About

The Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship is a transformative six-month program offered by the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) for women and nonbinary journalists worldwide. Running since 2005, this prestigious fellowship was created in memory of Boston Globe correspondent Elizabeth Neuffer, who won the IWMF Courage in Journalism Award in 1998 before dying while reporting in Iraq in 2003.

The fellowship combines academic study with practical newsroom experience. Fellows spend one semester at the Center for International Studies at MIT and The Boston Globe in Cambridge, followed by two months interning at The New York Times in New York City. The program aims to advance Neuffer's legacy in human rights and social justice journalism by training the next generation of reporters in these critical areas.

Who Can Apply

The fellowship is open to women, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming journalists from any country worldwide who focus on human rights and social justice issues in their work. You need at least three years of full-time professional journalism experience as either a staff or freelance journalist. University internships and student journalism work do not count toward this requirement.

Fluency in English is essential as you must be able to speak, read, and write English to fully participate in and benefit from the academic and professional components of the fellowship.

What You Get

You receive a fixed monthly stipend to cover living expenses throughout the six-month program. The IWMF arranges and pays for housing in both Cambridge and New York City, plus round-trip economy airfare from your home country to the United States and transportation between fellowship cities.

The fellowship includes health insurance coverage for the duration of the program and covers visa application costs for international fellows. During your time at MIT, you can audit classes, attend seminars and events, and pursue independent research. You also gain valuable newsroom experience at The Boston Globe and a prestigious internship at The New York Times.

Note that the fellowship provides a stipend rather than a salary, and you are responsible for any additional incidental expenses beyond what is covered.

Deadlines

Application deadline: April 19, 2026

How to Apply

Submit your complete application through the IWMF online portal. Your application must include your biography, current resume or CV, statement of interest, fellowship goals, and two work samples covering human rights or social justice issues. Links to published work are preferred.

If your work samples are not in English, you must provide your own translations along with a professional translator's assessment of accuracy, or have them professionally translated. You also need two letters of recommendation written in English.