APPLICATION DEADLINE: 15 February 2026

For young German-speaking journalists from Central and Eastern Europe, the ifp School of Journalism is once again offering a three-week Summer Academy in Munich from 5 to 24 July 2026.

The Ostkurs 2026 program includes classical journalistic genres such as news writing and reporting, interviews and feature stories, as well as online research with a focus on online verification and mobile reporting.
In the third seminar week, participants will receive interview training in the ifp’s TV studio.

The Ostkurs 2026 offers participants the opportunity to further develop their journalistic skills under the guidance of experienced trainers from Germany and, at the same time, to exchange ideas across European borders and build new professional networks.
Successful completion of the three-week training program is certified with an official certificate.

Since the start of this seminar series in 1993, more than 400 journalists from 22 countries have participated in the ifp Summer Academies. They are also part of the large alumni network of the ifp School of Journalism.

Previous Ostkurs participants have come from the EU member states Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, as well as from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia, and from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

The ifp – Institute for Journalistic Training in Munich is the School of Journalism of the Catholic Church in Germany. It was founded in 1968 on behalf of the German Bishops’ Conference. Over the past five decades, more than 3,000 journalists have completed training at the ifp.

Application Deadline

Applications for the Ostkurs 2026 can be submitted until 15 February 2026.
Please use the online application form on our website:
www.journalistenschule-ifp.de/ostkurs

Please attach to your application:

  • a tabular CV,

  • information about your previous professional activities,

  • a written statement of motivation (approximately one A4 page) explaining why you wish to participate in Ostkurs 2026.
    You may also submit work samples.

Requirements

Applicants must:

  • be between 19 and 32 years old,

  • work full-time or part-time in print, radio, television or online media,

  • have a good command of the German language, spoken and written,

  • have a positive attitude toward democratic, humanistic and religious values.

In March 2026, a maximum of 15 participants will be selected and invited to take part in Ostkurs 2026.

Due to the illegal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, applications from journalists residing in Russia and Belarus cannot be considered.

The seminar language is German. All participants must research, write texts, and conduct interviews in German.
This training program is not a German language course.

Participation Fee

The participation fee (including accommodation, meals, and the three-week training program) is:

  • €160 for participants from EU member states,

  • €130 for participants from non-EU member states.

A subsidy is available to cover actual travel costs.

Partners

The Summer Academies have been financially supported by, among others:

  • the German Federal Foreign Office (Berlin),

  • the Eastern Europe aid organization Renovabis (Freising),

  • the Bavarian State Chancellery (Munich),

  • and the Friends of the ifp Association (Fifp).

Contact

Further information about Ostkurs 2026 can be found on our website:
www.journalistenschule-ifp.de/ostkurs

For further inquiries, please contact:
Almut Schmidt
Email: schmidt@journalistenschule-ifp.de