Young Journalists and the News

SEJ posts information about the work of young journalists who are making an impact on their world, as well as opportunities, useful websites and items of interest about news, activities and events centered on young people implementing change.

 

Useful Links

• "Student Journalism 101: Early Career Advice for Student Journalists," International Journalists' Network, Aug 23, 2024, by Trinity Polk.

 

Events & Opportunities

 

Current:

Collier Award for Ethics in Journalism
This no-fee award, new in 2024, recognizes exemplary journalism of the highest standards that is reported and published in the face of ethical challenges. A $5,000 award or scholarship will go to a high school, undergraduate or graduate student journalist ($500 for second place, $250 for third place). The Ethics and Journalism Initiative is a project of the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University. Deadline: Dec 9, 2024 extended to Dec 16.

NAHJ Scholarships
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists annually awards scholarships to US and Puerto Rican graduate and undergraduate students who plan to work in English and/or Spanish-language journalism. 2025 scholarships range from $2,000 to $5,000. Deadline: Dec 20, 2024.

NAHJ Student Project
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists invites applications from member college students who want the opportunity to work on improving their skills in a newsroom setting during the organization's 2025 national convention in Chicago, IL, July 9-12, expenses paid. Deadline: Dec 20, 2024.

PBS News Student Reporting Labs Climate/Environment Fellowship
PBS News SRL seeks college video journalists, ages 18-25, from underrepresented backgrounds to produce powerful stories about climate change and the environment — especially young people working on solutions — during the spring 2025 semester. Stipend, mentorship, equipment, expenses. Deadline: Dec 31, 2024.

NYU Journalism-NABJ, NAHJ and IJA Scholarships
The New York University Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute is offering full-tuition scholarships to members of the National Association of Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous Journalists Associations admitted to one of the ten NYU Journalism graduate programs in the fall of 2024, including Science, Health & Environmental Reporting. Deadline: Jan 6, 2025.

Canadian Association of Journalists Annual Awards
CAJ recognizes outstanding Canadian reporting — with a particular focus on investigative work. Cash prizes are offered in several categories, including the Student Award and the Emerging Indigenous Journalist Award. Deadline: Jan 14, 2025.

Canadian Journalism Foundation Fellowships
CJF's 2025 fellowship offerings include the CJF Black Journalism Fellowship Program, six months at a CBC/Radio-Canada (English and French), Globe and Mail or CTV News newsroom or at the University of Toronto's Investigative Journalism Bureau and the paid CJF-CBC Indigenous Journalism Fellowships, hosted by CBC News for one month at its Indigenous Unit in Winnipeg, as well as the Bursary for BIPOC Journalism Students. Deadline: Jan 24, 2025.

IJA Indigenous Journalism Fellowship
The Indigenous Journalists Association's annual fellowship is for current Indigenous, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, First Nations and Métis college students, undergraduate and graduate, pursuing media degrees. Student fellows will work with mentors to produce coverage throughout the year. Deadline: Jan 31, 2025.

Livingston Awards for Young Journalists
For excellence by professionals under the age of 35. Print, online, video, audio and data visualization entries are judged against one another, a practice of increasing interest as technology blurs traditional distinctions between rival branches of the profession. Three $10,000 prizes are awarded for local, national and international reporting. Deadline: Feb 1, 2025.

SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards
The Society of Professional Journalists presents these awards annually, honoring the best in student journalism. Open to US. and international students studying toward an academic degree enrolled in a U.S. or international college or university in 2024. Deadline: Feb 4, 2025.

Planet Forward Storyfest Awards
Recognizes and rewards the best and most compelling student-told stories illuminating environmental issues and solutions. 2025 grand-prize winners will travel to the Galápagos Islands with Lindblad Expeditions to see and report on the environment. Deadline: Feb 10, 2025.

Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship Program
Mongabay's six-month, twice-yearly, remote program will support up to 12 young and aspiring journalists from the world's biodiversity hotspots — six at their global English bureau and six at their Spanish-language bureau. Open to anyone from a low- to upper-middle income tropical country. No educational prerequisites. Monthly stipend of $500 USD. Next deadline: Feb 10, 2025 (opens Dec 15).

Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award
This New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute grant of $12,500 supports the work of a promising early-career nonfiction writer on a story that uncovers truths about the human condition. Deadline: Feb 19, 2025.

Golden Turtle Photography Contest
MY EQUATOR Charity Social Support Fund's annual wildlife photo contest is open to photographers worldwide. Cash prizes in each adult category and for photographer of the year. Winners in the young categories (13-17 years and 12 & under) receive a glass trophy, a diploma, an album with all the finalists of the competition and prizes from partners. Deadline: Mar 31, 2025.

Investintech-CAJ (Canadian Association of Journalists) Data Journalism Scholarship
The scholarship will go to one Canadian student who shows an interest and understanding of data journalism tools and techniques before they even enter the newsroom professionally, to get Canadian and journalism students to really think about the data used in stories. Deadline: Apr 11, 2025.

$500 Innovation in Education Scholarship
LA Tutors awards students who showcase their creativity and make positive impacts. On an ongoing monthly basis, this scholarship is open to all currently enrolled high school and college students who showcase their creativity while helping those around them (whether that be in a creative fundraiser, inventive new app, series of blog posts on a particular theme, or another idea). The application deadline is 11:59 pm PST on the 20th of each month.

The Daily Yonder's Rural Reporting Fellowship
This paid fellowship is geared toward any emerging professional or college student eager to sharpen their journalistic craft or build a portfolio of published work, especially those who embody the growing diversity of rural America. Fellowships take place each fall, spring and summer, lasting for an initial term of 12 weeks, with the opportunity for extension depending upon the fellow’s availability and newsroom needs. Fellows are able to work from anywhere in the United States. For an in-person experience, there are offices and core staff in Whitesburg, Kentucky, Knoxville, Tennessee, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota and Roseburg, Oregon.
Deadline: rolling

Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Grants and Fellowships
The Pulitzer Center partners with individual journalists and news organizations to support in-depth, high-impact reporting on topics of global importance. Open to freelance and staff journalists. Scroll down to see a list of opportunities. Deadlines vary.

Youth Journalism Initiative
The American Society of News Editors helps students learn why news matters and acquire the skills needed to succeed as 21st-century citizens. The Initiative invests in the future of journalism and democracy by providing resources and training in youth journalism; news, information and media literacy; and the First Amendment and civic education. Includes an annual First Amendment Matters PSA Contest.

 

Past/Recurring:

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year
This annual international competition and exhibition of the Natural History Museum in London, UK highlights the unique and beautiful relationship between photography, science and art. Must be 17 years old or under on the deadline date. Win cash prizes, a place in the museum's exhibit and more. Deadline: Dec 5, 2024.

Canadian Media Guild's Scholarship for Indigenous Students
Applicants must be a Canadian citizen, member of an Indigenous community and registered in a media program. The scholarship covers the cost of tuition, up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of 4 years. Deadline: Nov 30, 2024.

Local Letters for Global Change — A Pulitzer Center Writing Contest
K-12 students worldwide: The Pulitzer Center wants to read and share your letters to a local elected representative on topics including climate and environment, global health, human rights, information and AI, and peace and conflict. Cash prizes. Deadline: Nov 15, 2024.

The Open Notebook Early-Career Fellowship Program
Explore your career interests and passions and sharpen your skills during this part-time, remote fellowship program for early-career science journalists (less than three years of regular professional science writing experience). Over the course of 10 months, fellows work with a mentor to plan, report and write articles for publication at The Open Notebook and become part of the TON editorial team. Stipend: $6,600. Deadline: Oct 31, 2024.

States Newsroom's Capital Reporting Fellowship
States Newsroom's paid fellowship is for those who believe that journalism can be a powerful force for social good. This summer program places students and new journalists in newsrooms across the country. Preference given to applicants whose identities are underrepresented in journalism, such as women, Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), differently abled, first generation college students and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community. Deadline: Oct 31, 2024.

The Mycoskie-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship
This fellowship aims to empower a new generation of filmmakers exploring the burgeoning field of psychedelics. Three $10,000 Fellowships will be awarded to documentaries by student filmmakers currently enrolled in a film or journalism program (open to undergraduate students and students enrolled in international programs). Deadline: Oct 30, 2024.

