FAQ

No. The Fellowship is a peer-based leadership programme, not an academic course or training scheme, and it does not award a degree or formal qualification. Fellows participate as peers, contribute their professional experience and work together on initiatives with practical relevance for political and societal challenges.

The Fellowship is for politically engaged mid-career professionals with at least ten years of professional experience and increasing responsibility. Applicants should already have meaningful scope to shape an important field and show the potential to take on substantially greater leadership and influence over the next 10–15 years.

Leadership means genuine ability to shape a relevant field, make consequential decisions and bring insights from the Fellowship back into that work. Personnel responsibility is a common indicator, but not a requirement. Independently handling a subject area alone does not automatically constitute the level of leadership sought.

Applicants should engage professionally with political or societal challenges and be able to connect their work to questions relevant to Europe. This can take place in politics, public administration, business, civil society, arts and culture, media, academia or other fields with a meaningful public or policy dimension.

Applicants are eligible if they are citizens of Germany, France or Poland, even if they currently work elsewhere. Alternatively, permanent residents are eligible if they also work in Germany, France or Poland. The Fellowship is designed to strengthen cooperation within the Weimar Triangle.

There is no formal age limit. The typical range of 35–45 is an orientation, not a rule. More important are at least ten years of professional experience with increasing responsibility, a clear mid-career profile and sufficient professional runway to develop further and assume greater leadership over the next 10–15 years.

No. A strong interest in European cooperation is essential, but extensive professional experience at European level is not required. Applicants whose work has mainly been local, regional or national are explicitly welcome, provided they can connect their expertise and responsibilities to European perspectives and cross-border cooperation.

English is the working language of the Fellowship. Participants need sufficient proficiency to contribute actively to in-depth discussions, peer exchange, meetings with experts and collaborative project work throughout the year. A formal language certificate or other proof of English proficiency is not required.

The Fellowship runs for approximately one year and centres on three in-person modules in Germany, Poland and France. The modules build on one another thematically and methodologically, while Fellows continue project work and cohort exchange between meetings. After the programme, Fellows are invited to join the alumni network. For more information, see the programme page.

For the first cohort, modules take place in Berlin on 23–26 September 2026, Warsaw on 3–6 March 2027 and Paris on 7–10 July 2027. Selection for this cohort is complete. Dates for the next cohort are not yet confirmed but are expected to follow a similar rhythm and will be published with the next Call for Applications.

Yes. Full participation in all three modules is mandatory, and applicants should resolve known scheduling conflicts before applying. Known conflicts mean participation is not possible. If an unforeseen emergency arises later, Fellows should contact the team as early as possible. Hybrid participation is not planned.

Between modules, Fellows take part in virtual team meetings, continue work on their joint projects and remain engaged with the cohort. The expected workload is approximately three to five hours per month, although the actual time may vary depending on the type, scope and stage of the respective project.

Up to 30 Fellows are selected for each cohort. The programme aims for broadly balanced representation of Germany, France and Poland, gender balance and sectoral diversity. These are goals for composing a strong and complementary cohort rather than rigid quotas that automatically determine individual selection decisions.

Joint projects are a central pillar of the Fellowship. Fellows work in transnational teams on concrete political or societal challenges and develop initiatives with practical relevance. Project work continues between modules and during dedicated programme time, with the aim of producing tangible follow-up that can continue beyond the Fellowship year.

No. The application asks for an initial topic, policy question or project idea that the applicant could imagine working on. It should be concrete enough to show the applicant’s interests, but it need not be a full proposal. Fellows are not required to pursue exactly the idea submitted during the Fellowship.

The Fellowship provides project work time, coaching, peer feedback and access to relevant networks and decision-makers. In addition, the project partners have set aside limited funds for promising initiatives during or after the Fellowship year. Financial support is not guaranteed and depends on availability and selection criteria.

Applicants complete an online application in English with key open questions about their motivation, professional background, leadership experience and potential project ideas. All required information is collected through the application form. No additional attachments are required: applicants do not submit a CV, headshot or video statement.

