Early-Career Fellowship Program at The Open Notebook| Apply Now

Early-Career Fellowship Program at The Open Notebook 2027

The Open Notebook Early-Career Fellowship 2027 is a paid, remote, part-time program for early-career science journalists, offering a $6,600 stipend. Apply by October 31, 2026.

The Open Notebook Early-Career Fellowship Program 2027 is now accepting applications from aspiring and early-career science journalists worldwide. The paid, part-time fellowship runs for 12 months, is fully remote, and provides a $6,600 stipend.

The program gives fellows practical experience reporting and writing science journalism while working with an experienced mentor and The Open Notebook editorial team.

Organization: The Open Notebook
Program: Early-Career Fellowship
Start date: February 9, 2027
Duration: 12 months
Format: Part-time and remote
Stipend: $6,600
Deadline: October 31, 2026
Reference letter deadline: November 7, 2026
Eligibility: Early-career science journalists worldwide

What Fellows Will Do

Fellows will pitch, report and write four articles of approximately 1,500–2,000 words for The Open Notebook.

Participants will also:

Work with an experienced science-journalism mentor.
Attend weekly mentor meetings.
Receive feedback on reporting and writing.
Participate in editorial discussions.
Join a Slack community of current and former fellows.
Take part in cohort activities and career-development opportunities.

The fellowship generally requires around 5–7 hours per week, although the workload can vary depending on the reporting and editing stage.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship is designed for early-career science journalists or aspiring science journalists.

Applicants:

Can live outside the United States.
Need some training or experience writing science for a general audience.
Must generally have fewer than three years of regular professional science-writing experience.
Must submit application materials in English.
May use translated writing materials if the originals were produced in another language.

Internships and student work do not count toward the three-year professional experience limit.

Selection Criteria

The Open Notebook will prioritize applicants who demonstrate a strong intention to pursue science journalism professionally.

Applicants should also show:

Strong writing ability.
Understanding of science journalism.
Good story ideas.
Familiarity with The Open Notebook.
Commitment to meeting deadlines.
Interest in developing their journalism skills.

Application Requirements

Applicants must provide:

Responses explaining their interest, experience and goals.
Two short story proposals suitable for The Open Notebook.
A resume or CV.
One reference letter.
Up to two English-language writing or multimedia samples for a general audience.

The two proposed stories should be approximately 100 words each, rather than full-length pitches.

Deadline and Application

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Central Time on October 31, 2026.

Reference letters have a later deadline of November 7, 2026.

Applicants should carefully review the official fellowship requirements before submitting their application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Open Notebook fellowship paid?

Yes. The 2027 fellowship provides a $6,600 stipend.

Is the fellowship remote?

Yes. The fellowship is conducted remotely.

How long is the fellowship?

The program lasts 12 months, beginning February 9, 2027.

Who is eligible?

Early-career and aspiring science journalists worldwide can apply, provided they meet the experience and application requirements.

How much professional experience can applicants have?

Applicants generally need to have fewer than three years of regular professional science-writing experience. Exceptions may apply when some or all professional experience was not in English.