While the program uses the historical context of the Holocaust to examine professional complicity, FASPE focuses on contemporary professional ethics. Applicants of all religious, political, and cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Can I apply to more than one professional track?
No. Applicants must choose the single track that best fits their current academic enrollment or primary career path.
Important Timeline
- Application deadline: January 3, 2027, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET).
- Law, Business, Design and Technology: May 28 – June 11, 2027.
- Medical, Clergy and Religious Leaders, Journalism: June 18 – July 2, 2027.
