The Knight Foundation Fellowships invites applications from mid-career international journalists and their counterparts from the United States who have already done first-rate work and who have the potential of great impact in journalism in their home countries. The overall goal for international fellows is the same as those from the U.S. – an engaged, informed public. We are paying special attention to countries where the obstacles to this goal may be more acute than in the U.S. because of government or other powerful forces opposed to free expression.
The program is seeking journalists from countries where the news media can work as a significant agent of change, both in nurturing a free press and fostering innovation. At the same time, we will continue to seek international journalists from countries with a more robust press, especially those who would focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.
The program has revised its selection process to reflect a new emphasis on journalistic innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership, including an emphasis on developing and strengthening press freedoms around the world.
Fellowship Goal
They want to serve the needs of journalism and journalists by focusing on innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership and giving top-notch journalists a chance and the resources to make a difference in our profession.
Number of Fellowships: They award 20 fellowship each year, nine of them for international applicants
Worth of Fellowships: Fellows receive a stipend of $65,000 plus supplemental allowances for housing, childcare, health insurance, books, equipment and moving expenses. The program also pays Stanford tuition for each Fellow.
Selection Criteria
They are looking for proposals that focus on a particular journalism challenge, problem or opportunity, with an emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership. Applicants should explain not only how they would spend the year, but also what they hope to have to show for their work at the end.
In addition, international applicants should be those who can have a direct impact on the development of a free press and flow of information in their countries and, to that end, they encourage journalists from countries where the press is either under threat or still in the process of becoming an independent press. They also continue to seek and consider international journalists from countries with a more robust press, especially those who propose to focus their work here on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Eligibility and Conditions for International Applicants
- Applicants ideally will have at least five years of full-time professional experience, but applicants with less experience yet outstanding achievements will also be considered. There are no educational prerequisites. No college degree is required.
- There is no age limit
- Freelance journalists are eligible to apply; in that case, they do not need to present any leave of absence from their employer
Applicants should fall into one of these categories (or some combination of them):
- Full-time journalists
- Journalism entrepreneurs and innovators
- Journalism business and management executives
- Full-time journalists who are eligible include those who write or edit news, commentary, or editorials; critics and reviewers, photojournalists, editorial cartoonists and supervising editors, anchors, and producers. They may be working for newspapers, wire services, television or radio news departments, web sites, magazines that cover news, commentary or public affairs, or as full-time freelance or independent journalists.
- Journalism entrepreneurs and innovators who are eligible include those whose work or proposals have the potential for great journalistic impact.
- Journalism business and management executives who are eligible include those whose work influences editorial quality, such as publishers, general managers, and station managers.
- Those working in public information or public relations jobs, for trade and house newsletters or magazines, for government agencies, or as teachers, are not eligible.
- Fellows must agree to devote their energy during the year to the fellowship itself rather than to regular professional work, to spend the academic terms in residence at Stanford and to participate fully in fellowship seminars and activities. Further, Fellows who apply with the support of their news organizations agree to return to that organization.
- All features of the fellowship program are identical to the U.S. Fellows. International Fellows, however, are financed separately by grants from a variety of sources, including the Fulbright program, the Knight Foundation, the Shin-young Journalism Fund, the Lyle and Corrine Nelson International Journalism Fellowship Fund and the Yahoo! International Journalism Fund.
- In addition, the selection of International Fellows is designed to ensure that journalists from a wide range of countries and regions are represented, especially countries where a returning Knight Fellow could have a direct impact on the development of a free press and flow of information in their countries.
- The Knight Fellowships program reserves one fellowship each year for a journalist from Latin America under special funding from the Knight Foundation. The program also reserves one fellowship each year, using special funding from Yahoo!, for a journalist from a country where there are restrictions on freedom of the press, either by governmental agencies or other forces.
- Candidates write two essays: a statement of how they propose to spend their fellowship year and what they expect to have to show for it at the end, and a journalistic autobiography. Applicants who are employed (not freelancers or independent proprietors) must submit a letter from their employer endorsing their application and granting a leave of absence if chosen for a fellowship. Three letters of recommendation, including one from the applicant’s immediate supervisor, are required as well as work samples.
- Applicants must be fluent in written and spoken English. All materials submitted must be in English. If samples of the applicant’s work are in another language, English translations must be provided.
How to Apply
To apply for the fellowships, visit the website below and fill out your application form bearing in mind that you have to submit work samples, two essays, leave of absence from you employer (if you are not a freelancer), and recommendations.
Application Deadlines
Applications for the 2014-2015 Fellowship is now open. The deadline for international applicants is 11:59 P.M., December 1, 2013, Pacific Standard Time. For U.S. applicants the deadline is 11:59 P.M., February 1, 2012, Pacific Standard Time.
For more information, and to apply, visit their website accessible here.