Journalism Scholarships and Fellowships: All You Need to Know

Journalism scholarships are offered to those students who wish to pursue a career in the varied fields of mass communication which includes journalism, advertising, public relations and several others. A number of these scholarships are also offered to experienced media professionals in the form of journalism fellowships to enable them to use their in-depth knowledge for research purposes and to explore the practices of journalism and related fields. Various organisations, colleges, universities, media houses and the government offer financial assistance to aspiring candidates through journalism scholarships.

We have covered important information about some of the top journalism scholarships as well as journalism fellowships in this article. This information includes eligibility, rewards, deadline and application process. Look up scholarships matching your pre-requisites and apply for them as specified.

Detailed List of Journalism Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Provider	Application Period*
Reham al-Farra International Scholarship in Journalism	United Nations (UN)	February/March
Media Ambassadors India Germany Fellowship Program	Zentrum fur Medienkompetenz – Center for Media Competence, University of Tubingen	October/November
Reuters-Oxford Journalism Fellowship Programme	The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism	December/January
The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism	Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism	November/December
Prabha Dutt Fellowship	Sanskriti Foundation	Round the year

*Note – The application period mentioned above is tentative and subject to change as per the discretion of the scholarship/fellowship provider.

Besides the scholarships mentioned above, there are some general scholarships too that an aspiring media student can avail if he/she fulfils the eligibility requirement. Find below the list of such scholarships along with their tentative application period.

Scholarship Name	Provider	Application Period*
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Fellowships	Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund	November/December
The Next Genius Scholarship Program	Next Genius Foundation	September/October
Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child	University Grants Commission (UGC), Ministry of Human Resource Development	October/November
Special Scholarship Scheme Ishan Uday for NER	UGC, Ministry of Human Resource Development	October/November
Macquarie University India Scholarship	Macquarie University, Sydney	November/December
British Council GREAT Education Full Scholarships	British Council India, GREAT Campaign & the UK higher education institutions	October/November
Santoor Women’s Scholarship	Wipro Consumer Care and Wipro Cares	August/September

*Note – The application period mentioned above is tentative and subject to change as per the discretion of the scholarship/fellowship provider.

Journalism Scholarships – Eligibility

To avail the benefits of the journalism scholarships and journalism fellowships, the candidates primarily need to fulfil certain eligibility requirements. Each scholarship and fellowship has its own set of eligibility conditions based on the education qualification, academic merit or financial need of the students. The table given below highlights the detailed eligiblity criteria of each Journalism scholarship and fellowship.

Detailed Eligibility of Journalism Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Eligibility Conditions
Reham al-Farra International Scholarship in Journalism	Applicants must be aged between 22 and 35 years of age. Candidates must be working journalists from developing countries and economies in transition. Students must have strong work samples relevant to UN priorities.
Media Ambassadors India Germany Fellowship Program	The applicant applying for this journalism fellowship must be an Indian journalist with proven professional experience of several years in TV, radio, print or online media. The candidate must have a good knowledge of spoken and written English language. Applicants with skills in the German language are preferred.
Reuters-Oxford Journalism Fellowship Programme	The applicant must have a minimum of five years of experience in journalism. The applicant must fulfil the English language requirement to be eligible for this journalism fellowship.
The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism	The candidate applying for this journalism fellowship must possess professional experience of a minimum of five years in journalism. The applicant who is currently working as a reporter/editor in news organisations or a non-profit journalism house is eligible. Freelance journalists are also eligible to apply.
Prabha Dutt Fellowship	Women journalists working in print media are eligible to apply for this journalism fellowship. The applicant must fall within the age group of 25 years to 40 years. The candidate applying for the fellowship must have published a stipulated number of articles in renowned publications.
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Fellowships	The applicant must be a scholar in any discipline including the sciences and the humanities. Writers, artists, journalists and civil servants can also apply. The applicant must be willing to pursue a project related to a highly technical and sophisticated subject.
The Next Genius Scholarship Program	The candidate must be studying in Class 12 or have passed Class 12 (gap year). Applicant must be an Indian citizen residing in India or abroad, or be an OCI card holder, or a foreign national residing in India.
Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child	Girl candidates are eligible to apply for this scholarship. The applicant must not be more than 30 years of age. The candidate must be the only child of her family. The applicant must have taken admission in regular, full-time 1st-year master’s degree at any recognised university/college.
Special Scholarship Scheme Ishan Uday for NER	The applicant must have the domicile of North-Eastern Region (NER). The candidate applying for the scholarship must have completed class 12 or equivalent. The candidate must have taken admission in general degree, technical or professional courses of a recognised college/university/institute. The annual family income must not be more than ₹4,50,000.
Macquarie University India Scholarship	The candidate must be an Indian citizen. The candidate must fulfil academic and English language requirements for a bachelor’s/postgraduate course in Macquarie University. To avail the scholarship benefits, the applicant must be accepted into a bachelor/postgraduate programme of Macquarie University.
British Council GREAT Education Full Scholarships	The candidate must apply for a full-time undergraduate/postgraduate course in the participating UK universities. The candidate must hold an Indian passport. The candidate must fulfil the eligibility requirement of the each of the university he/she is applying in.
Santoor Women’s Scholarship	The applicant must be a girl candidate who belongs to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka or Telangana state. Only those candidates who belong to the underprivileged and disadvantaged section of the society are eligible to apply. The candidate must have passed class 10 from a local government school. The candidate must have passed class 12 from a government school or junior college. The applicant must be enrolled in a minimum 3-years full-time graduate/diploma programme beginning in the current academic year.

