IWMF Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship for Journalists Worldwide 2025

The Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship is a unique, transformative learning opportunity open to women and nonbinary journalists from every country around the world. Since 2005, the IWMF has selected one Neuffer Fellow each year to complete a six-month Fellowship focused on human rights and social justice issues. The Fellowship was created in memory of The Boston Globe correspondent and IWMF Courage in Journalism Award (1998) winner Elizabeth Neuffer, who died while reporting in Iraq on May 9, 2003.

Those selected for the Fellowship spend a semester at the Center for International Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and The Boston Globe. During their time in Cambridge, Neuffer Fellows audit a variety of classes, attend seminars and events, pursue independent research and gain newsroom experience. Neuffer Fellows are also able to audit classes at other local universities including Harvard. After the semester, those selected for the Fellowship spend two months in New York City interning for the The New York Times. With the knowledge they gain from these academic and professional opportunities, fellows return to work as journalists in their home countries where they advance Elizabeth Neuffer’s work in the fields of human rights and social justice.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Information

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Grants

IWMF Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship for Journalists Worldwide 2025 Established in 1861, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a non-profit private higher education institution located in the urban setting of the large town of Cambridge (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), Massachusetts. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a large (uniRank enrollment range: 10,000-14,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor degrees, master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. This 158 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. The admission rate range is 0-10% making this US higher education organization a most selective institution. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.

Eligibility Criteria

  • The Neuffer Fellowship is open to women, nonbinary and gender non-conforming journalists whose work focuses on human rights and social justice issues.
  • All applicants for the Neuffer Fellowship must be working journalists with at least three years of full-time, professional journalism experience. Internships and journalism-related work completed as a university student do not count as professional experience. Applicants may be affiliated or freelance journalists.
  • Journalists from any country around the world are eligible to apply. However, applicants must speak, read, and write English fluently in order to fully participate in and benefit from the Fellowship.
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Offered Benefits

  • Neuffer Fellows receive a fixed monthly stipend to cover their living costs.
  • The IWMF also arranges and covers the cost of housing in Cambridge and New York City for the fellow.
  • The IWMF purchases round-trip economy airfare from the fellow’s place of residence to the United States, as well as transportation between the Fellowship cities.
  • The fellow receives health insurance during the program.
  • The Fellowship does not include a salary. For fellows residing outside of the United States, the Fellowship also covers the costs of applying for and obtaining a U.S. visa.
  • The fellow is fully responsible for any additional incidental expenses and other costs.

Application Process

Required Documents:

A complete application will include the following information:

  • Biography
  • Current résumé or CV
  • Statement of interest
  • Fellowship goals
  • Two work samples covering human rights or social justice issues (links preferred)
    • If work samples are not in English, applicants must upload their own translations along with a professional translator’s assessment of their accuracy. Alternatively, applicants may have their work samples translated professionally.
  • Two letters of recommendation (in English)

Rather than a lengthy statement of interest, we ask applicants to answer a series of questions that will help us learn about them and their reasons for seeking the Neuffer Fellowship.

The following questions are included in the “Statement of Interest” section:

  • Why is this a good time in your career to participate in the Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship? (limit of 500 words)
  • What is the single most important goal you hope to achieve with the Fellowship? Why? (limit of 500 words)
  • How will achieving the Fellowship goal outlined above improve your journalism on human rights and social justice issues? (limit of 250 words)
  • What are your long-term ambitions? What do you expect to be doing in five years after the Fellowship, and how do you expect the Fellowship experience to help you achieve those ambitions? (limit of 250 words)

The following questions are included in the “Fellowship Goals” section:

  • The Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship has both an academic and journalism component. Does one hold more interest or importance for you in your current career situation than the other does? If so, please explain. (limit of 250 words)
  • Please indicate the subjects you would like to research and explain how they will enrich your journalism and how they relate to your career objectives. (limit of 500 words)
  • Please detail the kind of journalism experiences you would like to have and the particular skills you would like to develop during the newspaper internships. (limit of 500 words)
  • How will these experiences and skills advance your short and long-term career objectives? (limit of 500 words)
  • Beyond The Boston Globe and The New York Times, are there any outlets or events you would like to access while a Fellow? (limit of 500 words)
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