Deadline: 03-Oct-2025
The Jiri Dienstbier Journalism Fellowship Program is available to aspiring, independent journalists in the Western Balkans.
The purpose of the Fellowship is to help aspiring journalists from the region pursue their profession in support of media pluralism and independence. The focus areas of the Fellowship include professional mentoring alongside RFE/RL’s seasoned professionals, training and development of journalistic skills on traditional, multi-media, and digital platforms, participation in the daily editorial discussions that inform a professional and independent press, and understanding of the mission and practice of a professional, free, and independent media company.
During the program, Fellows spend six months at RFE/RL’s headquarters in Prague, where they receive daily on-the-job training and mentoring while working alongside experienced professionals. After Prague, Fellows spend a final month at a local RFE/RL bureau.
The Fellowship also includes workshops on journalistic practices and tools, discussions with government officials, civic leaders, and regional analysts, visits to media outlets and news agencies, and professional development opportunities in the Czech Republic and abroad. Fellows are expected to represent themselves and the Fellowship in English at events and in discussions related to media freedom in their home country.
Applicants accepted into the Fellowship receive a monthly stipend in Prague and at the bureau, housing allowance, health insurance, and travel costs. It is important to note that RFE/RL reserves the right to change or cancel the Fellowship if circumstances arise, and in such cases, it is not responsible for any resulting costs incurred by the Fellow or third parties.
The Fellowship is open to journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia who have at least two years of professional experience, a commitment to working as a journalist in their home country, alignment with RFE/RL’s mission, and a working level of English.
Applications are evaluated on a competitive basis and must include a curriculum vitae, personal statement, two letters of recommendation, and three work samples, all submitted in English. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview. The personal statement should describe the applicant’s journalistic experience, guiding values, influential experiences, and goals, as well as reasons for applying to the Fellowship and ideas for a personal project.
Letters of recommendation should highlight professional qualifications and potential for growth. Work samples must demonstrate the applicant’s best work from the last 12 months and be accompanied by English translations if necessary.
The application deadline is October 3, 2025. The Fellowship term runs from March 2, 2026, to September 30, 2026, and selection results will be announced by October 31, 2025.
For more information, visit RFE/RL.