The IJP German-Latin American Journalists' Programme 2027 gives journalists aged 25 to 38 who live and work in Latin America a two-month placement at a German newsroom in Berlin in May and June 2027, with a €4,000 scholarship, and applications close on 22 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we read the official programme page and the 2027 call for applications in full and set out every detail below.
What the Programme Is About
The German-Latin American Programme aims to foster relations between Germany and Latin America. It offers young journalists from Latin America the opportunity to work as correspondents for two months in Berlin, while German journalists get the chance to work in a Latin American country for the same period.
🎯 Main goal: the fellows work as correspondents for the editorial staff of their home country while they are in Germany.
📰 Host media: the programme expects Latin American fellows to work at German host media, which lets them get to know the political and economic reality of Germany and the culture and mentality of its people.
🤝 Daily newsroom contact: working in a newsroom every day creates professional and friendly ties with German journalists.
🌐 Alumni network: the programme does not end after the two months, because a lively alumni network is meant to build lasting personal and professional contacts between Germany and Latin America.
Fellowship Dates and Timeline
🗓️ Application deadline: 22 November 2026
🚀 Introductory conference: 24-28 April 2027 in Berlin, together with the German fellows
📍 Placement in Berlin: May and June 2027 for the Latin American fellows
🚆 Mid-term trip: a one-week trip to two or three German cities at the end of May, exclusively for the Latin American fellows; attendance is mandatory and must take priority over any fellow's own projects
🎓 Final conference: 26-27 June 2027 in Berlin
🔁 The other direction: German fellows work in Latin America in July and August 2027, starting between 28 June and 11 July 2027
The introductory event and the final conference are compulsory for all fellows. The dates of the stay cannot be moved; an extension is possible only at your own cost.
Scholarship Amount and What It Covers
💶 Total amount: the scholarship is a payment of €4,000
💳 Payment in two parts: €3,500 is paid at the beginning of the scholarship and the remaining €500 after you submit a journalistic report on the scholarship
🧳 Purpose: the money is meant as a grant to cover all basic expenses for travel, accommodation and meals during the stay abroad
🏨 What IJP covers directly: accommodation during the introductory seminar and during the one-week mid-term trip through Germany; the programme also covers all costs of that organised trip, and fellows do not pay for most of the food during the introductory seminar
🚫 What IJP does not cover: other private travel costs inside Germany, such as local public transport or bus and train trips
✍️ Journalistic work: work done as part of the fellowship is not remunerated by the organisation
👨👩👧 Family: whether you can come with children or family is decided case by case with the programme coordination, and the scholarship does not increase if you travel with family
Who Can Apply
The programme is open to Latin American journalists aged 25 to 38 who have a special interest in Germany. In exceptional cases the age limit can be exceeded by a few years.
🧑💼 Professional experience: you need full-time professional experience, meaning your studies and traineeship should be completed
🌎 Residence and employer: you should live in Latin America and work for local media
🆓 Freelancers: freelance journalists can apply
🚫 Not eligible: permanent correspondents, employees of public authorities, PR agencies or press offices, and people who work in communications agencies or the public relations sector
🏢 Already working in Germany: applicants who already work permanently in the destination country cannot be considered
Language Requirements
🗣️ German or English: good knowledge of the German language is an important requirement; an excellent command of English is accepted if you do not know German
⚠️ Competition: applicants without German face stronger competition, because places for non-German speakers are limited
📜 Proof of language skills: certificates from language courses, work samples in that language and similar documents; a live interview to test the language level takes place at a later stage of the selection process
What Your Application Must Include
Applications are sent as one PDF document and can be written in German or English. Incomplete applications are rejected immediately.
