The Spencer Fellowship for Education Reporting is seeking applications for the journalists and educators who want to develop and publish an ambitious long-form journalism project that advances public understanding of education.
Donor Name: Spencer Foundation
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 02/03/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
There are residential and non-residential fellowship options.
- Residential fellows are expected to live near the Columbia campus in order to participate in events, take classes, and meet with their mentors, scholars, students and researchers during the course of the year. Fellows should not take on outside employment, except with the approval of the director. They are responsible for finding housing. The fellows will have a workspace in the Journalism School, complete with their own computer terminal, phone and printer.
- The non-residential option is designed for applicants who may not be able to relocate to New York City for the year for personal, or work-related reasons. They welcome all applicants, including journalists working in local media markets with limited resources that would welcome publishing an in-depth education project for their audience.
Funding Information
- Each residential fellow receives an $85,000
- Non-residential fellows receive a $43,000 stipend and $7,500.
Eligibility Criteria
All U.S. citizens are eligible, including working journalists, freelancers and education professionals. There is no academic prerequisite. A college degree is not required. The most successful candidates are those with experience in the field of education journalism, defined in broad terms to include a wide swath of disciplines related to education such as juvenile justice, economics, arts and culture, poverty and the science of learning. Judges look for a demonstrated ability to research and tell stories in a journalistic style. The strength of the project idea is key, along with the candidate’s potential to complete and publish or produce for a general audience.
For more information, visit Spencer Foundation.
