Deadline: August 9, 2026
Applications are open for the Thomson Young Journalist Award 2026. The Young Journalist Award has given a boost to some brilliant journalists over the years, each one of them demonstrating a rich tapestry of investigative journalism, exposing social issues and holding power to account.
The annual competition is organised in partnership with the UK’s Foreign Press Association (FPA) and is presented at their annual awards event in London. The competition enables journalists aged 30 and under, from countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than USD20,000, to send in their best stories to be examined by the judges.
Benefits
- Three finalists will be invited to London to attend the Foreign Press Association Media Awards on 30 November 2026, where the winner will be announced before an audience of leading figures in global journalism. While in the UK, finalists will also visit major newsrooms and take part in a bespoke training session designed to help them strengthen their reporting skills and professional networks.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- Be 30 or under on 30 November 2026;
- Be from, or reporting in, a country with a GNI per capita of USD 20,000 or less;
- Submit three pieces of published or broadcast work, produced in the 12 months before 9 August 2026. These can be in print, audio, video or multimedia format;
- Send a verification letter from your editor, on official letterhead, confirming the work is yours and was published or broadcast. Freelancers can provide a letter from a commissioning editor or a journalism academic familiar with their work.
Application
Closing date: midnight (London time) on 9th August 2026.
For more information, visit Thomson’s Young Journalist Award.
