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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
    Sir Harry Evans Memorial Fund

    Sir Harry Evans Global Fellowship in Investigative Journalism

    The Sir Harry Evans Global Fellowship is a nine-month investigative journalism fellowship offered jointly by Durham University's Sir Harry Evans Memorial Fund and Reuters, in honor of the late Sir Harold Evans (1928–2020), the celebrated investigative…

    c.£4,444/month salary + up to £1,250/month living stipend + £1,800 one-off travel allowance (9-month fellowship)Deadline: Jul 10, 2026Free to enter
  8. 8
    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
  9. 9
    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
  10. 10
    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
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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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