Funding

Salary

Program dates

Jun 8, 2026 – May 31, 2027

Fellowship•USA · New York · Hybrid

Tarbell Fellowship

Tarbell Center for AI Journalism

Application Deadline

Closed · January 7, 2026

Reopens ~Jan 2027

Official Page

The Tarbell Fellowship is a one-year program from the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism for journalists who want to cover artificial intelligence and its effects on society. Fellows begin with a 10-week remote course on AI and journalism fundamentals, gather for a weeklong summit in the San Francisco Bay Area, then spend nine months embedded as a reporter in a major newsroom — past partners include Bloomberg, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, NBC News and The Verge. Standard Fellows are paid a salary; those with five or more years of experience are considered for a higher-paid Senior Fellowship. The program is open to rising journalism talent from around the world.

Benefits & funding

  • Salary of $60,000–$80,000 for Standard Fellows, depending on location; $90,000–$110,000 for Senior Fellows (5+ years’ experience)
  • Nine-month placement as an embedded reporter in a major newsroom
  • 10-week full-time remote course on AI and journalism, with a custom curriculum, guest lectures and graded assignments
  • Weeklong journalism summit in the San Francisco Bay Area, with travel and accommodation covered
  • Visa support available for some placements

Eligibility

  • Open to rising journalism talent from anywhere in the world
  • No degree required; no prior professional journalism experience required (student-newspaper or newsroom experience is desirable but not necessary)
  • No age limit
  • A deep interest in AI and its effect on society
  • Some newsroom placements require the right to work in the U.S. or U.K.; visa support is available in some cases
  • Senior Fellowship: at least five years of full-time experience in journalism, or in AI (technical research, policy or governance); all applicants are automatically considered

Can you apply?

Open to all applicants

No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Application process

  1. 1
    Submit the application with one to three writing samples (up to 4,500 words combined, at least one prose piece). Takes under 60 minutes.
  2. 2
    Complete a work test (about 2–4 hours) if shortlisted.
  3. 3
    Interview (about 2–4 hours) with the selection team.

Program timeline

  1. Applications open

    Nov 12, 2025

  2. Application deadline

    Jan 7, 2026

  3. 2026-01 to 2026-02

    Work test (late January to early February)

  4. Interviews

    2026-03

  5. Fellows selected

    2026-04

  6. 10-week training begins

    Jun 8, 2026

  7. Journalism summit (San Francisco Bay Area)

    Aug 17, 2026 to Aug 21, 2026

  8. Newsroom placements begin

    2026-09

  9. Program ends

    May 31, 2027