GIJC27 Fellowship 2027 in Rotterdam, Netherlands: Eligibility, Benefits and How to Apply

The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) gives fellowships to journalists from developing and transitioning countries to attend the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from 19 to 23 October 2027. The fellowship pays for flights, hotel, airport transfers, the conference fee and most meals. Applications close on 31 January 2027.

This guide was last checked on 21 October 2026 against GIJN’s official GIJC27 fellowship page.

GIJC27 Fellowship at a glance

Is this fellowship right for you?

The GIJC27 fellowship suits working journalists who want to grow their investigative skills and could not otherwise pay to attend. Check these points:

• Do you work as a journalist now? The fellowship is for professional journalists in print, online, broadcast, documentary and multimedia, including freelancers.
• Where do you work? It is aimed at journalists in developing or transitioning countries, with priority for the Global South and underrepresented groups.
• Can you take a week off in October 2027? The conference runs from 19 to 23 October.
• Will you share what you learn? Fellows must produce a related story or give a presentation afterwards.

You do not need years of investigative experience. GIJN says investigative or data experience is a plus, not a requirement, so journalists starting to move into investigative work can apply.

Understanding partial fellowships

Besides full fellowships, GIJN may offer partial fellowships. The page does not say what a partial fellowship covers, but the form asks whether you want to be considered. If your outlet can pay part of your costs, ticking this option may improve your chances of attending. If you cannot cover any costs, say so clearly in your application.

What is the Global Investigative Journalism Conference?

The Global Investigative Journalism Conference brings together investigative and data journalists from around the world to share methods, tools and stories. GIJC27 is the 15th edition, co-hosted by GIJN and VVOJ, the association of investigative journalists in the Netherlands and Flanders. Fellowships help journalists who could not otherwise afford to attend.

Why journalists apply for GIJC fellowships

For many reporters in developing countries, international conferences are out of reach because of the cost of flights, hotels and registration. The fellowship removes most of those costs. In return, you get a week of focused learning from investigative journalists around the world, and a chance to meet people working on similar problems in other countries. The last conference brought nearly 130 fellows from 80 countries and territories, which shows how international the group is.

What the fellowship covers

• Round-trip airfare to Rotterdam, or the nearest major airport.
• Transport between the airport and the conference hotel.
• Four nights of hotel accommodation.
• The conference registration fee.
• A cocktail reception on 19 October.
• Breakfast from 20 to 23 October.
• Lunch on full conference days, 20 to 23 October.
• The award ceremony dinner on 22 October.

What it does not cover

• A daily allowance (per diem) for other meals and expenses.
• Visa fees.
• Transport to and from your home airport.

GIJN may also offer partial fellowships, and the form asks whether you want to be considered for one. Plan a small budget for visa fees, dinners not listed above and travel to your airport.

Who can apply

• Professional print, online, TV, video, radio, documentary and multimedia journalists, including freelancers, in developing or transitioning countries.
• Investigative or data journalism experience is a plus, but not required.
• A working knowledge of English. Applications must be in English.

GIJN gives priority to journalists from the Global South and from historically underrepresented groups. It links a full country list on the fellowship page. If your country is not on the list but you cannot cover the cost of attending, you may still apply; explain your situation under Additional Notes in the form.

Who the fellowship is for

GIJN lists a wide range of journalists as eligible: print, online, television, video, radio, documentary and multimedia journalists, including freelancers. That means a newspaper reporter, a radio producer, a documentary maker and a freelance data journalist can all apply, as long as they work in a developing or transitioning country. If you are not on the staff of an outlet, explain where your work is published or broadcast, and include links. What matters is that you work as a journalist and can show how the conference will improve your reporting.

Investigative experience: a plus, not a must

GIJN says investigative or data journalism experience is a plus but not a requirement. If you are new to investigative work, show your interest through stories that ask hard questions, use public records or hold people in power to account, even if they are short. Then explain clearly what you want to learn at the conference to do more of this work.

What fellows must do afterwards

Fellows must produce a story directly related to GIJC27, or give a presentation to colleagues or the wider journalism community. Plan this before you go: think about which sessions will feed a story or a talk for your newsroom.

How to apply

1. Read the fellowship rules and the country list on GIJN’s official page.
2. Open the online application form linked on the page.
3. Complete it in English, explaining your work and how you will use the conference.
4. Say whether you want to be considered for a partial fellowship.
5. If your country is not on the list, explain under Additional Notes why you cannot cover the costs.
6. Submit by 31 January 2027.

Questions go to fellowships@gijn.org. GIJN says it will not provide individual status updates, so do not expect a reply about your application before decisions are made.

How applications are judged

GIJN says competition is keen and that applicants must show they will make good use of the training. Priority goes to the Global South and underrepresented groups. A strong application shows three things: your work as a journalist, your interest in investigative or data methods, and a clear plan for how you will use what you learn.

Writing a strong application

• Describe your work concretely. Name your outlet, your beat and one or two stories you are proud of, with what they revealed or changed.
• Explain your learning goals. Say which skills you want to build, such as data analysis, open-source research, financial investigations or digital security.
• Show the impact. Explain how you will share what you learn: a story, a newsroom workshop or training for colleagues.
• Be honest about need. If cost is the barrier, say so plainly, especially if your country is not on the list.
• Write in clear English. Simple sentences are fine; clarity matters more than style.

Preparing your story examples

Your application is stronger when the panel can see your best work. Choose two or three stories that show your skills and your interest in accountability reporting. For each one, prepare a short description: the question you set out to answer, the methods or sources you used, what you found and any impact, such as an official response or a policy change. If the story is not in English, add a short English summary.

