Frequently Asked Questions

Some of our programs provide financial and logistical support with temporary relocation to your placement location. See program details for more.

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.

Yes, there is a limited number of hybrid fellowship spots available for the EU Food Transition (2,5 days per week) and Tobacco Free Future (1 day per week) programs. Only these two tracks let you join without leaving your current role or committing full-time. Please be aware that the part-time option is self-funded, as we can only fund fellows who can commit fulltime.

Relocation might not be required. Fellows may be placed across the U.S. depending on their project.

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 accommodation, up to 1000 euro per month.

No, you cannot apply for the EU/Global Fellowships (Tax, Food Transition, Tobacco) if you already applied or will apply to the Food System Reform Fellowship (US).

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

Depending on your placement, you could be based in Paris, The Hague, Geneva, or other locations across the US, Canada, and Nairobi in Kenya. See the website for the latest confirmed host organisations and locations.

To be eligible for a fellowship, you must have the legal right to work and live in the country where one of the host organizations is based, either through citizenship, permanent residency, and an existing work permit. If you do not already live there, you must be able to relocate to the location before the end of August. Unfortunately, we cannot move forward with applications from candidates who do not meet this hard requirement. We recognize this limits access for many talented people, and it is something we are actively considering as our programs develop.

You can directly apply to the Global Tax Fairness Fellowship as you are eligible to work with a host organization based in Geneva. As Switzerland is not part of the EU or EEA, Swiss nationals and residents do not automatically have the right to work in Belgium. This means the EU Food Transition Fellowship is not accessible unless you have independent working rights in Belgium. The Tobacco Free Future fellowship may be more accessible, as it does not require Brussels-based presence. The School is unable to assist with obtaining work visas, so you would need to confirm your eligibility before applying.

Tax Fairness (Global): No - requires the right to work in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Kenya, or the US. Tobacco Free Future (EU): Yes. Food Transition (EU): No — requires the right to work in Belgium/Brussels. US Food System Reform: No — requires the right to work in the US

The US fellowship begins earlier (June 2026) with a fundraising training phase (June–August), during which fellows raise approximately $70,000 to fund their placement. Fellows do not need to leave their current jobs during this fundraising phase. The fellowship placement then begins September 2026.

The US program focuses on systemic food system reform more broadly, with a particular emphasis on factory farming — the conditions under which 99% of US farmed animals are raised. It is not limited to the protein transition. The specific focus of your work will depend on the host organisation you're matched with, and will likely encompass government policy advocacy and driving narrative change.

Yes, the fundraising phase runs June through August, beginning with a one week intensive virtual fundraising training the week of June 8th. The $70,000 raised funds your fellowship placement — covering your stipend and the support infrastructure during the placement phase. The School provides intensive fundraising training, coaching on tapping your networks, introductions to aligned funders, and ongoing support throughout. Fellows are not expected to figure this out alone, but the fundraising is genuinely yours to complete.

The fellowship provides a stipend of approximately $10,000/month for US fellows who successfully fund their placements. As the US fellowship operates on a consultant/contractor model, benefits like health insurance are not included — fellows will need to arrange their own coverage.

Yes, fellows are expected to commit full-time during the placement (September–March).

Primarily remote. Fellows may work with their host organization for an in-person component, but this is not expected.

The $70,000 covers all fellow expenses for the 7-month fellowship (September–March). This is a new model — an experiment in proving that top talent can be paid to do meaningful work through philanthropic funding.

No. However, the September training week in the Netherlands is fully expenses-paid by SMA.

Tax fairness refers to a system where individuals and corporations pay taxes proportionate to their wealth and profits without exploiting loopholes, offshore arrangements, or profit-shifting. The problem is concrete: an estimated $492 billion in tax revenue is lost annually to global tax abuse. Ultra-rich individuals often pay lower effective tax rates than middle-class workers, while corporations shift profits across borders to pay little or nothing. The goal of the fellowship is to fight wealth concentration and help move "tax the ultra-rich" from political slogan to serious, implemented policy working alongside 70+ countries already pushing for reform. Fellows are placed within host organisations that have their own strategies and campaigns, so the approach is not for fellows to define from scratch, but to contribute their skills to live and ongoing efforts.

