Application form - Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence 2026: Environment

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Before completing the form, please read important information about the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence programme, application and the selection process.

The Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence research and reporting proposal should be developed independently by the applicant. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure he/she can devote adequate time to the fellowship, attend all seminars and publish the fellowship report through BIRN, where necessary gaining prior consent from his/her employer.

Applicants should complete and submit only one application with one research proposal. Multiple applications by individuals and joint applications by more than one individual are not eligible.

The application must be completed in English.

Candidates are obliged to provide at least one example of their writing along with the application form. Sample articles may be in English or local languages.

Deadline for application: March 10, 2026

APPLICANT PERSONAL DETAILS

First name

Surname

Nationality

Country of permanent residence

Telephone number

Have you previously received a grant from BIRN?

Yes

Please insert the following information

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APPLICANT PROFESSIONAL DETAILS

List relevant employment history, providing contact details for employers and dates of engagement, starting with the most recent. Add as many sheets as necessary.

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Provide name, position and contact details (email and telephone number) of at least two references from the media sector

Provide name, position and contact details (email and telephone number) of at least two references from the media sector
	Provide name, position and contact details (email and telephone number) of at least two references from the media sector Name Position Email Phone	Item weight

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Provide details of any awards, significant journalistic achievements or relevant projects

Provide details of relevant academic qualifications and/or professional training, with name of institution and dates. Add more sheets if necessary.

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Examples of published work

Copy links to articles you have written and that have been published online, or list them here and attach them. Applicants MUST submit at least one and not more than three representative examples of their published work. Work samples may be submitted in local languages or in English.

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We would like to know more about your experience. Have you ever significantly changed your approach to a story that you were working on, based on editorial feedback or on facts that emerged during the reporting process? If yes, please describe your initial approach, why you changed it, and what you learned from doing so.

List languages spoken and competence. Please keep in mind: a fine command of English is a mandatory precondition.

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	Language	Comprehension Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent	Written Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent	Spoken Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent	Item weight

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RESEARCH PROJECT

The theme of the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence 2026 is ENVIRONMENT, as described in the application call. The submitted research and reporting project proposal must refer to this theme.

Applicants’ proposals should refer primarily to the country in which they are normally resident, but can include plans to conduct useful research in the Balkan region and/or European Union member states.

Fellowship costs, granted by the programme, should not exceed €3,000.

Title of the project

1. Motivation and Competence

Please explain your motivation for applying and what you hope to gain from the Fellowship. What qualities, skills, or experiences make you a strong candidate, and why are you well-suited to report on the story you are proposing? Your answer should be no more than 200 words.

2. What the story is about

BRIEFLY outline your reporting project’s Hypothesis/Nutgraf. What do you plan to prove, highlight or reveal? Please answer in no more than 200 words.

3. Relevance and originality – what is new about your proposal?

Describe the significance of your planned research and reporting project. Explain why your story is interesting and important, and what it will uncover or reveal that has not been reported before. Additionally, briefly indicate how your story connects to this year’s annual theme of ENVIRONMENT. Please keep your response to no more than 300 words.

4. Research, interviewees, sources

Outline your research plan. Describe the human sources you will consult, as well as any additional sources such as documents, statistics, archives, or data. Summarize your existing knowledge of the topic, and identify any gaps you hope to fill. Explain how you plan to obtain the information you do not yet have. If your story requires research trips, describe why visiting a particular country or region is essential. Please keep your response to no more than 300 words.

5. Storytelling approach

Describe the type of story you plan to tell. Is it an investigation, an in-depth analysis, or a feature? What multimedia elements might you include? Explain how your story will engage and hold the audience’s attention. For example, will you use central characters to drive the narrative, highlight a conflict to create tension, or employ other techniques to make the story compelling? Please keep your response to no more than 200 words.

6. Risk assessment

Are there any risks associated with the completion of the project? How do you plan to mitigate these risks? Please answer in no more than 200 words.

DECLARATION

I hereby declare the accuracy of all statements made in the application form and attachments to it. Further, I confirm that, if selected, I have all the necessary permissions from my employer to participate fully in the fellowship programme and that I am able to devote all due attention to it.

I confirm declaration

Yes