BOLD Science Communication Fellowship 2027: Fully Remote Global Fellowship with CHF 5,000 Stipend

Applications are now open for the BOLD Science Communication Fellowship 2027, an international, fully remote opportunity designed for early-career researchers working in the field of children’s learning and development.

The six-month program provides selected researchers with professional training, expert mentorship, practical science communication experience, opportunities to publish their work for a global audience, and a CHF 5,000 stipend to support the time and resources required to participate in the Fellowship.

Launched by BOLD as the platform celebrates a decade of communicating scientific knowledge about child learning and development, the Fellowship seeks researchers who want to take their scientific expertise beyond traditional academic audiences and make evidence-based knowledge accessible to caregivers, educators, and other people who directly support children.

The Fellowship is fully remote and part-time, meaning participants can take part from anywhere in the world while continuing their existing research or professional responsibilities. Up to three researchers will be selected for the inaugural Fellowship cohort.

Applications opened on 1 September 2026 and will close on 31 October 2026.

About BOLD

BOLD is a global platform dedicated to sharing scientific knowledge that can improve children’s learning and development.

The platform connects researchers, journalists, practitioners, educators, and other specialists interested in understanding how children learn, develop, and thrive.

Rather than limiting important scientific findings to academic journals or specialist conferences, BOLD aims to make rigorous research understandable and useful to wider audiences.

Its content focuses on evidence-based information that caregivers and educators can use to make informed decisions when supporting children and young people.

BOLD covers areas connected with:

• Child and youth development
• Learning and education
• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Mental and physical health
• Learning environments
• Education systems
• Technology and learning
• Parenting and childcare
• Teaching methods
• Equity and inclusion
• Society and child development

BOLD describes itself as a global scientific knowledge platform that empowers caregivers and educators with information and tools that can help children learn and develop. Its wider network includes researchers, journalists, and practitioners committed to communicating current scientific thinking in accessible ways.

About the BOLD Science Communication Fellowship

The BOLD Science Communication Fellowship was created to help researchers become more effective communicators of scientific knowledge.

Researchers often produce valuable evidence that could influence education, parenting, child development, and public understanding. However, academic research can be difficult for non-specialist audiences to understand because findings are commonly communicated through technical papers, specialist terminology, statistical language, and academic conferences.

The BOLD Fellowship aims to help bridge this gap.

Selected Fellows will learn how to translate complex scientific ideas into accessible and engaging information for audiences outside academia.

This includes communicating with people such as:

• Parents and caregivers
• Teachers
• Education professionals
• Practitioners
• Members of the public
• Other audiences interested in child learning and development

During the six-month program, Fellows will receive dedicated mentoring and training while simultaneously putting those skills into practice by creating content for BOLD’s audience.

Rather than functioning only as a classroom-style training course, the Fellowship combines professional development with real publishing experience. Fellows will develop articles, interviews, videos, or other agreed content that can ultimately appear on BOLD’s website and social media platforms.

BOLD Science Communication Fellowship Stipend

One of the major features of the program is its financial support.

Each selected Fellow will receive a CHF 5,000 stipend.

According to BOLD, the stipend is intended to cover the time and resources participants invest in fulfilling the requirements of the Fellowship.

Payment will be made in two stages:

• 50% of the stipend will be awarded when the Fellowship begins.
• 50% will be awarded at the end of the Fellowship after the Fellow successfully completes the required activities, tasks, and milestones.

This means the total available financial support for each Fellow is CHF 5,000.

Applicants should understand that this funding is connected to participation and completion of the Fellowship requirements rather than being described as an unrestricted research grant.

Fully Remote and Part-Time Program

The BOLD Science Communication Fellowship has been structured to make participation possible for researchers based around the world.

The program is:

Fully remote: Participants do not need to relocate to another country or travel to a physical BOLD office to complete the Fellowship.

Part-time: The Fellowship has been designed to fit alongside a participant’s existing research or professional role.

BOLD expects Fellows to dedicate approximately six hours per month to content development and participation in virtual training sessions.

This relatively flexible structure means selected researchers can continue their existing academic or professional commitments while participating in the program.