Depending on your placement, you could be based in Paris, The Hague, Geneva, or other locations across the US, Canada, and Nairobi in Kenya. See the website for the latest confirmed host organisations and locations.

There is no stated maximum age. We do look for fellows who have a reasonable career ahead of them, so that the investment in their career switch creates maximum long-term impact. What "reasonable" means is for you to decide.

We're looking for a wide range of profiles depending on the program, including lawyers, economists, marketers, strategists, policy experts, communicators, consultants, researchers, and finance professionals. People transitioning from finance, consulting, law, tech, and other sectors often bring exactly the skills our host organisations are looking for. Freelance work counts toward the 5-year minimum, as does a PhD.

Full-time fellows are expected to be based in Brussels at least 4 days per week. This makes it highly impractical to do the EU Food Transition Fellowship without moving to Brussels ( although we do offer up to €1,000/month reimbursement for travel and accommodation). More flexible arrangements may be possible for part-time fellows. For Tobacco Free Future associate fellows, you do not need to relocate, but the ability to spend time in Brussels (roughly 2–3 days per two weeks) is expected.

The EU Food Transition part-time positions allow fellows to join the program 2.5 days a week. Part-time fellows join the full training week. They are fully part of the cohort, although they are not expected to join for the group work that the 8 core fellows do on Fridays. Part time fellows work at their host organisation 2.5 days per week. More flexible arrangements around work location are also possible. Note that part time fellows do not receive a salary, although travel and living expenses are covered up to €1,000/month.

The Tobacco Free Future associate positions allow fellows to join the program 1 day per week. This track allows you to join the program without leaving your current job, targeting candidates who already work in roles that have impact on or are adjacent to the field of tobacco control. The associate fellowship has a separate application process that you can find on the website.

Fellows receive a monthly stipend based on average salaries for similar positions in the placement location. For Belgium-based fellows this is €4,000/month, adjusted for cost of living in other locations. Example: for Kenya-based fellows this is $2000/month and for Canada-based fellows this 6500 CAD/month. For US Food System Reform fellowships, the amount is $70,000 for the full fellowship, unless the fellow decides to accept less during their fundraising. The indicated salary is gross. Both gross salary and net outcome depend on the specific location, salary adjustments, and local taxes.

In the EU, Fellows have a contract with The School for Moral Ambition and are seconded as consultants to host organisations. Contracts are fixed for the 7-month duration. We prefer consulting agreements whenever possible, but employment agreements are possible in specific situations. In the US, Fellows have a contract with The School for Moral Ambition as consultants, and are paid via 1099.

Fellows work four days per week at their host organisation, with Fridays reserved for cohort training and joint sessions. Each month includes at least one in-person joint day. For the US Food System Reform Fellowship, fellows work full-time, remotely.

Yes, the form saves your answers, though we recommend completing it in one sitting.

English at C1 level minimum

Yes, you are welcome to apply even if you already work in social impact, as long as you have relevant experience and meet the other requirements.

Our average acceptance rate is around 3%. Indicating openness to multiple programs increases your chances of progressing through the process.

Yes. A single joint application covers the three EU programs (Food Transition, Tobacco Free Future, and Tax Fairness), where you can indicate your preferences. The US Food System Reform Fellowship has a separate application. You cannot apply to both EU and US programs simultaneously. For the Tobacco Free Future Fellowship, there is also the option to apply as an associate fellow.

Stipends will be available, with the amount varying based on your location. The ballpark figure we can give is around 5000 USD per month

We have one application form for all three 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.

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

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

Please email laura@moralambition.org.

The selection process is skill-based, focusing on the relevant skills and mindsets crucial for success. After the initial application, which takes approximately one hour, the process includes a one-hour on-campus interview.

The School for Moral Ambition will execute a matching process between host organizations and selected sophomores starting in May 2026 to ensure tight alignment. We anticipate that host organizations will be high-impact nonprofits with potentially disruptive approaches — for example, one host organization leads the largest no-strings-attached giving program in the world.

This program is for members of the class of 2028 — so current sophomores. If you have taken an accelerated course load but are officially a member of the class of 2029 we ask that you wait a year.

Yes — for now. This first fellowship is exclusively for Harvard sophomores in good standing. Future cohorts may open up to other schools, but this pilot is designed to build something deeply rooted in the Harvard ecosystem first.

