New America Fellows

We are no longer accepting applications for the Class of 2027.

The application deadline was Monday, February 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST. The deadline to receive reference letters is Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Please download and review the application instructions before starting your application: Fellows Program instructions to apply.

Please include a cover page outlining your writing work samples. You can download the writing samples cover page template here. A cover page is not required for non-written work samples, as you will be asked to enter information about your video or audio samples in the form itself.

You will be asked to submit two reference letter requests directly from your application. Once submitted, your two references will receive a unique link to upload their letter.

You must submit the reference letter request through the application portal by the application deadline. Applications missing reference letters will be considered incomplete.

If your reference needs help uploading their letter, please ask them to email FellowsProgram@newamerica.org with a PDF version, and we will upload it to your application on their behalf.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of interest in the program, we cannot take any calls.

If you have questions about the program or the application process, please visit our FAQ page as your first source of support. Additionally, please explore our website to learn more about the Fellows Program. We also encourage you to review the bios and project summaries of our 2026 Class of New America Fellows and the Fellows Archive to learn more about the types of projects we’ve supported over the years.

Thank you again for your interest in the New America Fellows Program.

The timeline for reviewing applications is subject to change and depends on the number of applications we receive. Our selection team will carefully review submissions and participation at each phase of the process and select candidates who will advance to the next phase. At each phase of the application process, our team will communicate with all candidates about the progress of their application.

There are three phases to the selection process:

• PHASE 1: Application Due
  All applications must be completed and submitted online. The Fellows Program staff and expert readers review all applications from February to April. This first review narrows the applicant pool to between 40 and 50 finalists.
• PHASE 2: Finalist Interviews & Committee Review
  All candidates will be made aware of the status of their application in late April, and finalists will be asked to schedule an interview with the program staff at that time. Once we determine the finalists, we send all the applications for review by our Selection Committee, which comprises New America’s President, Fellows Program staff, current and former New America Fellows, and other issue experts in New America’s network. Applications are private—we ask anyone involved in the selection process not to share or discuss any candidates or materials with outsiders.
• PHASE 3: Final Selection
  We expect to make our final selections in early July and will contact the finalists about our decisions then. The New America Fellows will be publicly announced when they begin their fellowships in September.

The Fellows Program aims to support New America Fellows in three primary areas: provide funding to support talented individuals to pursue ambitious endeavors, build a community grounded in cohort gatherings throughout the year, and provide access to platforms and partners that can support their work.

Stipends generally fall into the following levels: $15,000-$30,000. The mix of stipends offered to each class varies widely depending on the type of applicants we take on and the funding we procure for that year. There is no need for candidates to address stipends, budgets, etc., in their proposal—you should use the space in your “Statement of Interest” to pitch your idea.

This page provides information about the New America Fellows Program. If you’re interested in applying for another fellowship in New America, please visit the fellowships page to learn more about other opportunities there.

You are welcome to apply to more than one fellowship at a time, but you must submit a separate application to each program.