RJI Student Innovation Competition
The 2025 Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) competition challenge is to create something to help journalists and newsrooms tackle the increasing rates of news avoidance to get vital information to the communities they serve. Each team can be up to four students, who can be enrolled at any college in the US. Cash prizes. Deadline: Oct 18, 2024.

Travel Photographer of the Year
The TPOTY competition is open to photographers worldwide. The 2024 Young Travel Photographer of the Year will be given in the 14 and Under and 15-18 age groups, and one overall winner will be chosen — the Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2024. The theme is ‘Travel Experiences’. The Young TPOTY winner receives £500 and more. The winners of the individual age groups each receive £250 and more. Deadline: Oct 6, 2024.

IRE AccessFest 2024 Fellowships
This Investigative Reporters and Editors conference, online Oct 17-19, 2024, will provide professional development opportunities that focus on DEI issues within the newsroom and in news coverage, as well as past NICAR and IRE Conference sessions on tried and true data skills and investigative techniques. Fellowships are available for US or international 1) journalists, students and educators of color and 2) women who are early-career or students. Deadline: Sep 9, 2024.

ProPublica's Emerging Reporters Program
ProPublica annually offers stipends to five students of color who work or want to work at college journalism outlets — newspapers, websites, radio stations or TV stations. Receive $9,000, plus mentoring and trips to investigative journalism conferences. Deadline: Sep 3, 2024.

Amnesty International Canada Media Awards
Amnesty International Canada's annual competition honors Canadian journalists. Includes a category for a text, audio, video or mixed media story about a human rights issue created by a student attending a post-secondary school in Canada. The piece must be published or broadcast by a media outlet associated with a post-secondary institution. Deadline: Aug 25, 2024.

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
The Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year wins a one-week safari for two in Kenya with Alex Walker's Serian and more. There are some NIKON camera kits for the Junior and Young Photographer category winners, Think Tank camera bags, a specialist website from Amazing Internet and an iPad from Affinity Photo 2. The free competition, which supports conservation efforts via a selected charity, has nine categories, including one for video, one for under 16 and one for under 25 years old. Deadline: Jul 31, 2024.

Ilíiaitchik — Indigenous Correspondents Program
This year-long program, a collaboration between Planet Forward, an environmental storytelling initiative of the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs; University of Arizona’s AIR Education Initiatives and the Indigenous Resilience Center (IRes); and the Native FEWS Alliance, is specifically for Indigenous college or university students (regardless of area of study/academic background) who are passionate about environmental communication and storytelling. Participants receive one-on-one mentoring, a $1,000 stipend and much more. Deadline: Jul 26, 2024.

Sir Harry Evans Global Fellowship
Early-career journalists (between two- and five-years' professional journalism experience) can apply for this paid nine-month fellowship with Durham University. Includes undertaking an investigative project from inside a newsroom which could be in London, New York, or Toronto, while being mentored by editors at Reuters or other media partners. Deadline: Jul 15, 2024.

SEJ's Awards for Reporting on the Environment
SEJ's annual awards program includes an Outstanding Student Reporting category. First-place winner receives $500, trophy and a certificate (and is automatically entered into the Pulliam Award judging for $10,000). 2nd place: $250 and a certificate. 3rd place and honorable mentions will receive a certificate. Regular deadline: Jun 17, 2024. Late deadline, with extra fee: Jul 1, 2024.

Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award
Recognizes outstanding reporting and writing in non-technical, print journalism only, in any field of science, by science writers aged 30 years and younger. The winner receives $1,000 and expenses to attend the annual ScienceWriters meeting. Deadline: Jun 30, 2024.

Lorenzo Natali Media Prize
The 2024 prize will be awarded for work that sheds light on the most pressing global challenges. There are three categories, one of which is the Best Emerging Journalist Prize: open to journalists under 30 whose reporting was published by a media based in the European Union (not including the United Kingdom) or in one of its partner countries. Prize is €10,000 and a work experience with a media partner. Deadline: Jun 30, 2024.

Student Press Freedom Awards
The Student Press Law Center annually presents awards recognizing exceptional efforts of high school and college journalists in fighting for student press freedom and in telling important stories of their communities. Cash prizes. Deadline: Jun 30, 2024.

