Columbia University School of Journalism Ira A. Lipman Civil and Human Rights Reporting Fellowship 2024

The Ira A. Lipman Fellowship: Supporting significant reporting regarding civil or human rights

The Lipman Fellowship is a non-residential program but the fellows have access to the resources of the Journalism School and university libraries. Fellows must publish their finished stories within a year of accepting the fellowship and give the Lipman Center confirmation that their employers agree to publication. Freelancers must have a news outlet or magazine lined up to publish their fellowship stories. Fellows may be invited to campus to give a public presentation about their work, and upon mutual agreement, may also lecture, mentor and advise students.

• Table of Content
• About Columbia University
• Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship
• Aim and Benefits of Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship
• Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship Courses
• Requirements for Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty, staff, and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regi... continue reading

Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship

• Each fellow will be awarded $10,000.
• We will pay for fellows to come to New York for presentations and a fellowship event. All travel requests and other expenses must be made in advance and are subject to approval. 
• We will assist you in setting up access for Butler Library and the Journalism librarian.

Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship Courses

• Journalism

Requirements for Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship Qualification

All applicants must be full-time staff reporters or writers with a U.S. news agency, magazine or online outlet, or independent journalists working in the United States.

Fellows will produce a 5,000-word story or series regarding civil and human rights broadly construed, such as voting rights, use of force by police, employment and other discrimination, human trafficking, child labor and more. The story must be published upon acceptance by the Lipman Center.

Fellows are expected to give a public presentation at the Journalism School about their work, and upon mutual agreement, may also lecture, mentor and advise students.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Columbia University Ira A. Lipman Fellowship

Fellows will be announced a month after the fellowship deadline and will have one year to complete their projects. The Center will provide editorial and reporting guidance throughout and set deadlines for outlines and drafts before stories are submitted to editors for publication. Fellows who are independent journalists must have a commitment from a news agency or magazine to publish their stories. 

Application Deadline

How to Apply

• A resume
• A short (800 word) description of the proposed project
• Two letters of recommendation

You may email your application in Word or PDF form to [email protected]. 

You may also mail your application to the following address:

The Ira A. Lipman Fellowship
Columbia University School of Journalism
Pulitzer Hall
2950 Broadway, New York, NY 10027

For more details visit: Columbia University website.