Choosing your learning goals

Strong applications name specific skills. Think about the gaps in your own work and your newsroom. Common areas investigative journalists want to build include data analysis, following money through company and property records, open-source research, verification, and protecting sources and data. Choose two or three that match your beat, and explain how they would help a story you want to do.

Writing about financial need

Fellowships exist because cost is a real barrier. Be clear and factual about your situation. Explain whether your outlet can pay anything towards your travel, and if not, why. If your country is not on GIJN’s list, this explanation is essential: GIJN says applicants from other countries may still apply if they cannot cover the costs, and should say so under Additional Notes. Keep it short and honest; there is no need to exaggerate.

Building an online portfolio

A simple online portfolio makes your work easy to review. It can be a page on your outlet’s website, a free portfolio site or a shared folder with clear titles. Include your best stories with dates, a short note on your role in each, and English summaries for work in other languages. Check that every link works without a login.

Talking to your editor

Tell your editor early that you are applying, and ask for support for a week away in October 2027. Many editors welcome the chance for a reporter to bring new skills back to the newsroom. Agree on how you will share what you learn, which also helps you plan the follow-up story or presentation the fellowship requires.

A plan from now to 31 January

A simple structure for your answers

The form questions may change, but most fellowship forms ask about your work, your goals and your plans. A clear structure works for each answer:

1. Start with a fact. For example: “I report on public spending for a regional radio station in my country.”
2. Give one example. Name a story, what you found and what happened next.
3. Link it to the conference. Say which skill you need to take that kind of reporting further.
4. End with your plan. Explain how you will use and share what you learn.

Keep each answer focused, and read it aloud before you submit to check it is clear.

After you apply

GIJN does not publish a decision date on the fellowship page, and it says it will not give individual status updates. Use the months after 31 January to keep working on your stories, and keep your calendar for 19 to 23 October 2027 free in case you are selected. If you are selected, start your visa process straight away.

Planning your trip if selected

• Visa: check whether you need a Schengen visa for the Netherlands, and apply early. Visa fees are not covered.
• Budget: plan money for dinners that are not included, local costs and travel to your home airport.
• Time off: agree leave with your editor for the conference week.
• Your follow-up: plan the story or presentation you will produce after the conference.

Making the most of the conference

• Plan your sessions. When the programme is published, mark the sessions that match your learning goals.
• Take practical notes. Write down tools, websites and methods you can try as soon as you return.
• Meet people. Talk to journalists working on similar topics in other countries; cross-border stories often start this way.
• Collect material for your follow-up. Keep notes and contacts for the story or presentation you will produce.

Planning your follow-up story or presentation

Every fellow must produce a story directly related to GIJC27, or give a presentation to colleagues or the wider journalism community. Decide which you will do before you travel. A presentation could be a short workshop for your newsroom on one method you learned. A story could use a technique from the conference on a topic in your country. Planning early makes the follow-up easier and shows GIJN that you used the fellowship well.

If you are not selected

Fellowships are competitive, and GIJN does not give individual status updates. If you do not receive a fellowship, you can still follow GIJN’s free resources and training online, and look for other funded opportunities for journalists, such as the reporting fellowships listed below. Keep building your portfolio, because many conferences and fellowships look for the same strengths.

Practical tips for Rotterdam

• Visa: the Netherlands is in the Schengen area. Check whether you need a visa on the official Dutch government website, and apply early, since visa fees are not covered.
• Weather: October in the Netherlands can be cool and rainy, so pack a jacket and an umbrella.
• Money: breakfast, lunches on full conference days and some events are included; plan for other meals.
• Digital security: as an investigative journalist, protect your devices when travelling. Use strong passwords, update your phone and laptop, and back up your work before you leave.

Related opportunities for journalists

• EJN Reporting Fellowship to cover the High Seas Treaty COP1 in New York.
• Knight-Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan.
• FASPE Fellowship, which has a journalism programme in Germany and Poland.
• Erasmus Mundus Journalism, a funded master’s.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying in a language other than English.
• Not checking the country list, or not explaining your situation if your country is not on it.
• A vague plan for how you will use the conference.
• Forgetting to budget for visa fees and meals not included.
• Waiting for a status update from GIJN instead of planning ahead.

Checklist before you submit

• I am a working journalist in a developing or transitioning country, or I explained my situation.
• I described my work and two or three strong stories.
• I explained what I want to learn and how I will share it.
• I chose whether to be considered for a partial fellowship.
• My application is in English.
• I will submit before 31 January 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Is the GIJC27 fellowship fully funded?

It covers airfare, airport transfers, four hotel nights, the registration fee and set meals. It does not cover a daily allowance, visa fees or travel to and from your home airport.

Can freelancers apply?

Yes. Freelancers in developing or transitioning countries are eligible.

Do I need investigative experience?

It is a plus, but not a requirement.

When is the deadline?

31 January 2027.

How many fellows will be selected?

The number is not yet decided. The last conference had nearly 130 fellows from 80 countries and territories.

Do I need to speak Dutch?

No. You need a working knowledge of English, and applications are in English.

Who do I contact with questions?

Email fellowships@gijn.org. GIJN does not provide individual status updates on applications.

Is there an application fee?

An application fee is not mentioned on the official page.

Can I apply if my country is not on the list?

Yes, if you cannot cover the cost of attending. Explain your situation under Additional Notes in the form.

Where is the conference held?

At de Doelen ICC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from 19 to 23 October 2027. The fellowship covers four nights in a hotel.

Where to apply

Apply from GIJN’s official GIJC27 fellowship page. Our GIJC27 fellowship page keeps the key facts in one place.