McCloy Fellowships on Global Trends
The American Council on Germany's McCloy Fellowships allow American and German early-career experts from journalism (and other sectors) to research and assess the most pressing topics on the transatlantic agenda while engaging with their counterparts overseas, such as equity and social justice, urbanization, climate change and sustainability, digitalization, public health and financial concerns. $7,000 stipend covers transatlantic airfare and domestic travel, as well as room and board, for a minimum of 21 days. Deadline: May 1, 2024 extended to Jun 1.

IJA/AAJA Pacific Islander Journalism Scholarship
This funding from the Indigenous Journalists Association and the Asian American Journalists Association aims to help Indigenous peoples of the Pacific pursue careers in journalism. The goal is to improve Oceania representation and storytelling in the news media industry. Two scholarships of $5,000 are available to both students and journalists for a variety of needs. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Scholarships
Applications are invited for the $3,000 Kay Longcope (LGBTQ+ student of color) and $5,000 Leroy F. Aarons (LGBTQ+ student) scholarships. You must be planning a career in journalism and be committed to furthering NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists’ mission of fair and accurate coverage of the LGBTQ+ community. Deadline: May 20, 2024.

Planet Forward Correspondents
Planet Forward seeks talented students from across the country looking to apply themselves to tell the ongoing story of climate change, with an eye toward solutions and hope. Correspondents produce four stories per year, receive mentoring and professional editing, a stipend for their work and a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the PF Summit next April. Open to journalism students or students in another major interested in producing stories for the public. Deadline: May 20, 2024.

Planet Forward's Summer Seminar in Multimedia Storytelling
Join Planet Forward for its 2024 Summer Seminar, June 2-7 in Washington, D.C., aimed at equipping you with the skills to craft compelling environmental narratives. The program, hosted by SEJ member Lisa Palmer, will be organized around storytelling techniques and tools, and topical themes. Some scholarships are available. Deadline: Apr 29, 2024 extended to May 15.

Missouri School of Journalism Summer Workshop
This annual summer workshop is for high school students interested in expanding their journalism skills and learning from top journalism educators and professionals on the Missouri School of Journalism campus. Improve your writing, interviewing and storytelling skills; discover techniques for audio, podcasting and video; and learn tools for being a good investigative reporter. The 2024 workshop takes place June 23-28. Cost: $715 (need-based scholarships may be available). Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Online News Association's Online Journalism Awards
This annual awards competition honors excellence in digital journalism around the world. In 2024, there are 23 categories including six awards with cash prizes: science reporting, community-centered journalism, general excellence, public service, investigative data journalism and climate change reporting. Includes a Student Journalism category. Deadline: May 9, 2024.

Sharon Begley Science Reporting Fellowship
The Knight Science Journalism Program, in partnership with health, science and medicine publication STAT, invites applications from early-career US journalists for this nine-month paid fellowship, which aims to diversify the ranks of science and health journalists and foster a more inclusive and comprehensive coverage of science. Deadline: Apr 26, 2024 extended to May 3.

Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship
This virtual Climate Tracker/Open Society Foundations fellowship is for Caribbean journalists or students between 18-35 years of age. Includes a monthly stipend; global exposure of your profile and your stories; networking opportunities; and 1-1 training with technical experts and climate journalists. Deadline: Apr 22, 2024.

2024 Planet Forward Summit
George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs hosts this annual event in Washington, D.C., focusing on the urgency of the climate crisis, environmental equity, inclusion — and the narratives that propel them. It's FREE for students who are studying journalism, communications or interested in science and sustainability. April 18-19, 2024.

Planet Forward Frontline Climate Fellowship
The paid Planet Forward Frontline Climate Fellowship, , is seeking six unique, highly diverse college students to report environmental stories from, by and about underserved communities on the front lines of climate change and environmental inequity. Held June 10-July 19, the first week of programming will be in person at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., followed by five weeks of full-time remote reporting, which includes weekly team meetings and mentoring from the Fellowship editorial team. Deadline: Apr 10, 2024 extended to Apr 19 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

SAJA Scholarship Program
The South Asian Journalists Association helps US and Canadian journalism students meet a portion of tuition fees and costs at North American universities. $20,000 is available in 2024 for to up to 10 students ($2,000 for each student). Undergraduates and graduate students continuing their studies in the fall of 2024 are eligible. Deadline: Apr 17, 2024.

