Scholarships for Journalism Students
The cost to attend college to obtain a journalism degree runs on average $8,000 per year at a four-year public university and over $27,000 a year at a private, four-year university, according to The College Board. To help defray the expenses of pursuing a journalism degree, students can apply for a variety of scholarships offered specifically to journalism majors, both undergraduate and graduate.
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Considerations
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Because journalism scholarships do not have to paid back like student loans do, a journalism student should consider applying for any and all qualifying scholarships to help pay for the cost of earning a degree. Applying for journalism scholarships does not cost any money, but does require a time commitment to fill out the applications, write the essays and gather the letters of recommendation. Students should weigh the amount of the scholarship with the time needed to apply. Scholarships differ in amounts; for some students, a scholarship that is only worth $500 may not be worth the time it takes to fill out and submit the application and all the necessary information.
Sources
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Journalism scholarships can come from a variety of sources, both private and public. Private sources--including journalism groups like the National Press Club or the Association of Electronic Journalists--offer scholarships to students who are members of that group. Other private sources for journalism scholarships include school alumni groups and private foundations. Scholarships can also come from public sources, like corporations and business, including the Ruth Whitney Scholarship from "Glamour" Magazine. Most journalism schools, both public and private, also offer its students scholarships and awards for study.
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Features
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Each journalism scholarship has its own features. Some scholarships go to specific types of journalists, like the Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship for those pursuing a career in children's media or the Freedom Forum NCAA Scholarship for sports journalists. Journalism scholarships can award anywhere from a couple hundred dollars--such as the $500 scholarship offered by the Society for Marketing Professional Services Seattle--up to the equivalent of full tuition, like the Cox Minority Journalism Scholarship. Some awards are good for only one year, while others can be renewed each year the recipient is in school.
Qualifications
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To qualify for a journalism scholarship, students must fulfill the requirements of that award. Besides pursuing a journalism degree, other general qualifications include maintaining a minimum grade point average and being enrolled full-time at an accredited school. Some scholarships have very specific requirements, like the Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship that requires applicants to be a senior female collegiate basketball player who is looking to continue her studies in sports journalism or communications at the graduate level.
Process
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Some scholarships require the student to simply submit an application to be considered, while others involve a more elaborate application process. The National Association of Black Journalists offers several scholarships, all of which require a student to submit an application, along with a resume, essay, transcript, references and portfolio pieces. The deadlines for each scholarship differ, but generally, most applications are due in late fall or early winter, with awards announced in the spring or summer. Journalism scholarships can be found on-line through scholarship websites like Go College, the websites for journalism organizations and journalism schools' admission offices.
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