ICFJ USA Professional Fellows Program for Emerging Media Leaders 2024/2025. (Fully Funded)

Scholarship Description:

ICFJ USA Professional Fellows Program for Emerging Media Leaders 2024/2025. (Fully Funded) is open for International Students . The scholarship allows Fellowship level program(s) in the field of Media Studies, Journalism taught at International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) . The deadline of the scholarship is expired at 11 Mar 2024.

Degree Level:

ICFJ USA Professional Fellows Program for Emerging Media Leaders 2024/2025. (Fully Funded) is available to undertake Fellowship level programs at International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).

Available Subjects:

Following subject are available to study under this scholarship program.

• Media Studies
• Journalism

Scholarship Benefits:

• Fully Funded Fellowship: The ICFJ Professional Fellows Program is a fully funded fellowship based in the USA.

• Skill Enhancement: Participants gain the opportunity to enhance their expertise in crucial areas, including:

  • Audience engagement
  • Online digital security
  • Investigative reporting
  • Data visualization

• Expense Coverage: All expenses related to the fellowship program are covered by ICFJ and the Department of State. This includes:

  • Travel
  • Accommodation
  • Emergency travel insurance

• Stipend for Living Expenses: Fellows receive a stipend to cover living expenses during the program, ensuring financial support throughout.

• Virtual Training Session: All participants are part of a three-month virtual training session in 2024, providing a comprehensive learning experience.

• In-Person Exchange: The program offers an exclusive opportunity for an in-person exchange, allowing fellows to:

  • Travel to the USA
  • Work directly with U.S. media organizations

• Skill Refinement and Entrepreneurship: Fellows have the chance to improve their skills and develop entrepreneurship projects through hands-on experience.

• Leadership Exchange Program: The ICFJ Professional Fellowship serves as an excellent opportunity for young media professionals to participate in a leadership exchange program in 2024-2025.

Eligible Nationalities:

This fellowship is open to people from

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Barbados
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Honduras
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Peru
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Suriname
• Trinidad and Tobago
• USA

About the Fellowship:

The Professional Fellows Program for Emerging Media Leaders (PFP EML) is a bilateral exchange initiative supported by the U.S. Department of State and funded by the U.S. Government, managed by ICFJ. This program facilitates collaboration between media professionals, including journalists, technologists, and media entrepreneurs, hailing from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. The primary focus is on leveraging digital tools to enhance the quality of news and information dissemination in the public interest.

Participants will be competitively chosen from a pool of media professionals in 25 Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as the United States. The program offers Latin American and Caribbean Fellows the chance to collaborate with U.S. media organizations, engage in entrepreneurship projects, and enhance their competencies in various areas, including investigative journalism, fact-checking, and podcasting. Additionally, participants will gain non-journalism-specific skills such as building sustainable business models.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Age Requirement: Applicants must be between the ages of 25 and 40.
• Residency: Should be living and working in their home country at the time of application.
  
• Professional Experience: Must possess at least two years of professional experience at the time of application.
• Complete Application: Submission of a complete application with all required documents by the application deadline.
• Virtual Participation: Must be able to begin the Professional Fellows Program virtually in 2024 and participate in the United States in 2025.
• Visa Eligibility: Must be able to receive a U.S. J-1 visa.
• Return Commitment: Must be committed to returning to their home country after completing the program.
• Language Proficiency: Proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application.

Ineligibility Criteria:

Individuals in the following circumstances are NOT eligible for the Professional Fellows Program:

• U.S. Citizenship: U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents of the United States.
• Spousal Restriction: Spouses of U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents of the United States.
• Current Programs: Individuals participating in academic, training, or research programs in the United States at the time of application.
• International Residency: Individuals residing or working outside their home countries at the time of application.
• Prior Exchange Programs: Individuals who have participated in an exchange visitor program sponsored or funded by the U.S. Government without fulfilling the two-year home residency requirement.
• Permanent Residency Application: Individuals who have applied for U.S. permanent residency in the past three years.
• Affiliation with Non-Profit Organizations: Employees and their families of non-profit organizations administering the Professional Fellows Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.
• Local U.S. Mission Employees: Local employees of U.S. missions abroad working for the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Agency for International Development during the period of their employment and for one year following termination of employment.
• Immediate Family: Immediate families (spouses and dependent children) of U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development employees for a period of one year following the termination of such employment.

Application Procedure:

• Visit the official application portal or the ICFJ website.
• Alternatively, click on the 'apply now' button below.
• Create your Submittable account on the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) website.
• Prior to applying, ensure compliance with the requirements and criteria of the leadership fellowship program.
• Submit all necessary documents and ensure a complete application.
• Top candidates will undergo selection interviews starting from 12th March.
• All applicants must submit their applications before the specified deadline.

Application Deadline for the ICFJ Professional Fellows Program in the USA:

• The deadline to apply for the ICFJ Professional Fellows Program is 11th March 2024.

Some FAQs about the Fellowship:

• What are the costs to participate in this program?

Selected fellows will have all program costs covered by ICFJ and the Department of State, including travel, housing, and emergency travel insurance. Fellows will also receive a stipend to cover living costs during the program. There are no costs to participate in the program.

•  What level of English proficiency is required?

Participants should have very strong English reading, writing, and speaking skills. The application should be filled out in English, and the interview will be conducted in English. 

• What is the selection process for this program?

The selection process includes 4 phases:

Submit a complete application with all the information required;

Internal selection review process;

Interview with top candidates; and

Candidate approval from the Public Affairs Section of each country’s U.S. Embassy and partner organizations on the ground.

• How would I get a U.S. visa? Can I travel on a U.S. tourism visa?

All selected fellows must travel on a J-1 exchange visa regardless whether the participant has a tourist visa. If you are selected for the program, ICFJ will help facilitate the J-1 visa process, and all visa fees will be covered by the program. Selected fellows will not need to apply for the visa on their own. If you (the approved fellow) has to travel for the visa interview, reasonable costs will be reimbursed. Although ICFJ will help facilitate the visa interviews, the consular section at each embassy or consulate has sole discretion to grant or deny J-1 visas. Please note that all J-1 visa holders are subject to certain rules including a two-year home-country physical presence requirement after the program. This means the fellow will be required to return to the home country for two years at the end of the exchange visitor program. 

• What will my housing accommodations be during the program? 

Selected fellows will spend some time during the program in hotels/apartments and with the possibility of also spending time with homestay families during their fellowship in the host organization’s city. 

• How will my newsroom placement be selected?

Fellows will be paired with U.S. media outlets across the USA at newsrooms, digital communications firms, and startup incubators. ICFJ will identify fellowship placements based on the individual fellow’s background, interests, skills, and project proposals. Please note that ICFJ cannot guarantee placement with any particular organization.