Knight Science Journalism Academic-Year Fellowship 2026–2027

Every year, the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT offers academic-year fellowships to 10 science journalists from around the globe, giving them an opportunity to explore science, technology, and the craft of journalism; to concentrate on a specialty in science; and to learn at some of the top research universities in the world.

Summary

1. Application Deadline: January 9, 2026
2. Value: $85,000 stipend + travel & housing allowance + basic health insurance
3. Study Level: Fellowship (Professional)
4. Sponsor: Knight Science Journalism Program, MIT
5. Course to Study: Journalism specialization topic + audited courses at MIT/Harvard
6. Eligible Country: All countries (Worldwide)

Eligibility Criteria for Knight Science Journalism Academic-Year Fellowship 2026–2027

To be eligible for a KSJ Fellowship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Be full-time journalists, whether on staff or freelance. Part-time writers or producers are not eligible.
2. Have at least three consecutive years of experience covering science, health, technology and environmental reporting.
3. Be reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators, filmmakers, or photojournalists. This includes work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and digital media.

Applicants must not have completed a fellowship of four months or longer during the two years prior to applying for the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship.

The program is designed to recognize journalists from around the world who demonstrate a high level of professional excellence and accomplishment as well as a long-term commitment to their craft.

Each applicant must submit the following documents:

1. A Statement of Purpose: Describe, in 500 words or less, why you want to participate in the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program and how it fits with your professional goals.
2. A Career Summary: Describe, in 200 words or less, your professional life to date.
3. Resume or Curriculum Vitae: Provide a brief overview of your education, work history, and professional honors. (Freelancers should include a list of freelance jobs completed in the past 12 months. Include each story, venue, and date of publication or broadcast.)
4. Research Project Proposal: Describe, in 500 words or less, a project you intend to develop during the fellowship year. The goal is for fellows to create a project that uniquely leverages their time and experiences at MIT, using the resources and connections available to them while they are here. The research project must be based in journalism, but it can expand beyond traditional parameters and be created in any format: long-form, story series, multimedia, video, audio, installation, etc.
5. Please note: The research project may be a book proposal, but fellows may not sell the proposal during the fellowship year, nor may they arrive with a contract to write a book during the fellowship year.
6. Three Work Samples: Please provide three relevant work samples. Choose samples that best illustrate your interest and abilities. Please include a translation for any work not produced in English.
7. Three Professional References: Please provide the e-mail addresses of three people who can provide letters of recommendation to support your application. Letters should come from individuals familiar with your work and should comment on your abilities and your commitment to journalism, and what qualities you have that would allow you to benefit from a fellowship year. The applicant initiates the letter requests through Submittable. Note: Due to the large volume of applications, we do not contact references for all applicants and are unable to notify applicants before we contact references.

Benefits of Knight Science Journalism Academic-Year Fellowship 2026–2027

1. Fellows receive an $85,000 stipend paid out in installments over 9.5 months
2. A travel and housing stipend paid near the start of the fellowship
3. Basic health insurance for each fellow and their family

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Knight Science Journalism on ksj.submittable.com to apply

For more information, kindly visit Knight Science Journalism webpage.

Application Deadline

January 9, 2026

Application Link(s)

• Apply for Knight Science Journalism Academic-Year Fellowship 2026–2027