The Open Notebook runs this paid, part-time fellowship for early-career science journalists worldwide. Fellows join its editorial team remotely for 12 months and work with an experienced science-journalism mentor.
Each fellow reports and writes four articles of 1,500–2,000 words for publication while taking part in editorial discussions and cohort activities on Slack. Applications for the 2026 fellowship are closed, and the organization expects to open the 2027 call by late September 2026.
Benefits & funding
- A $6,600 stipend for the 12-month, part-time fellowship.
- Weekly phone or video meetings with an experienced science-journalism mentor.
- Editorial guidance while pitching, reporting, writing, revising, and fact-checking four published articles.
- Participation in The Open Notebook’s editorial discussions and fellowship Slack community, with community membership continuing after the fellowship.
Eligibility
- Open to early-career science journalists worldwide; applicants living outside the United States are welcome.
- Applicants must have some training or experience writing for the general public.
- Applicants ordinarily must have fewer than three years of regular professional science-writing experience; internships and student work do not count. An exception may be made when experience beyond three years was partly or wholly outside English-language work.
- Applications, writing samples, and recommendation letters must be in English; translated materials are accepted.
- No nationality, residency, degree, age, or gender requirement is stated.
- The workload averages about 5–7 hours per week, with some weeks requiring more time and interviews ordinarily occurring during United States daytime hours.
Can you apply?
Open to all applicants
No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.
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Application process
- 1Review The Open Notebook’s published work and the fellowship requirements before the next call opens.
- 2Complete the application form with responses about motivation, prior public-facing science-writing experience, relevant perspectives, and plans during the fellowship period.
- 3Submit two 100-word proposals for suitable The Open Notebook features or multimedia stories.
- 4Provide a résumé or CV, one reference letter, and up to two public-facing writing or multimedia samples in English or English translation.
- 5Submit by the cycle deadline; for the 2026 cycle, applications were due October 31, 2025, and reference letters were due November 7, 2025.
Program timeline
October 31, 2025
Application deadline for the 2026 fellowship.
November 7, 2025
Reference-letter deadline for the 2026 fellowship.
February 23, 2026
The 12-month 2026 fellowship began.
By late September 2026
The organization expects to open applications for the 2027 fellowship.