National Press Club Scholarship Opportunities
The Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo, aiming to bring diversity to U.S. journalism, is offering a $5,000 one-year scholarship (renewable for up to three years) to high school seniors with a grade point average of 3.0 or better who are preparing to enter college and intend to become a journalist; The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship, a one-time award of $5,000 for high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism; The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship supports diversity within the field of broadcast journalism — $5,000 annually to a student who demonstrates a commitment to a career in broadcast journalism, renewable up to three years, for a total of $20,000 (U.S. citizenship not required); The Lewis Scholarship, free housing and a monthly stipend to support student journalists of color who plan to intern at news media outlets in Washington, D.C., beginning in 2023; and The Dennis and Shirley Feldman Fellowship, for a student pursuing graduate studies in journalism, a one-time stipend of $5,000 for tuition. 2024 deadlines: Schoo, Zimmerman and Vernon (Feb 18); Lewis (Apr 10); Feldman (Apr 14).

Canada's National Eco-Journalism Competition for Youth
This annual competition is part of Young Reporters for the Environment's international awards program. The Canadian program is coordinated by EcoSchools Canada, and recognizes inspired stories, photos and videos about local environmental issues from 11-18 year olds. Winners will be featured on the YRE website, and announced nationally through EcoSchools.ca, the EcoSchools newsletter, and Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram channels. Deadline: Apr 12, 2024.

National Wildlife Federation's Photo Contest
NWF's contest celebrates the power of photography to advance conservation and connect both photographers and viewers with wildlife and the outdoors. Open to amateur and professional photographers. Cash prizes in multiple categories including one for youth aged 13-17. Deadline: Mar 31, 2024 extended to Apr 7.

Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference for High School Juniors
High school juniors (graduating in spring 2025) with an interest in journalism can apply to attend Freedom Forum's annual event, all expenses paid plus a $1,000 scholarship to the college of their choice. The 2024 conference takes place Jun 22-27 in Washington, D.C. Deadline: Apr 1, 2024.

Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication
These National Academies' awards are to encourage high-quality science communication and build a diverse community of science communicators, journalists, and research scientists that will help society meet the challenges and realize opportunities posed by complex issues such as climate change, future pandemics, human genome editing, artificial intelligence. Includes a category for early-career journalists (<30 years of age or < five years of professional experience). Deadline: Mar 31, 2024.

Bodie McDowell Scholarships
Given annually to three or more students of outdoor communications fields including print, photography, film, art or broadcasting. The awards, offered by the Outdoor Writers Association of America, can range from $1,000 to $5,000. Open to all college students, undergraduates in their Junior or Senior year of study and graduate level, from all communications and journalism disciplines and all schools. Deadline: Mar 30, 2024.

Indigenous Media Awards (formerly the National Native Media Awards)
The Indigenous Journalists Association (formerly the Native American Journalists Association) annually recognizes outstanding coverage of Turtle Island by Indigenous and non-Indigenous journalists across the U.S. and Canada, including students. Deadline: Mar 8, 2024 extended to Mar 22.

Taylor/Blakeslee University Fellowships
The Council for the Advancement of Science Writing annually awards $6,000 fellowships to both professional journalists and students of outstanding ability who have been accepted for enrollment in U.S. graduate-level science writing programs to help with tuition and other expenses. Deadline: Mar 18, 2024.

IJNR Field Reporting Grants
These annual Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources grants include the Mary Hager Memorial Grant for an early-career female journalist whose proposal focuses on the public-health impacts of the environment. Deadline: Mar 15, 2024.

Arthur F. Burns Fellowship
Media professionals, age 40 and under from the U.S., Canada and Germany are invited to apply for this opportunity to report from and travel in each other's countries. Share professional expertise with your colleagues across the Atlantic while working as a "foreign correspondent" for your hometown news organization. Deadline: Mar 1, 2024 for U.S. and Canadian applicants.

Asian American Journalists Association's JCamp
Through this annual seven-day program, AAJA offers young people the opportunity to develop their written, speaking, communication and leadership skills, while learning about diversity. The program is not limited to Asian American students; it's open to all high school students. The 2024 program will take place August 3-9 in Austin, Texas. Deadline: Mar 1, 2024.

