Are you a journalism student or professional, blogger or citizen journalist? Have you been looking for the most promising opportunities learn, develop your skills and practice your craft to give you an edge in your career? There are several fully and partially funded scholarship, fellowship and award opportunities for journalism students and professionals.
We have put together a comprehensive list of opportunities for journalism students and professionals open annually.
Get Up to $100,000 Student Loan for Your Master in US or Canada - See if you are eligible
Watch video of Top 10 opportunities for journalists open every year you should apply for… brought to you by your favorite scholarship website – AfterSchoolAfrica.
Subscribe to AfterSchoolAfrica Video Channel to watch more videos like this.
Table of Contents
1. Africa Fact-Checking Awards for African Journalists
The African Fact-Checking Awards – the only awards that each year honor journalism by Africa-based media in the emerging field of fact-checking are now in their fifth year, and continue to grow. Journalists interested in submitting fact-finding stories they have investigated and reported are invited to submit application.
Application Deadline: 31st August
Number of Awardees: Three (3)
Value of Award: The winner of the awards for best fact-checking report by a journalist working in English, and best fact-checking report by a journalist working in French, will each take away a prize of $2,000. And two overall runners-up will take away prizes of $1,000 each.
2. ACME Uganda National Journalism Awards for Ugandan Journalists
The Uganda National Journalism Awards are presented annually to recognize and promote reporting that informs and empowers the public, increases the voices and spaces for important information, and holds the powerful to account. Launched four years ago, the awards represent a pinnacle of achievement for Ugandan journalists, many of whom work tirelessly to attain journalistic excellence, often in the face of enormous financial and political pressure.
Application Deadline: 31st January
Value of Award: Both the winner and first runner-up in each category will receive a substantial cash prize. Plaques and certificates will also be given..
3. Africa-China Reporting Project Grants
This opportunity is specially for African journalists. In 2018, the Project launched the first call and it was for investigative reporting grants. In 2019, it included the audio or Visual reporting grants. Via this call for both audio/visual and investigative reporting grants, the Project encourages journalists to submit proposals that bring to light fresh and nuanced investigations about complex Africa-China relations, and if possible, information that involves other partners and institutions who can collaborate on and expand the investigations. The grant for this Project can be as much as $3000 and will cover travel, accommodation and daily expenses, purchase of equipment or professional fees, or to buy publication space.
4. BBC World News Komla Dumor Award for African Journalists
Komla Dumor was a journalist of Africa. His passion was to tell African stories to the world with honesty and integrity. It’s a legacy that the BBC wants to continue. The BBC World News Komla Dumor Award will be made to an outstanding individual living and working in Africa, who combines strong journalism skills, on air flair, and an exceptional talent in telling African stories with the ambition and potential to become a star of the future.
Application Deadline: 22nd March
Number of Awardees: 1
Value of Program: The winner of the BBC World News Komla Dumor award will receive a once-in-a-lifetime training and development opportunity with the BBC in London, starting in early September and running for three months.
5. Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Media Awards
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) announces the call for entries for the COMESA Media Awards. The Award scheme is conducted every year to recognize and reward journalists who have contributed to regional integration by publishing and producing broadcast stories on the subject. Entries shall consist of the following: Print Journalism, Radio Journalism, Television Journalism, Online/new media:
Application Deadline: 31st January.
Value of Award: The winners will get sponsorship to the COMESA Heads of State Summit, Summit, a monetary award, a trophy and a certificate.
6. Columbia University Spencer Fellowship for Education Reporting
Four fellows will be selected for this highly competitive program, which combines coursework in residence at Columbia Journalism School and Teachers College, and hands-on advising from education writing experts. The Spencer Fellowship for Education Reporting is open to journalists, educators and education policy researchers who want to develop an ambitious, long-form journalism project to advance the understanding of education.
Application Deadline: 1st February
Number of Awardees: 4
Value of Fellowship: Each fellow will be awarded a stipend of $75,000 for personal living expenses, plus $7500 for project expenses.
7. Columbia University Ochberg Fellowship for Journalists Worldwide
The Dart Center Ochberg Fellowship is a unique seminar program for veteran and mid-career journalists who wish to deepen their knowledge of emotional trauma and psychological injury, and improve reporting on violence, conflict and tragedy.
Application Deadline: 22nd September
Number of Awardees: 12
Value of Programme: The Ochberg Fellowship covers roundtrip travel, lodging, meals and expenses directly related to participation. Fellows attend an intensive weeklong program of seminars held at Columbia University in New York City.
