Top 79 Journalism Scholarships in September 2023

Are you a college upperclassman interested in ethics, either as they pertain to your own life or on a bigger scale? If so, we may have a great opportunity for you: the Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize in Ethics essay contest! The contest is open to college juniors and seniors attending a university in the U.S. who write an essay analyzing ethical issues in today’s complex world. The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity offers this scholarship. The foundation honors Romanian-born American author of Night and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel by funding programs that reflect his values. Thus, the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity is proud to host this annual essay contest to support young writers and encourage critical thinking on ethics. Contest winners can earn up to $10,000 to help pay for their educational endeavors. If you are passionate about ethics and want to put your thoughts into words, we encourage you to apply!

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

The CCNMA Scholarships range from $500 to $1,000 per student and are based on several criteria, including: commitment to the field of journalism, scholastic achievement, community awareness and financial need. Students must be enrolled full time for the entire academic year in which they apply. They must also be a California resident or attend an accredited college or university in California. All winners are invited to and recognized at the annual CCNMA Scholarship Banquet. If you meet the below eligibility criteria, we encourage you to apply!

Attention all Philadelphia area college students pursuing a career in journalism or multimedia arts! The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists is offering a chance to win one of two $2,500 scholarships for those enrolled full-time in a four-year accredited college in the Philly region. If you're pursuing an undergraduate degree in journalism or communications, or another major working toward a journalism career, this challenge is for you! And for community college students, there's a $1,000 scholarship up for grabs for those pursuing an associate degree in journalism or multimedia arts. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to kickstart your career!

The Vincent T. Wasilewski Award is funded by Broadcast Education Association, an organization that drives insights, excellence in media production, and career advancement for educators, students, and professionals in the media industry. Each year, their Vincent T. Wasilewski Award grants $4,000 to one graduate student studying electronic media at a BEA member institution. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

The YoungArts Competition is funded by YoungArts, an organization that identifies exceptional young artists, amplifies their potential, and invests in their lifelong creative freedom. Every year, their YoungArts Competition awards up to $10,000 to multiple high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors passionate about dance, music, or writing who submit an essay/video showcasing their talents. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

Every year, the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) offers a variety of scholarships that award up to $4,000 to multiple students attending two- and four-year BEA institutions to pursue a career in media. While all the scholarships are meant for students pursuing careers in media and broadcast, as each one has specific requirements and instructions, we recommend checking out the Broadcast Education Association's website before applying. If you're eligible for any, we encourage you to apply!

The BEA Founders Award is open to students pursuing any electronic media area. However, preference will be given to students enrolled in a BEA 2-year member institution or a graduate of such institution now studying at a BEA member 4-year school. Applicants must submit a completed application, two letters of recommendation (at least one must be written by an electronic media professor and the other may be from either a professor or an industry professional), and recent transcripts. Each year, two recipients will be chosen to earn $1,500 each toward their post-secondary education.

The Peter B. Orlik Award is open to students pursuing a career in an electronic media area at a BEA-member institution. Applicants must submit a completed application, two letters of recommendation (at least one must be written by an electronic media professor and the other may be from either a professor or an industry professional), and recent transcripts. Each year, one applicant will be selected to earn $3,500 towards their post-secondary education.

The Edward O. Fritts Award is open to students pursuing a career in an electronic media area at a BEA-member institution. To apply, students must submit a completed application, two letters of recommendation (at least one must be written by an electronic media professor and the other may be from either a professor or an industry professional), and recent transcripts. One student will be selected to earn $1,000 toward their post-secondary education.

Are you a high achieving Black, college junior who aspires to work off-camera in the entertainment industry? If so, The Walt Disney Company/UNCF Enhanced Corporate Scholarship could be a great opportunity for you! Dedicated to helping high-achieving African-American students across the country, the scholarship offers relevant career readiness tools to help students learn about potential career paths in the entertainment industry. Winners will receive the opportunity to complete a summer internship with the Walt Disney Company, as well as a $5,000 scholarship to use towards educational expenses. Students must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA to apply.  If you fit the scholarship criteria and are passionate about the entertainment industry, we encourage you to apply for the Walt Disney Company/UNCF Enhanced Corporate Scholarship!

