If you are a high school student journalist, you would probably want to take up Journalism in college. Being a writer for a school’s student publication is indeed a feat in itself as it implies that you are well-versed in writing, aware of student and social issues, and that you have a strong interest in media, which is one the most influential institutions that shape public opinions today.

Moreover, as a student-journalist, you are likely to be professional in terms of respecting deadlines, which also means that you are disciplined in the things that you get yourself involved in. Student-journalists are also known for their social skills, as being a journalist requires that you are at ease when it comes to talking with different sorts of people that is necessary for doing interviews. A student journalist such as yourself is also expected to have discipline in terms of research and credibility when it comes to citing sources of information.

The aforementioned characteristics are some of the qualifications that journalism scholarships look for in aspiring applicants. The nature of journalism as a lifestyle and as a career path demands that students who wish to take up this degree should be determined, alert, observant, credible—the primary qualities that hone a stellar journalist.

Journalism Scholarship

In reality, many Journalism scholarships are available for students who would like to pursue the demanding course, but you will have to be ready and qualified in order to avail of the offer. Naturally, students who already have a background in journalism back in high school already have the edge when it comes to applying for journalism scholarships. What follows are some of the most popular journalism scholarships that you can apply for if you think you fit the criteria.

A springboard that you can take a look at is the online magazine, American Journalist Review. Some of the best links to college opportunities for young journalists are listed in the magazine’s official website. It is also regularly updated so that interested students can easily browse for the latest opportunities available to them through the organizations and foundations featured in the website.

However, the American Journalist Review lists mostly general sources of journalism scholarships available to the average student journalist. There are also several journalism scholarships that are aimed at journalism students who belong to particular marginalized groups. One such program is offered by the Messenger-Anderson Journalism Scholarship and Internship Program. If you belong to the marginalized community of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender students who would like to take up journalism in a university or college, you may want to take this into consideration. Other than belonging to the said marginalized group, you should also have maintained a GPA of at least 2.8 to be eligible for this scholarship program.

One benefit of acquiring this scholarship is the work experience to be garnered, as the student is required to work as an intern in the Messenger-Anderson office in New York during the period of the four years of study. The Messenger-Anderson scholarship award reaches up to $10,000, the first half granted in the initial year while $2,500 in the next two years. However, the recognition is rather stringent, as students must re-apply every year in order to continue the scholarship.
Meanwhile, the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA), is a scholarship foundation that offers funding amounting to $8500. If you are of South Asian heritage, then you are eligible for the SAJA scholarship. You must first fill up an application form online which will be reviewed by the SAJA board of judges. For an incoming college freshman, $1000 is offered, while a $1500 scholarship is offered to a student who is already continuing a journalism degree. Two deserving students taking up journalism graduate courses are also granted $2000 each.
The newest offer of SAJA is aimed at helping out undergraduate or graduate students who are interested specifically in broadcast journalism, with an amount of $2000. Of course, journalism skills are considered by SAJA in choosing among the deserving applicants. At the end of every year, the students need to provide updates on their learning as journalist students and are tasked to help out in SAJA’s events and gatherings throughout the year.

If you would like to immediately gain experience while receiving regular stipends, you might be interested in applying for the numerous internship programs that are being offered to journalism students. The Blethen Family Internship is willing to entertain journalism applicants of mixed heritage such as African American, Asian American, Latin American or Native American are interns. While receiving a salary, successful applicants will also be fortunate enough to become interns in publications like The Seattle Times.

On the other hand, you might also want to consider the offer of the Chicago Sun-Times Minority Scholarship and Internship Program which is available to students who are based in Chicago. As you might have already realized, in this program you will be able to gain experience working in the same newspaper while enjoying a monthly stipend.

There are numerous journalism scholarships available to the student-journalist, while there also some that cater to those who also hail from marginalized communities. If you think you are qualified, you should take hold of the opportunities available and start developing your journalism skills as early as now.