✉️ Motivation letter: maximum 3,500 characters including spaces, explaining your reasons for taking part, your interest in Germany and your preferred host medium in Berlin (IJP reserves the right to place fellows at other media); multimedia journalists explain how they will handle their productions technically and logistically, because neither IJP nor the German newsrooms provide technical equipment
📄 CV: with date of birth, address, private and office phone numbers with country code and email, showing the professional and language skills needed for the fellowship
📚 Three work samples: three recent articles or reports; TV and radio journalists attach transcripts and may add a link to where the work can be found
💡 Three topic proposals: topics to research during the stay, each no longer than 600 characters including spaces; the topics must be German, with a possible link to Latin America or your home country
🖋️ Recommendation letter: from your editor or section head, which can be written in Spanish; it describes your professional ability and gives explicit permission to take part in the programme for two months, and it should be as recent as possible
🎬 Possible extras: the embassy or consulate may test your language level, and IJP may ask for a video or video call
Freelancers also need a letter, signed by an employer at one of the recognised media outlets they work for, ideally their main client.
How to Apply from Latin America
📬 Where to send it: applicants from Latin America send their application by email to the press officers of the German embassy or consulate in their country; the contact is usually found in the culture or press department
⏰ Deadline: 22 November 2026
❌ Important: an application that is not sent through these recipients will not be considered, so ask early at the embassy or consulate who receives IJP applications
🔄 Applying again: multiple applications are possible and even welcome, because they show long-term interest in Latin America and in the IJP programme; many fellows only got in on their second or third attempt, although after a third unsuccessful application chances are usually slim
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🌍 All opportunities in Germany →
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Practical Questions Answered by the Programme
🏠 Accommodation: finding a flat or room in Berlin is the fellow's own responsibility; searching is getting harder, so start before the Christmas period and ask the IJP alumni network for tips
🛂 Visa: each participant checks the visa requirements for Germany and arranges the visa; the programme coordination provides official documents such as a confirmation of participation
🏥 Health insurance: insurance for the stay abroad is mandatory, must be organised by the fellow and must be proven with a document
📰 Host medium: you can state a preference in your application, but IJP coordinators organise the placement and a preferred outlet is not guaranteed
👥 Contact people: head of programme Martin Spiewak and programme coordination Sebastian Erb and Nicole Geisse Dirsch
Why a Fellowship Like This Is Worth Considering
Fellows describe the stay as broadening a journalist's horizons and building a very useful international network of contacts. If you are unsure how a fellowship differs from a scholarship, this Youth Works Hub guide explains what a fellowship is, and you can find more programmes like this one in the Fellowships section on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply to the IJP German-Latin American Journalists' Programme 2027?
Journalists aged 25 to 38 who live in Latin America, work for local media and have full-time professional experience can apply. Permanent correspondents and employees of authorities, PR agencies and press offices are excluded.
How much is the IJP scholarship?
The scholarship is €4,000. Of this, €3,500 is paid at the beginning of the scholarship and €500 after you submit a journalistic report. It covers travel, accommodation and meals during the stay.
Do I need to speak German?
Good knowledge of German is an important requirement, but an excellent command of English is accepted if you do not know German. Competition is stronger for applicants without German because such places are limited.
How do I apply from Latin America?
You send one PDF by email to the press officer of the German embassy or consulate in your country by 22 November 2026. Applications not sent through the embassy or consulate are not considered.
Can freelance journalists apply?
Yes. Freelancers must submit a letter signed by an employer at one of the recognised media outlets they work for, ideally their main client.
Can I apply more than once?
Yes. Multiple applications are welcome because they show long-term interest, but after a third unsuccessful application chances are usually slim.
Are the introductory and final conferences compulsory?
Yes. The introductory conference in Berlin (24-28 April 2027), the final conference (26-27 June 2027) and the one-week mid-term trip for Latin American fellows are mandatory.
Deadline
⏳ 22 November 2026
Links
🔗 Programme page: https://ijp.org/en/austauschprogramme/latinamerica/
📄 Call for applications 2027 and FAQ (PDF): https://ijp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Ausschreibung-IJP_LA_2027-1.pdf
📝 Online application form for German journalists: https://form.typeform.com/to/ADpkZXf1
📧 Programme coordination for questions: latino@ijp.org
