The Nieman Foundation houses a dynamic set of initiatives to promote and elevate the standards of journalism and educate and support those poised to make important contributions to its future. We do this through our fellowship programs; our publications, online and in-print; and programming that convenes some of the leading thinkers of our time.
Nieman began as a fellowship for select journalists who were invited to spend an academic year at Harvard in pursuit of individual study plans to strengthen their knowledge and leadership skills. Since 1938, the program has awarded Nieman fellowships to more than 1,500 journalists from nearly 100 countries. We also offer a short-term visiting fellowship for individuals with a specific project to enhance journalism who would like to spend up to 12 weeks at Harvard advancing their idea. Visiting fellows have included digital innovators, technologists, academics, and journalists from the U.S. and abroad.
Nieman Visiting Fellowships:
The Nieman Visiting Fellowships at Harvard offer short-term research opportunities to individuals interested in working on special projects designed to advance journalism. Since this initiative’s inception in 2012, the program has awarded 69 visiting fellowships. In response to the coronavirus pandemic and the movement for racial justice, the Nieman Foundation dedicated the 2021 fellowships to projects that advance racial justice and public health journalism in the U.S.
Eligibility:
- The proposed project must have the potential to advance journalism. This may be related to research, programming, design, financial strategies or another topic.
- Those who should consider applying include journalists, publishers, technologists, entrepreneurs, programmers, designers, media analysts, academics and others who want to make an impact. There is no age limit or academic prerequisites, and a college degree is not required. Both U.S. and international applicants are invited to apply.
- Candidates must be available to be in residence in Cambridge, Mass., for the duration of the fellowship.
- Prospective fellows must speak and read English fluently and have a command of written English.
How to Apply:
All Nieman Fellowship applicants must complete an online application form. Candidates for academic-year fellowships must submit the following information as part of their package: two essays; a professional profile and study plan summary; work samples and three letters of recommendation.
Candidates for the Nieman Visiting Fellowships complete a streamlined application that requires only biographical information, a résumé and a project proposal.