Journalism Scholarships – How to apply?

Each scholarship and fellowship listed in this article has a different application process. Some of them can be applied through online mode and some through the offline mode. Find below the details about how to apply for these journalism scholarships.

Application Process of Journalism Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Eligibility Conditions
Reham al-Farra International Scholarship in Journalism	Apply online through the official application page of the United Nations (UN).
Media Ambassadors India Germany Fellowship Program	Apply online through official application page of Media Ambassadors India-Germany.
Reuters-Oxford Journalism Fellowship Programme	Apply online through official application page of Reuters Institute.
The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism	Apply online through official application page of McGraw Center for Business Journalism.
Prabha Dutt Fellowship	Apply for the fellowship by sending the application and other required documents through email to Sanskriti Foundation (fellowships@sanskritifoundation.org) or post to the Head Office: Sanskriti Foundation  C-11, Qutab Institutional Area  New Delhi-110 016
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Fellowships	Apply for the fellowship by offline mode by sending the application and required documents to Secretary Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, Teen Murti House, New Delhi – 110 001
The Next Genius Scholarship Program	Apply online through the official application page of the scholarship program.
Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child	Apply online through the official application page of the National Scholarship Portal.
Special Scholarship Scheme Ishan Uday for NER	Apply online through the official application page of the National Scholarship Portal.
Macquarie University India Scholarship	Apply online through the official application page of Macquarie University.
British Council GREAT Education Full Scholarships	Apply online through the official application page of the respective universities for which the applicant is applying.
Santoor Women’s Scholarship	Apply online for the scholarship through the official application page of Santoor Women’s Scholarship.

Journalism Scholarships – Awards

All the journalism scholarships and fellowships mentioned here offer certain rewards to the selected candidates in the form of financial assistance, stipend, grant, living allowance, travel allowance and various other benefits. Find the details of the rewards offered by the journalism scholarships in the table given below.

Award Details of Journalism Scholarships

Scholarship Name	Award Details
Reham al-Farra International Scholarship in Journalism	GBP 3,000
Media Ambassadors India Germany Fellowship Program	EUR 1,600 monthly stipend Travel costs Professional journalistic skill enhancement courses Fellowship on-job training with German newsrooms An extensive cultural program An all-paid field trip to Germany
Reuters-Oxford Journalism Fellowship Programme	Living allowance and travel expenses
The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism	A grant of up to USD 15,000
Prabha Dutt Fellowship	A grant of ₹1,00,000
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Fellowships	A monthly stipend of ₹1,00,000 for two years Actual expenses on travelling secretarial assistance and other contingencies up to ₹75,000 per annum
The Next Genius Scholarship Program	Full and partial scholarship
Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child	₹36,200 per annum to each of the 3000 selected students for a duration of two years
Special Scholarship Scheme Ishan Uday for NER	₹5,400 per month to students pursuing General degree courses ₹7,800 per month to students pursuing technical and professional courses
Macquarie University India Scholarship	AUD 10,000 per annum for the duration of the course
British Council GREAT Education Full Scholarships	100% tuition fee waiver
Santoor Women’s Scholarship	₹24,000 per annum for the duration of the course

Also read: Top Scholarships for Medical Students

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do scholarships and fellowships typically cover all expenses?

It varies. Some scholarships cover full tuition, while others offer partial funding. Fellowships might include stipends for living expenses on top of tuition or research grants. Carefully review the program details to understand the specific financial support offered.

What are some common application essay prompts for journalism scholarships and fellowships?

Essay prompts often ask about your journalistic goals, motivations, areas of interest, and a specific story you’d like to pursue. Tailor your response to the program’s focus and demonstrate your passion and potential.

Are there any reporting requirements after receiving a scholarship or fellowship?

Some programs may require progress reports or a final project showcasing your work completed with financial support.

Should I pursue a scholarship or fellowship right out of undergraduation or is some experience preferred?

This depends on the program. Some scholarships are for undergraduate students, while fellowships often target mid-career journalists seeking professional development. Research the specific requirements and tailor your application accordingly.