Scholarships
Medill scholarships and grants
Medill awards three million dollars in scholarships and grants to over 90% of its graduate journalism students each year. For most scholarships and grants (see exceptions below), you are automatically considered based on the content of your application for the MSJ program and how it matches criteria for available scholarships. Scholarship and grant offers are made at the time of admission or shortly thereafter. Students who are awarded scholarships and grants will receive an email with their scholarship information. Scholarship dollars are applied first to tuition and students need to maintain academic eligibility.
Scholarships with an additional application process:
The Comer Scholarship supports students who demonstrate commitment to covering environmental issues. Applicants must submit an additional essay on their application in order to qualify.
The Reuters-NABJ fellowship supports students who are interested in business, politics or foreign affairs reporting. Applicants must note their membership in an NABJ chapter (including student chapters) on their resume in order to qualify.
The Simmons Family Scholarship for Sports Journalism is awarded to one student to cover the full cost of tuition for the graduate journalism program. The scholarship is open to students who are accepted and enroll at Medill to start in the fall quarter in the Sports Media specialization. Applicants who are currently enrolled in or are alumni of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must submit an additional essay on their application in order to qualify.
External scholarships
Several organizations provide scholarships for students pursuing a degree in graduate journalism. All students are strongly encouraged to research and apply for these scholarships.
The following websites offer free scholarship search services:
Medill Grant Aid
Additional funds are available to help offset housing costs for students whose coursework takes them to Medill's newsrooms in San Francisco and D.C.
Medill strongly supports opportunities to network with alumni and industry leaders, with additional financial funds to cover registration and hotel costs at industry and affinity conferences.
Other financial opportunities as a student
Once you have started your graduate degree, there are additional scholarship and financial opportunities available to you including but limited to:
Medill Reports Fellowship - Three students are chosen each year to work as editors for Medill Reports, the online home for MSJ reporting.
White House Correspondence Association Deborah Orin Scholarship
Post-Medill Graduation
Pulitzer Post-Graduate Fellowships - The Pulitzer Center provides post-graduate grant funding and mentorship opportunities for the students chosen for the Fellowship. Current students may apply for the fellowship before graduation. Applications are reviewed by Medill instructors, and the finalists are recommended to the Pulitzer Center, which selects the winning proposals.