Fellowship Duration

The BOLD Science Communication Fellowship will run for approximately six months.

The official program dates are:

Fellowship begins: 4 January 2027

Fellowship ends: 30 June 2027

Fellows will also be expected to participate in a virtual introduction during January 2027.

How Many Fellows Will Be Selected?

The program is highly focused and will select up to three researchers.

These researchers will participate in the six-month Fellowship while receiving individualized training, mentorship, and opportunities to develop public-facing content.

Because only a small number of researchers will be selected, prospective applicants should prepare their application materials carefully and demonstrate both their scientific expertise and their interest in communicating research to audiences beyond academia.

What Selected BOLD Fellows Will Receive

Successful applicants will gain access to several professional-development opportunities covering writing, editing, public communication, and multimedia science communication.

1. Writing Workshop with BOLD’s Editor-in-Chief

Fellows will participate in a writing workshop led by BOLD’s Editor-in-Chief.

The workshop is expected to help researchers improve their ability to translate scientific concepts into clear and compelling language for general audiences.

Academic writing and public science communication require different approaches. A research paper may prioritize methodology, precision, technical terminology, and citations, while public communication must often explain the same concepts clearly without overwhelming readers with specialist language.

The workshop will therefore provide practical experience in adapting scientific knowledge for non-academic audiences.

2. Editing Training

Fellows will receive training in editing both:

• Their own work
• The work of their colleagues

Learning to edit effectively is an important science communication skill because good communication involves more than generating an initial draft.

Researchers must learn how to identify unnecessary complexity, clarify arguments, improve structure, strengthen explanations, and ensure scientific accuracy while making material understandable to non-specialists.

The peer-editing element can also help Fellows develop skills in giving constructive editorial feedback.

3. Monthly Writing Club

Selected Fellows will participate in a monthly writing club with the BOLD team.

This provides a regular structure for practicing science communication, receiving input, developing ideas, and remaining engaged with the Fellowship community throughout the six-month program.

4. Training in Science Communication Videos

Modern science communication increasingly takes place through digital and social media.

The Fellowship therefore includes expert training on producing science communication videos for social media.

This aspect of the program can help researchers learn how to explain complex topics in formats suitable for platforms where audiences often consume information quickly and visually.

Participants can consequently develop communication capabilities extending beyond traditional academic writing.

5. Training in Writing for General Audiences

Fellows will also receive expert instruction in writing scientific information for general audiences.

This training is particularly important because the primary audience for BOLD includes caregivers and educators rather than only scientists.

Participants will need to communicate evidence accurately without assuming that readers have specialist knowledge of statistics, psychology, neuroscience, education research, or other technical fields.

What Fellows Are Expected to Do

Participation in the BOLD Science Communication Fellowship comes with specific responsibilities.

Selected researchers will be expected to:

1. Attend a virtual introduction in January 2027.
2. Dedicate approximately six hours per month to content development and participation in virtual training activities.
3. Produce at least three pieces of content during the Fellowship.

Depending on discussions with BOLD’s Editor-in-Chief, these outputs may include:

• Articles
• Interviews
• Videos

The final pieces will be published through BOLD’s website and social media channels.

This publication component is particularly valuable because Fellows are not simply practicing communication exercises privately. They have the opportunity to produce work intended for real audiences.

Who Can Apply for the BOLD Science Communication Fellowship?

The Fellowship is intended for scientists researching children’s learning and development.

According to the official eligibility criteria, applicants must:

• Be a scientist studying an aspect of children’s learning and development
• Be an active researcher
• Be no more than 10 years post-PhD

However, an important aspect of the eligibility rules is that applicants do not need to hold a PhD to apply.

This means the program is aimed broadly at early-career researchers rather than being exclusively restricted to people who already hold a doctoral qualification.

Do You Need a PhD to Apply?

No.

BOLD explicitly states that applicants do not need a PhD to apply.

The reference to being no more than 10 years post-PhD establishes an upper career-stage limit for researchers who have completed a doctorate, but it does not make a doctorate mandatory.

Applicants must nevertheless be active researchers working on areas related to children’s learning and development.

Relevant Research Fields

BOLD does not restrict eligibility to one narrowly defined academic discipline.

