Deadline: February 4, 2027
Do you have a great idea for an education-related journalism project? Do you need the time and resources to complete it? Apply for the Spencer Fellowship for Education Reporting 2027.
The Spencer Fellowship for Education Reporting is open to journalists and educators who want to develop and publish an ambitious long-form journalism project that advances public understanding of education. Four fellows will be selected for this yearlong program based at Columbia Journalism School. The fellowship combines study and research with advising from faculty experts at Columbia, Teachers College and elsewhere.
Financial Support
- Each residential fellow receives an $85,000 scholarship for personal living expenses. The scholarship is dispensed in four quarters over the course of the academic year. In addition, each fellow receives $7,500 for the year in project expenses, also dispensed in two halves.
- Separately, the Spencer grant covers the cost of tuition and other student fees, plus basic student health insurance for residential fellows.
- Non-residential fellows receive a $43,000 stipend and $7,500 project related expenses, dispensed in quarters. Health insurance is not available.
Eligibility
- All U.S. citizens and green card holders are eligible, including working journalists, freelancers and education professionals. There is no academic prerequisite. A college degree is not required.
- The most successful candidates are those with experience in the field of education journalism, defined in broad terms to include a wide swath of disciplines related to education such as juvenile justice, economics, arts and culture, poverty and the science of learning.
- Judges look for a demonstrated ability to research and tell stories in a journalistic style. The strength of the project idea is key, along with the candidate’s potential to complete and publish or produce for a general audience.
Application
Required application materials include:
- A resume or CV with your professional and educational qualifications.
- A short narrative autobiography highlighting the personal and professional origins of your commitments to education and journalism.
- Up to four work samples that demonstrate your approach to using high-quality research to tell compelling education stories for general audiences (stories on related social issues will also be accepted). Work samples may include book excerpts, newspaper and magazine clips, radio and television broadcasts, podcast episodes, film and video excerpts, academic reports and journal articles, and other formats.
- A proposal essay describing the project you hope to pursue with a Spencer Fellowship. Judges look for ambitious, high-impact projects that draw on high-quality research and make use of narrative journalism techniques such as extensive interviewing and immersive reporting to explore timely, relevant, and under-explored topics in education. Please include descriptions of any related works already in progress and explain how you intend to reach general audiences with your work. All else being equal, judges will prioritize applicants who document a clear path to publish or broadcast work produced during the fellowship year. Examples include a letter of interest from a news organization, a book contract, a distribution deal with a podcast platform, or a broadcast commitment from a television or radio station. An applicant’s track record distributing ambitious work to mainstream audiences via established platforms will also be considered.
- A research plan describing how you will make use of Columbia University resources to materially aid your research during the fellowship year. University resources offered to all Spencer Fellows include expert mentorship from J-School and other faculty, access to Columbia University Libraries, a research & travel budget, and regular networking opportunities. Residential fellows may also sit in on university courses. Judges value specificity with regard to research questions, coursework plans, professors who might serve as valuable content-area mentors, and other relevant university resources.
- A brief statement explaining whether you seek a residential or non-residential fellowship and why. Residential fellows must live in New York City or its immediate vicinity during the fellowship year. They receive an $85,000 stipend. Non-residential fellows may live anywhere in the U.S. and are required to make several trips (airfare and hotel paid by the fellowship) to New York City during the fellowship year. They receive a $43,000 stipend. For the non-residential fellowship, judges will prioritize applicants who demonstrate a hardship in moving to New York City due to such barriers as caregiving responsibilities, job security, and financial concerns.
- Three letters of professional recommendation that attest to such qualities as your work ethic, personal character, facility with education research, creativity in storytelling, and capacity to complete ambitious work that can reach a broad audience. A documented commitment to publish/broadcast/distribute work produced during your fellowship year will count as one of your recommendation letters.
For more information, visit Spencer Fellowship for Education Reporting.
