Frequently Asked Questions

The fellowships primarily take place in Brussels, where fellows are placed at NGOs or think tanks. Some travel may be involved depending on the project requirements. A limited number of placements could take place in a hybrid remote/on location structure. A small number of placements are in different EU capitals like Berlin or Geneva. During September, training will take place in The Netherlands (first week September) and Brussels (last week September), where you need to be present for a full week on site.

The fellowship program carefully matches fellows with host organisations to ensure alignment of goals and skills. Fellows are integrated into their teams with planned orientations and are supported throughout their placement to maximize both their impact and their learning experience.

We have one application form for both programs where you can indicate your preferences. Please note that we will consider your preference, but we may place you in a different program if we believe it to be a better fit. While you are welcome to indicate interest in only one program, please be aware that keeping an open mind to both may increase your chances of moving forward in the selection process.

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Yes you can. At SMA we believe that the Tobacco Industry is the enemy, not the individual smoker who has been lured into an addiction. We will support you with a cessation program throughout the program.

Most host-organisations require you to be present at least 2 - 3 days in their office in Brussels. It is also good to be there to network and lobby. So, either you do relocate, or you spend every week two of three days and nights in Brussels. There is a budget to reimburse your costs for travel and accomodation, up to 1000 euro per month.

No, there is no job guarantee after the fellowship. Your fellowship will have equipped you with many desired skills and many contacts to organisations and funders. You must find your own place after the fellowship.

Some fellows can stay at their host organisation after the fellowship, but there is no guarantee for that. Other fellows can apply to jobs in NGO's, thinktank or lobby organisations. Some fellows start their own NGO after the fellowship.

Yes, for both fellowships we do expect that you do around 20 hours of online learning.

Last year 653 people applied for 22 positions.

Previous backgrounds included consultants, researchers, medical doctors, laywers, marketeers, NGO leaders, entrepeneurs and lobbyists / advocates. However, we welcome candidates from various backgrounds with relevant work experience and transferable skills related to the fellowship program.

Yes, it is possible that you get rejected on one of the application rounds. However, we welcome you to apply for our Moral Ambition Fellowship in the future.

No, as this is a career-transitioning program, prior experience in these fields is not required. We recruit talent with relevant transferable skills (such as advocacy, policy work, consulting or research) related to the program.

The School for Moral Ambition was founded by Rutger Bregman (author of the book Moral Ambition), Julia van Boven (Community Director), Harald Dunnink (Creative Director), and Jan-Willem van Putten (Fellowship Director).

Our board currently consists of Edmond Hilhorst, Heleen Dura-van Oord, Saskia Bruysten and Salmaan Sana.

The main sources of income for the foundation are donations from a group of morally ambitious entrepreneurs who support our mission. Additionally, Rutger donates all income from the sale of his book Moral Ambition and from his lectures on moral ambition.

The School for Moral Ambition encourages the formation of 'Moral Ambition Circles'. These are groups of people who come together to support each other in taking the next step towards an impactful career. The School for Moral Ambition provides resources for organizing these Circles yourself on the website.

The School for Moral Ambition is an independent entity. Although Rutger Bregman is known for his work as a writer for De Correspondent, they are two different organizations.

We encourage everyone within their own company or organization to pursue their moral ambition. Learning more about moral ambition can be done by reading the book Moral Ambition and by participating in Moral Ambition Circles. For now, we are not entering into direct collaborations, but this may change in the future.

For contributions to lectures or events, we recommend emailing us at info@moralambition.org.

We strive to mobilize talented individuals to address the greatest global challenges. Also see our seven core principles.

We work in accordance of applicable legislation in this area, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Furthermore, we handle the personal data of participants and stakeholders with care.

We work according to our seven principles. These guide how we interact with each other.

We have published our policy plan in accordance with ANBI regulations on our website moreleambitie.nl. Annual reports will also be published here later on.

Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn.

All royalties from the book and from Rutger Bregman's lectures on the book go to The School for Moral Ambition. You can find the contract between Rutger’s BV and Stichting School for Moral Ambition here.

The book is currently available in Dutch. You can buy the book at your favorite book retailer. For example, in the kiosk of De Correspondent or at your local bookstore.

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Upcoming translations:

Finnish: October 2024

German: November 12, 2024

English (UK/US): Spring 2025

French: September 2025

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The publication dates of other editions are not yet confirmed. Translation rights have been sold to 17 countries.

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For substantive questions or comments about the book, you can email post@decorrespondent.nl. 

Great that you are willing to share your ideas to help strengthen the movement! Share your thoughts via this form.

For questions not addressed in the FAQ, you can contact us directly at fellowship@moralambition.org. We also periodically host webinars during the application period.

