Nova Media Fellowship — Fellowship

The Nova Institute for Health, a nonprofit research institute in Baltimore, Maryland, runs this fellowship for journalists and newsrooms covering how people, places and the planet together shape health. Three proposals are supported in the 2026-27 term, each carrying USD 60,000 paid out over twelve months.

Fellows keep working from wherever they already live in the United States and spend the year on one ambitious body of reporting. Individual journalists apply with a proposal, a résumé and work samples; nonprofit, community and student-led newsrooms apply through a senior editor acting for the organisation.

The reporting itself may cover international subjects, but the fellow must reside in the United States for the whole term. Nova asks for coverage that is science-based, embraces solutions journalism, and works against mis- and disinformation.

Benefits & funding

USD 60,000 per fellowship, disbursed across the twelve months of the term.
Travel and conference stipends. The 2026-27 page states these are available without naming a figure; the previous 2025-26 term listed up to an additional USD 7,500 reimbursed for expenses such as travel and conference fees.
Travel reimbursed to attend Nova’s annual in-person meeting, held each fall in Baltimore, Maryland.
Access to Nova Scholar and Fellow meetings, workshops and convenings, which fellows are strongly encouraged to join.
Three fellowships in the 2026-27 term; the 2025-26 term supported four.
Term length: 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027.

Eligibility

Working print, digital or broadcast journalists with an established track record of publication in local, regional or national markets.
Nonprofit newsrooms and student-led newsrooms at educational institutions, applying through a designated senior representative such as a managing editor.
The fellow must reside in the United States for the entire fellowship term. Proposals may cover international issues; for the 2026 round Nova accepted applications from journalists based in the United States only.
No citizenship, degree, age or minimum-years-of-experience requirement is published.
Outside work during the term, such as freelance, consulting or hourly project-based work, is permitted but must be disclosed with an approximate time commitment.
Book proposals, poetry, songwriting, artwork and academic research are not supported.

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Application process

1
Watch the Media Fellows page for the next call. The 2026 round opened on Friday 20 March 2026.
2
Attend the informational question-and-answer session or watch the recording. The 2026 session ran on Thursday 2 April at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
3
Write the proposal, at most 1,500 words or about three pages in 12-point type with 1-inch margins, covering project synopsis, story treatment, a communications and outreach plan with a tentative travel budget, relevant experience and values, and any outside commitments.
4
Prepare a résumé of at most five pages listing published and broadcast work with titles, outlets and dates. Newsroom applicants instead describe organisational structure, editorial focus areas and current resources.
5
Choose three work samples. Broadcast journalists submit no more than 30 minutes in total, with written synopses and a description of their own role in each piece.
6
Submit all materials as PDFs through the online application form before the deadline, which fell on Monday 20 April 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
7
Semi-finalists take a phone interview, finalists a Zoom interview and supply two professional letters of recommendation before the awards are made.

Program timeline

20 March 2026
applications open for the 2026-27 term.
informational question-and-answer session, 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
2 April 2026
application deadline, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
20 April 2026
semi-finalists chosen and phone interviews scheduled.
Mid-May 2026
finalists chosen and Zoom interviews scheduled.
Mid-June 2026
fellowships awarded.
Early July 2026
1 September 2026
the 2026-27 term begins.
annual in-person meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
Fall 2026
the term concludes.
31 August 2027
Next round
the 2027-28 call is not yet posted. Recent rounds closed on 19 May 2025 and 20 April 2026.