John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships offer journalists an opportunity to step back from the demands of daily work and spend an academic year at Stanford University reimagining the future of journalism. 

For nine months, fellows focus on becoming more effective, purposeful, and resilient leaders in a rapidly changing field. 

ELIGIBILITY:

U.S. and international journalists, both those working in news organizations and those working independently as freelancers or contractors. Applicants need to have at least five years of full-time professional work experience in journalism, not including internships during college. 

You must complete an online application form, which has questions about your professional background and goals. You’ll also need to submit these items: a 1-minute selfie video describing what you want to be doing in journalism three to five years from now, a resume, a work sample, and contact information for three professional references. 

Applicants must have at least five years of professional work experience. We do not require applicants to have a college degree or experience in traditional newsrooms.  (Student or internship experience is valuable but does not count toward the five-year threshold.) If you are not a full-time journalist, the majority of your work needs to be in journalism. 

They welcome applications from journalists currently working in news organizations, independent journalists, journalism entrepreneurs, strategists, and innovators.  

Each fellow pursues a focus that they’ve chosen. It might be improving specific professional skills, addressing a challenge in their news organization or community, exploring ideas for a new venture, or deepening expertise in a specific coverage area. 

BENEFIT:

John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships provide a stipend of $130,000. They also cover the cost of Stanford tuition for fellows and Stanford health insurance for fellows, spouses, and children.