What Is a Journalism Fellowship?
Universities, and some other institutions, around the country offer journalism fellowships to full-time graduate journalism students and working professionals. The fellowships all focus on different aspects of journalism and different timelines. To find out what fellowship interests you, it will require some research to find out what’s out there. (Most fellowships are also open to journalists from the U.S. and abroad.) A good list of journalism fellowships, with details on preferred candidates, can be found here.
How Do You Land a Journalism Fellowship?
The tough thing about landing a journalism fellowship is that most programs are very competitive. That said, admission guidelines vary widely. Most journalism fellowship programs look at applicants with a strong performance record in their graduate school or an impressive professional career. (There are some journalism fellowships open to undergrads as well.)
The applications process for most fellowship programs mimics the application process for college -- you’ll need to submit information on your academic performance or details on your professional achievements. You’ll also need to submit recommendations and an application. Although your professional record is really important, if you have an interesting aspect of journalism you’d like to explore -- especially one that jibes well with the program you’re applying to -- this might be the thing that gives you an edge.
What is the Value of Journalism Fellowships?
Not only is winning a fellowship an incredibly impressive thing to have on your resume, a fellowship offers unique and special opportunities that you can’t get working day-to-day. The Greek philosopher Theophrastus said that “time is the most valuable thing a man can spend” and fellowship programs, more than anything else, offer time. Fellowships allow people to work in a university-like setting -- people are given stipends to live on and, for working professionals, sabbaticals are required. Often fellowship students are required to take a light course load and then, beyond that, they’re encouraged to explore their writing or business concept. While fellowships are far from a paid vacation, they offer people a way to break out of the pressurized demands of the day-to-day work environment to explore grander projects they’d like to work on.