Still have questions? Here are the questions we hear most often. Be sure to email us if you need further clarification or have other questions we haven’t addressed.
Is the New Voices Fellowship only open to people from African countries?
No! We welcome candidates from any developing country.
Will I get paid as a New Voices Fellow?
No, but we pay all expenses for the fellowship, and occasionally provide funds for Fellows to participate in media-related activities and conferences.
How much time will I spend on the Fellowship?
We hold three major meetings during the fellowship year, where you’ll be expected to travel and take part in intensive media and advocacy training. These are usually each about 5 days long. In addition, most fellows estimate spending about 5 hours per week working on fellowship-related activities, including meeting with their mentors, taking part in interviews, and writing opinion pieces.
Can I nominate myself for the Fellowship?
We ask that you find a mentor, supervisor or professor to nominate you, if possible.
If I get many people to nominate me, am I more likely to be chosen as a New Voices Fellow?
No. It’s fine if more than one person nominates you, but this is not a popularity contest. You only need one good nomination so please do not ask multiple people to nominate you.
Can I miss one of your meetings if chosen as a fellow?
These meetings are among the core components of this Fellowship, and are mandatory.
I'm a journalist/PR professional/communications expert. Can I participate in this Fellowship?
We love communications people, but this fellowship is really for development experts, not journalists/PR professionals/communications experts. There are many excellent fellowship programs for journalists, and we encourage you to apply for them!
What do you look for in a New Voices Fellow?
For some examples of what we’re looking for, check out the bios of our previous classes of Fellows. We like people with big ideas, who have a proven track record of implementing them. We also like people with strong personal stories and the ability to think critically about development as it relates to their own experiences. Finally, we’re looking for people who aren’t; shy about sharing their opinions and have strong potential in writing and public speaking.
Is there an age limit for this Fellowship?
No. In fact, we look for people who have experience and recognize that often (but not always) this comes with age.