By Adam Birch
December, 2023
Journalism is experiencing massive change. The rise of independent journalists and independent news organizations has eaten into even the biggest names in journalism. The good news? Modern journalism programs are compensating for this by redesigning programs to give students the skills they need to succeed in this new era of journalism. A journalism degree will teach you the skills you need to be effective as a journalist.
But journalism degrees, like all degrees, tend to be expensive. This makes journalism scholarships like the ones we feature in this article even more important. Scholarships for journalism majors can play a huge role in helping you to decrease your dependence on student loans. They’ll help minimize the student debt you graduate with. The incredible 10 journalism scholarships featured in this article are all high-value journalism scholarships aimed at journalism majors or journalists.
Ed Bradley Scholarship
Ed Bradley was a legend in journalism. He worked on the CBS news show 60 Minutes for 26 years. He was also the first Black White House TV correspondent. This scholarship has been awarded to many exceptional journalists of color over the years. These journalists have worked for NPR, CNN, and Al-Jazeera America. Recipients of this award have been White House speechwriters and news anchors. They’ve even worked as writers on Saturday Night Live. Applicants for this massive $10,000 scholarship must be pursuing careers in radio, television, or digital journalism. They must also be in their sophomore, junior, or senior year.
Scholarship for Journalism Diversity
This National Press Club scholarship was created to honor Julie Schoo. It’s a $5,000 scholarship that can be renewed for three years for up to $5,000 per year. If received for all four years of college, that’s a massive $20,000 scholarship. The scholarships are open to high school seniors who have a 3.0 or higher GPA. This scholarship is for students whose unique perspective will inject diversity into journalism. Applicants do not need to be a United States citizen to apply. All required information in your submission must be submitted in one single package in triplicate.
The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship
Richard G. Zimmerman was a long-time member of the National Press Club. Upon his death he created a scholarship for high school seniors. Any high school senior determined to become a journalist may apply. It’s a one-time scholarship of $5,000. Students do not need to be a citizen of the U.S. to apply.
Alliance for Women in Media
The Alliance for Women in Media makes available $20,000 per year in scholarships for journalism to its general membership. Individual scholarships can be as much as $5,000. Additionally, there are chapter-specific journalism scholarships tied to the geographic location of specific chapters, or even specific schools. Some of the scholarships for journalism are available only to members. Others are available to all women with media career goals more broadly. Make sure you check out the website to see if you qualify for any of the highly specific scholarships available. Competition is always lower for scholarships like that.
Peter Agris Memorial Journalism Scholarship
This $5,000 scholarship is for Greek-American students at the undergraduate or graduate level who are majoring in journalism or communications. Students must be active in their, school, community, and church organizations. This is a very specific scholarship, which makes it one you definitely want to apply for if you fit the criteria. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA. The scholarship is non-renewable. It’s presented at The Alpha Omega Council’s Annual Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner in June of each year. The event honors a prominent Greek-American for their contributions to Orthodoxy and Hellenism.
ACES Scholarships
ACES offers the Bill Walsh scholarship, a top pick among scholarships for journalism. It’s open to students who have demonstrated excellence in editing the news. It awards $3,500 plus additional money specifically to allow the winner to attend the ACES national conference. Another ACES scholarship the Aubespin scholarship, awards $2,500 to its winner plus $1,500 to four other applicants. It also includes money to attend the conference. The scholarships are open to juniors, seniors, or graduate students. While there is no required major but, students must be pursuing a career as a news editor. Applicants for the Aubespin scholarship must have demonstrated excellence in critical thinking about written material. Students may only win one of the journalism scholarships but may apply for both.
JEA Journalist of the Year Scholarship
This is an award for the top high school journalists in the United States. The top prize is a $3,000 scholarship and three runners up receive an $1,000 scholarship. There are both state-level and national level contests. This is the only scholarship without a requirement for major. We decided to include it because it’s specifically for students involved in high school journalism. As such it will be relevant to most of our readers.
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Scholarship
This $2,500 scholarship was created to financially support Arab-American students who are juniors, seniors, or in graduate school. Applicants must major in journalism, television, radio, or film. Students must submit two letters of recommendation from professors of mass communication. They must also submit copies of their relevant work and their transcripts.
The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship
The Wes Vernon scholarship supports diversity in broadcast journalism. This is a $5,000 scholarship that can be renewed three times for a total of $20,000 over four years. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to a broadcast journalism career. The scholarship is open to any student pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. Preference is given to community college students. Students do not need to be a U.S. citizen to apply for the scholarship.
National Press Photographers Foundation Scholarship
The National Press Photographers Foundation offers 14 journalism scholarships per year. Each scholarship awards $2,000. The scholarships for journalism are open to students enrolled in two year or four year programs. There are additional requirements for 2-year students. In addition to the scholarship, students receive a Sony or Fujifilm digital camera and Saramonic microphone. They also get a ThinkTank camera bag and Litra on-camera light. The brands and equipment may change year to year but equipment is a big part of the scholarship. The scholarships for journalism are for students who are pursuing a career in photojournalism. Students do not need to be U.S. citizens. Both undergraduate and graduate students may apply.
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