Allbritton Journalism Institute Reporting Fellowship Program

The fellowship offers aspiring journalists a two-year educational program that prepares them for careers as credible, non-partisan reporters in the nation’s capital or wherever their work may take them. Students learn core skills from respected professional reporters and editors in a classroom setting, and they gain real-world experience by working as reporters at AJI’s publication, NOTUS.

The program begins with a four-week immersion course in the practical application of journalism skills, from ethics and newsgathering to writing and distribution. After four weeks, fellows balance ongoing classwork with their roles as reporters for NOTUS, where they cover Capitol Hill and other aspects of national policy and politics. The formal program runs for 18 months, after which fellows are invited to stay for an additional six months as they support them in seeking their next opportunity.

Funding Information

• Students are paid an annual stipend of $60,000 so that they can live in the D.C. area and devote their attention and energy to the fellowship.

AJI’s Curriculum

• The program begins with a four-week immersion course in the practical application of journalism skills, from ethics and newsgathering to writing and distribution. After four weeks, fellows balance ongoing classwork with hands-on experience: reporting and producing stories for NOTUS while honing their skills through seminars, weekly group critiques and staff mentorship. The formal program runs for 18 months, after which fellows are invited to stay for an additional six months as they support them in seeking their next opportunity. By the end of the program, graduates will have the background necessary to cover the inner workings of Washington — and will be ready to take on reporting jobs at the country’s best outlets.

AJI created the AJI Reporting Fellowship because

• Trust in the media is near an all-time low
  • Americans’ news consumption has become as divided as their politics. They rely on news outlets and social media feeds that reinforce their own opinions. And journalists are too stuck in legacy thinking to get the news to the people who need it most.
• The newsrooms are too monolithic
  • You can’t report fairly on people you don’t understand. But they still have too few reporters with different backgrounds and beliefs.
• It’s still too hard to break in
  • Reporters used to get on-the-job training in local news, but those opportunities are disappearing fast. Graduate journalism programs don’t offer that practical experience — and they can be prohibitively expensive.

Eligibility Criteria

• They are looking for applicants of all backgrounds who want to work in journalism; who have a keen interest in policy and politics; and who believe journalism can and should play a critical role in their democracy. Some fellows may be just out of school; others may be looking for a career transition; still others may be working journalists who are early in their careers. A passion for journalism is a prerequisite, but actual journalistic experience is not.

For more information, visit AJI.