Since 1970, the RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association) Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships and fellowships to more than 600 young journalists as part of its mission as the educational arm of RTDNA.
Recipients have gone on to enjoy careers from reporter, anchor, and news director to White House speechwriter, media regulatory attorney, and journalism educator. Several have served as RTDNA board members and many are Murrow Award winners.
Scholarships are open to college students pursuing careers in radio, television, or digital journalism. Fellowships are open to professional broadcast or digital journalists with fewer than 10 years of experience. Winners must be officially enrolled, full-time sophomores, juniors or seniors in good standing. Scholarship and fellowship winners are also asked to attend the RTDNA conference free of charge and with travel support.
The RTDNA Foundation awards 13 scholarships and three fellowships annually to outstanding journalism students and early career professionals.
Each scholarship/fellowship comes with a financial award to help further a young journalist's education (awards differ by scholarship, please check eligibility).
Do I need to be a US citizen to apply? No, but if you are a non-citizen, you must have a US Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).
Deadlines & Important Dates
- Nov 14, 2025: Application Deadline
- December 2025: Recipients Notified
- March 12, 2026: Recipients Attend RTDNA's First Amendment Awards event in Washington, DC [1]
More information [2].