The Best Journalism Scholarships in 2024

About journalism scholarships

Journalists are tasked with the important job of informing the public. They have the responsibility to report truthfully and provide important content. In the age of the internet and social media, anyone can share their thoughts and opinions with the world. This isn't always a good thing, making journalists' work that much more important. The public relies on journalists to provide facts in a world of opinions.

Journalism students are taught to follow an ethical code that helps shape the way they gather and share information. The Society for Professional Journalists outlines the code to have four primary components: journalists must seek truth and report it, work to minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent. This code of ethics sets journalists apart from the average person sharing one version of the truth online and in print.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the journalism field to grow by 6% within the next 10 years. In 2020 alone, 12,336 professional journalism degrees were awarded to journalism school graduates.

Journalism is a broad field that encompasses many different elements. The news reported by journalists can be split into two general categories: hard news and soft news. Hard news refers to traditional news stories, breaking news, and current events, whereas soft news covers less pressing news. Within the realm of hard news, there is investigative reporting, broadcast journalism, business and financial journalism, as well as a variety of other such categories. Soft news encompasses art and entertainment reporting, celebrity news, sports journalism, and more.

Whether you are an undergraduate journalism student, graduate student, or high school student aspiring to become a journalist, there are scholarships that can help reduce your student debt. Journalism students have plenty of opportunities available if they take the time to look.

Check out the best journalism schools in the United States to begin browsing through potential schools!

What is a journalism scholarship?

Since journalism is such a broad field that encompasses so many subjects and mediums, there are plenty of scholarships designed to support up-and-coming reporters. Some journalism scholarships may be offered to all journalism students, whereas others may be geared toward certain subsections of journalism.

Journalism scholarships are usually given based on either financial need or merit. Merit-based journalism scholarships look for students who have demonstrated excellent work in their chosen focus area. For example, broadcast journalism students may be awarded based on their broadcast reporting work or broader journalism majors may be selected due to their work with their school's newspaper or various mediums.

Undergraduate students have the best chance of being selected for scholarships based on their reporting skills because, by the time they've engaged in their accredited college, they will have gotten experience and demonstrated their skills. Students interested in pursuing a career in journalism can help fund their education through journalism scholarships.

How to apply for journalism scholarships

To apply for journalism scholarships on Bold.org, you must begin by creating your free account. By clicking on any of the listed scholarships, you will be redirected to where you can create an account. Once you've joined Bold.org and filled in your profile, you can begin applying to any of the exclusive scholarships offered for journalism students.

After finding the best journalism scholarships for you, it's time to apply. Bold.org works to make the application process as easy as possible by offering simple, no-essay scholarships along with scholarships that require essays.

Best journalism scholarships

Journalism is a specific field of writing, so there aren't as many scholarships specific for journalism students. However, there are a few scholarships for journalism students who excel in writing and are active news consumers. The first two scholarships listed are for future writers and journalists, whereas the others are for news consumers.

1. Tam and Betsy Vannoy Memorial Scholarship
2. 
   
3. Lisa Seidman Excellence in Writing Scholarship
4. 
   
5. Daily Pnut World News No-Essay Scholarship
6. 
   
7. Sportsletter Sports News No-Essay Scholarship
8. 
   
9. Morning Brew Tech & Business News Scholarship

Journalism scholarships for high school students

The earlier you start applying for scholarships for journalism, the more opportunities you will have to fund your education. In fact, the Federal Student Aid Office even recommends that student begin applying to scholarships the summer before they become high school seniors.

Many high school students planning to attend school for journalism have experience working on their school's yearbooks or newspapers. Whether you have experience with this or not, there are scholarships for high schoolers that can help prepare you for your transition to college.

High school is a great time to look ahead to your future, and these scholarships can help you do that. The more you plan ahead in high school, the more opportunities will be available to you. Click on any of the options below to begin the application process.

1. GIST Sports Media No-Essay Scholarship
2. 
   
3. Bold Community Activist Scholarship
4. 
   
5. Morning Brew Tech & Business News Scholarship
6. 
   
7. Daily Pnut World News No-Essay Scholarship

Journalism scholarships for High school seniors

High school seniors are at a crucial transition point. There is so much change happening around this time, and because going from high school to college is such a big shift, many scholarships are geared specifically for high school seniors.

As you look ahead to college expenses, take into consideration that you have chances during your senior year to reduce future student loan debt. Take a look at some of these scholarships that are perfect for high school seniors.

1. Tam and Betsy Vannoy Memorial Scholarship
2. 
   
3. WTFintech? No-Essay Scholarship
4. 
   
5. Sportsletter Sports News No-Essay Scholarship

Journalism scholarships for college students

By the time you're in college, you've already chosen journalism as a major and familiarized yourself with the college experience. That means you are also now keenly aware of all of the prices involved in paying for journalism education. Don't let up on your scholarship search in college: take this opportunity to apply for scholarships for undergraduate students and graduate students alike.

