Deadline: December 3, 2025
Applications are open for the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships 2026-2027. The John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships offer journalists an opportunity to step back from 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. They use this time to explore ideas, experiment with new approaches and develop practices that strengthen journalism’s essential role in building informed democratic communities.
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. As a JSK Fellow, you receive financial support, full access to Stanford’s intellectual and creative ecosystem and a program designed specifically to meet the needs of your class. You’ll learn alongside a small global cohort of journalists, guided by their directors and supported by the resources of one of the world’s leading universities.
Benefits
As a JSK Fellow, you’ll receive:
- Individual coaching and customized workshops to strengthen leadership, resilience and the ability to navigate change.
- A purposefully designed cohort experience that fosters genuine connection, collaboration and peer learning.
- Time and freedom to explore Stanford’s extraordinary academic and creative offerings.
- Access to the global JSK alumni network, a lifelong source of support and inspiration.
- A stipend of $130,000 for the nine-month fellowship.
- Stanford tuition and health insurance for fellows, plus a health supplement for dependents enrolled in Stanford coverage.
- Advice on finding rental housing and practical tips about settling into the Stanford area for you and your family.
Eligibility
- Applicants must have at least five years of professional work experience.
- They 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.
Expectations
Being a JSK Fellow is a full-time commitment and requires full participation in the program. You’ll receive a monthly stipend and health coverage through Stanford, allowing you to focus entirely on your fellowship experience.
Fellows are expected to:
- Be in residence at Stanford from September through May.
- Dedicate themselves full-time to the fellowship.
- Participate in weekly cohort meetings and biweekly individual coaching sessions.
- Attend other occasional JSK events and Stanford gatherings.
- Share insights and reflections publicly throughout the year.
- Collaborate respectfully with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Application
- Answer a few profile questions to determine whether you qualify for the U.S. or international fellowship.
- Complete the online application form, which includes questions about your career journey, what you hope to contribute to a JSK cohort and how the fellowship aligns with your professional goals.
- Submit supporting materials:
- A one-minute selfie video describing what you want to be doing in journalism three to five years from now.
- Your resume.
- One work sample.
- Contact information for three professional references.
For more information, visit John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships.
