Fellowship FAQs - US-based Applicants

Applications for the 2024 Fellowship for US-based Fellows are now closed. To be notified when applications open for 2025 programs, please complete this form.

Phase I: February to early-March
During the first 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 II: early March to late March
During the second phase, 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
The final selections are made based on this second reading and the interview.

Yes, we encourage applicants to apply to all programs you are interested in.

The selection process involves two phases. During the first phase, a panel of Humanity in Action staff, Board members, and Senior Fellows reads all of the applications and selects a pool of finalists for further review by Humanity in Action’s Selection Committee. During the second phase, the Admissions Committee reads and evaluates all finalist applications and conducts group interviews with the finalists. All finalists will be interviewed by a small panel of the Admissions Committee together with one or two other finalists. The second reference is also contacted at this time. The final selections are made based on this second reading, reference information, and the interview.

Please make sure that your reference has checked their spam or junk mailboxes. Once you have done this, log back into your application and click the link next to the reference list to re-send the request. If your reference’s email service allows for email addresses to be added to a “white list,” please have them add admissions@humanityinaction.org.

No. You should upload an unofficial copy of your transcript into the online application system. Then, if you are accepted into the program, you will be required to have your registrar send your official transcript in the mail for verification. Any evidence of tampering with the digital transcripts will result in immediate disqualification.

If you are having trouble uploading your files, please try using Google Chrome as your web browser. If you are still having trouble, please contact admissions@humanityinaction.org.

Documents that are received via email will not be accepted and the application will not be considered complete.

No. All applications must be submitted online in order to be considered eligible.

References should be people who know your work and character extensively, and are able to speak honestly and effectively about your interests and abilities as they relate to the program goals. The recommendation letter and reference must be from college/university professors or advisors or work supervisors. 

No. Humanity in Action will discard any materials that are not explicitly requested.

If you cannot submit materials through our online application, please contact us at admissions@humanityinaction.org for further instructions.

All of our interviews are held through an online video conference tool. You do not need to be in the US for an interview and/or to access the video interview.

A common reason why PDFs, especially college transcripts, will fail verification is that they are password-protected. One work-around to this problem is to open the PDF and use your computer’s print-to-PDF function to create a new copy, which will not carry the password protection.

Due to the nature of our selection process, we do not provide any feedback on previous applications.

No. All Humanity in Action Fellowship Programs are conducted in English.

No. An applicant’s GPA is just one of many criteria that our committee evaluates during the selection process. Although Humanity in Action values applicants who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, we do not require that they clear a specific GPA threshold.

No. Fellows are required to be present and to participate in all days of the Humanity in Action Fellowship.

No. In order to be eligible to apply, students must have at least sophomore standing at the time of the application deadline.

No. We require that applicants be in at least their second year of college when they apply.

Currently enrolled graduate students and PhD students, or individuals who graduated from their program within the last two years, are eligible to apply.

If you are a US citizen studying at a foreign university, you are eligible to apply to the Humanity in Action Fellowship through the US office. If you are a US student studying at a university in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, or Ukraine, you may be eligible to apply through Humanity in Action offices in those countries. Please contact those offices directly to confirm your eligibility.

Yes. All sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent graduates (undergraduate class of spring 2022 and later) from US colleges or universities are eligible to apply, regardless of citizenship.

Yes. Foreign graduate students at US-based universities are eligible to apply.

The dates for the 2024 Humanity in Action Fellowship programs are:

The Amsterdam Fellowship | in-person*
June 3 – 28, 2024

The Berlin Fellowship | in-person*
June 3 – 21, 2024

The Copenhagen Fellowship | in-person*
June 3 – 28, 2024

The Sarajevo Fellowship | hybrid
June 3 – 28, 2024

The Warsaw Fellowship | in-person*
June 3 – 21, 2024

On June 3 and 4, 2024, Fellows from all the programs, meet for a virtual International Program before some Fellows travel to their Fellowship program cities – Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, or Washington, D.C.

*Due to COVID-19, we reserve the right to modify or cancel the program for reasons beyond our control.

• 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 ho(s)tel in shared rooms or with host families will be provided for Fellows during the in-person portion of the program.

More details for each Fellowship Program will be provided soon.

*Due to COVID-19, we reserve the right to modify or cancel the program for reasons beyond our control.

• Humanity in Action Fellowship programs are intense and rigorous. The on-site program days usually start at 9AM and run until 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.
• In the 11 months after the program, Fellows who wish to become Senior Fellows participate in the online Community Support Hubs From September 2024 to May 2025 and complete an Action Project. 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.

You have 11 months to complete an Action Project following the Fellowship. The time dedications will vary from Fellow to Fellow and project to project, but are an important part of the Humanity in Action experience and commitment. Fellows have completed Action Projects in these 11 months while beginning a post-graduate degree, going back to university or working on a full-time job.

• 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 ho(s)tels for Fellows from abroad or other cities. (For details please see section above “Where do Fellows live during the program?”)
• 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 admissions@humanityinaction.org 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).

Humanity in Action will grant some travel stipends 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.