An eight-month, in-person fellowship (late August 2027–April 2028) giving accomplished mid-career journalists paid time away from daily deadlines to pursue an ambitious self-designed journalism project with the full resources of the University of Michigan — private seminars with newsroom leaders, skill workshops, faculty access, and international travel. Typically up to 6 international fellows join 10–12 U.S. fellows; international offers are extended by mid-February 2027 and fellows arrive in Ann Arbor by mid-August 2027. International applications for the 2027–2028 academic year are OPEN NOW with a December 1, 2026 deadline.
Why it is notable: It is the premier US journalism fellowship for working journalists from ANY country (no degree enrollment, no tuition games — a straight stipend), yet aggregators almost never list it alongside degree scholarships because it is profession-specific and the international portal is separate from the US one. The international two-phase application (Phase One = no references yet) lowers the initial effort barrier, and J-1 visa sponsorship covers the fellow plus J-2 visas for spouse/dependents.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Fully funded. $85,000 stipend plus $5,000 relocation, distributed monthly August through April
health insurance, auditing of university courses, and required workshops/activities paid for by Wallace House
housing assistance provided
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor Masters
This scholarship is offered for Masters programs.
Who can apply
minimum five years of professional journalism experience; currently working in some aspect of journalism for a news organization OR as an independent journalist; majority of work must be in journalism if not full-time. Apply by citizenship: non-US citizens (including green-card holders — "a Green Card is not the same as citizenship") MUST use the international portal; international applications submitted via the US portal will not be considered.
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
not stated on official pages — the application and program are conducted in English and no language test is required; Wallace House requires applicants to write their own submissions without AI assistance (explicitly including applicants for whom English is a second language). Confirm working-English expectation before publishing.
Other Certificates
Degree certificates & transcripts
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Check your eligibility
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
minimum five years of professional journalism experience; currently working in some aspect of journalism for a news organization OR as an independent…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Language
not stated on official pages — the application and program are conducted in English and no language test is required; Wallace House requires applicants to write their own submissions without AI assistance (explicitly including applicants for whom English is a second language). Confirm working-English expectation before publishing.
02
Qualification
minimum five years of professional journalism experience; currently working in some aspect of journalism for a news organization OR as an independent journalist; majority of work must be in journalism
03
Documents
see steps 4–5 above (Phase One = résumé + 500-word project proposal + 60-word summary + 1,500-word personal statement + 3 work samples; Phase Two = references, by invitation only)
Document checklist
01see steps 4–5 above (Phase One = résumé + 500-word project proposal + 60-word summary + 1,500-word personal statement + 3 work samples
02Phase Two = references, by invitation only)
Application fee
No fee — completely free
No separate scholarship application fee is published; confirm on the official page.
Visa, kept concise: Wallace House sponsors J-1 visas for fellows and J-2 visas for legal spouses and dependent children (verified on the official FAQ).
Application Procedure
6 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Choose the correct portal by citizenship —
international applicants MUST use the international application (currently open; US-portal submissions from non-citizens are discarded).
→
02
Create a login on the application platform
(OpenWater / secure-platform application form); you can save progress and return before final submission.
→
03
Complete PHASE ONE only at this stage
contact information, demographic information, and questions about your journalism background.
↓
06
Review the official Application and Fellowship FAQs
then submit before the deadline. Semi-finalists are notified and invited to complete Phase Two (references + possible additional samples); international finalists are interviewed in January–February 2027.
←
05
Enter reference details (name
title, affiliation) — references are NOT submitted now; they are contacted only if you are invited to Phase Two.
←
04
Upload Phase One documents
(a) résumé — all relevant positions since completing formal education, educational background, professional awards; (b) journalism project proposal — max 500 words on what you hope to gain, which University of Michigan a
Application milestones
1 Dec 2026
Application deadline
1 Feb 2027
Application deadline
2026
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official University of Michigan, Wallace House Center… platform.
1 Dec 2026 — (international applicants, 2027–2028 academic year). U.S.-citizen track: 1 Feb 2027 (separate deadline, not…
Who can apply?
minimum five years of professional journalism experience; currently working in some aspect of journalism for a news organization OR as an independent journalist; majority of work must be in journalism if not full-time. Apply by citizenship: non-US citizens (including green-card holders — "a Green Card is not the same as citizenship") MUST use the international portal; international applications submitted via the US portal will not be considered.
What does the scholarship cover?
Fully funded. $85,000 stipend plus $5,000 relocation, distributed monthly August through April; health insurance, auditing of university courses, and required workshops/activities paid for by Wallace House; housing assistance provided
Where do I apply?
Through the official application portal linked in the Official links section on this page.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
United States · University of Michigan, Wallace House Center…