Researchers may potentially work across fields connected to children’s learning and development, provided their research is relevant to the Fellowship’s focus.

Potential areas may include, depending on the applicant’s research topic:

• Developmental psychology
• Education
• Educational psychology
• Neuroscience
• Cognitive science
• Child development
• Learning sciences
• Language development
• Mental health
• Child and adolescent development
• Education technology
• Social development
• Behavioral science
• Genetics and development
• Teaching and learning
• Public health topics connected to child development

The key requirement is that the applicant is a scientist studying an aspect of children’s learning and development. Applicants should therefore explain clearly how their research connects with BOLD’s mission and audience.

Applicants from All Countries Can Apply

The BOLD Science Communication Fellowship is a global opportunity.

BOLD specifically states that applicants are welcome from anywhere in the world.

Because the Fellowship is conducted remotely, successful candidates can participate without relocating internationally.

There is no country-specific restriction stated on the official Fellowship page.

This gives eligible researchers from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, and other regions an opportunity to compete for the Fellowship, provided they satisfy the research and career-stage criteria.

Application Requirements

Applications must be submitted in English through BOLD’s official application form.

Applicants need to prepare three principal components.

1. Science Communication Sample

Applicants must provide either a sample article or video explaining a scientific concept relevant to BOLD in a way that is accessible to caregivers.

The recommended maximum length is:

• Approximately 500 words for an article, or
• Approximately three minutes for a video

Applicants who have already written or presented something for a public audience can provide a link to that work.

Those who do not already have a suitable public-facing science communication example can instead upload a written piece.

2. Written Statement

Applicants must submit a written statement of up to 500 words.

The statement should explain:

• Why the applicant wants to participate in the Fellowship
• Why the applicant believes they would be a good fit for the program

This is an important opportunity to demonstrate motivation, communication ability, alignment with BOLD’s mission, and a genuine interest in translating research for caregivers and educators.

3. Curriculum Vitae

Applicants must also submit their CV.

The CV should include any previous science communication experience.

Researchers who have communicated science through public articles, talks, videos, podcasts, workshops, social media, outreach events, teaching, or related activities may therefore want to ensure that relevant experience is clearly presented.

Application Language

All required application materials must be submitted in English.

This includes the science communication sample, written statement, and associated application materials submitted through the official form.

Who Will Review the Applications?

Applications will be reviewed by:

Annie Brookman-Byrne, Editor-in-Chief of BOLD

and

Gemma Wirz, Learning Outreach Lead at the Jacobs Foundation.

The involvement of both editorial and learning-outreach leadership reflects the Fellowship’s emphasis on combining scientific quality with effective communication for public audiences.

BOLD Science Communication Fellowship 2027 Timeline

Applicants should take note of the following official dates:

1 September 2026: Applications open

31 October 2026: Applications close

November 2026: Applications reviewed

1 December 2026: Selected Fellows informed

4 January 2027: Fellowship begins

30 June 2027: Fellowship ends

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the BOLD Science Communication Fellowship is:

31 October 2026

Applicants should prepare and submit their materials before the deadline rather than waiting until the final day.

Because a science communication sample and a tailored statement are required, candidates should allow sufficient time to prepare strong materials that demonstrate their ability to explain scientific concepts clearly.

How to Apply for the BOLD Science Communication Fellowship

Applications are submitted online through the official application form linked from BOLD’s Fellowship page.

Before beginning the application, candidates should prepare:

1. A science communication article of ideally no more than 500 words or a video of ideally no more than three minutes
2. A written statement of up to 500 words explaining their motivation and suitability
3. A current CV including relevant science communication experience

Applicants should ensure that all application materials are prepared in English.

The official Fellowship page provides access to the application form and should be used as the primary source for application instructions and any future updates.

Why This Fellowship Is Valuable for Early-Career Researchers

Scientific expertise alone does not guarantee that research will influence practice.

For evidence to benefit families, educators, policymakers, or communities, research findings need to be communicated in a way that non-specialists can understand and use.

The BOLD Science Communication Fellowship addresses this challenge by giving scientists practical experience in translating their research expertise into accessible public communication.