No. Applications are submitted individually. Applicants may describe topics or project ideas they would like to pursue, but they do not apply as a pre-formed team. Project groups are created during the Fellowship, allowing participants from different countries, sectors and backgrounds to develop ideas and work together.

Selection for the first cohort is complete. The next call for applications is expected to open in autumn or winter 2026, with the application deadline expected in spring 2027. Exact dates have not yet been set and will be published with the next Call for Applications and reflected in the annually updated FAQ.

No. The published application deadline is binding. If urgent and genuinely unforeseen circumstances threaten an applicant’s ability to submit on time, they should contact the Fellowship team before the deadline. Applicants should not assume that a late submission will be accepted under normal circumstances.

Submitted applications cannot be edited. If an applicant discovers a serious, unintended error after submission, they should contact the Fellowship team so the situation can be reviewed. Applicants who wish to withdraw their application should also contact the team. Minor changes cannot simply be made in the submitted form.

Applications are assessed competitively by a selection committee composed of representatives of the programme partners. Selection considers leadership and responsibility, motivation, openness and curiosity, peer-learning potential, interest in European and trilateral cooperation, and contribution to the cohort. National balance, gender balance and sectoral diversity also inform the overall cohort composition. Interviews may be used where helpful.

Applicants will be informed once the selection process for the respective cohort has been completed. The exact selection timeline may vary between application rounds and will be communicated with the current call. Individual interim status updates are not normally provided during the assessment process.

Unsuccessful candidates do not receive individual feedback on their application. The programme may maintain a waitlist and offer places if selected candidates withdraw. Being placed on a waitlist does not guarantee admission, and candidates will be contacted by the Fellowship team if a place becomes available.

Yes. Candidates who are not selected may apply again in a later year, provided they meet the eligibility criteria for that application cycle. A previous unsuccessful application does not prevent a new application. Applicants should always use the requirements and information published for the respective new call.

Fellows are expected to participate in the full programme and should only accept a place if they can make this commitment. If unforeseen circumstances make continued participation impossible, Fellows should inform the programme team as early as possible before the start of the programme. Depending on the timing and circumstances, the programme partners may decide whether a place can be offered to a candidate on the waitlist or remain vacant.

Participation is free of charge. The Fellowship covers programme-related travel to and from module locations, accommodation and meals during programme days. It is not employment and does not provide a salary or remuneration. As it is not a residency programme, general housing or living expenses outside the modules are not covered.

Accomodation for the in-person modules is booked directly by the European Academy Berlin. Fellows book their own travel and are reimbursed afterwards. Eligible travel is economy class by air or first class by train within the applicable travel budgets. Further practical booking and reimbursement details are communicated to selected Fellows before each module.

There is no single standard childcare arrangement. The Fellowship will seek an individual solution where childcare or other caring responsibilities would otherwise prevent participation. Applicants or Fellows should contact the team as early as possible so that the specific need can be discussed and feasible support explored case by case.

The Fellowship is designed as a confidential, trust-based space and operates under the Chatham House Rule. Participants may share insights and information from discussions, but they may not attribute statements to specific individuals. This is intended to support candid exchange among Fellows, experts and other participants.

The Fellowship aims to make its activities, Fellows and project work visible beyond the programme itself. This may include dedicated Fellow profiles on the Fellowship website, featuring names, biographies, professional affiliations and photographs, as well as communication through social media, publications, events and media outreach. The Fellowship may also showcase selected project activities and outcomes developed during the programme. 

Photos and video recordings may be made during Fellowship activities. Participants can indicate in advance if they do not want images or recordings of them to be used. Personal data and media use are handled in accordance with applicable European data protection requirements and the programme’s Data Protection Statement.

After completing the programme, Fellows usually become part of the Weimar Fellowship alumni network. Planned formats include alumni gatherings, thematic workshops, continued exchange and collaboration, and project work across cohorts, creating opportunities to develop relationships, initiatives and ideas beyond the formal Fellowship year.