Yes. Harvard is just the beginning. We’re starting here to prove the model: that you can pay top students to do meaningful work and that they’ll take it. Once we show the impact, we plan to expand to other major universities across the U.S. Moral Ambition is a movement, not a one-campus experiment.

Through the Moral Ambition Fellowship, we are putting work with high impact nonprofits on the same recruiting timeline as banks and management consulting firms, which recruit in sophomore year for the summer after their junior year.

For decades, elite universities like Harvard have quietly funneled top talent into careers that optimize for margin, not meaning. In 2022, 58% of Harvard grads went into consulting, finance, or tech. If we can help even a small number of the best students at the most prestigious school redirect their talent toward solving real problems like climate change, inequality, or AI safety it can have a ripple effect across campuses (and boardrooms) everywhere.

The School for Moral Ambition does not receive funding from governments nor are we engaged in sponsorship deals with companies. We do accept donations from companies in return for a talk or workshop we provided.

We publish the names of our largest donors on our how we are funded page and in our annual report.

For larger donations of € / $ 50,000 and more, we are happy to discuss the options. Reach out to Sabrina van der Sandt, Philanthropy Director, via sabrina@moralambition.org.

The School for Moral Ambition is registered in the Netherlands as an ANBI-stichting and has a 501(c)(3) status in the USA. This means that donations are tax deductible in the Netherlands, United States and all countries that recognize the Dutch or US status. This may require extra paperwork, but we're happy to help you with that. Contact Sabrina van der Sandt, Philanthropy Director, via sabrina@moralambition.org.

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We are grateful for every contribution - large or small! Discover all the options on our Support Us page.

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.

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 Hireflix interview, a written test task, interviews with program managers and possibly interviews with the host organizations.

You can apply for the third edition of the EU fellowship during the application round from March 27 to April 27, 2026. The first round of application will take approximately 1.5 hours.

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.

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, Tax Fairness or Food Transition.

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.

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

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.

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.

The 2026 Fellowships focus on 3 key themes (food, tax, tobacco) across 4 programs: Tobacco-Free Future (EU), Tax Fariness (Global), Food Transition (EU) and Food System Reform (US).

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.

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.

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, 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. We also encourage you to select more than one fellowship programs when applying, as this increases the chances of being selected for the program that is a better fit.

Moral Ambition Circles are for anyone determined to improve lives by tackling the world’s most critical challenges. Whether you’re taking your first big step toward impact or already leading at a high level and know you can contribute more, a Circle gives you the structured, peer‑led support to turn moral ambition into measurable results.Participants commit to eight sessions of 2–3 hours each, plus roughly 2–3 hours of preparation before every meeting.

Initially, the program focuses primarily on donation potential: participants pledge to donate at least 50% of their personal proceeds if they exit their company. This emphasis was chosen because we identified a lack of available capital for high-impact initiatives during the first year of SMA's existence. However, we are definitely open to founders building direct impact ventures — startups that create positive change themselves.

We believe these are the most powerful levers for systemic change, policy can shift institutions, and entrepreneurship drives innovation and can create funding sources at scale

Professionals allowed to work in the EU, U.S., Canada, Switzerland, or Kenya — preferably with experience in tax law, economics, or communications.

The fellowship includes 1 month of intensive training and 6 months of full-time paid placement. Training will cover tax justice fundamentals, advocacy strategies, and network-building for impact.

For any remaining questions about the US Food Systems Reform Fellowship, please contact AJ Kroboth (aj@moralambition.org)

For any remaining questions about the Global Tax Fairness Fellowship, please contact Omezzine Khelifa (omezzine@moralambition.org)

We collaborate with host organizations in Europe, the US, Canada, and Africa. You will be placed based on the regions where you are legally allowed to work.

Fellows will be placed in leading organizations working on global tax justice. Projects may involve policy advocacy, research, communications campaigns, or building coalitions for a global wealth tax.

We review applications on a rolling basis, so we recommend applying as early as possible. The early application deadline is June 23, 2025.

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who want to make a career shift into food system reform.

Projects may include state-level food policy reform, reshaping food systems to promote environmental sustainability, improve public health, and enhance animal welfare.

