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Scholarships for Communications Majors

From professional associations and nonprofit organizations, to universities and private corporations, scholarships meant to advance the study of communications are widely available – but can be a challenge to find.

We know what it’s like trying to locate additional sources of funding for school and not knowing where to turn for help. Having been there ourselves, the staff here at Communications-Major.org decided to develop the kind of resource we wished was available when we made the decision to major in communications.

Here you’ll find our top picks for national scholarships available in the fields of journalism, writing, marketing, public relations, and broadcasting, as well as scholarships available through some of the nation’s top schools of communication.

Whether you’re looking to start a career in journalism and need a full ride, or you’re a cash-strapped public relations student that just needs a little extra money to cover expenses, you’ll find scholarships and grants here that are an exact fit for your situation.

Journalism Scholarships

American Copy Editors Society, Education Fund of the American Copy Editors Society

Benefits: Five scholarships totaling $6,500

Eligibility: Must be a junior, senior, or graduate student

Details: Top award is $2,500, with four other awards valued at $1,000 each

Asian American Journalists Association

Benefits: Eight scholarships available, ranging from $500 to $5,000

Eligibility:

  • Sports Journalism Institute: Eight-week paid sports journalism internship and a $500 scholarship
  • Stanford Chen Internship Grant: $1,750 available to college juniors, seniors, and graduate students in journalism.
  • Print and Online News Internship Grant: $1,000 is available to support students and recent grads to have secured a print or online news internship for the summer.
  • CIC/Anna Chennault Scholarship: $5,000 to graduating high school seniors and college students who have a passion for journalism.
  • Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship: Up to $2,000 available to current college students or graduating high school seniors interested in pursuing journalism as a career.
  • Vincent Chin Memorial Scholarship: $500 available to current student journalists; must write an essay about the legacy of Vincent Chin.

Details: All scholarships have varying deadlines.

Association for Women in Sports Media

Benefits: $1,000 and a paid internship

Details: Winners are chosen in each of the following categories: print/online, magazine, broadcast reporting, broadcast production, and public relations,

National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ Scholarships

Benefits: $1,500 – $2,500 (7 scholarships available)

Details: Scholarships include:

  • Allison E. Fisher Scholarship: $2,500
  • Carole Simpson Scholarship: $2,500
  • DeWayne Wickham Founder’s High School Scholarship: $2,500
  • Larry Whiteside Scholarship: $2,500
  • Les Payne Founder’s Scholarship: $2,500
  • NABJ Scholarship: $2,500
  • Visual Task Force Scholarship: $1,500

National Association of Hispanic Journalists

Benefits: $1,000 – $2,000 (3 scholarships available)

Eligibility:

  • NAHJ General Scholarships Ruben Salazar Fund: Awarded to college-bound high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students pursuing careers in English or Spanish-language print, photo, broadcast, or online journalism
  • NAHJ Ford Motor Company Fund Scholarships: Up to $2,000 awarded to students pursuing careers in print, broadcast, online, and visual journalism; college-bound high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students are eligible, provided they have a 2.5 GPA.
  • NAHJ PepsiCo Scholarships: Up to $2,000 awarded to students pursuing careers in print, broadcast, online, and visual journalism; college-bound high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students are eligible, provided they have a 2.5 GPA
  • NAHJ Sports Journalism Scholarship: A $2,000 scholarship for students pursuing a career in sports journalism; college undergraduates and graduates with a GPA of 2.5 are eligible

Overseas Press Club Foundation

Benefits: $2,000 – $3,000

Details: Eight scholarships available:

  • David R. Schweisberg Memorial Scholarship
  • Harper’s Magazine Scholarship
  • Irene Corbally Kuhn Scholarship
  • Emanuel R. Freedman Scholarship
  • Theo Wilson Scholarship
  • Roy Rowan Scholarship
  • Standard & Poor’s Award for Economic and Business Reporting
  • Nathan S. Beinstock Memorial Scholarship

National Institute for Labor Relations Research, William B. Ruggles Journalist Scholarship

Benefits: $2,000

Eligibility:

  • Must be enrolled in an accredited journalism program
  • Must submit an essay of 500 words that demonstrates an understanding of the principles of voluntary unionism and the economic and social problems of compulsory unionism

Details: Scholarship awarded on the basis of scholastic ability and a demonstrated interest in the work of the Institute.