Duration of Programme: Six days
8. Columbia University ISHR Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) Fellowship for Developing Countries
The program leverages the resources of Columbia University and international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and WITNESS to provide proven grassroots leaders with skill-building and networking opportunities. Through workshops, seminars, Columbia University classes and meetings with policy makers and potential funders, participants will share their experiences, reflect critically on their strategies, and plan future campaigns.
Application Deadline: 31st January
Value of Program: ISHR makes every effort to provide full funding to cover participants’ program costs as well as travel and housing. A stipend is also provided for basic costs.
Duration of Program: The program typically starts in late August/early September and ends before the middle of December. Exact dates vary year to year and will be listed on the application.
9. Dag Hammarskjöld Journalism Fellowships at United Nations Assembly for Developing Countries
The Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists accepts applications from journalists of the developing nations of Africa, Asia (including Pacific Island nations), Latin America and the Caribbean to cover the United Nations General Assembly beginning in September each year. The fellowships offer a unique opportunity for promising young journalists from developing countries to see the United Nations at work and to report on its proceedings for news media in their home countries.
Application Deadline: 12th March
Number of Fellowships: not specified
Value of Fellowship: Round-trip airfare to New York; accommodations; health insurance for the duration of the fellowship, and a daily allowance to cover food and other necessities.
Duration of Fellowship: first three months of the General Assembly session
10. DW Akademie Journalism Masters Scholarships for Journalism Students and Professionals in Developing Countries
The program is targeted at students from around the world that want to work in a position of responsibility in journalism or the communications sector. It especially addresses journalists-in-training, media representatives from radio, TV, online and print and communication experts. Those interested must have completed an academic program (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and have acquired at least one year of professional experience in a media-related field after their first degree.
Application Deadline: 31st March
Number of Awards: up to10 full scholarships
Value of the Program: Full and Partial scholarships are available.
Duration of Program: Four semesters
11. DW Akademie Dataship for Early-career Data Journalists
Dataship is a 12-month fellowship program that brings together 15 of the brightest early-career data journalists from non-OECD countries to foster the development of data-driven reporting. DW Akademie believes data journalism has great potential to drive transparency and fuel greater accountability and good governance and so candidates for this fellowship will be fully funded to 2 trainings and 2 conferences and will also be supported in their individual projects
12. Erasmus Mundus Scholarships in Journalism, Media and Globalization
The Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Journalism, Media and Globalization welcomes applications from graduate students around the world. You can apply for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, or as a self-funded student. Each year around 500 applications are received and 80-90 students admitted. 25% will be offered admission as scholarship students, while 75% will be offered admission as self-funded students. A consortium of eight universities from Europe, North and South America, and Australia run the Erasmus Mundus Journalism Master’s.
Application Deadline: 10th January
Number of Scholarships: Up to 25% of admitted students will be offered scholarship
Value of Scholarship: Category A scholarships (for international students) are expected to be worth €47,000 | Category B scholarships (for European students) are expected to be worth €34,000.
Duration of Scholarship: for the duration of the program
13. European Commission Lorenzo Natali Media Prize
The Lorenzo Natali Media Prize was launched in 1992 to recognise excellence in reporting on development issues, inequalities, human rights and poverty eradication. It was created by DG DEVCO, and named after Lorenzo Natali, a precursor of European development policy. Today, the Lorenzo Natali Media Prize’s community of past winners, jury members and partners have created a platform supporting reporting on development. The Prize also gives a voice to those whose vital message is often overlooked or ignored.
The winner in each category will receive €10,000 euro. The winner of the Best Emerging Journalist Prize category will also be offered a work experience with a media partner.
14. Falling Walls Science Fellowship for Journalists/Bloggers
In an effort to keep the public informed on life-changing scientific breakthroughs, the Falling Walls Fellowship for Journalists was created. It is aimed at journalists and bloggers with at least three years of experience, and who hope to advance their knowledge in the area of sciences.
Application Deadline: 25th June
Number of Awardees: Up to 10
Value of Fellowship:
15. Global Shining Light Award for Journalists from Developing Countries
Every two years, the Global Investigative Journalism Network presents the Global Shining Light Award, a unique award which honors investigative journalism in a developing or transitioning country, done under threat, duress, or in the direst of conditions.
Application Deadline: Varies (see link below)
Value of Contest: The winner receives an honorary plaque, US$2,000, and a trip to the Global Investigative Journalism Conference to accept the award in front of hundreds of their colleagues from around the world.
