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The AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship is a 10-week summer program run by AAAS (the American Association for the Advancement of Science) that places science, engineering and mathematics students at news outlets in the United States, where they work as reporters. This guide pulls the eligibility edge cases, the real cost of the $10,000 stipend and the program’s own outcome data into one place. Everything below is as described on the official AAAS page on 2026-10-29.
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Suggested question: “Do journalism students qualify?”
What it is and who runs it
AAAS describes the fellowship as a 10-week summer program that places fellows at media organizations. In its own words the program has a history of more than 50 years and has supported more than 900 fellows. Fellows research, write and report alongside host journalists, and the program aims to strengthen the community of scientists who are well-versed in communicating complex ideas to a general audience.
It is a different program from the one-year policy placements covered in our guide to science policy fellowships, and from the honor described in AAAS Fellow, which is an election to a membership rank, not a placement.
Eligibility
Do journalism students qualify?
Generally no. AAAS states that students enrolled in English, journalism or other non-technical communications fields are not eligible. A science journalism student may qualify if they also hold a STEM degree.
Who can apply
- Level: upper-level undergraduate or graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, or people within one year of completing either.
- Fields: life, physical, health, engineering, computer or social sciences, or mathematics and related fields.
Can international students apply?
Applicants must be US citizens or already hold a visa that allows them to be paid for work during the summer. AAAS says it cannot assist in obtaining or retaining visas. US citizens studying abroad may apply if they can pay their own way back into the United States.
Official source: AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows program page, checked 2026-10-29.
What it funds or requires
Is it paid? Is housing provided?
Yes, it is paid: fellows receive a $10,000 stipend for the summer plus travel to and from AAAS and their placement sites. AAAS states that it does not provide health care or employee benefits, and does not provide housing or a housing stipend. A fellow placed in an expensive city therefore needs to budget for rent from the stipend. Older third-party listings show other stipend figures; the figure above is the one on the current AAAS page.
Program requirements
- An orientation at AAAS headquarters in Washington, DC at the start of the summer (early June).
- A wrap-up session at the end of the summer (mid-August).
- Progress reports throughout the placement.
Application steps
- Check the eligibility rules above against your degree, field and visa status before starting.
- Apply through the online application on the AAAS program page by the posted deadline.
- Confirm the required application components inside the application portal, since the program page directs applicants there.
For general advice on writing a fellowship narrative, see how grant writing actually works.
Typical timeline phases
As described on the official page on 2026-10-29, the cycle for the following summer runs in these phases. Dates change from year to year, so treat the phases, not the days, as the pattern.
| Phase | As described for summer 2027 |
|---|---|
| Applications open | October 1, 2026 through January 4, 2027 |
| Orientation in Washington, DC | June 9 to 11, 2027 |
| Onsite at the host outlet | June 14 to August 20, 2027 |
| Wrap-up in Washington, DC | August 23 to 24, 2027 |
Where fellows are placed
The AAAS announcement of the 2026 fellows lists 15 fellows placed at 15 host outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, NPR, Scientific American, STAT, Science News, Smithsonian Magazine, MIT Technology Review, The Transmitter, Idaho Statesman and El Nuevo Dia. AAAS’s evaluation page describes the 2024 fellows as contributing to 10 national, 10 local, 6 specialty and 3 hyper-local outlets.
What the evaluation says about outcomes
AAAS published an evaluation conducted by Fireside Consulting, based on fellow and host surveys from 2020 to 2024 and an alumni survey across 50 cohorts. Reported results include:
- 65% of alumni primarily work in newsrooms, full-time science communication, academia or freelancing.
- 89% said the program was fairly or very influential in their career choice.
- 95% of hosts said fellows increased the quantity of science stories; 79% said they broadened topic range; 63% said they improved story quality.
These are self-reported survey results published by AAAS, not independent measures of career outcomes.
Common mistakes
- Applying as a journalism or English student without a STEM degree, which AAAS lists as ineligible.
- Assuming the stipend covers housing; AAAS provides no housing or housing stipend.
- Assuming AAAS will sort out visa work authorization; it says it cannot assist.
- Relying on an old university listing for the deadline or stipend instead of the current AAAS page.
Related programs
| Program | How it differs | More |
|---|---|---|
| AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship | 10-week summer placement at a news outlet; $10,000 stipend | This page |
| AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships | One-year placements in the US federal government for PhD-level scientists and engineers | Science policy fellowships |
| AAAS Fellow | An honor for election to a membership rank, not a placement | AAAS Fellow |
| Early-career foundation fellowships | Funding for research, not media placement | Fellowships compared |
FAQ
Do journalism students qualify?
Generally not. English, journalism and other non-technical communications students are excluded unless they also hold a STEM degree.
Is it paid?
Yes. The stipend is $10,000 for the summer plus travel, with no health care, benefits or housing.
Can international students apply?
Only if they already hold a visa that permits paid summer work. AAAS cannot assist with visas.
Is housing provided?
No. AAAS provides no housing and no housing stipend.
How is it different from the AAAS policy fellowship?
The media fellowship is a 10-week summer placement at a news outlet; the policy fellowship is a year-long government placement. See science policy fellowships.
Sources
- AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows program page, checked 2026-10-29.
- AAAS Mass Media Fellows: About, checked 2026-10-29.
- AAAS announcement of the 2026 fellows, checked 2026-10-29.
- AAAS Mass Media Fellowship impact evaluation, checked 2026-10-29.
