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Best Journalism Fellowships for 2026

Updated July 2026 · Top 10 · Ranked automatically from live listings

Journalism fellowships fund the work newsrooms increasingly can't: deep reporting, investigations, beats without an obvious business case, and mid-career growth. This list ranks the best journalism fellowships currently accepting applications, ordered by financial support, with deadlines shown and closed programs dropped automatically.

  1. 1
    ProPublica

    Ancil Payne Reporting Fellowship

    ProPublica's Ancil Payne Reporting Fellowship is a paid, full-time reporting fellowship for an early-career journalist, offering the chance to do accountability and investigative journalism within ProPublica's newsroom. The fellowship pays $75,000.

    $75,000Rolling deadlineFree to enter
  2. 2
    UC Berkeley School of Journalism

    California Local News Reporting Fellowship

    Two-year, full-time fellowship placing approximately 33 fellows in California newsrooms with training and mentorship in local news reporting.

    $60,000 or $65,000 starting salaryRolling deadlineFree to enter
  3. 3
    Fund for Investigative Journalism

    Regular Grants: Summer 2026

    Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

    $2,500–$40,000Deadline: Sep 14, 2026Free to enter
  4. 4
    Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

    Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership

    Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is offering a year-long hybrid certificate program in News Innovation and Leadership for experienced media leaders, featuring weekly online classes, three week-long residencies in New York City…

    $27,000Rolling deadlineFree to enter
  5. 5
    Kometa

    Kometa Fellows 2026

    Kometa, an independent French magazine covering the world in upheaval, invites journalists, writers, and documentary photographers to apply for its 2026 Fellows programme.

    €10,000 grant per project (6 projects selected)Deadline: Jul 31, 2026Free to enter
  6. 6
    The Carter Center

    Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

    Year-long, non-residential fellowships for journalists from the United States, Ireland, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to report on a mental health topic of their choice.

    $10,000Rolling deadlineFree to enter
  7. 7
    Karsh Journalism Fellowship

    Karsh Journalism Fellowship 2027

    The Karsh Journalism Fellowship brings early- and mid-career US-based journalists to Washington, D.C., for an intensive program exploring issues affecting Jewish communities and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

    $4,000 stipend + covered travel & lodgingDeadline: Oct 14, 2026Free to enter
  8. 8
    Poynter Institute

    Reporting on Brain Health & Research: A Poynter Fellowship (2026-2027)

    The Poynter Fellowship is a fully funded, year-long journalism fellowship for 30 journalists focused on brain health and scientific research reporting.

    $3,000 stipendDeadline: Sep 21, 2026Free to enter
  9. 9
    USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism

    2026 Center for Health Journalism Data Fellow

    USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism — **2026 Data Fellow** — five-month fellowship training journalists to conduct data-driven investigations focused on health reporting. **Stipend:** $2,000 reporting stipend + 5 months of training.

    $2,000 reporting stipend + 5 months training (+ optional $1,000–$2,000 for engaged-journalism support)Deadline: Jul 22, 2026Free to enter
  10. 10
    USC Center for Health Journalism

    2020 Data Fellowship

    The 2020 Data Fellowship offered by the USC Center for Health Journalism is designed for journalists interested in honing their data journalism skills focused on health and child welfare/wellbeing topics.

    $2,000 reporting grantRolling deadlineFree to enter
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How this list works

This ranking is recomputed automatically from CozyJobs' live opportunity data — no editorial picks. Larger awards rank first, free-to-enter programs rank ahead of fee-based ones at the same award level, and the soonest deadlines break ties. Opportunities past their deadline drop off automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for journalism fellowships?+

It varies by program: some target early-career reporters, others mid-career journalists or specialists (investigative, science, local news). Freelancers are eligible for many — staff affiliation is required less often than people assume. Each listing states eligibility.

What do journalism fellowships provide?+

Typically a stipend ($10,000–$100,000+ for the academic-year programs), plus editorial support, mentorship, and sometimes reporting budgets, legal support, or university affiliation. Project-based fellowships fund a specific investigation; residential ones fund a year of study and growth.

How is this list ranked and how often does it update?+

Rankings are recomputed automatically from live data: larger awards first, then free-to-enter programs, then the soonest upcoming deadlines. Closed or past-deadline opportunities drop off automatically, so every entry is open at the time you're reading.

Does CozyJobs list opportunities with entry fees?+

Yes, contests and residencies with modest entry fees are included when the award justifies it, and each listing shows the fee up front. Free-to-enter opportunities are ranked ahead of fee-based ones at the same award level.

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