The IRP Fellowships aim to strengthen the U.S. public's understanding of key international topics by helping to educate early- and mid-career U.S. journalists. The Fellowships provide two groups of eight journalists per year with a 13-week programme which includes study with leading international experts in the United States, and the opportunity to travel overseas to develop stories on international issues. Some priority will be given to topics such as international health, environment, conflict and post-conflict resolution, refugees and humanitarian assistance, press freedom, the role of women and children, cultural and religious change, Islamic world issues, economic development and social change and human rights issues. With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at least two fellowships in
each group of eight will be awarded to journalists focusing on international health issues.

Journalists study international issues in Washington, D.C., at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of The Johns
Hopkins University before traveling abroad.
During the programme, journalists have access to some of the world's leading specialists in international issues at SAIS and other institutions in the nation's capital. As part of their 13-week programme, IRP Fellows travel for five weeks to the country or region of their choice. While overseas, journalists work on a global story.

During their stay in Washington, all Fellows receive free accommodation at a hotel within a few minutes' walk to SAIS. IRP Fellows are provided with offices at SAIS equipped with computers and internet access and are entitled to all privileges at SAIS granted to regular students, including use of the library and cafeteria. No tuition is charged for auditing SAIS classes. Each Fellow receives a stipend of USD$2,000 a month during the Washington stay to pay for meals and local expenses. Fellows are provided a free round-trip airline ticket between
Washington and a single international destination. In addition, Fellows receive a stipend of USD$4,000 to cover other expenses of their five-week international programme. Video and television journalists are eligible to apply for small supplemental reimbursements for additional equipment costs.

U.S. journalists with at least three years of professional experience are eligible to apply for the programme. The programme is open to journalists, including photojournalists, from all media:
newspapers, newsmagazines, wire services, radio, television and on-line news organisations.

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All applicants must complete an application form. Applicants, except freelancers, must submit a
letter of recommendation from their employer. In this letter the employer should agree to provide a leave of absence to the journalist if chosen for a fellowship. Freelancers must submit a letter of recommendation from someone who knows their work. On the application form, all candidates are required to list the names of two references who know the work of each applicant. Print journalists must submit at least three samples of their journalistic work; please send photocopies of stories, not originals. Photojournalists may submit up to seven samples of their work. Broadcast journalists should submit one sample of their work in either videotape or audiocassette form. Applicants are required to write an essay of between 800 and 1000 words outlining in detail a specific
international news story on which they will focus during their studies in Washington and on which they plan to work during their international travel.

Click here for more information about application and for the application form.

Click here to read about past fellows.