The WPI fellowship is offered to 10 journalists from countries around the world. It provides immersion into the governance, politics, business, media, journalistic ethics and culture of the United States for experienced international journalists, through a demanding schedule of study, travel and interviews throughout the country.
The application period for 2018 World Press Institute Fellowships is now closed. Selection announcements will be made in early May.
The fellows will spend three weeks in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and then travel to several U.S. cities, including New York and Washington, D.C., for briefings, interviews and visits. They will return to Minnesota for the final week of the program. See the Program Review for examples of WPI events.
Journalism — in particular, the role and responsibilities of a free press in a democracy— is the primary focus of the WPI fellowship program. First-hand knowledge of the complexity and diversity of life in the U.S. is an equally important goal. Access is the key. Over the term of the fellowship, WPI fellows gain access to a broad range of individuals and institutions ranging from the world renowned to the ordinary.
Since 1961, WPI has brought almost 600 journalists from nearly 100 countries to the United States.
Selection is a competitive process. Each year hundreds of journalists apply to the program. Fellows are picked by the WPI selection committee, composed of journalists and corporate communications specialists, all with international experience. Candidates are not considered if their application package is late or incomplete.
WPI pays all program costs, including transportation to the U.S. and back, all transportation within the U.S. related to the WPI program, and all lodging costs. In addition, a modest daily per diem for food is provided. Personal expenses, such as cameras, film, postage and clothing, are the responsibility of the fellows.
WPI is committed to achieving racial and gender equity in its selection of fellows, topics and persons interviewed.
