California Local News Fellowship - Fellows

Like the fellows, newsrooms also go through a competitive application process to be selected for the program. We partner with California-based newsrooms that produce original, local reporting in the public interest, including for-profit, nonprofit, public media, and community and ethnic media outlets.

We are most interested in newsrooms that understand and are seeking to meet their communities’ information needs and can articulate how hosting a fellow would contribute to that goal. Finally, newsrooms need to demonstrate that they are committed to professional journalistic ethics and support diversity and inclusion in their organizations.

Most of the newsrooms we work with are providing daily coverage for their communities, so fellows are working on quick-turn stories, producing anywhere from 3-5 stories a week. A handful of the outlets we work with produce more in-depth reporting, so fellows may produce fewer, more complex stories or series. About half the fellows are on general assignment and breaking news; the other half are assigned to a specific beat. Fellows typically focus on one storytelling medium - writing or audio, for example - but some fellows also produce video and/or take photographs for their outlets.

The fellowship is a full-time job. You may apply as a student but need to have completed your studies by the beginning of the fellowship program.

Yes.  If you attended a two-year, four-year or graduate level journalism program and have newsroom experience (through student publications, summer internships, freelancing or full-time employment), you may apply. You are also eligible to apply if you did not attend college or journalism school but have a highschool diploma or GED and at least three years of newsroom experience.

Yes. We can’t guarantee how many fellowship opportunities in each area will be available each year, but we are working with newsrooms around the state to offer a variety of roles.

If you are currently enrolled in a college or university through an F1 or J1 visa, you may be eligible to work in the U.S. for one to three years – and to participate in this fellowship program – after you graduate. If you are a UC Berkeley graduate, you may coordinate your eligibility and participation with the Berkeley International Office; if you are enrolled elsewhere, you should reach out to your school’s international student office to discuss your eligibility. We won’t accept applications from international journalists who do not already have appropriate work authorization in the U.S.

Anyone with under five years of journalism experience, either sequentially or cumulatively.

You may apply while you have another job, but the fellowship is full-time, so you need to be able to make that commitment by the beginning of the fellowship program.

Yes. We can’t guarantee how many fellowship opportunities will be available each year in any given language, but we are promoting the program to in-language newsrooms around the state.

Then this program probably isn't the right fit for you. We are making a commitment to the newsrooms we partner with that we will assign and support a reporter to work with them for two years. Newsrooms and fellows will be asked to commit to the full term.

The majority of fellows will need to move to participate in this program, although we understand not everyone is in a position to do so. You will be able to indicate in your application whether or not you are able to move, but your chances of being successfully placed in a newsroom will be limited if you are not able to relocate. You are welcome to encourage an outlet in your community to apply and to indicate your preference for each other in your application. We offer reimbursement for up to $2,000 in approved moving expenses.

Fellows are employees of the University of California and receive a starting salary, based on experience, of $60,000 or $65,000 with full benefits. Fellows are classified as academic personnel and are represented by the UAW Local 5810.

Timeline for the 2025 cohort:

• January 22: Application opens

• February 21: Application closes

• Late March: Finalists announced

• April: Fellow/newsroom interviews 

• May: Matching offers begin

• Early September: Orientation and fellowship begins

If there is a newsroom you are interested in working with, please encourage them to apply for the fellowship program and apply as a preferred match. There will be space in the newsroom and fellowship applications to indicate that you’d like to work together. If both the fellow and the newsroom are accepted into the program, we will do our best to place you together. (You may not apply to work in a newsroom where you are currently employed; you may apply if you’ve done freelance reporting for them.)