1. Lisa Seidman Excellence in Writing Scholarship
2. 
   
3. WayUp Dream Job No-Essay Scholarship
4. 
   
5. Hustle Tech & Business News No-Essay Scholarship
6. 
   
7. Morning Brew Tech & Business News Scholarship

Scholarships for journalism graduate students

Journalism students pursuing additional education through graduate school have chosen to seek out more knowledge, while simultaneously incurring more of a financial burden. By the time you join the ranks of graduate students, you may have already taken out private student loans or federal student loans to pay for your undergraduate degree. Finances can be stressful, so look into opportunities for graduate students that can help limit your financial stress. A few of these scholarships are listed below.

1. WTFintech? No-Essay Scholarship
2. 
   
3. Hustle Tech & Business News No-Essay Scholarship
4. 
   
5. Sportsletter Sports News No-Essay Scholarship

Scholarships for women in journalism

Female journalists face certain challenges in the industry. People are less likely to respect women in journalism, and despite the overwhelming number of female journalism graduates, newsrooms have yet to reflect these proportions. Women seeking a career in journalism have varying obstacles that most men do not. In order to help women succeed in the journalism field, there are scholarships designed specifically for women in journalism. Take a look at some excellent scholarships for women studying journalism.

1. Newsette No-Essay Leadership Scholarship for Women
2. 
   
3. Lisa Seidman Excellence in Writing Scholarship
4. 
   
5. GIST Sports Media No-Essay Scholarship
6. 
   
7. Tam and Betsy Vannoy Memorial Scholarship

Journalism scholarships for international students

International students studying journalism in the United States are less common since there are fewer international students than local students. However, there are still scholarships international students in journalism can apply for to help cover the cost of their degree. Below are some scholarships international students can apply for now to get a head start on paying for college.

1. Bold Learning and Changing Scholarship
2. 
   
3. Morning Brew Tech & Business News Scholarship
4. 
   
5. Daily Pnut World News No-Essay Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about journalism scholarships

As you prepare to pay for your journalism education, there may be some aspects of the scholarship process that aren't clear. This is especially true for students new to applying for scholarships. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding scholarships for journalism school.

How to find journalism scholarships

On Bold.org, there are many excellent opportunities that you can utilize when looking for journalism scholarships. The scholarships listed on this page are an excellent place to start when looking for scholarships. If you want to find even more scholarships, take a look at the scholarship search page and look under the "Category" filter. You can find a list of journalism scholarships under the "Journalism" category as well as the "Writing" category.

Even beyond your major, there are other categories designed to match your interests, background, and experiences. Take a look at the available groups of scholarships to see if there are any sections available for your hobbies, education level, interests, etc.

Outside of Bold.org, you can find scholarships through your school's journalism department. Many scholarships are offered yearly, giving students the chance to apply for their school's scholarship opportunities several times. Additional organizations exist to help aspiring journalists. For example, you can visit the Overseas Press Club Foundation to apply for scholarships for journalism students interested in becoming foreign correspondents.

How do I get a journalism scholarship?

The first step in getting a journalism scholarship is applying to many scholarships. The more opportunities you put yourself in the running for, the more likely you are to be successful in at least a couple. Don't be discouraged if you don't win every scholarship you apply for. Instead, keep your options open and apply for as many as you are able to.

To have the best chance of winning a scholarship, there are several factors to look into. First, keep in mind that the more eligibility requirements there are on a scholarship, the fewer people will apply. This will give you a better chance of being successful since fewer students are vying for the same award. Additionally, be deliberate about your application. Make sure you are putting care into your scholarship essays in order to put your best foot forward.

Finally, keep in mind that the earlier you apply and the more detailed your profile is, the better.

When can I start applying?

There isn't a "right" time to apply for scholarships since everyone's personal journey is a little bit different. However, it can be helpful for students to begin applying for scholarships as soon as they're able in order to get used to the process of applying as well as to give them extra opportunities to earn scholarships. Students enrolled in high school and any education level above are eligible to sign up, starting at the age of 14.

It is also important to note that there is not a time where you should stop applying to scholarships. College juniors and seniors seeking financial aid should continue to apply to scholarships regardless of how close their graduation date is.

How do I know if I'm eligible for a scholarship?

Each scholarship has a list of eligibility requirements that shows what is required of the students applying. This can include education level, race/ethnicity, GPA, major, interests, state, and so much more.

The more eligibility requirements listed for a scholarship, the fewer students are eligible. Therefore, finding scholarships with many requirements that you meet will help give you your best chance of earning that specific scholarship. For instance, a scholarship for college juniors studying journalism with a 4.0 GPA will have fewer applicants than a scholarship open to all college students.

Furthermore, the more thoroughly you fill in your Bold.org profile, the more scholarships will be available and unlocked for you to apply for. If you are not eligible for a scholarship, there will often be a message at the top of the scholarship informing you of the requirements. You can only apply if you satisfy these requirements.