16. Harvard University Knight Visiting Nieman Journalism Fellowships
The Knight Visiting Nieman Fellowships at Harvard University is open to individuals interested in working on special projects designed to advance journalism in some new way.
The Knight Visiting Nieman Fellowships at Harvard offer short-term research opportunities to individuals interested in working on special projects designed to advance journalism in some new way. Candidates need not be practicing journalists, but must demonstrate the ways in which their work at Harvard and the Nieman Foundation may improve the prospects for journalism’s future. This may be related to research, programming, design, financial strategies or another topic. Both U.S. and international applicants are invited to apply.
Number of Awardees: Not specified
Duration of Program: a period ranging from a few weeks to three months, depending on the scope of the project.
17. Harvard University Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellowship in Journalism Innovation
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard share a set of common interests around journalism, innovation, and the evolution of the digital space, and both have longstanding fellowship programs that offer a year of learning and collaboration with others in the Harvard community. The Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellowship in Journalism Innovation brings individuals to Harvard University to work on a specific course of research or a specific project relating to journalism innovation.
Application Deadline: 1st December
Number of Awards: Not specified
Value and Duration of Award: Those selected for the program spend two full semesters at Harvard auditing classes with some of the university’s greatest thinkers, participating in Nieman events and collaborating with peers. Nieman Fellows are also able to audit classes at other local universities including MIT and Tufts.
18. Heinz-Kühn-Foundation Journalism Scholarships for Junior Journalists in Developing Countries
Heinz-Kühn-Foundation scholarships are intended to enable junior journalists to further their professional development and continue training in new surroundings, and to gain a first-hand and in-depth knowledge of the customs, opinions and way of life in other countries. The foundation awards scholarships to young journalists for six-week or three-month reporting trips in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Application Deadline: 30th November
Number of Awardees: Not specified
Value of the Program: Scholarship holders get contribution towards living expenses in the host country; allowance for flight and travelling expenses; an allowance to cover costs of research materials; an allowance for trips within the host country; and, (if necessary, for scholarship holders from abroad) a German language course of up to four months at the Düsseldorf or Bonn based Goethe-Institut.
Duration of Scholarship: For six-week or three-month
19. Human Rights Watch (HRW) Global Fellowship for Young Leaders
Established in memory of Alan R. and Barbara D. Finberg, early supporters of Human Rights Watch (“HRW”), this fellowship is open to recent graduates (at the Master’s level) in the fields of law, journalism, international relations, area studies, or other relevant disciplines from universities worldwide. Graduates with LL.B. degrees or advanced degrees in other relevant disciplines may also be considered.
Application Deadline: 6th October
Number of Awards: Not specified
Duration of Program: I year
20. Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowships for Sub-Saharan Africa Students
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program is a non-degree program for experienced professionals interested in strengthening their leadership skills through a mutual exchange of knowledge and understanding about issues of common concern in the U.S. and the Fellows’ home countries. As a non-degree program, the Fellowship offers valuable opportunities for professional development through selected university courses, attending conferences, networking, and practical work experiences. If you are interested in broadening your perspectives and becoming a global leader, the Humphrey Fellowship is for you.
Application Deadline: deadlines vary by country – 1st October every year for some countries.
Number of Awards: not specified
Value of the Program: The Fellowship provides for: Payment of tuition and fees at the assigned host university; Pre-academic English language training, if required; A maintenance (living) allowance, including a one-time settling-in allowance; Accident and sickness coverage; A book allowance; A one-time computer subsidy; Air travel (international travel to and from the U.S. for the Program and domestic travel to required program events); A Professional Development allowance for professional activities, such as field trips, professional visits and conferences.
Duration of Scholarship: not specified
21. Index Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship
Index promotes news and regional developments through our magazine, website and social media. Index helps fellows build key partnerships, troubleshoot and receive expert support in multiple areas including personal safety, finance, PR and mental health. Through the fellowships, Index seeks to maximize the impact and sustainability of voices at the forefront of pushing back censorship worldwide. Winners of the Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship receive 12 months of capacity building, coaching and emergency assistance.
Application Deadline: 8 October
Number of Awards: 4 Fellowships in each of the categories above.
Value of Award: Fellows receive 12 months of direct assistance, starting with an all-expenses-paid training week in London.
22. impactAFRICA Award in Journalism
impactAFRICA is seeking stories that shed light on the challenges women and girls face in accessing health care and health services, and solutions to improve the quality of life for them and their families. Journalists in six African countries can win a fully paid study tour to major United States newsrooms as part of a new impactAFRICA reporting contest.
