2024 JSK Fellows and affiliates posing for a photo at a movie screening at the Freeman Spogli Institute

Become a fellow

Applicants should be prepared to step back from professional obligations to devote themselves to this work and to fellowship programming we’ve designed to help them develop the leadership resilience needed for these times of uncertainty.

You should apply if you:

  • Want to grow as a journalist and leader and believe that your best work is ahead of you.
  • Are excited about the opportunity to be coached through a deep examination of your mindset, your perception of yourself and your place in journalism.
  • Yearn to be “in fellowship” with a group of other journalists from varied professional and personal backgrounds.
  • Seek, embrace and prioritize diversity.
  • Are ready to set aside current work responsibilities and dig into a 9-month journey of professional and personal exploration.
  • Are committed to being in journalism.

Application webinars

Each year, we host webinars in which our JSK directors answer questions about the program and the application process. Plus, you’ll often hear from our alums, who share their valuable insights and experiences. 

Please register for our upcoming webinars:


Recorded webinars from our previous application period:

https://youtu.be/Xey403VnDoo

https://youtu.be/3PAPGN34DAw

https://youtu.be/9OG9O0YXmjI

Eligibility criteria

U.S. and international journalists with digital-native and legacy news organizations, independent journalists, journalism entrepreneurs and journalism innovators are eligible for our program.

Applicants need to have at least five years of full-time professional journalism experience. We do not require applicants to have a college degree or experience in traditional newsrooms. (Work as a student journalist or summer intern is great experience but is not considered part of the five-year threshold.)

Our program is not open to people working in public information or public relations jobs, for trade and house newsletters or magazines, for government agencies, or in academic positions.

Our fellowship does not fund or support book or reporting projects, and we are not a business accelerator.

Stanford campus scene of students biking under a dramatic purple/red sky
Candidates must prove their ability and desire to collaborate respectfully with people from different ideological backgrounds.

Benefits

As a JSK Fellow, you will benefit from:

  • Individual coaching and customized workshops to help build the leadership resilience and mindsets needed to navigate and lead change.
  • A purposefully designed cohort experience that fosters opportunities for meaningful and enduring personal and professional connections.
  • The time and freedom to explore the intellectual offerings of a world-class university.
  • Access to the worldwide JSK alumni network.
  • A stipend of $125,000.
  • Stanford tuition and Stanford health insurance for fellows and a health supplement if enrolling dependents in Stanford health insurance. We also provide advice on finding rental housing.
2024 JSK Fellows meeting in the Garage
We enthusiastically include spouses, partners and families in fellowship life.

Expectations

Being a JSK Fellow is a full-time commitment.  You be asked to forgo other professional work to focus on the fellowship experience.  You will receive a monthly stipend and the ability to enroll in health insurance through Stanford for you and your dependents.

You will be expected to:

  • Be in residence at Stanford during the academic year, from September to May.
  • Dedicate yourself full-time to the fellowship.
  • Attend weekly meetings with your cohort and biweekly meetings with your adviser as well as other occasional JSK events.
  • Publicly share your work and insights throughout the year.
  • Work collaboratively with people who offer a range of ideas, experiences and perspectives.