The Dow Jones News Fund Business Reporting Internship Program is the perfect opportunity for students looking to enhance their reporting skills. As an intern, you'll have the chance to tell the stories of young entrepreneurs, small businesses, big corporations, labor unions, tech startups, and more. Business journalism is a broad beat that covers a wide range of topics, from stocks and bonds to real estate. To be considered, simply complete an online application, attach supporting documentation, and take a timed, online test. You'll also need to submit 3-5 clips of stories you've written or links to digital content you've produced. If you have experience with data journalism, feel free to attach code or a data visualization you've created. Applicants must be college sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate students. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to gain valuable business reporting experience!

Dow Jones News Fund (DJNF) Data Journalism interns attend a week of training led by journalists from Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), refining skills like making Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, learning computer-assisted reporting and analyzing and cleaning data in order to tell rich, often hidden, stories before starting internships where they apply these skills to issues like education, health care, government, criminal justice, and more. To apply to the DJNF college internship program, students must complete an online application, attach supporting documentation and take a timed, online test. Applicants must attach 3-5 clips of stories they wrote or links to digital content they produced. For data journalism, they may attach code they have written or a data visualization they created; editors can provide headlines, page designs, or social media posts. If you've been looking to get some data journalism experience under your belt, we encourage you to apply!

Dow Jones News Fund Editing Interns receive training to hone their visual design, headline writing and SEO skills, strengthen their news judgment and publish high-quality content on deadline. Interns attend a one-week training program before reporting to work in paid internships at top media companies for 10 to 12 weeks. To apply to the DJNF college internship program, students must complete an online application, attach supporting documentation and take a timed, online test. Applicants must attach 3-5 clips of stories they wrote or links to digital content they produced. For data journalism, they may attach code they have written or a data visualization they created; editors can provide headlines, page designs, or social media posts. Please note students must combine their work samples into one PDF or Word document. If you've been looking to get some editing experience under your belt, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student with a passion for photojournalism? If so, consider applying for The James Alan Cox Foundation Student Photojournalism Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards Digital SLR cameras to five high school students and $2,500 to six university students who submit photojournalistic images and news videos that “tell a story.” In addition to a photo or video, applicants must also submit an essay explaining their photo, school transcript, financial data, and two letters of recommendation. The scholarship is offered by the James Alan Cox Foundation, an organization founded in honor of television photojournalist James Alan Cox with the goal of “providing financial support to student photojournalists of high school and college age.”  If you’re passionate about photography and want to be awarded for your efforts and talents, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a student who demonstrates excellence in editing news? If so, consider applying for the Bill Walsh Scholarship! The Bill Walsh Scholarship is open to undergraduate juniors, seniors, and graduate students who demonstrate an interest in editing as a career. The scholarship is offered by ACES: The Society for Editing, a professional association of international scope for editors working to promote language, grammar, and accuracy through valuable resources and an annual conference. The Bill Walsh Scholarship is in honor of the late editor, author, and ACES guiding spirit, Bill Walsh, who devoted his career to his passion for language. Each year, the scholarship awards $3,500 plus financial aid to help one (1) talented student attend the ACES national conference. If you have a passion for writing, critical thinking, and are looking for some help to pay off your degree, we encourage you to apply!

The Dow Jones News Fund digital media internships offer a broad range of opportunities for students to flex their various digital skills from video production, photography, podcasting, data visualization, graphic design, website design, audience engagement, and social media management. To apply to the DJNF college internship program, students must complete an online application, attach supporting documentation and take a timed, online test. Applicants must attach 3-5 clips of stories they wrote or links to digital content they produced. For data journalism, they may attach code they have written or a data visualization they created; editors can provide headlines, page designs, or social media posts. Please note students must combine their work samples into one PDF or Word document. If you want to get some digital media experience under your belt, we encourage you to apply!