Eligibility

Qualified applicants must have a minimum of five years of experience and be currently working in some aspect of journalism for a news organization or as an independent journalist. We are looking for a diverse range of journalists, including reporters, editors, data experts, visual journalists, audio producers, engagement specialists, designers, developers, entrepreneurs and organizational change agents.

If you are not a full-time journalist, the majority of your work should be in journalism. We do not consider full-time academics, public relations writers, internal trade writers, lobbyists, public advocates, or those seeking a degree.

If you are a U.S. citizen, apply as a U.S. applicant, even if you work in another country or for a non–U.S. journalism entity. If you are not a U.S. citizen, apply as an international applicant, even if you work in the United States or for an American journalism entity. A Green Card is not the same as citizenship.

Terms

All Fellows awarded our in-person fellowship must maintain residency in Ann Arbor for the duration of the fellowship, attend all program seminars and events, and make the fellowship their primary professional focus. Applicants working in a newsroom are encouraged to obtain employer consent granting a leave of absence with the understanding that, upon completion of the fellowship and where applicable, the Fellow will return to their place of employment.

Timeline

International applications are now open for the 2025-2026 academic year.
U.S. applications are now open.

• Deadline for international journalists to apply for the 2025-2026 academic year is December 1, 2024. International applications uploaded under the U.S application portal will not be considered.
• Deadline for U.S. journalists to apply for the 2025-2026 academic year is February 1, 2025.
• Offers for Knight-Wallace Fellowships for the 2025-2026 academic year will be extended in early May 2025.
• The 2025-2026 academic year begins Monday, August 25, 2025. Fellows are expected to arrive in Ann Arbor at least one week prior for fellowship orientation. 

Selection

Great care goes into assembling classes of Fellows that represent a diversity of experience, journalism specialty, geographic region and type and size of news organizations. Typically, up to six international colleagues join ten to twelve U.S. journalists. International finalists are interviewed in January and February to allow time for visa processing after selections are made. U.S. finalists are interviewed in April.

U.S. Applicants:
We award fellowships to U.S. journalists for immersive study projects touching on various areas including education, public policy, sports, health and medicine, technology and news innovation, transportation and environment, and international reporting. In addition, for the 2025-2026 academic year, we will have three new specialized fellowships—the Great Lakes Local News Fellowship, the James S. House and Wendy Fisher House Social Science Fellowship or the Arts Journalism Fellowship— for U.S. journalists. Applicants for these three specialized fellowships will apply using our general application with your essays that address the specialty focus and requirements as outlined on our About page.

Next Steps

1. Review application and fellowship FAQ.
2. Review preparing your international application or preparing your U.S. application.
3. Fill out and submit the application form. Application forms are hosted on the OpenWater platform.

Application Form