Fellowship FAQs - Europe-based Applicants

Applications for the 2026 Copenhagen Fellowship for Europe-based Fellows are now open. Click here to begin your application.

Here you can find more details about the European Application process and eligibility.

If you are unsure if you are eligible for the European application process, please refer to the FAQ’a below.

Phase I: March 1, 2026 Application Deadline
Apply before March 1, 2026 (midnight) for the 2026 Copenhagen Fellowship

Phase II: Early March
During this phase, a panel of Humanity in Action staff, board members, and Senior Fellows reads over all of the applications and selects a pool of finalists for further review by the national Humanity in Action’s Selection Committees.

Phase III: March 16-20, 2026
The Selection Committees read and evaluate all finalists’ applications and conduct group interviews with finalists. All finalists will be interviewed by a small panel of the Selection Committee together with two or three other finalists.

Decisions: Late March/early April, 2026
The final selections are made based on this second reading and the interview.

In 2026 Humanity in Action offers one Fellowship, the Copenhagen Fellowship.

Applicants in Europe can only apply from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, or The Netherlands. They need to hold one of these countries’ citizenship or reside in one of these countries. Humanity in Action cannot accept applicants from other countries.

The selection process involves two phases. During the first phase, a panel of Senior Fellows read all of the applications and select a pool of finalists. During the second phase, a panel of Senior Fellows, board members, and Humanity in action staff members interview all finalist through group interviews. The final selections are made based on the applications and the interview.

No, unfortunately not. All applications must be submitted online through our application form in order to be considered eligible.

Yes, as long as you hold the citizenship of one of these countries, you can apply through the country of your citizenship. Ukrainian citizens apply through our Polish office.

You are eligible to apply if you are a longterm/permanent resident of one of these countries but do not hold citizenship. Also, you are eligible to apply if you have been living in one of these countries for at least two years. If you are on a short-term study exchange, you are unfortuately not eligible to apply.

If in doubt, please contact the office in the country in whoch you reside:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Denmark
• Germany
• The Netherlands
• Poland

Please contact the office of the country in which you reside:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Denmark
• Germany
• The Netherland
• Poland

All Humanity in Action Fellowship programs are conducted in English.

Yes. Currently enrolled graduate students and PhD students are eligible to apply.

Our Fellowships are designed for students and recent graduates. If you are not a student or recent graduate and would like to apply, please contact the office of the country in which you reside:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Denmark
• Germany
• The Netherlands
• Poland

Humanity in Action will help Fellows obtain any visas necessary for participation in the programs. However, it is the full responsibility of Fellows to obtain the visa on their own. Fellows must initiate the process, request supporting documentation from Humanity in Action in a timely fashion and follow through to make sure they receive their visa on time. If you require a visa for your Fellowship, you must begin the process as soon as you are placed in your program country. Humanity in Action will not be responsible for obtaining your visa for you.

Due to the nature of our selection process, we do not provide any feedback on applications. Please do apply again if you are interested in any of our Fellowships. Many of our alumni applied several times before getting accepted to the program. Every year we turn down excellent and highly quilified students due to the limited number of spots available in our programs.

The Copenhagen Fellowship | in-person: June 16 – July 2, 2026

• Participation in the program
• Some meals/snacks/refreshments during programming days
• For housing questions, please see answer below.
• Ongoing skill-building and training opportunities
• Guidance in developing and executing an individual Action Project
• Upon completion of the Fellowship, participation in a global network of leaders poised to contribute to civic society and exposure to opportunities provided by other Humanity in Action programming, such as professional fellowships, grant competitions, study trips, international conferences, leadership roles and speaking engagements.
• Please also see the question block: What costs does Humanity in Action cover during the program?

Usually, group housing, stays in a hostel in shared rooms or with host families will be provided for Fellows coming from abroad during the in-person portion of the program. Fellows living in Denmark are responsible for their own living arrangements.

More details for each Fellowship Program will be provided soon.

• Humanity in Action Fellowship programs are intense and rigorous. The on-site program days usually start at 9AM and run until 5-6PM and occasional evening programming.
• Some weekends may also have structured programming.
• Active and engaged participation is key to creating a meaningful Fellowship experience and therefore, we advise that the Fellows do not commit to other activities during the program.
• Prior to the summer program, Fellows are expected to have read the texts from a reading list Humanity in Action will send to them. Fellows are also expected to join a call with their entire cohort and Director within a month prior to the program to discuss the Fellowship and common questions.
• From September 2026 to March 2027, Fellows work on their Action Projects. Fellows living in Denmark will meet for a Homecoming Day on September 24, 2026 and then again for four Action Project Labs. Those quarterly gatherings will provide opportunities for Fellows to stay in touch and to offer as well as receive support from each other for their Action Projects and beyond.

• The program itself is free of charge.
• Humanity in Action covers lunch, tea, coffee and snacks during program days.
• Generally speaking, Humanity in Action arranges for host family stays or hostels for Fellows from abroad. (For details please see section above “Where do Fellows live during the program?”) Fellows living in Denmark, who are accepted to the Copenhagen Fellowship, are responsible for finding accommodation on their own, regardless of where in the country they live. Fellows living in Greenland or the Faroe Islands will be offered to stay with a host family/hostel if needed.
• Humanity in Action does not discriminate based on financial need and will assist Fellows in meeting financial demands to be able to participate in the program. Please feel encouraged to reach out to the office processing your application with any questions you might have on financial support.
• Fellows are encouraged to bring additional spending money with them to the Fellowship program to cover off-program expenses such as food (breakfast and dinner) and social activities outside of Fellowship programming/on weekends. Additional stipends may be granted on a financial need basis.
• Humanity in Action recommends the following approximate amounts for each program location for additional spending money (for food and social activities): European Fellowships: 500 Euro (or local currency equivalent).

• Fellows will be responsible for financing the cost of roundtrip from their location to their program city. Travel stipends may be granted on a financial need basis. Please refer to your office after being accepted to the Fellowship, if you wish to apply for financial aid.
• In Denmark, there is also a travel budget set aside for participants living in Greenland and the Faroe Islands depending on the financial need of the individual Fellow. Please refer to the Copenhagen office after being accepted to the Fellowship, if you wish to apply for financial aid.
• In the US, Humanity in Action also offers some travel stipends granted on a financial need basis. Instructions for requesting a travel stipend will be shared with Fellows after they have accepted their Fellowship. Fellows will also be expected to look for financial support from other institutions, such as their universities, when requesting a travel stipend.

Depending on the Fellowship program location, Humanity in Action provides a single meal per full day of programming or spending money for meals during the program. Fellows with financial need participating in some programs are eligible for additional stipends for food and cost of living. Instructions to request these stipends will be shared after the Fellow has accepted their Fellowship. Please feel encouraged to reach out to your office with any questions you might have on financial support.