Application Deadline: 23:59 BST on 23 October 2026.
LOCATION: England
Applications for the fellowships are now open. The WCSJ2027 Travel Fellowships support journalists (journalism may be their primary or secondary profession), journalism students, or students in related fields who would otherwise be unable to attend the World Conference of Science Journalists 2027 (WCSJ2027) in London on 6–9 September 2027. These fellowships aim to broaden international participation, increase diversity, and improve access for professionals who have limited funding opportunities in their own countries or organizations.
ELIGIBILITY:
The programme is open to:
Journalists and other media professionals covering science and related fields, such as engineering, climate or health – even if science journalism isn’t your primary profession.
Students in science journalism, journalism, media studies, science communication or related fields.
Those carrying out research and teaching in journalism, media studies or science communication, as long as they have a proven track record in journalism.
Applications will be assessed through a competitive international review process based on the published selection criteria. Submission of an application does not guarantee funding.
Before applying, Applicants should ensure they:
are available to attend the entire conference (6–10 September 2027);
have checked whether they require a UK Standard Visitor visa (here and here);
hold a passport valid until the end of September 2027 or have already applied for a new or renewed passport and can provide evidence of the application;
can complete the application and all supporting documents in English.
Application requirements
Applicants will be asked to provide information about their professional background and experience, including:
current employer, institution, or professional affiliation;
current role and years of professional experience;
CV or résumé (maximum two pages);
professional biography;
examples of published work from the past two years (written, audio, video or multimedia);
a supporting letter from an employer, editor, educational institution or relevant professional association.
As part of the application, candidates will also be asked to answer several professional questions, including:
why they wish to attend WCSJ2027;
what they hope to learn at the conference;
how attending will benefit their professional work;
what expertise they will contribute to the WCSJ2027 community;
how they intend to share the knowledge gained after the conference;
a funding statement explaining what financial support is already available and why additional assistance is needed.
Applicants whose work is not in English may submit AI-assisted translations, provided these faithfully reflect the original work. Original versions must also be supplied to enable assessment by multilingual reviewers.
Applications are assessed in two stages. Professional reviewers assess the applicant’s professional work, motivation and potential contribution to WCSJ2027. Authorised WCSJ2027 Travel Fellowship administrators carry out administrative and eligibility checks and consider additional programme objectives, including financial need and the overall composition of the Travel Fellowship cohort, before final funding decisions are made.
Applications must be submitted through the online application form. Although a downloadable offline version of the application form is provided to help candidates prepare their responses in advance, applications can only be submitted through the online form.
BENEFIT:
Successful applicants will receive financial support towards travel, visa costs, limited local transport, and up to six nights of accommodation, together with full conference registration, refreshments, and lunches during the conference. The fellowship does not include per diem payments.