JCal, AAJA and CalMatters Program for High School Students
California high school students with a strong interest in journalism can apply for this program, a partnership between the Asian American Journalists Association and CalMatters. Approximately 25 students will spend June 17-21, 2024 working in the CalMatters newsroom in Sacramento, gaining regional journalism connections and reporting on water and drought in local communities. 2024 info. Deadline: Feb 28, 2024.

Student Press Freedom Day 2024
SEJ partners in this Student Press Law Center annual day of action which elevates and amplifies the significant challenges faced by student journalists, and celebrates their great successes. The 2024 SPFD theme is "Powerfully Persistent." Check out 50 ways you can get involved right now. Feb 22, 2024.

Alexia Grants
These annual awards go to professional and student photographers to give them the financial ability to produce substantial stories that drive change in the effort to make the world a better place. Student recipients receive a fellowship for tuition and fees to enroll in three courses during a semester at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University in New York. They also receive a $1,000 stipend and serve as the research assistant (a paid position) to The Alexia Chair. The student grant application is free. Deadline: Feb 19, 2024.

C&EN Editorial Fellow
Each year, a budding science writer gets the chance to hone his or her craft at Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, at their Washington, DC, headquarters. Fellows are typically students or recent graduates with demonstrated interest in science writing and at least a bachelor's degree in chemistry or a related field. Begins around June annually, for six months, with flexible start and end times. Deadline: Feb 19, 2024.

Norm Strung Youth Writing Contest and the OWAA Student Photo Contest
To encourage students to sharpen their abilities to communicate the outdoor experience, annual awards are being offered with cash prizes and a yearlong OWAA Student Membership, granted in both categories, split over two age groups — high school (grades 11-12) and college. Deadline: Jan 31, 2024.

CJF Bursary for BIPOC Student Journalists
The Canadian Journalism Foundation offers a $5,000 bursary to a BIPOC student in their final year of a Canadian undergraduate journalism program. Deadline: Jan 26, 2024.

NYU Arthur L. Carter Global Journalist Fellowship
This fellowship provides support to international journalists who enroll in one of nine graduate programs in journalism at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute (including Science, Health and Environmental Reporting). The 2024 fellowship covers tuition expenses and registration fees for two of the three or four semesters of the program. The fellow also receives a stipend of approximately $16,000 for each of the two semesters of the fellowship. Must have two years' experience and fluency in English and at least one other language. Deadline: Jan 15, 2024.

RTDNF Scholarships and Fellowships
The Radio Television Digital News Foundation offers scholarships for outstanding students and fellowships for young professionals (<10 years experience in the field) pursuing careers in radio, television or online news. Both the Michelle Clark Fellowship and N.S. Bienstock Fellowship are given to promising minority applicants. Deadline: Jan 11, 2024.

AAAS Diverse Voices in Science Journalism Internship
This paid summer internship, June 3, 2024 to August 20, 2024 (approx.), is for undergraduate students who are deeply committed to diversity and interested in pursuing journalism as a career. It takes place at the Washington, DC headquarters of the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Science magazine, the largest interdisciplinary journal in the world, under the guidance of award-winning reporters and editors. Includes travel to D.C. Living accommodations and expenses are the responsibility of the intern. Deadline: Jan 5, 2024.

Grist Fellowship Program
Grist offers a paid opportunity to hone your skills at a national news outlet and deepen your understanding of environmental issues. The experience is designed to give early-career journalists with a demonstrated interest in environmental issues the experience to succeed in climate and environmental media. The one-year fellowship runs March 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, with a base salary of $50,000 plus health benefits and a company laptop for the duration. Deadline: Nov 26, 2023.

Programa de Mentorías en Periodismo Climático
Climate Tracker is offering eight media mentorship fellowships for young journalists covering climate change and energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean. The online program is for a three-month duration. Deadline: Nov 19, 2023.

CNN Academy: Climate Storytelling From the Global South
Early-career journalists and storytellers from and working in the Global South are invited to apply for this Rockefeller Foundation-funded program in Abu Dhabi intended to raise awareness about the impact of climate change in their home countries. All expenses paid. Deadline: Nov 15, 2023.