Moral Ambition Fellowships are an opportunity to radically transform your career and be prepared to contribute at the highest level to urgent global issues. The fellowship is a seven-month program, including a one-month intensive training that sharpens you into an effective advocate for positive change, followed by a six-month placement at a leading NGO or think tank working in the field of a Tobacco Free Future or Food Transition.

For complaints, it's best to contact The School for Moral Ambition directly via info@moralambition.org.

You can apply for the second edition of the fellowship during the application round from May 2 to May 12, 2025. The first round of application will take approximately 1.5 hours.

You need an EU or EEA citizenship and/or permanent residence to be eligble for the program.

The program is aimed at people with around 10 years of work experience. Five years of relevant work experience is the minimum required.

The topics of the 2025 fellowships are Tobacco Free Future and the Food Transition. These areas are critical to public health, alleviating suffering and sustainable living, and the fellowships focus on creating impactful change within these sectors.

The topics were chosen through an extensive research process using the Impact-Neglectedness-Tractability framework, supplemented by assessing whether a small cohort of talented individuals could make a significant impact. These topics were identified as both urgent and actionable, where focused efforts could lead to meaningful change.

Fellows undergo a one-month intensive training from top trainers, learning about effective advocacy, the specific problem area they will work on, and receiving lessons from the best guest speakers in the industry. There will be an on-site week in The Netherlands, two weeks of group-research and a final week of on-site training in Brussels. The curriculum is designed to prepare them to be effective leaders in their respective fields. Learning will continue during the placements at host organisations through weekly exchanges and lectures on Fridays.

During their six-month placement, fellows receive continuous support from their host organization and the fellowship program. This includes professional guidance, mentorship, and regular cohort meetings to discuss progress and share learnings.

By the end of the program, fellows are expected to have developed comprehensive skills in advocacy, made substantial contributions to their field, and prepared a foundation for a career focused on making a difference in global issues related to their fellowship topic area.

The selection process is skill-based, focusing on the relevant skills crucial for success in the role rather than just academic credentials. After the initial application, the process includes a three-hour skill test, a 45 minute online interview focusing on case scenarios and personal fit, and a final one-hour interview with a potential host organisation.

The fellowship lasts for seven months, starting on September 1 and ending on April 1. Fellows are expected to commit full-time to the program.

Fellows receive a monthly salary of 3800 gross per month, financial assistance in case of temporary relocation, professional guidance, and the opportunity to work on impactful projects at influential NGOs or think tanks. They also gain invaluable networking opportunities and one month of skill training that prepare them for continued careers in their chosen fields.

Fellows may work on a variety of projects depending on their background, including writing evidence-based studies and position papers, engaging with policymakers, coalition-building or networking to further their careers post-fellowship.

Yes, fellows receive expert guidance at their placement organizations and have the opportunity to listen to inspiring guest speakers, enhancing their learning and professional development during the fellowship. SMA will also provide the fellows with independent professional coaching to facilitate the career change.

Our fellowship is unique in a few aspects: 1) it focuses on lowering the barrier of career shifting towards impactful job sectors for mid career professionals, 2) it uses a targeted focus on one specific global challenge per program with a well researched theory of change, and 3) it builds on existing policy infrastructure with pre-selected host organizations that enable you to have direct impact and to build relevant career capital for a career switch.

Yes, fellows receive a monthly salary of 3800 gross for seven months, to support their participation in the fellowship. For more affluent participants, it is possible to waive (part of) the salary.

The success of the fellowships is measured by the impact of the fellows work and their continued contribution to their respective fields after the fellowship, relative to the costs invested in the fellowship program.

We will financially and logistically support temporary relocation to your placement location. We are also exploring options for shared housing for our fellows.

Yes , there is. After the first edition of the fellowship we started our alumni network for our fellows.

Fellows are encouraged to share their work, such as through articles for newspapers or other publications, as part of their fellowship activities.

None of the employees, board members (and funders) of The School for Moral Ambition have interests in the Tobacco or Vaping industry, nor the Tobacco-Control sector. Two of our Board members (Heleen Dura van Oord and Edmond Hilhorst) invested in funds with sustainable protein companies in their portfolio. The Board of SMA is not involved in the selection of topics for fellowships. The fellowship topics are selected according to an independent research process and decided on by the management of the School.

During our selection process we focus on skills instead of traditional credentials.The School for Moral Ambition embraces diversity and inclusion, welcoming applicants of all races, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, national origins, abilities, and other diverse backgrounds.

We will start our research process afresh in fall 2026 to pick the topics for '27-'28 fellowships. It could be that different topics will be added or that we will continue with Tobacco Free Future and the Food Transition as our main programs.

No, the fellowship will run from September 1st 2025 until April 1st 2026.

Fellows are well positioned to continue their careers in the fields of anti-tobacco advocacy, Food Transition, or related areas, using the skills and networks developed during the fellowship.