2026 Scott Trust Bursary

Six bursaries to help aspiring journalists break into the media. The Guardian Foundation is offering six bursaries for aspiring journalists to study for an MA in journalism. The primary aim of these bursary awards is to assist students who face financial difficulty in attaining the qualifications needed to pursue a career in journalism, and who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the media, for example those from a working class background, Black, Asian, minority ethnic, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities. As such, we will only accept applications from candidates who meet these criteria.

The following courses are eligible for the bursary, and one bursary is available per institution - there is no limit to the number of universities you would like to be considered for:

• City St George's, University of London, MA Journalism, entry 2:1
• Goldsmiths College, University of London, MA Journalism, entry 2:1
• University of Sheffield, MA Journalism, entry 2:1
• Birmingham City University, MA Journalism, entry 2:1
• Leeds Trinity University, MA Journalism, entry 2:1
• Manchester Metropolitan University, MA Multimedia Journalism, entry 2:2

The bursaries cover all course tuition fees and provide a minimum subsistence allowance of £7,415 towards living expenses. In addition, candidates take part in up to six weeks of work placement at Guardian News & Media, during which they may acquire practical skills and experience, and are paired with a Guardian mentor. Following graduation, bursary recipients are supported to take their next steps into journalism. Bursary recipients are offered the opportunity to take part in a 9 month fixed term traineeship, with the goal of developing their skills in journalism, newsroom immersion and supervised professional practice. Past beneficiaries of the bursary awards have gone on to successful careers at a variety of media organisations, including the Guardian.

The selection criteria (inclusive of university entrance criteria) are as follows:

• You will be a graduate in any subject.
• You will have had paid or unpaid experience in journalism and built up a portfolio - either news or features-focused (or a combination), and from either blogging in your spare time, writing for student newspapers, video, podcasts, or placements at local newspapers, radio or TV.
• You will be able to demonstrate that without financial support you would be unable to pursue a Master's qualification.
• You fall into one or more of these under-represented groups; Black, Asian, minority ethnic, LGBTQ+, disabled, or from a working class background.
• You do not have any family connections to national news organisations.
• You will qualify for home fees.
• You will not already have a Master's degree or other postgraduate qualification.

This scheme is open to those who have already completed their degree and those who are still currently studying. Please note that you must have graduated before the Master's course starts. We do not accept deferred applications. First-stage interviews will take place in May, and second-stage interviews will be held in mid-late June. These will take place in-person in Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester & Sheffield. Virtual interviews will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Under certain circumstances, we can cover part or all of your travel costs to enable you to attend an interview.

Your application should include:

• Completed questionnaire about your motivation, suitability and written work.
• Up to three previous examples of your journalistic writing - published or unpublished work (print or online). We recommend submitting a range of topic areas and styles, e.g feature, interview, news piece.
• Responses to the diversity information section of the application questionnaire (there is the option of selecting ‘prefer not to say' for all questions).

Please ensure all attached documents are uploaded in one pdf or document. This includes your CV and examples of your journalistic work. Applications missing any of these items will not be considered. If the diversity information section of the application questionnaire has not been completed you will not be able to submit your application. You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been submitted. If you have any queries or concerns about your submission, please contact us at info@theguardianfoundation.org.

For more information about the application process please visit our frequently asked questions page. It is important to us that you feel supported and comfortable throughout your application process, in order to perform your best. Please let us know if there are any changes we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you.

The Guardian Foundation is an independent charity which supports media under threat, promotes diversity in the media and empowers young people to engage with the news. For further information please email: info@theguardianfoundation.org.

Deadline for receipt of applications is 5pm on Monday 23rd March 2026. We value honesty in your application. AI generated content must not be presented as your own work. Please review our guidance on the use of AI in your application.