About this opportunity
The Open Notebook Early-Career Fellowship is a year of guided, paid reporting for journalists at the start of their science journalism careers. Each fellow pitches, reports and writes four articles of 1,500 to 2,000 words for publication at The Open Notebook, a mix of story behind the story interviews and reported features about the craft of science writing.
The mentorship is the heart of it. Fellows have weekly phone or video meetings with a mentor who is an experienced science journalist, someone who helps shape story ideas, gives reporting and writing guidance, edits drafts and offers career advice. Fellows also join a Slack community of current and former fellows and TON editors, and that membership continues after the fellowship ends. The program is made possible through the support of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, which has funded it since 2013.
This is a remote, part-time fellowship that takes about five to seven hours a week on average, though some weeks demand more. The work includes phone interviews with sources, ordinarily during U.S. daytime hours, multiple rounds of editing and revision, annotating stories for fact-checking, and taking part in editorial discussions. The Open Notebook is candid that juggling this alongside other commitments can be challenging, and asks applicants to think carefully about the time before applying.
Applications for the 2027 fellowship period are open. The fellowship runs for twelve months and starts on February 9, 2027. Applications must be received by 11:59 PM U.S. Central time on October 31, 2026, and the
Application timeline
for reference letters is November 7, 2026.
What you receive
- A stipend of USD 6,600 for the twelve month fellowship
- Four published features of 1,500 to 2,000 words in your byline at The Open Notebook
- Weekly one-to-one phone or video meetings with an experienced science journalist as your mentor
- Editorial support from the TON team through pitching, reporting, drafting, multiple rounds of revision and fact-checking annotation
- Membership of the fellowship Slack community of current and former fellows, mentors and TON editors, continuing after the fellowship ends
- Cohort-based activities and career development guidance during the fellowship
- A remote fellowship you can do from anywhere, with a start date of February 9, 2027
Who can apply
- Open to early-career science journalists. If you live outside the United States you are welcome to apply
- Some training or experience in writing for the general public is required. It does not need to be extensive, but you do need some
- Fewer than three years of regular professional science writing experience. Internships and student work do not count towards that limit
- Exceptions to the three year limit may be made where some or all of an applicant’s professional science writing experience is not in English
- Applications, writing samples and letters of recommendation must be in English. Materials translated into English from another language are acceptable
- A fairly high level of English proficiency is needed for a successful experience, and TON takes it into consideration where English is not your first language
Who should not apply
- The fellowship is intended for people whose main goal is to do journalism, as opposed to other forms of science communication
- Internships and student work do not count towards the fewer than three years of professional experience requirement
Documents to prepare
- Written responses on your interest in the fellowship, your prior training and experience writing about science for the general public, the skills, interests or perspectives you bring, and your plans during the fellowship period
- Two short proposals of about 100 words each for TON features or multimedia stories. These are brief proposals, not full-scale pitches
- A resume or CV
- One letter of reference from a professor, editor, mentor, supervisor or other colleague who can speak to your skills as they relate to science journalism
- Up to two writing or multimedia samples of work aimed at the general public, not scientific or academic writing. Audio or multimedia clips can be shared as URLs in a PDF. Samples must be in English, and translated materials are acceptable
- Optional: additional information about you, including whether you belong to a group historically marginalised or underrepresented in U.S. journalism. This is entirely optional and kept confidential
How to apply
- Read the fellowship page on The Open Notebook website and familiarise yourself with the types of stories the site publishes.
- Prepare two short story proposals of about 100 words each, suitable for publication at The Open Notebook.
- Ask your reference early. Your letter of reference is due by November 7, 2026, a week after the application deadline.
- Complete the application form linked as Apply Now on The Open Notebook fellowship page.
- Submit by 11:59 PM U.S. Central time on October 31, 2026.
- Email editors@theopennotebook.com with any question that the fellowship page does not already answer.
Selection process
- Applications are reviewed against the published selection criteria, with priority given to applicants who show a strong intention to work primarily as a professional science journalist.
- Reviewers look for some training or experience writing about science for the general public, and an understanding of the science journalism profession and the challenges its journalists face.
- Familiarity with The Open Notebook and the topics it covers is weighed, along with an ability to generate good story ideas suitable for the site.
- A commitment to delivering your best work and being conscientious about deadlines matters, as does strong writing ability. Where English is not your first language, TON takes that into consideration and does not expect flawless writing.
- Selected fellows join the cohort that starts on February 9, 2027.
Sources and verification
- Official source , Discovered by the opportunity automation module.
Questions applicants ask
Who can apply for the fellowship?
Early-career science journalists with fewer than three years of regular professional science writing experience. You need some training or experience writing for the general public, but it does not have to be extensive. Living outside the United States is no barrier, applicants from anywhere are welcome.
What does the fellowship pay?
A stipend of USD 6,600 for the twelve month, part-time fellowship.
How much time does it take?
The Open Notebook estimates about five to seven hours per week on average for most fellows, though it depends on your experience, working style and where you are in the reporting, writing and editing cycle. Some weeks require more and some less.
When is the deadline?
Applications must be received by 11:59 PM U.S. Central time on October 31, 2026. The deadline for reference letters is November 7, 2026, so notify your referee well in advance.
Do I need published clips?
You submit up to two writing or multimedia samples aimed at the general public, not scientific or academic writing. They must be in English, and translated materials are acceptable. If you are sharing audio or multimedia, put the URLs in a PDF.
Is this for science communicators generally?
No. The fellowship is intended for people whose main goal is to do journalism rather than other forms of science communication.
Important disclaimer
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