High Country News Fellowships
HCN in Paonia, CO annually offers two full-time, paid, 12-month remote fellowships for early-career journalists to further their skills and build their clips. The fellowship runs Jan-Dec 2024. Open to residents of Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington or Wyoming. Deadline: Nov 3, 2023.

Cinema Verde International Environmental Film and Arts Festival
This annual event in Gainesville, Florida features documentaries, shorts and student films with art, music and an ecofair. The event seeks to broaden the reach of sustainability education and to help make the world a place where we want to live. Multiple categories, including three for students. 2023 deadlines (for 2024 festival): May 27 (early), Aug 27 (regular) and Oct 17 (late).

Student Press Law Center Awards
This annual competition offers two awards, each presented separately at the college and high school levels: The Courage in Student Journalism Award and the Student Freedom of Information Award. Deadline: Sep 11, 2023.

Young Environmental Photographer of the Year
This award from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), in partnership with Nikon, showcases the best in environmental photography through the lens of young photographers aged 21 and under. Winner receives a Z Series Mirrorless camera and two NIKKOR Z lenses of their choosing, as well as an interview in CIWEM’s Environment Magazine and a feature on the Waterbear and Nikon platforms. Deadline: Aug 30, 2023. Note: The EPOTY competition did not run in 2024, but will return in 2025.

Poynter and Google News Initiative Misinformation Student Fellowship Program
Fellows will work in local newsrooms Sept-Dec on projects aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation and promoting digital literacy at the community level and among the younger generation. Includes a $10,000 stipend and training. Deadline: Jul 28, 2023.

Global Youth & News Media Prize
The Global Youth & News Media Prize, founded in 2018, is a biennial worldwide award that honors organizations that innovate as they strengthen engagement between news media and young people while reinforcing the role of journalism in society. Deadline: Jul 1, 2023.

Climate Champion Profiles — A Storytelling Competition
Any teenage journalist anywhere in the world can profile someone who is helping to save the planet for Global Youth & News Media's new global storytelling competition. Two winners get $500 each plus coaching and publication by News Decoder. Deadline: Mar 1, 2023.

NAJA-NBC News Summer Fellowship
The Native American Journalists Association is partnering with the NBCU News Group to give NAJA member-students real world experience and exposure to one of the world's leading news divisions as a paid summer 2023 intern. Deadline: Feb 10, 2023.

NYU Journalism-NAJA Scholarship
The New York University Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute is offering a new full-tuition scholarship (>$70,000 value) plus a $10,000 stipend to a Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) member admitted to one of the ten NYU Journalism graduate programs in the fall of 2023, including Science, Health & Environmental Reporting. Deadline: Jan 4, 2023.

2023 POLITICO Journalism Institute
Rising juniors or seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities will be given preference for this hands-on training, May 30-Jun 9, 2023. Participants split time between the POLITICO newsroom in Arlington, Va. and American University in Washington, D.C. This opportunity for emerging journalists to have their work published by POLITICO includes housing, meals and transportation. Student members of minority journalism associations are encouraged to apply. Deadline: Dec 5, 2022.

Alfred Friendly Press Partners Fellowship Opportunities
The six-month General Fellowship is for early-career professional journalists from developing countries with proficiency in English. Fellows receive basic and advanced hands-on instruction at the Missouri School of Journalism and are placed in leading U.S. newsrooms. Open to those 25-35 years old with at least three years of experience as a journalist at a print, online or broadcast media outlet. The ​all-inclusive ​fellowship starts in mid-March and ends in early September. Deadline: Aug 31, 2022. (Note: Training in 2024 was changed to a program for journalists in exile in the U.S. "because autocracy has created significant challenges for journalists worldwide.")

COP27 Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship
Ten journalists, 18-35 years old, will receive fully-funded Climate Tracker fellowships to report on the UN Climate Negotiations (COP27) in Egypt, Nov 7-18, 2022, either in person or virtually. You must be from or living in a developing country. Deadline: Aug 19.

Digital Storytelling for the Next Generation of Latinx Journalists
This four-week online Knight Center asynchronous course is open to Latinx college and university students in the U.S. (and recent grads). Those who are interested in learning, as well as strengthening their reporting and storytelling skills for diverse audiences, are encouraged to apply. Instructor is USC Annenberg journalism professor Dr. Amara Aguilar. June 20-July 17, 2022.