Application Deadline: 15th March
Eligible African Countries: South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria
Value of Contest: $500,000 and other prizes. The winners will spend 10 days visiting newsrooms in three cities in the United States and learning from some of the world’s top digital media outlets.
23. IWMF Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship for Female Journalists
The Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship provides academic and professional opportunities to advance the reporting skills of women journalists who focus on human rights and social justice. The Neuffer Fellowship is designed for affiliated or freelance women journalists with at least three years of professional experience in journalism working in print, broadcast, or digital media.
Application Deadline: 6th March
Number of Awardees: Not specified
Value of Fellowship:
A fixed monthly stipend to cover housing, meals, and ground transportation during the fellowship; Round-trip economy airfare, health insurance,
Duration of Fellowship: Seven months
24. John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University
The JSK Journalism Fellowships supports diverse journalists from around the world who are deeply engaged in exploring solutions to the most urgent issues facing journalism. The John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship program at Stanford University aims to foster new ideas in journalism through innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership. Each year it brings up to 20 journalists and journalism innovators from the United States and around the world to spend the year at Stanford.
Application Deadline: 4th December
Number of Awardees: 20
Value of Fellowship: JSK Fellows receive several benefits, including base stipends of $75,000, health insurance and Stanford tuition, and are provided additional support for fellows with children. Partners and spouses of fellows get to experience some of the same benefits of the program. The total financial support to fellows ranges from $95,000 to $145,000.
Duration of Fellowship: 10 months (September to June)
25. McGraw Business Journalism Fellowship for International Journalists
The McGraw Fellowship provides editorial and financial support to journalists who need the time and resources to produce a significant story or series that provides fresh insight into an important business or economic topic. We accept applications for in-depth text, video or audio pieces, and we encourage proposals that take advantage of more than one storytelling form to create a multimedia package.
Application Deadline:
Number of Awardees: Not specified
Value of Fellowship: Grants are awarded up to $5,000 a month for up to three months
26. MasterCard Foundation Scholarships at University of California, Berkeley
At University of California Berkeley, the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program provides holistic support – financial, academic, social, and career counseling – to Masters students from Sub-Saharan Africa from 2012 to 2020. UC Berkeley will receive $30 million in funding over the eight years as part of MFSP.
Application Deadlines: fall between 1st December and 6th January
Number of Awards: Not specified
Value of the Program: Fully-funded scholarship
Duration of Scholarship: for the period of study
27. New York University (NYU) World Journalist Fellowship
The Fellowship provides an opportunity for internationally based journalists to study in the Master of Arts program in Journalism at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. The fellow will pursue the degree in one of our nine concentrations: Business and Economic Reporting; Cultural Reporting and Criticism; Global and Joint Program Studies; Literary Reportage; Magazine Writing; News and Documentary; Reporting the Nation & New York; Science, Health and Environmental Reporting; and Studio 20.
Application Deadline: 15th April
Number of Awards: Not specified
Value and Duration of Award:
28. Oxford-Reuters Institute Journalism Fellowships
In this fellowship are several other fellowships, some for African journalists, some for developing countries and others of a wide variety for international journalists. The fellowships are Thomson Reuters Foundation Fellowships, Anglo American Journalist Fellowship, Google Digital News Journalist Fellowship, Mona Megalli Fellowship, Wincott Business Journalist Fellowship and David Levy Fellowship for International Dialogue. You do not need to specify which particular source of funding you are applying for. Simply apply and you will be allocated to the one most suitable for you based on your country of origin and research proposal.
29. One World Media Fellowship
One World Media Fellowship is aimed at aspiring journalists and filmmakers, who want to make a career out of reporting happenings in the global south, raising awareness about the developing world and breaking down prejudices. If you work in film, print, audio or multimedia, this is for you. You will be provided with all you need to make your dream project happen including a production grant, an Executive Producer for your project, Career mentorship, Workshops and webinars by industry experts, Fair Reporting and Security Guidance and networking opportunities.
30. Pulitzer Centre Persephone Miel Fellowship
The fellowship, overseen by the Pulitzer Center in collaboration with Internews, is designed to help journalists from the developing world do the kind of reporting they’ve always wanted to do and enable them to bring their work to a broader international audience. The fellowship will benefit those with limited access to other fellowships and those whose work is not routinely disseminated internationally. The Pulitzer Center will provide a grant of $5000 for a reporting project and also offer $2500 to cover travel expenses associated with travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with Pulitzer Center staff and journalists and take part in a 2-day workshop.
