Applications open for 2026 National Press Club scholarships

The National Press Club is now accepting applications for all 2026 scholarships. Opportunities are available for high school, college, and graduate student journalists:

• The Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo is a $5,000 scholarship awarded to a high school senior. The award can be renewed for up to three years at $5,000 per year. 

• The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $5,000 to support a high school senior who wishes to pursue a career in journalism. 

• The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship supports diversity within broadcast journalism. The scholarship is $5,000 awarded to a student who demonstrates a commitment to a career in broadcast journalism. The award can be renewed for up to three years.  

• The Lewis Scholarship provides housing and a monthly stipend to support student journalists of color with newsroom internships in Washington, D.C., during the summer semester.

• The Dennis and Shirley Feldman Fellowship recognizes a journalism graduate student with a one-time scholarship of $5,000. 

• NEW: The Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship is a $5,000 award supporting undergraduate college juniors or seniors who demonstrate excellence and promise in sports journalism.

Qualifications for each scholarship can be found here. The deadline for all 2026 applications is Sunday, March 1, at 11:59 pm ET. Click here to apply.

National Press Club scholarships are administered by its nonprofit affiliate, the National Press Club Journalism Institute. Click here to learn more. If you’d like to make a financial contribution to support student initiatives, please use our donation platform.