The Journalism Fellowship Programme at Oxford offers a practical form of professional assistance to established and mid-career journalists. Its purpose is to allow journalists to tackle subjects in greater depth than is possible under deadline pressure.

How it works
Around 25 journalists from around the globe study in Oxford each year on Fellowships of either three, six or nine months, covering one, two or all three terms of the academic year. Fellows may join the Institute in October, January or April.

Requirements of RISJ
Fellows are expected to produce a substantial piece of work to an academic standard. They are required to complete an 8,000-10,000 word research paper of publishable quality either as part of the Institute’s research output or independently (for example, as a survey of an important subject, magazine article or part of a book). Fellows may use multimedia in their work. Fellows have to present their research findings in a seminar open to the University.

There is a minimum requirement of 5 years’ full time professional journalistic experience and in order to take full advantage of the excellent facilities of the Institute and of Oxford University, a high level of spoken and written English is required.

What we offer
Each Fellow is assigned a supervisor, usually an Oxford academic specialising in the journalists’ chosen subject, to advise them on their research. Fellows will also be able to approach other faculty members to supplement and inform their research and are entitled to access to the wealth of information held in the Bodleian Library and other Oxford University facilities and resources.

They will be allocated membership of Green Templeton College with Visiting Scholar status, including dining and other rights, and as such are strongly encouraged to attend university seminars, lectures and classes on all relevant subjects. Of course, Fellows are also warmly invited to participate in the numerous academic and extracurricular activities of the group of mid-career international journalists based here in the RISJ offices in Norham Gardens.

There are numerous specialist facilities within the university, such as regional centres for African, Middle Eastern, South Asian, Eastern and Western European, Japanese and Chinese Studies, and Fellows are more than welcome to take advantage of the University’s language laboratory and computer services. RISJ also organises regular seminars, debates, lectures and study trips: for instance, the RISJ seminar is held weekly during term-time at Green Templeton College as is an in-house seminar to which Fellows are expected to present a paper. The Reuters Institute also runs a weekly ‘Media and Politics Seminar’ jointly with Nuffield College.

No academic credits or qualifications can be obtained through the Fellowship Programme although a certificate is awarded on submission of the Fellows’ Research paper.

The Institute’s media expertise is bolstered by the related work of the Oxford Internet Institute, the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy and the Saïd Business School. The University also hosts many special events that may be of interest to Fellows.

Eligibility
The Thomson Reuters Foundation Fellowship Programme offers fully funded Fellowships to well established mid-career journalists from throughout the world. Applicants must have a minimum of five years experience in any branch of journalism and demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English to be able to participate fully in the life of the Programme and write a research paper in English of publishable quality.

Priority will be given to journalists proposing research projects within the areas of focus of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. Details of these can be found within Research.

Other areas of research can be considered providing these are clearly related to the professional work of applicants and will lead to greater excellence in journalism.

Other Fellowships are available specifically for journalists from Russia, Eastern and Central Europe, Australia, Germany and Austria. Details of these can be found under Types of Fellowships.

Applications are also considered from journalists able to arrange their own funding.

Duration
Fellowships may be for three, six or nine months covering one or two terms or a full academic year respectively. Dates of entry are agreed with the Head of the Fellowship Programme.

Funding
Awards may include travel expenses (including air travel economy class) and a modest living allowance. This arrangement is subject to variation.

Spouses and partners (including with dependents) are welcome but under no circumstances will the Thomson Reuters Foundation Fellowship Programme pay the travel or living costs of visiting spouses or dependents.

Fellows should note that there are three ways of funding a RISJ Journalism Fellowship:

For the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Gerda-Henkel Foundation, Wincott and Mona Megalli Fellowships, applications for funding should be submitted directly to RISJ by the deadline given on this website;

For all other fellowships, please check your eligibility; applications should be submitted to the respective organisations;

Journalists may also arrange their own funding, but they should then approach the Head of Programme in the first instance before making a formal application.

Application Materials
Below is a list of the materials you will need:

• Completed application form
• A full curriculum vitae
• A personal statement outlining i) your journalistic values,ii) the major trends in the media landscape in which you work, and iii) a summary of what you think you would contribute to the Fellowship programme (no more than 500 words).
• A statement of up to 1,000 words explaining your proposed research project
• A reference from your employer, supporting your application and granting leave of absence
• A second professional reference (e.g. former employer).

Print Journalists

• Please provide three articles or reports (more than three will not be reviewed), including dates and names of the publications.
• A translation into English must accompany material published in other languages.
• Applicants in managerial or editorial positions for whom it would be difficult to send work samples should include a statement of up to 500 words describing their work.

Broadcast Journalists

• A video, audio-cassette or CD/DVD (maximum 10 minutes) with an example of your work, plus a brief, written description of the material. Please note that other formats cannot be accepted.
• A summary or transcription in English must accompany material in other languages.
• A statement of up to 500 words describing your work and including details of any major programmes for which you have been responsible.

N.B. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT THE ABOVE WORK.

If your first language is not English, you must supply suitable evidence (an original certificate that is not more than two years old and issued by the responsible body) that you have reached the relevant standard. Please click here for more information.

Deadline for applications
Applications are now being accepted for the academic year 2014-15 for the following Fellowships:

• Thomson Reuters Foundation Fellowships;
• Gerda Henkel Fellowship in the field of Humanities;
• Said-Asfari Fellowship for journalists from the Levant;
• Wincott Fellowships for Eastern European business / economic journalists.

The deadline is midday, Friday 31st January 2014.

Self funded fellows may apply at any time. Please email reuters.institute(at)politics.ox.ac.uk if you wish to fund yourself on the programme.

For more information, please visit official website: reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk.

• Career Development Fellow in Media and Democracy, University of Oxford, UK
• Ancora Foundation Graduate Fellowship, University of Oxford, UK
• Sheikh Kamal Adham Fellowships, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
• Journalism Fellowship, Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Thailand
• Global Justice Research Fellowship, St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, UK
• Tutorial Fellowship and Titular University Lectureship, University of Oxford, UK
• World Press Institute Fellowships for Journalists, USA
• Postdoctoral Research Position in Mathematics, University of Oxford, UK
• Nieman-Berkman Fellowship in Journalism Innovation, Harvard University, USA
• Knight Fellowships for International Professional Journalists, Stanford University, USA

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the above information is current and correct. However, applicants should contact the appropriate administering body before making an application, as details do change frequently.