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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there an age restriction for applicants?
- The Medienbotschafter program seeks to support exceptional young journalists to enhance their skills in intercultural communication and the production of high-quality journalism. However, there is no age limit for applicants. The program is open to all professional journalists from China and Germany.
- In what language should I apply?
- English.
- My work samples are in Chinese or German. Should I translate these into English?
- No. Work samples should be supplied in their original format. A translation is not required.
- Concerning the working language: What level of English is required to take part in the Medienbotschafter program?
- The applicant should be able to communicate in fluent English. A TOEFL certificate or other documents are not required. If you have a certificate you may attach it to your application.
- How does the selection process work?
- The program usually receives substantially more submissions than fellowships available. After the submission deadline the most promising candidates will be put on a shortlist and are invited to an interview (in English) with the selection committee. The final eight fellows will be announced two weeks latest after the interview sessions.
- How many years of relevant work experience should applicants have?
- Applicants must have at least two years of relevant work experience.
- Are only print journalists encouraged to apply?
- No. The program is open to journalists from all types of media. TV, radio and multimedia journalists are all very welcome to apply for the fellowship.
- Is there a specialty (i.e. business, technology reporting, civil society) that is given greater preference?
- No.
- Many of the previous Media Ambassadors have come from well-known media companies, and I work for a smaller local media company.
How important are job titles and media affiliation?- We focus on journalistic skills. The job title of a candidate has no bearing in the selection process. We treat all applicants the same, regardless of their employer. In fact, we do prefer diversity of media background among applicants.
- Does the application deadline include the date displayed on the website (e.g. January 15)? What is the exact hour of the deadline?
- Yes. For Chinese applicants, applications must be submitted before midnight Beijing time. For German applicants, applications must be submitted before midnight Berlin time. We strongly recommend avoiding last-minute submissions.
- As a broadcast or multimedia journalist: Should I send audio or video files with my application?
- Please do not send audio or video files, CDs or DVDs. We kindly ask radio or TV journalists to describe one or more work samples in a text. Applicants should make relevant work available online. The descriptions and the web links should be part of the single PDF document that the applicant submits online.
- Can Chinese or German foreign correspondents also apply for a fellowship in the Medienbotschafter program?
- In general, the program prefers journalists without previous posting experience. But if you are strongly interested in the program, feel free to apply.
