Elizabeth Neuffer Fund - Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship

What the Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship gives you

You will spend six months in the United States, from February to July, studying and reporting, whilst your living expenses are covered. A scholarship is a funded place on a structured programme. You will receive a fixed monthly stipend, which serves as a lump sum to cover your living expenses. Your accommodation in Cambridge (near Boston) and in New York City will be arranged and paid for on your behalf. You will also receive a return economy-class flight from your place of residence to the US, travel between the two cities, and health insurance for the entire duration of the programme. If you live abroad, the costs of your US visa will also be covered. From February to May, you will carry out research, attend lectures at the University of Cambridge and gain editorial experience at the *Boston Globe*. From June to July, you will work full-time as a reporter at the *New York Times* and publish articles under your own name. The scholarship is awarded by a women’s media organisation in memory of the journalist Elizabeth Neuffer, who lost her life in 2003 whilst reporting in Iraq. One scholarship recipient is selected each year. Please note that no salary is paid and you will be responsible for covering any additional personal expenses yourself.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You are a journalist, a non-binary person or a gender-non-conforming person.
• Experience: You must have at least three years’ full-time professional experience in journalism (print, broadcast or online), either as a permanent employee or as a freelance journalist. Work placements and journalistic activities undertaken whilst a student do not count towards this requirement.
• What you cover: Human rights and social justice are at the heart of your reporting.
• Nationality: You can apply from any country.
• English: You speak, read and write English fluently.
• Commitment: You can take part in the entire six-month programme, which is compulsory.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted independently via the ‘Submittable’ platform. A nomination is not required. The annual application deadline is approximately 20 April. You should submit a CV, short written statements, two samples of your work on topics relating to human rights or social justice, and two references. Finalists will be invited to an interview before a scholarship recipient is selected.

How realistic are your chances?

Only one scholarship holder is selected worldwide each year, and as applicants come from all countries, competition for this award is very fierce. The requirement for three years’ professional experience, together with the focus on human rights and social justice, limits the pool of applicants to established journalists in this field. If you already have a substantial body of published work on these topics and are fluent in English, you stand a real chance of success with a well-reasoned application in which you explain how the programme would transform your career.