You can contact Jacintha Baas from our partner organisation AIM: jacintha@charityentrepreneurship.com

It includes a short form, intro interview, test task, and partner interview. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Highly ambitious builders ready to launch a high-growth tech company and want to donate a portion of future exit proceeds to effective charities. We welcome technical talent, founders, and domain experts from across the world.

All founders pledge to donate at least 50% of their personal proceeds over $900K from a future exit to effective charities.

We provide a 3-month stipend, cover flights and housing during the in-person phase, and connect you to aligned capital. We do not take equity.

The Founding to Give Program is operated by Ambitious Impact (AIM), in partnership with the School for Moral Ambition (SMA). AIM leads program design, selection, and delivery; SMA supports outreach.

The next program starts January 5, 2026. The first month is in-person, followed by two months remote.

After the incubator phase, participants can continue to receive mentorship and may connect with networks that provide seed funding, ongoing advice, and community support.

By signing up on our community platform — you can do that via this link: https://community.moralambition.org/signup.

Once you're in, you can:

• Explore the Requests Page to offer or ask for support
• Join events that spark action and reflection
• Discover and connect with members working on similar topics
• Share your own project and story through your profile

No, you don’t — although you’re welcome to. You can choose to rotate the host role, so that each member takes a turn facilitating a session. This not only eases the pressure on the Circle starter, but also gives everyone a chance to contribute in a meaningful way.

To help you find what you’re looking for, we invite you to post your request on the Requests page of our community platform. It’s the place where morally ambitious people come together to exchange support, ideas, and meaningful connections.You can use the page to ask for advice, look for a collaborator, seek a connection, or offer support yourself.

We would love to welcome you to our Community Platform — the space where ambitious idealists from around the world come together to connect and collaborate. Once you're in, you can:Explore the Requests Page to offer or ask for supportJoin events (online and offline) that spark action and reflectionDiscover and connect with members working on similar topicsShare your own project and story through your profile. You can sign up here.

We regularly post open roles on our vacancies page. Explore what’s currently available via this link. Nothing that fits your talents or wishes? Join or start a Moral Ambition Circle to connect with other community members who are looking for their best way to make a difference. You can read more about the program here or explore it through our community onboarding.

We support high-growth, tech-enabled startups, with or without direct impact. We’re particularly excited about healthtech, edtech, emerging markets, and fintech ideas.

No. Most participants start without a team or idea. The program helps you find cofounders and explore promising ideas during the first phase.

If you want to start a Circle, the first step is to complete the Circle Starter Training. This training helps you internalize the material and prepares you to confidently guide your own Circle. Also, you will connect with other Circle starters from around the globe! Once you've completed the training, you'll be invited to the Circle Pioneer Club — a dedicated sub-community on our platform where Circle starters connect and support each other.

We use all feedback to continuously improve the Circle program. In fact, we're already on the third version — shaped by the insights and experiences of those who came before you.

Absolutely! There are countless challenges worth working on. To help you focus your efforts, we use the SSS framework — Sizable, Solvable, and Sorely Overlooked — to guide you in identifying which global problem you might take on. As a Circle participant, you’ll gain access to all related materials and recommendations.

The program consists of 3 modules, each with three sessions. We recommend planning 2 to 3 weeks between each session. However, there are also optional extra sessions you can add — so you’re free to extend the journey if you like.

On average, preparing for a session takes about 2 to 3 hours — and we ask that you take this seriously. If you’re also leading the session, add roughly another hour for facilitation. The sessions themselves last between 2 and 3 hours.

Yes. Circles are grounded in the “5 C’s”: Confidentiality, Commitment, Curiosity, Courage, and Challenge. These principles are essential to building a safe and supportive space. Throughout the program, you'll regularly reflect on them, and various exercises are designed to strengthen the 5 C’s within your group.

No. The School for Moral Ambition is a non-profit foundation that offers the program free of charge. Leading a Circle is a voluntary commitment — it’s not a paid role.

The School for Moral Ambition is primarily funded by significant donations from individuals and grants from foundations. Additionally, we receive smaller contributions from individuals, income from paid talks and workshops, contributions from host organizations partaking in the fellowship program, as well as valuable in-kind contributions. Read more about how we are funded.