Class of 2019 Fellows Application

Deadline to apply:  February 1, 2018, at 11:59 pm EST (we just extended the time for today's deadline to 11:59 pm EST given the load on the online system).

About the New America Fellows Program:

New America’s Fellows Program invests in thinkers—academics, journalists, independent scholars, and public policy analysts—who offer inventive perspectives on the major challenges facing our society.

Fellows advance ideas through research, reporting, analysis, and storytelling. We look for projects that are original and ambitious, with viable plans for their implementation. There is no set template for a successful fellowship project. Some projects focus on furthering a new public policy idea through either a domestic or international lens, while others illuminate longstanding dilemmas of American life from new angles.

How to Apply:

To be considered for the 2019 Fellows Class, which runs from September 2018 to August 2019, you must apply by February 1, 2018, at 5 pm EST (COB).

Please read the instructions below in full before you begin your application.

When you begin your application, you will be prompted to enter basic contact and background information. You will then be asked to upload the four central components of your application as follows:

1. A 1-3 sentence description of your New America Fellowship proposal. An elevator pitch, if you will.

2. Statement of Interest:
The core of the application in which you explain your proposal for the fellowship—your line of inquiry, how you plan to develop it, why you feel this project will enrich an important public debate, and how you could contribute to and benefit from a fellowship from New America.

Please also include a work plan and your plan for dissemination toward the end of your response.

This statement should not exceed 2,500 words.

3.  Policy Implications: 
A brief statement that explains the policy implications of your stated project. Avoid duplicating portions of your statement of interest above by focusing on the impact you hope your project will have.

If your project is primarily journalistic, analytic or historical in nature, how, specifically, do you believe its lessons might change policy going forward? If your project is built around a policy proposal, how do you anticipate shepherding it from an idea to an implemented reality? If your project overlaps with policy programs at New America, use this statement to discuss that area of overlap: in what way would your project add to New America's existing policy work in your area?

This statement should not exceed 500 words.

4. Resume:
Your professional resume or biography.

Not to exceed 5 pages.

5. Written or Non-written Work Samples: 
(please read the instructions carefully before submitting your material)

You can choose to submit a total of up to three work samples (as one PDF file packet).  Written samples should not exceed 40 pages in total, and non-written work samples (photography projects, audio or video clips) should not exceed a half hour of total audio or video content or a comparable photographic portfolio.

Please also include a cover page for both your written and non-written work samples that will not count toward your 40-page limit. The cover page should list your full name, as well as the title, date of publication, and a brief description of each of the work samples that you plan to submit.

• For non-written work samples please keep the following in mind:
  • Based on the type of project you will be submitting, we will accept non-written work samples (e.g., photography projects, or documentary film clips). 
  • You may not submit three writing samples in addition to three video clips. 
  • Please use your best judgment when dividing your three count work sample maximum between the two types of work (i.e. if you'll be submitting two writing samples and one video clip, the writing sample page count should not exceed 27 pages. Or if you'll be submitting one writing sample along with two video clips, the writing sample page count should not exceed 14 pages).
  • All video and audio clips must be your original work; the aim is to convey a sense of your capabilities and aesthetic. For instance, TED talks will not count as an original non-written work sample and should not be submitted as a work sample in support of your application.
  • Please also include a cover page per the instructions above.

We do not ask for letters of recommendation or references at this time.

When you finish the required sections and submit your application, you will be taken to a confirmation page which states that you have successfully submitted your materials. You will also receive a similar confirmation email at the address that you provided. If we are unable to download all components of your application, we will reach out to you after the application deadline.

All submissions are final and you will not be given permission to edit your application once submitted.

Questions:

If you have questions about the program or the application process, please ask them via Screendoor as others may have the same question and would also benefit from seeing our response to you.

You can find out more about the Fellows Program by exploring our website, and you can learn more about the types of projects we've supported over the years by reviewing the bios and project summaries of our 2018 Class of New America Fellows as well as of our alumni.

Thank you again for your interest in the New America Fellows Program, and best of luck with the application process!

Disclaimer
As a matter of commitment, policy, and law, New America is an equal opportunity employer.

Given the volume of applications that we receive, we ask that under no circumstances should candidates contact a member of New America's Board of Directors or staff in relation to a fellowship application. Doing so may disqualify your application.