JAWS Health Reporting Fellowship 2027 Offers a US$4,000 Stipend and Mentoring

The JAWS Health Reporting Fellowship 2027 offers a US$4,000 project stipend, mentoring and professional development for eligible women journalists.

JAWS Health Reporting Fellowship 2027 benefits and eligibility

Support includes experienced-journalist mentoring, training, webinars, one year of JAWS membership and covered registration/travel for its CAMP conference. Applicants must be US-based journalists identifying as women, with two to seven years of professional health-reporting experience. Staff and independent journalists may apply.

Reporting commitment

Fellows develop substantial reporting for a recognised US-based outlet. The programme requires both a short-form and a long-form project, with publication deadlines during 2027, as well as participation in mentoring and training.

Prepare your application

Provide the requested project proposal and timeline, a CV of up to two pages, professional profile, cover letter and no more than three reporting samples. Staff applicants need editorial support. Freelancers should provide publication commitment; the official page explains an alternative for those without a confirmed commission.

Deadline and how to apply

Use the application link on the JAWS programme page by 7 December 2026 at 17:00 Eastern. Review the full reporting deliverables before applying: this is project support with obligations, not an unrestricted cash award.

Make the reporting question specific

A strong proposal needs more than a broad subject such as health access. Identify the question you intend to answer, the people affected and the evidence you can realistically obtain. Explain what readers will learn that is not already clear from existing coverage. These are editorial preparation suggestions, not extra selection requirements.

Plan access and verification

Before committing to a project, consider the availability of data, independent experts and people with direct experience. Distinguish a potential source from a confirmed interview. Explain any access challenges honestly rather than promising reporting you cannot yet deliver. For health stories, take particular care with privacy, informed participation and the interpretation of research findings.

Build a workable production schedule

Work backwards from the programme’s reporting and publication dates. Include time for interviews, document requests, analysis, editing and checking factual claims. Discuss the schedule with an editor so that the fellowship’s deliverables fit the outlet’s production process. A fellowship stipend supports the work; it does not remove the need for a clear commissioning and editing plan.

Questions to resolve before accepting

Clarify how the stipend will be paid, which costs you must cover, and what attendance or reporting commitments apply. Keep the written conditions and the final project timetable together. Do not assume an award covers every travel or production expense unless the organisation confirms it.

Compare the right opportunity

Journalism fellowships differ substantially in subject, experience level and residency rules. The LCC–CBA opportunity focuses on law and justice rather than health. Read our LCC–CBA journalism fellowship guide for the separate eligibility and application process.

Official application information

Read the official opportunity and application instructions.

Prepare your application against the organiser’s requirements, rather than relying on the headline alone. Check that documents are complete and that the application reaches the specified destination before the deadline. An application does not guarantee selection.

Independent publisher: Opportunities Feed shares information and is not affiliated with the organisation or recruiting on its behalf. Apply directly through the official channel.