NAJA Native American Journalism Fellowship and Facebook Journalism Project Scholarship
These two Native American Journalists Association's annual opportunities are open to current Indigenous, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, First Nations and Métis college students, undergraduate and graduate, pursuing degrees in broadcast, print or digital journalism (fellowship) or digital media/journalism/communications (scholarship). Fellows receive professional mentoring; scholarships are one-time awards of $10,000. Deadline: Apr 30, 2022 extended to May 14.

SEJ's Student Op-Ed Contest: Unmuting the Student Press on Climate and Environmental Justice Issues
In honor of Student Press Freedom Day, SEJ invites high school and college students to enter our contest by writing an opinion editorial on the topic of self-censorship/freedom of the press in student media related to climate and environmental issues. Great prizes! Deadline: Apr 8, 2022.

A Digital Path to Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Latin America
This was a twice-yearly International Center for Journalists program on entrepreneurship and innovation for journalists aged 25 to 40 years in Latin America. During the 15-week virtual program, fellows received one-week ICFJ-led virtual orientation, six weeks professional virtual newsroom attachments, eight weeks professional mentoring and a $1,700 grant for their digital project. Deadline: Jun 25 for Fall 2021.

BigPicture Emerging Photographer Grant
Are you a photographer 18-25 years old? What ideas do you want to convey around the themes of conservation, biodiversity and sustainability of the natural world? The goal of this annual competition is to encourage young photographers with fresh approaches to this topic to present their perspectives in photographs and media. Two $2,500 grants plus mentorship. Deadline: May 31, 2021.

Society for Neuroscience Science Journalism Student Award
This award enables students pursuing a science or medical journalism degree to attend the SfN annual meeting in fall. Recipients get complimentary meeting registration, four nights’ lodging, a mentor, access to SfN staff and $750 to help defray the expenses of attending the meeting. Neuroscience 2022 will take place Nov 12-16 in San Diego. Deadline: TBA.

Kids These Days... Looking Out for Their Own Future
This panel took place during SEJ's 21st Annual Conference in Miami, October 2011. It featured young environmental activists who discussed the initiatives they started at their schools and in their communities.

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News

"10 Internship Alternatives for the COVID-19 Era," International Journalists' Network, Jun 11, 2020, by Damian Radcliffe.

April, 2020 – "State of Emergency" wins IRE's Student Award (large division) — a 2019 investigation into natural disasters by the Carnegie-Knight News21 program, a national multimedia reporting project produced by the nation’s top journalism students and graduates. Each year, students selected into the program report in-depth on a single topic of national importance.

 

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ASU’s Cronkite News Service Cleans Up in SEJ Student Awards
Jan 15, 2020 – One journalism school seems to have hit on a formula for success in generating award-winning student reporting on the environment. EJ Academy editor Bob Wyss on why Arizona State’s Cronkite News Service cleaned up in this year’s Society of Environmental Journalists’ student awards category. See the accompanying article by Chris McCrory, a young journalist looking for a quick report who found himself instead on a five-month odyssey to cover the hidden dangers of abandoned mining sites in the Southwest. His persistence paid off with a great story, and the first-place win in SEJ's 2019 Ray Reece “Excellence in Environmental Journalism” Student Award. Pictured at right: McCrory receiving the award from SEJ board member Gloria Dickie in October 2019 at SEJ's 29th annual conference in Fort Collins, Colo.

 

Rebecca Burton

Scientific American features SEJ member Rebecca Burton on its SA Incubator blog, June 11, 2013. Visit Rebecca's personal blog on health, science and hula-hooping: Layman’s Terms Media.

 

 

SEJ member Richard Zajac, an 18-year-old high school senior from Missouri, was already considering filmmaking as a career before the Fukushima disaster in early 2011. Determined to document, help out and inspire, he travelled to Japan, connected with the non-profit Safecast, which was measuring radiation levels. The following month, he interviewed ocean expert Jean-Michel Cousteau in California on the effects on marine life of radiation in the waters. Later in October, he attended the Society of Environmental Journalists' annual conference in Miami. There he previewed his documentary film "New Hibakusha." Read more.