USA Scholarships
AAAS Mass Media Fellowship 2027 - $10,000 Stipend
The AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship sends you into a real newsroom for ten weeks each summer so you learn to explain research to the public under deadline pressure. AAAS matches fellows with newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and online outlets nationwide. For Summer 2027, applications open 1 October 2026 and close 1 January 2027. The fellowship pays a $10,000 stipend for the summer plus travel to AAAS headquarters in Washington for orientation and wrap-up, and travel to your host site. AAAS does not provide housing, health care, or employee benefits, so budget for living costs in your placement city.
What is the AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship?
The AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship is the classic bridge between the lab and the newsroom. Each summer the American Association for the Advancement of Science sends a cohort of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians into working media organizations across the United States. You are not shadowing from the sidelines. You pitch, report, and file stories on deadline, with editors who care about accuracy and readability in equal measure.
The money is straightforward but not all-inclusive. AAAS pays a $10,000 stipend for the ten-week placement and covers travel for orientation and wrap-up at its Washington headquarters, plus travel to your host site. What it does not pay is rent, health insurance, or benefits, so treat the stipend as support for a summer internship rather than a full salary. For Summer 2027, the application window runs from 1 October 2026 through 1 January 2027, matching the rhythm AAAS has used for years.
Who gets in? You need a STEM background at the undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral level, or you must apply within a year of finishing that training. English and journalism students belong in AAAS's separate Diverse Voices track, not here. You also need authorization to work and be paid in the United States. If you are on the fence about science communication as a career or a side skill, the reflective questions and the sample news story in the application will tell you quickly whether you are ready. Pick a recent primary research paper, explain it in 750 words as if your reader skipped every science class after tenth grade, and you will know.
Eligibility
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✓Enrolled student, postdoc, or recent graduateYou must be an upper-level undergraduate or graduate student, a postdoctoral trainee, or applying within one year of finishing either track. Journalism and English majors are not eligible for this fellowship, though AAAS runs a separate Diverse Voices in Science Journalism internship for non-technical fields.
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✓Degree work in science, engineering, or mathYour training must sit in the life, physical, health, engineering, computer, or social sciences, mathematics, or closely related fields. The programme exists to put working scientists into newsrooms, not to train career journalists who lack a technical background.
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✓US citizenship or work-eligible visaYou must be a US citizen or hold a visa that allows paid summer work. AAAS cannot help obtain or renew visas. US citizens studying abroad may apply if they can return to the US for the fellowship. Non-citizens should email [email protected] before applying because employment taxes may differ.
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✓Available for orientation and wrap-up in WashingtonSelected fellows attend an orientation at AAAS headquarters in early June and a wrap-up session in mid-August, both in Washington, DC. You also file progress reports during the placement. Missing either bookend session is not an option.
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✓Willing to relocate to a host newsroomAfter orientation, you work full time at your assigned media outlet for roughly ten weeks. Host sites vary by year and city, and AAAS negotiates the match after selection.
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✓No AI-generated application textApplicants must affirm that AI or similar tools were not used to generate the submission or its figures. Grammar-style editing tools are allowed but must be declared in the application.
Benefits
- Summer stipend $10,000
- Travel to orientation in Washington Covered
- Travel to media host site Covered
- Travel to wrap-up in Washington Covered
- Housing during placement Not provided
- Housing stipend Not provided
- Health care or employee benefits Not provided
- Length of placement About 10 weeks
- Media host newsroom Assigned by AAAS
- Orientation at AAAS Early June in Washington
- Wrap-up at AAAS Mid-August in Washington
- Science communication training On the job with editors
- Guaranteed permanent job Not offered
Document checklist
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✓Online application and contact detailsSubmitted through the AAAS Mass Media portal. Start early so you can see every field before the January deadline.
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✓Responses to seven reflective questionsEach answer runs up to 250 words on research background, motivation, communication experience, and career plans. One question on how you heard about the programme allows 50 words.
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✓General writing sampleUp to 1,000 words on any topic, written for a non-scientific audience. Do not submit journal articles or technical papers.
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✓Sample news storyA 750-word news piece for the general public summarizing a primary research paper published on or after 1 July 2026. You cannot use a paper you co-authored.
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✓Source journal article PDFUpload the paper your sample news story is based on, with the publication date visible.
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✓Curriculum vitaePDF upload, five pages maximum, covering education, research, and any science communication or outreach.
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✓Optional supporting materialsUp to four additional uploads, such as media clips or letters of recommendation. Recommenders can upload through the system or you can include letters in supporting materials.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship?
It is a ten-week summer programme run by the American Association for the Advancement of Science that places science, engineering, and mathematics students and postdocs at US media organizations. Fellows research and write stories for the public, building skills to communicate complex science clearly.
How much is the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship stipend?
Fellows receive $10,000 for the summer. AAAS also covers travel to and from Washington for orientation and wrap-up and travel to the media host site. Housing, health insurance, and other employee benefits are not included.
When is the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship 2027 deadline?
Applications for Summer 2027 open 1 October 2026 and close 1 January 2027. That mirrors the 2026 cycle, which opened 1 October 2025 and closed 1 January 2026.
Who is eligible for the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship?
Upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in STEM fields, postdoctoral trainees, or people within one year of finishing those stages. You need US citizenship or a visa allowing paid summer work. Journalism and English majors are not eligible for this specific fellowship.
Does the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship provide housing?
No. AAAS pays the stipend and travel but does not provide housing or a housing allowance. You cover rent and living costs in your placement city for the ten weeks.
Where do AAAS Mass Media Fellows work?
Host outlets change each year and have included newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, and digital newsrooms across the United States. AAAS negotiates placements after selection; you do not apply directly to a specific outlet.
Can international students apply for the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship?
Only if you already hold a visa that allows you to receive payment for work during the summer. AAAS cannot sponsor or renew visas. US citizens studying outside the country may apply if they can return for the fellowship.
What happens after the AAAS Mass Media Fellowship?
Many alumni continue in science communication, policy, or research with stronger writing skills and media contacts. The fellowship does not guarantee a job at the host outlet, but the clips and experience often help with later applications in journalism, outreach, or academia.
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