Frequently asked questions

U.S. and international journalists with digital-native and legacy news organizations, independent journalists, journalism entrepreneurs and journalism innovators. 

Applicants need to have at least five years of full-time professional work experience. We do not require applicants to have a college degree.

We generally do not accept applications from 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 projects or reporting projects, and we are not a business accelerator.

The deadlines for U.S. and International applications for the 2024-25 fellowship year have passed. We do not accept late applications.

Yes. You need to know what challenge in journalism you want to explore and test ideas for addressing. But you do not need to already have decided on a solution to pursue – in fact, if you have, this is not the right program for you. Secondly, you need to be committed to learning, through workshops and 1-1 coaching we provide, tools and mindsets needed to become a resilient leader and change agent in journalism.

We provide a stipend of $125,000. We also cover the cost of Stanford tuition for fellows and Stanford health insurance for fellows, spouses and children.

You must complete an online application, which has questions about your personal and professional background, why you want a JSK Fellowship and what challenge in journalism you’d like to focus on during the fellowship. We have posted a preview of the application questions on our website. Also as part of the application you’ll need to submit two other items: a 1-minute selfie video describing the challenge you want to focus on and why as well as contact information for three professional references we could contact later in the selection process. Your references should be able to speak about your experience and the qualities that would help you be a successful fellow. (Tip: Be sure to let your references know what journalism challenge you want to focus on as a fellow.)

During our 9-month fellowship, we provide JSK Fellows with individual coaching, tailored workshops on leadership, a cohort of their peers and guidance that sparks professional and personal transformation.

Fellows also have the time and freedom to explore the resources of a world-class university. We help fellows to develop the leadership resilience and mindsets needed to effectively lead and navigate change for decades to come. 

JSK Fellows are welcomed as members of a global community working to improve journalism and gain new friendships, professional connections and skills that will continue beyond the fellowship. We invest in each of our fellows as journalists — and as people — for life.

Check out this collection of Medium posts by recent JSK Fellows.

We expect JSK Fellows to be proficient in written and spoken English, as both are needed to function in the fellowships program and at Stanford University. Application materials should be submitted in English. (If your work sample is in another language, you may submit the original and include a brief summary in English.) You do not need to submit TOEFL scores; you will need to be able to effectively communicate in English in fellowship events, gatherings and classroom settings.

No. JSK Fellows and their eligible dependents come to Stanford on J-1 and J-2 visas tied to their fellowship. We cannot help in obtaining any other type of visa for you or for an unmarried partner or non-dependent children. If you have questions about the J-1 visa process at Stanford, please visit the university’s Bechtel International Center’s website on J-1 Scholars.

After you create an account in our application system, you will be asked to complete a brief eligibility profile. Your responses will determine the fellowship for which you may apply. 

Yes, we host several webinar sessions that are led by JSK leadership and include alumni. The goal of our webinars is to provide an overview of the JSK experience and provide tips on the application process.

The JSK Fellowships is seeking change agents who: 

• Are fiercely committed to the future of journalism, in all of its messy uncertainty 
• Are not satisfied with the status quo
• Are eager to grow as journalists, as leaders, as people
• Embrace diversity 
• Like the idea of being “in fellowship” with a diverse cohort of other journalists from around the world.

Yes. You’ll need to submit a new application; we do not carry over previous applications.

Yes.

No, you do not. We are not an academic program.

No. While JSK Fellows are able to sit in on many classes at Stanford, they do so on a more informal basis and do not receive grades and do not earn academic credit.

No. If you are selected for the fellowship, your job is to be a JSK Fellow. You will receive a monthly check, health insurance for you and your dependents, and be asked to forgo other professional work.

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 one-on-one 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, experience and perspectives.

Yes, we hope you do! We welcome spouses or partners and fellows’ children. Most of our fellows with families bring them along and tell us that the opportunity to share this unique year away from regular work obligations allows them to establish, or reset, greater balance in their work and professional lives. 

Fellows’ children attend excellent Palo Alto-area public schools. Spouses and partners can have their own unique Stanford experience; they are able to sit in on some Stanford classes and are invited to many of our JSK Fellowship events.

Yes! 

• Start working on your application now. Give yourself time to draft answers to the questions, ask a friend or mentor to review them and give you feedback.
• Be true to your values, priorities and life experiences. Tell us what you want to work on during a fellowship, why you came to care about it.
• Familiarize yourself with our mission, values and priorities. You can learn about JSK by following our social media posts, reviewing information on our website and reading recent fellows’ Medium posts.
• Identify and/or connect with a JSK alum who can share first-hand information about their experience as a fellow. 
• Be specific about the challenge in journalism that you want to work on, rather than being general and broad. Tell us why it’s important to you.
• Ask a colleague or friend to proofread your text before you submit your application.
• Don’t wait until the last hour (or minute) to submit your application. We’d hate for you to miss being considered because your Internet connection went out or was too slow to upload your application in time.

No. Instead, we ask you to provide the names and contact information for three professional references. These should be people who can speak about your experience and qualities that will help you be a successful fellow.