The combination of mentoring, writing instruction, editing practice, video training, publishing opportunities, and financial support makes the Fellowship particularly relevant for researchers who want to develop a stronger public-facing profile.

For an early-career scientist, these skills may be useful across multiple professional pathways, including:

• Academic research
• Public engagement
• Science journalism
• Education
• Research communications
• Policy engagement
• Knowledge translation
• Non-profit organizations
• Public-facing science platforms
• Research outreach

Opportunity to Build a Published Science Communication Portfolio

Another significant feature of the Fellowship is that participants will create at least three pieces of content for BOLD.

Depending on the format agreed with the Editor-in-Chief, these may include articles, interviews, or videos.

Having published examples of science communication can help researchers demonstrate that they are able to translate technical knowledge for wider audiences.

For researchers interested in science communication, public engagement, journalism, policy translation, or outreach roles, this type of portfolio can be professionally valuable.

Commitment Required from Fellows

The program is intended to complement, rather than replace, a researcher’s existing professional role.

Fellows should expect to commit approximately six hours each month to training and content-development activities.

However, applicants should not interpret the relatively modest monthly time requirement as meaning that participation requires little effort.

Successful Fellows will be expected to:

• Engage seriously with training
• Participate in the program’s virtual activities
• Develop publishable content
• Respond to editorial feedback
• Complete agreed milestones
• Produce at least three final pieces of content

Completion of required tasks and milestones is also relevant to receiving the second half of the CHF 5,000 stipend.

Tips for Preparing a Strong Application

Applicants should pay particular attention to the science communication sample because it provides direct evidence of their ability to explain research to a non-specialist audience.

A strong submission should generally aim to:

• Explain one clear scientific idea
• Minimize unnecessary technical terminology
• Define technical concepts that cannot be avoided
• Make the topic relevant to caregivers or educators
• Maintain scientific accuracy
• Use clear and engaging language
• Demonstrate an understanding of BOLD’s audience

The motivation statement should complement the communication sample rather than simply repeating the applicant’s CV.

Applicants should explain why science communication matters to them, what they hope to learn from the Fellowship, how their research relates to children’s learning and development, and how they intend to use the communication skills gained through the program.

Key Details at a Glance

Program: BOLD Science Communication Fellowship

Cohort: 2027

Host: BOLD

Supported by: Jacobs Foundation

Program format: Fully remote

Participation: Part-time

Number of Fellows: Up to three researchers

Stipend: CHF 5,000

Payment arrangement: 50% at the beginning and 50% after successful completion of required Fellowship tasks and milestones

Approximate commitment: Six hours per month

Program start: 4 January 2027

Program end: 30 June 2027

Application opens: 1 September 2026

Application deadline: 31 October 2026

Application language: English

Geographic eligibility: Worldwide

PhD required: No

Main target group: Active researchers studying children’s learning and development

Career-stage limit: No more than 10 years post-PhD for applicants who hold a PhD

Required outputs: At least three articles, interviews, or videos agreed with the Editor-in-Chief and published through BOLD’s website and social media channels.

Conclusion

The BOLD Science Communication Fellowship 2027 offers an excellent opportunity for early-career researchers studying children’s learning and development to build practical skills in communicating science beyond academia.

With a CHF 5,000 stipend, expert training in writing and editing, guidance on science communication videos, a monthly writing club, professional mentoring, and opportunities to publish content for BOLD’s international audience, the program combines structured learning with hands-on communication experience.

Its fully remote and part-time format also makes the Fellowship accessible to eligible researchers around the world without requiring relocation or interruption of their existing research careers.

Applicants do not need to hold a PhD, although they must be active researchers studying an aspect of children’s learning and development and fall within the program’s early-career criteria.

Applications opened on 1 September 2026 and the final deadline is 31 October 2026. Successful Fellows will be informed on 1 December 2026, with the Fellowship beginning on 4 January 2027 and continuing until 30 June 2027.

Researchers who are passionate about making scientific evidence understandable and useful to caregivers, educators, and wider public audiences are encouraged to prepare their applications carefully and apply before the deadline.

For more global opportunities, click HERE.