31. Reporters Without Borders Rest and Refuge Scholarship for Reporters in Crisis or War-Torn Countries
The Auszeit scholarship is the joint project of Reporters Without Borders and the taz Panter Foundation, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Berliner Zeitung die tageszeitung (taz) . The program invites two journalists from war and crisis areas to stay in Berlin for a limited time for refuge and rest for up to three months.
Application Deadline: 31st July
Number of Awards: 1
Value of the Program: We offer travel expenses, a decent apartment, pocket money and free transportation in Berlin for up to three months.
Duration of Program: 3 months.
32. Reporters without Borders Berlin Scholarships for Bloggers, Professional and Citizen Journalists
Journalists who are exposed to digital threats due to their work in their home regions, are invited to Berlin Germany every year for 3 to 4 months. During this time, they will be able to complete a comprehensive training program on how to protect themselves against digital threats. Reporters will also receive training on how to teach others in their home region about digital security issues.
Value of program: Reporters without Borders cover the travel costs, take care of all visa-related matters, provide a pleasant apartment in Berlin for the duration of the scholarship, pocket money of around € 1000 per month, free use of public transportation in Berlin and a fully equipped computer, in a field of digital security and didactics. While they stay in Berlin, scholarship holders will also be given insights into the activities of a globally active journalist and human rights organization.
33. Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award for Journalists in Developing Countries
Thomson Foundation, in partnership with the UK Foreign Press Association (FPA), is inviting young journalists from around the world to submit their most compelling stories. Now leading into its fifth year, the Young Journalist Award is Thomson Foundation’s annual journalism competition, dedicated to finding and inspiring ambitious and emerging journalistic talent from across the globe.
Previous winners have each possessed the most important traits necessary to be successful in journalism: a unique voice, a fresh perspective and a strong passion not only for their subjects, but also for their craft.
Application Deadline: 18th August
Number of Awardees: A long list of 12 will be recognized while there will be only 3 finalists.
Value of Award: Finalists will make it to London to attend the prestigious gala awards night, along with a host of other potential award winners and leading figures from the world of journalism.
34. United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Journalism Award
The United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) invites media worldwide to submit entries for its annual UNCA Awards for the best print, broadcast (TV & Radio) and online, web-based media coverage of the United Nations, U.N. agencies and field operations. The UNCA will give a total of Four (4) Awards to outstanding journalists.
Application Deadline: 1st September
Number of Awardees: Not specified
Value of Award: Over $60,000 to be distributed among the prize categories and winners.
35. United Nations/Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Awards
The UNITED NATIONS in its desire to promote the highest standard of excellence in political cartoons depicting the spirit of the United Nations has established this annual political cartoon award given in the international field, and named the award after political cartoonist Ranan Lurie. The United Nations Ranan Lurie Awards invites political cartoonists of print publications, electronic media, and on-line media throughout the world to participate in said Competition for the Year
Application Deadline: 15th November
Number of Awardees: 13
Value of Scholarship:
- First prize, of us$10,000 and a plaque.
- Second prize, of us$5,000 and a plaque.
- Third prize, of us$3,000 and a plaque.
- Ten honorable mention plaques granted by
36. United Nations (UN) Reham Al-Farra Memorial Fellowship Program:
If you have been looking for the opportunity to meet journalists from other countries and exchange ideas with UN communication professionals, this is the right Fellowship for you. The annual Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalists Fellowship Programme is a unique opportunity for journalists from developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The Programme is held for four weeks at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. It provides journalists with an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the work of the United Nations.
37. UN-OHRLLS Voices of a Brighter Future for Journalists from Least Developing Countries
The United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) seeks inspiring stories on how sustainable energy positively impacts communities and individuals in the world’s Least Developed Countries.
Application Deadline: 16th March
Number of Awards: 3
Value of Award: Three winners of the ‘Voices of A Brighter Future’ competition will have their work featured by the United Nations and other news outlets, with travel and expenses covered to report from the Sustainable Energy for All Forum.
38. Woodrow Wilson Residential Fellowship for International Researchers
The Wilson Center invites scholars, practitioners, journalists and public intellectuals to take part in its flagship international Fellowship Program. Fellows conduct research and write in their areas of interest, while interacting with policymakers in Washington and Wilson Center staff and other scholars in residence..
Application Deadline: 2nd October
Number of Awards: 15-20
Duration of Program: Fellows are expected to be in residence for the entire U.S. academic year (early September through May).
