Call for Applications! John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship 2026–27 at Stanford University — Now Open!
Are you a journalist with big ideas, bold questions, and the drive to transform the future of media? Do you feel the need to pause the fast-paced newsroom routine and dedicate time to reflection, creativity, and deeper thinking? If so, the John S. Knight (JSK) Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University might be the opportunity that changes your life and career.
The JSK Fellowship is not just another professional development program — it is a fully immersive, nine-month experience designed for journalists who dare to imagine journalism beyond traditional boundaries. Each year, up to 20 exceptional journalists from every corner of the world come together in California’s Silicon Valley to explore new ideas, challenge existing norms, and design practical solutions to the urgent issues affecting news and information today.
This is a call for individuals who want to lead, innovate, collaborate, invent, and re-invent. Whether you are a reporter, editor, media founder, podcast creator, audience strategist, digital storyteller, or investigative journalist, JSK is a space where your curiosity, creativity, and ambition will be nurtured and amplified.
What the JSK Fellowship Offers
The JSK Fellowship is a holistic, life-changing academic and professional journey. It grants journalists the rare chance to step away from deadlines and daily pressures to dedicate themselves to growth, experimentation, and deep learning.
Here’s what makes the program truly special:
1. A Nine-Month Immersive Experience
From September to June, JSK Fellows spend nearly a year at Stanford University — surrounded by world-leading scholars, innovators, researchers, engineers, creators, and thinkers. Fellows take full advantage of Stanford’s academic ecosystem, which encourages interdisciplinary exploration and collaboration.
You’ll get to:
- Audit classes across different schools and departments
- Meet experts from fields such as technology, law, design, artificial intelligence, business, and public policy
- Participate in workshops, seminars, and community events
- Work on a journalism-related challenge, idea, or project that matters deeply to you
This fellowship doesn’t simply ask you to study — it invites you to transform.
2. A Global Community of Changemakers
Each cohort includes journalists from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and media traditions. As a Fellow, you’ll join a community that encourages collaboration, exchange of ideas, and mutual support.
This network extends far beyond your fellowship year. JSK alumni remain active members of a global movement focused on strengthening journalism for the public good.
3. Space to Reflect and Reinvent
One of the unique gifts of the fellowship is time — something journalists rarely get. Time to think. Time to explore. Time to question. Time to analyze what’s broken in the media ecosystem and what might repair it.
The JSK Fellowship provides this breathing room, encouraging you to:
- Re-evaluate your career direction
- Reflect on systemic issues in journalism
- Rediscover your creative energy
- Build new skills and expand your toolkit
4. Fully Supported Fellowship Experience
The JSK program offers a generous financial package that supports Fellows during their stay at Stanford. This allows you to focus fully on learning and innovation without financial stress. The fellowship covers living expenses, participates in university life, and includes additional support for spouses and children in some cases.
5. Silicon Valley Innovation Culture
Being part of the Stanford community means being located at the heart of Silicon Valley — a global center of innovation and technology. Fellows gain exposure to:
- Startups
- Entrepreneurial thinkers
- Designers
- Technologists
- Data scientists
- Media innovators
You’ll have the opportunity to explore how emerging technologies and new business models can shape the future of news and information.
Who Should Apply?
This fellowship is ideal for journalists who want to actively shape the future of media. Candidates should demonstrate:
- A commitment to public-interest journalism
- Strong professional experience
- Leadership potential
- Curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking
- A vision for how journalism can evolve in an era of misinformation, polarization, and technological disruption
You do not need a formal academic background or advanced degree to apply. What matters most is your passion, your ideas, and your dedication to improving journalism.
Why You Should Apply
The JSK Fellowship is not a break — it is a transformative professional reset. Many Fellows describe it as:
- A turning point in their lives
- A chance to reclaim their purpose
- An opportunity to rediscover joy in journalism
- A launchpad for new ideas, new collaborations, and new careers
If you are looking for time, space, mentorship, resources, and a supportive community that encourages big thinking, the JSK Fellowship is calling your name.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply is December 3, 2025.
Submitting early is strongly encouraged — give yourself time to prepare the strongest application possible.
How to Apply
The application process is conducted entirely online through the official fellowship portal.
To apply:
- Visit the official application page (use the link you provided).
- Create an account or log in.
- Complete the application form, which will ask for:
- Personal details
- Professional background
- Work samples
- Answers to reflective questions
- Statements outlining your goals and the journalism challenge you want to address
- Upload any required documents.
- Review your application for accuracy and completeness.
- Submit before the deadline.
Make sure you clearly express:
- Why this fellowship is right for you
- What journalism challenge you want to explore
- How your participation would benefit your community, your newsroom, and the global media landscape
Your authenticity and clarity of purpose matter more than perfect resumes or polished academic credentials.
Applications are open now. Click Here