The AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship places advanced STEM students, postdoctoral trainees, and recent completers with U.S. media organizations for 10 weeks. Fellows work as journalists, using their scientific training to research, write, and report for non-specialist audiences.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science runs the program to strengthen connections between scientists and journalists and improve public understanding of science. The Summer 2026 cycle has ended; applications for Summer 2027 are scheduled to open on October 1, 2026.
Benefits & funding
- Fellows receive a $10,000 summer stipend.
- AAAS covers travel to and from AAAS and the assigned media site.
- AAAS does not provide housing, an additional housing stipend, health care, or employee benefits.
- The most recently published schedule comprised 10 weeks, including orientation and wrap-up activities in Washington, DC, and an on-site newsroom placement.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be upper-level undergraduate or graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, or within one year of completing one of those study or training routes.
- Eligible fields include life, physical, health, engineering, computer, behavioral or social sciences, mathematics, and related technical fields.
- Students enrolled in English, journalism, science journalism, or other non-technical fields are not eligible for this fellowship.
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or already hold visas that permit them to receive payment for summer work; AAAS does not assist with obtaining or retaining visas.
- Selected fellows must attend the early-June orientation and mid-August wrap-up at AAAS headquarters and submit progress reports during the placement.
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Education required
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Application process
- 1Use the AAAS application portal when the Summer 2027 cycle opens on October 1, 2026.
- 2For the closed 2026 cycle, applicants supplied personal and academic information, accepted the program’s AI-use agreement, and answered six 250-word candidate questions plus a 50-word discovery question.
- 3That cycle also required a 1,000-word general-audience writing sample and a 750-word news story based on primary research published on or after July 1, 2025.
- 4Applicants uploaded the source research article and a CV of no more than five pages; up to four supporting items were optional.
- 5AAAS generally interviewed semifinalists by telephone or video in March or early April and issued final status notifications by mid-April.
Program timeline
Applications opened for Summer 2026.
Oct 1, 2025
Summer 2026 application deadline.
Jan 1, 2026
Semifinalist interviews were generally conducted.
March to early April 2026
Applicants were expected to receive final status notifications.
Mid-April 2026
Fellowship and Washington, DC orientation began.
Jun 3, 2026
On-site newsroom placements began.
Jun 8, 2026
On-site newsroom placements ended.
Aug 14, 2026
Fellowship concluded after the Washington, DC wrap-up.
Aug 18, 2026
Applications for Summer 2027 are scheduled to open.
Oct 1, 2026