Making ends meet on an intern’s salary can be hard. Stipends don’t always cover the full costs of temporarily relocating to a new city or making ends meet while working remotely. Sometimes, prioritizing steps to advance your career can mean putting off other income opportunities that would otherwise serve more immediate financial needs.
To help make internship opportunities more accessible, the National Association of Science Writers is pleased to once again offer the NASW Diversity Summer Fellowship for talented students and early-career science communicators undertaking summer internships. This summer marks the fellowship’s ninth year, and it is our belief that it is impossible to identify and communicate the full range of stories about science without incorporating the perspective of storytellers, subjects, and sources that represent the breadth of human experience.
Fellowship recipients will receive:
- $3,000 to help complete a U.S.-based science communication internship during the summer of 2026 (internships that extend into the fall also count toward eligibility).
- A one-year complimentary student membership to NASW.
Note that the NASW Diversity Summer Fellowship will not qualify you for nor place you in an internship; applicants must secure these opportunities on their own. Fellowship monies will be disbursed at the beginning of the summer, only after confirmation and acceptance of an internship offer. The fellowship is not a contract, and you will not be required to do anything in return for the fellowship beyond completing any required forms – while we ask awardees to submit a report at the end of the fellowship documenting their experiences as fellows and we hope past fellows will remain connected to NASW, this is all voluntary.
Who should apply?
The fellowship is open to anyone who feels their voice is not sufficiently represented in science communication — including, but not limited to, those from racial and ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, neurodivergent individuals, and those with disabilities or chronic illnesses — and who plan to complete a science communication internship during the summer of 2026 (internships that extend into the fall also count toward eligibility).
Additionally:
- The internship must be based in the U.S. International applicants do not need to reside in the U.S.
- The internship can be in science journalism or any other science communications field and can be in any medium — print, digital, audio, video, or multimedia. Preference will be given to students and early-career professionals.
- Applicants need not have received an internship offer at the time they submit their application, but will be required to provide confirmation of an offer and acceptance before funds are awarded.
Up to six fellows will be selected for this 2026 program offering.
How to apply
To apply online to the NASW Diversity Summer Fellowship, click here for the Submittable portal.
You will be asked to upload a resume and two of your own original work samples (these do not need to be published works, but should represent high-quality science communication). You will also be asked to respond to the following writing prompt:
In 500 words, describe yourself and tell us why you are interested in this fellowship, including:
- How your individual background or experience informs the way you approach your journalism/communications work.
- Your career goals as they relate to science communication.
- Any financial hardship that this fellowship would help alleviate.
- How you anticipate the fellowship will help advance your career goals or your ability to contribute to NASW’s mission.
Applications are due by April 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Winners will be notified no later than May 15, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to apply?
You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to be eligible, nor do you need to reside in the U.S. However, your internship must be U.S.-based, even if you are working remotely. We cannot grant fellowships to applicants completing internships outside of the U.S.
Does my internship need to be U.S.-based?
Yes. We can only grant fellowships to support U.S.-based internships. However, you do not need to reside in the U.S. and you do not need to be a U.S. citizen to be eligible.
Do I have to have an internship in hand to qualify and apply for this opportunity?
No, you can apply without having secured an internship. However, you must have accepted an internship offer and submit confirmation before fellowship funds are distributed.
Is the fellowship a contract?
No, the fellowship is not a contract, and you will not be required to do anything in return for the fellowship beyond completing any required forms. While we ask awardees to submit a report at the end of the fellowship documenting their experiences as fellows and we hope past fellows will remain connected to NASW, this is all voluntary
Questions? Contact NASW Diversity Committee chair Nicholas St. Fleur and team at diversity@nasw.org.
Founded in 1934 with a mission to fight for the free flow of science news, NASW is an organization of about 1,900 professional journalists, authors, editors, producers, public information officers, students and people who write and produce material intended to inform the public about science, health, engineering, and technology. We believe that it is impossible to identify and communicate the full range of stories about science without incorporating the perspective of storytellers, subjects, and sources that represent the breadth of human experience. Specifically, we work to ensure that science writing in general, and NASW in particular, are welcoming and supportive of all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical ability, nationality, age, socioeconomic status, and belief. To learn more, visit www.nasw.org and follow NASW on LinkedIn and Bluesky.
