The Marion Gräfin Dönhoff Journalism Fellowship is an annual newsroom exchange run by International Journalists’ Programmes. It brings 10–12 journalists from Germany and eligible Eastern European and Central Asian countries into a foreign newsroom for eight weeks.
For 2026, participating journalists from the eligible eastern countries work in Germany, while German fellows are placed with safe Eastern European or Baltic partner newsrooms, especially in the Caucasus and Moldova. Fellows join the host newsroom’s workflow, pursue their own reporting projects and continue reporting for outlets in their home country.
Benefits & funding
- Each fellow receives a one-time €4,000 stipend intended to cover part of travel, food, accommodation, visa fees and health insurance.
- Host newsrooms generally do not pay a salary; any additional compensation is at the host’s discretion.
- The fellowship includes an introductory conference, an eight-week newsroom placement and access to IJP alumni activities after the placement.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be 23–35 and regularly work as a journalist, blogger or documentary filmmaker for a German or eligible Eastern European media outlet, whether freelance, in training or on staff.
- Eligible nationalities are Germany, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
- Eastern European and Central Asian applicants need good German or English; German applicants are not required to know a host-country language, although an Eastern European language is preferred.
- Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian journalists who have left their home country and now live in Germany or elsewhere may apply; no degree, gender or fixed residency requirement is stated.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Armenia · Azerbaijan · Belarus · Germany · Georgia · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Moldova · Russia · Tajikistan · Turkmenistan · Ukraine
+ 1 more
Uzbekistan
Age requirement
23–35 yrs
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Application process
- 1Prepare one German- or English-language PDF containing a CV and motivation letter.
- 2Add a journalistic reference that verifies your work and, where relevant, confirms leave for the fellowship period.
- 3Include up to three written work samples; TV and radio applicants provide a list of notable contributions without clips, while documentary filmmakers provide project links and a short proposal for the work they plan to produce.
- 4Add proof of German or English ability and indicate preferred host organisations, countries or media, noting whether the application should be considered beyond those preferences.
- 5Email the complete, clearly named PDF to doenhoff@ijp.org; the 2026 deadline was April 30.
Program timeline
Application deadline
April 30, 2026
Selection decisions
June 6, 2026
Introductory conference
October 8–11, 2026
Eight-week host-newsroom placement begins
Mid-October 2026
Fellowship period ends
December 2026