National Press Club

Benefits: $2,000 – $5,000 (two scholarships available)

Details: Scholarships include:

  • Scholarship for Journalism Diversity: One $2,000 scholarship that can be renewed for up to three years at $2,500 per year
  • Richard G. Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship: Award of $5,000 for high school senior who wants to pursue a career in journalism

Radio Television Digital News Association, Ed Bradley Scholarship

Benefits: Varies

Eligibility:

  • Must be a sophomore, junior, or senior at the time the scholarship is awarded
  • Must be pursuing a career in radio, television, or digital journalism
  • Must provide 3 to 5 work samples
  • Must submit a resume

Association of LGBT Journalists

Benefits: Varies

Eligibility: Applicants must be planning to pursue a career in journalism and demonstrate their passion and commitment to the profession; selection is based on journalistic and scholastic ability

Details: Two scholarships available:

  • Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship
  • Kay Longscope Scholarship

Marketing Scholarships

Marketing Edge

Benefits: Varies

Eligibility:

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Must be currently enrolled in a four-year institution
  • Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Must show a commitment to pursuing a career in marketing

Details: Nine scholarships are available:

  • Mike Buoncristiano Memorial Fund
  • Collegiate ECHO Marketing Scholarships
  • Robert DeLay Scholarship Fund
  • Mark Duda Scholarship Fund
  • Lee Epstein Fund
  • Dave Florence Fund
  • Don Kuhn Memorial Fund
  • Richard Montesi Scholarship Fund
  • Lorraine Zitone Memorial Fund

American Marketing Association Foundation, Valuing Diversity PhD Scholarships

Benefits: unknown

Eligibility:

  • Must be African American, Hispanic American, or Native American
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident
  • Must be enrolled full-time in an AACSB-accredited marketing doctoral program
  • Must submit a 500-word essay
  • Must submit two letters of recommendation

American Marketing Association, AMA EBSCO Marketing Scholar Award

Benefits: $2,000 – $5,000

Eligibility:

  • Must be current student members of the AMA and members of an active AMA collegiate chapter
  • Must be a full-time undergraduate student with at least a junior standing
  • Must possess a GPA of 3.5 or better

Details: Applicants must submit a current resume, a 400-700 word essay, and a current transcript.

Society of Marketing Professional Services, Ron Garikes Student Scholarship

Benefits: $2,500

Eligibility: Applicants must be students planning a career in professional services marketing in the architecture, engineering, or construction industry

Details: Scholarship awarded at the SMPA annual conference.

Writing Scholarships

Association of Writers and Writing Programs, WC&C Scholarship Competition

Benefits: $500 (3 scholarships available)

Eligibility: For emerging writers who want to attend a writers’ conference, center, retreat, festival, or residency

National Writers Association Foundation Educational Scholarships

Benefits: $1,000

Eligibility: For talented young writers and young adults to attend the NWAF Conference

Public Relations Scholarships

Public Relations Student Society of America

Benefits: Varies

Eligibility: Academic achievement scholarships through the PRSSA include:

  • Robin M. Urbanski Memorial Scholarship: Must be junior or senior in a four-year accredited college; must show a commitment to public relations
  • Ofield Dukes Multicultural Student Award: Must be a public relations junior; must be of African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Alaskan Native, or Pacific Islander ancestry
  • Neumeier Family Leadership Award: Open to all undergraduate and graduate PRSSA members
  • Chester Burger Scholarship for Excellence: Must be a graduate student studying public relations, journalism, or a related field, with a minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Ron Culp Scholarship for Mentorship: Must be a public relations senior
  • Lawrence G. Foster Award: Open to all PRSSA members
  • John D. Graham Scholarship: Open to all public relations seniors; winners selected on academic achievement, leadership, practical experience, and overall commitment to public relations
  • Stephen D. Pisinski Memorial Scholarship: Must be a junior or senior majoring in public relations, journalism, or communications
  • Betsy Plank/PRSSA Scholarship: Must be a public relations junior or senior
  • PRSA Diversity Multicultural Scholarship: Must be of African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Alaskan Native, or Pacific Islander ancestry and possess a GPA of 3.0
  • Marcia Silverman Minority Student Award: Must be a minority student heading into the senior year; must be able to demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and a commitment to public relations
  • Gary Yoshimura Scholarship: Reserved for students in need of financial assistance
  • LAGRANT Foundation: Reserved for undergraduate students of African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Alaskan Native, or Pacific Islander ancestry

AXIA Public Relations, AXIA Public Relations Scholarship

Benefits: $2,000

Eligibility: Must be a junior or senior in good academic standing at an accredited university; students majoring in public relations are preferred, although students in other communications majors are also accepted

Details: Previous public relations and related experience through volunteering, employment, or an internship is also required.

