New America Fellows

The Class of 2028 call for applications will go live on Monday, November 16, 2026 with a Monday, February 1, 2027 deadline.

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 [email protected] 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. We also encourage you to review the bios and project summaries of our 2027 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 supports Fellows as they finish projects already in progress, in three main ways:

Funding: We offer unrestricted financial support, ranging from $15,000 to $30,000, so Fellows can direct resources where their project needs them most as it moves toward completion. Our Fellows have used their fellowship stipends to fund additional reporting and project-related travel, hire fact-checkers or research assistants, cover multimedia production costs, or supplement their income so they can devote more time to the work. While funding alone won’t eliminate every barrier, we aim to provide Fellows more breathing room to finish ambitious stories that challenge perspectives and contribute to public discourse.

Community and Network: We bring our Fellows together and support them in building relationships with one another, with former Fellows, and with issue experts inside and outside of New America. The fellowship begins with an in-person Opening Gathering in Washington, DC, in the fall, followed by virtual monthly gatherings where Fellows receive feedback on their work, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from alumni, outside experts, and each other. Fellows are also encouraged to connect with New America’s policy programs, which house some of the top thinkers in their fields, to deepen their reporting. The program concludes with an in-person Closing Gathering in Washington, DC (typically in May). 

Visibility and Reach: We support Fellows in bringing their completed work to our audiences. We organize project launch events to celebrate the completion of the work. Fellows may also be profiled in New America’s monthly newsletter, The Thread, and are regularly featured in our program newsletter, The Fifth Draft. As part of our programming, we also host skill-building sessions designed to expand Fellows’ networks and amplify their work.

New America offers targeted fellowships in its five issue areas, which are separate initiatives that do not go through the New America Fellows Program’s application process. 

To learn more about the organization’s programs, projects, and initiatives, visit this page. To learn more about other fellowship opportunities outside the New America Fellows Program, visit this page.