The Open Notebook (TON), a publication on the craft of science journalism, runs this paid, part-time fellowship with support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
Fellows work remotely for a year with a mentor who is an experienced science journalist, reporting and writing four 1,500–2,000-word articles for TON as part of its editorial team. Applications for the 2027 cohort are open until October 31, 2026.
Benefits & funding
- A $6,600 stipend in total for the 12-month, part-time fellowship.
- Weekly phone or video meetings with a mentor who shapes story ideas, edits drafts and gives career advice.
- Four articles published at TON.
- Ongoing membership in the fellowship Slack community after the year ends.
- Expect about 5–7 hours a week on average, more in some weeks, with source interviews usually during US daytime hours.
Eligibility
- Early-career science journalists anywhere in the world; living outside the US is no bar.
- Some training or experience writing for the general public is required; it need not be extensive.
- Fewer than three years of regular professional science-writing experience; internships and student work do not count. Applicants with more than three years may still qualify if some or all of it was not in English.
- All materials, including writing samples and the reference letter, must be in English; translations are accepted.
- No degree, age or gender limit is stated.
Can you apply?
Check who can apply
No nationality, residency, education, experience, gender or age limit is listed. The other conditions are under Eligibility.
Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.
We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Submit the online form by 11:59 p.m. US Central time on October 31, 2026, with short essays, two brief TON story proposals (100 words each per the program page; up to 1,000 characters each on the form), a CV and up to two public-facing writing or multimedia samples.
- 2Name one referee (not a family member), who must upload a letter by November 7, 2026; late references are not accepted.
Program timeline
Application deadline
October 31, 2026 (11:59 p.m. US Central)
Reference letters due
November 7, 2026
12-month fellowship begins
February 9, 2027