Broadcasting Scholarships

Broadcast Education Association, National Scholarships in Broadcast & Electronic Media

Benefits: $1,500 – $5,000

Eligibility: Applicants must be able to show substantial evidence of superior academic performance and potential to be an outstanding electronic media professional.

Details: Six scholarships are available:

  • Walter S. Patterson Award: $1,750
  • BEA Founders Award: $1,500
  • Abe Voron Award: $5,000 (two scholarships available)
  • Vincent T. Wasilewski Award: $4,000; graduate students only
  • John Bayliss Scholarship Award: $2,000
  • Richard Eaton Foundation Award: $2,000

National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation Scholars Program

Benefits: $5,000 a year for a student’s junior and senior years

Eligibility: Reserved for outstanding communications students with financial need from diverse backgrounds

Details: The NAB teams up with participating universities to offer the scholarships.

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

Benefits: up to $40,000

Eligibility: Granted to outstanding high school seniors who intend to pursue a career in any aspect of the television industry

Details: Three scholarships are available at the national level: $40,000 Trustees Scholarship and two $10,000 scholarships honoring legendary broadcasters Mike Wallace and Jim McKay. Chapter scholarships are also available.

Communication Scholarships Through Top Colleges and Universities

The following list is a sampling of the private scholarships available to students of schools of communication within universities/colleges:

University of Iowa, School of Journalism and Mass Communication:

  • Philip D. Adler Journalist Scholarship
  • Leon Barnes Community Journalism Scholarship
  • Ruth Baty and Maurice Barnett Jones Scholarship
  • Lester Benz Memorial Scholarship

University of South Florida, School of Mass Communications – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Garner Rose O’Brien Halderman Endowed Scholarship
  • Tom McEwen Endowed Scholarships
  • Adele Tyre Memorial Scholarship
  • Tampa Bay Times Endowed Scholarship
  • Robert L. Hudson Endowed Scholarship
  • Jack Harris Endowed Scholarship in Broadcasting

Kent State University, School of Journalism and Mass Communications – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Robert Burdock Award
  • Ronald Dean Clark Scholarship in Editorial Writing
  • Walton D. Clarke Endowed Scholarship
  • Cleveland Press Club Scholarship
  • Edward Cliney Award

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Journalism and Mass Communications – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Michael K. and Christie Cater Nelson Dream Big Fund
  • Deb Fiddelke Scholarship Fund
  • Kris Malkoski Scholarship Fund
  • Steve Davis Jump Start Fund

University of South Carolina, College of Information and Communications:

  • Freshman scholarships
  • Children of alumni freshman scholarships
  • McClatchy Minority Scholarship and Fellowship
  • Continuing students scholarships

University of Minnesota, Journalism & Mass Communication – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Brian E. Anderson Scholarship
  • James Barden Scholarship
  • Thomas Barnhart Scholarship
  • Elliot M. Baron Scholarship
  • Thomas Bartikoski Memorial Scholarship

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Journalism and Mass Communication – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Matt Werner Scholarship
  • Aaron J. Mace Scholarship Fund
  • Alberita Richards Semrad Scholarship Fund
  • Ann Hengstenberg Memorial Prize Fund
  • Berbee/Walsh Journalism Scholarship

University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Marcus Ashley Stern Memorial Scholarship
  • George A. Kirksey Memorial Scholarships
  • Jack Gallagher Memorial Scholarships
  • Morris Frank Memorial Scholarship

Northwest Oklahoma State University, Department of Communication:

  • Wayne Layne Scholarship
  • Todd Wesley Dayton Scholarship
  • Noel & Ruth Taylor and E.M. Barker Scholarship
  • Dean Linder Broadcast Scholarship

Ohio State University, School of Communication – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Annette and Gary T. Fazio Foundation Scholarship
  • Charles W. Durfey Memorial Scholarship
  • Donald L. Kidwell Memorial Scholarship
  • George E. Hammond Scholarship Fund in Communication
  • James E. Pollard Memorial Scholarship

Purdue University, Brian Lamb School of Communication – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Bruce Kendall Award for Excellence in Communication
  • Communication Service Award
  • Distinguished New Communication Major Scholarship

Fresno State University, Mass Communication and Journalism – Some of the scholarships available include:

  • Darrell Copeland III Mass Communication and Journalism Scholarship
  • Roberta Asahina Scholarship
  • ABC30 Journalism Scholarship
  • Nathan Hathaway Collegian Scholarship
  • Lotus Communications Scholarship

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