Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship 2026: Fully Funded SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online Opportunity by IJSC

Applications are now open for the Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship offered through the Institute for Journalism and Social Change (IJSC) in partnership with the SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online programme.

This scholarship is designed for aspiring journalists, researchers, activists, storytellers, and social justice advocates who want to use investigative journalism and data-driven reporting to expose injustice, challenge harmful systems, and create real-world impact. It is especially focused on journalism that advances gender justice, protects women’s rights, defends LGBTQI rights, and amplifies voices from communities that have historically been underrepresented in mainstream media.

The deadline to apply is 6pm GMT on 31st May 2026.

About the Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship

The Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship is an opportunity for students who want to study the SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online programme while developing practical skills in investigative journalism, data journalism, feminist reporting, and cross-border storytelling.

The scholarship is offered in partnership with the Institute for Journalism and Social Change, an organization that brings together journalists, activists, researchers, and social justice advocates to work on powerful investigations and collaborative projects.

The scholarship is not only about funding a degree. It is also about supporting people who want to use journalism as a tool for justice. Successful applicants will gain access to training, mentorship, networking opportunities, and practical publishing experience.

This makes the scholarship especially valuable for applicants who want to build careers in:

• Investigative journalism
• Data journalism
• Global journalism
• Human rights reporting
• Gender justice advocacy
• NGO communications
• Research and policy advocacy
• Social justice media
• Cross-border investigative projects

Scholarship Value and Benefits

The Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship offers significant academic, professional, and practical benefits.

Successful scholarship recipients will receive:

1. Full Tuition Fee Coverage

The scholarship covers 100% of tuition fees for the SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online programme.

The tuition fee value is £12,000.

This means selected students will be able to pursue the programme without paying tuition fees, reducing one of the biggest barriers to postgraduate study.

2. Access to IJSC Networking and Training Events

Scholarship recipients will have opportunities to participate in IJSC networking and training events.

These events can help students connect with:

• Experienced journalists
• Investigative reporters
• Researchers
• Activists
• Editors
• Media professionals
• Social justice organizations
• Potential collaborators

For students who want to build careers in journalism or advocacy, these networks can be extremely valuable.

3. Mentorship and Career Advice

Recipients will also receive mentorship and career guidance from IJSC associates and advisors.

This mentorship can help students develop:

• Investigative story ideas
• Data journalism skills
• Reporting strategies
• Ethical journalism practices
• Career direction
• Publication opportunities
• Confidence in professional storytelling

Mentorship is especially important in investigative journalism because strong investigations require not only technical skills but also editorial judgment, ethical awareness, persistence, and support.

4. Practical Projects for Publication

Scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to work on practical projects for publication.

This is one of the strongest parts of the scholarship because it allows students to move beyond theory and into real-world journalism practice.

Previous IJSC investigations have received global media attention, including coverage by major outlets such as:

• Al Jazeera
• The Guardian
• Mail & Guardian

These investigations have also led to real-world impact. For example, in 2023, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden reportedly changed funding practices after IJSC revealed their support, through an intermediary, for anti-LGBT groups in Uganda, despite the donors’ rights commitments.

This shows that IJSC’s work is not only academic or theoretical. It can influence public debate, institutional accountability, donor practices, and human rights outcomes.

About the SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online Programme

The SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online programme is developed and delivered in partnership with the Institute for Journalism and Social Change.

The programme focuses on journalism that is global, data-driven, socially aware, and rooted in justice. It is especially suitable for students who want to understand how journalism can expose injustice, challenge dominant narratives, and support marginalized communities.

Because the programme is online, students can study remotely from wherever they are based. This makes it accessible to applicants who may not be able to relocate for postgraduate study.

Key Programme Information

Here are the main details applicants should know:

Start Date

The programme starts in September 2026.

Duration

Students can study either:

1. Full-time for 1 year, or
2. Part-time for 2 years

This flexibility makes the programme suitable for applicants who may be balancing study with work, family responsibilities, activism, freelance journalism, or other commitments.

Location

The programme is delivered online.

This scholarship opportunity is specifically for students who will study remotely.

Students will be able to work on practical cross-border projects while earning their degree from wherever they are based.

Number of Scholarships Available

There are two scholarships available.

Because only two scholarships are available, applicants should take time to prepare a strong, thoughtful, and well-written application.

Why This Scholarship Matters

This scholarship matters because journalism is one of the most powerful tools for exposing injustice and holding institutions accountable.

However, many communities most affected by injustice are often underrepresented in the media. Their stories may be ignored, misrepresented, or told without context. This scholarship seeks to support people who can bring lived experience, ethical reporting, and feminist analysis into investigative journalism.

The opportunity is especially important for applicants interested in stories related to:

• Women’s rights
• LGBTQI rights
• Gender-based injustice
• Social inequality
• Global South perspectives
• Donor accountability
• Human rights
• Media representation
• Data-driven investigations
• Social justice reporting

Why You Should Apply

There are several strong reasons to apply for the Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship.

1. You Will Learn Specialized Investigative and Data Journalism Skills

The programme helps students learn how to tell powerful, evidence-based stories.

You will learn how to use data, research, investigation, and storytelling to expose issues affecting women, LGBTQI communities, and other marginalized groups around the world.

This is important because many modern investigations require more than interviews and traditional reporting. Journalists increasingly need to work with:

• Data sets
• Documents
• Cross-border evidence
• Public records
• Digital research tools
• Collaborative reporting methods
• Human rights frameworks

2. You Will Study Journalism Through Feminist and Decolonized Approaches

The curriculum emphasizes inclusive and justice-oriented perspectives.

This means the programme does not treat journalism as neutral in a shallow way. Instead, it recognizes that power, history, gender, race, geography, and colonial legacies shape how stories are told and whose voices are heard.

A feminist and decolonized approach to journalism asks important questions such as:

• Who is being represented?
• Who is being ignored?
• Who benefits from the current narrative?
• Whose evidence is treated as credible?
• How can journalism avoid reproducing harm?
• How can stories be told with dignity and context?

3. You Can Study Online From Wherever You Are

The programme is fully online, allowing students to study remotely.

This is especially useful for applicants who cannot relocate due to cost, visa barriers, employment, family responsibilities, safety concerns, or community commitments.

The online format makes the scholarship more accessible while still allowing students to participate in meaningful cross-border journalism projects.

4. You Can Turn Lived Experience Into Impactful Journalism

This scholarship specifically values applicants who want to use their lived experience to inform their journalism.

That does not mean applicants must only report on their personal experiences. Rather, it means the scholarship recognizes that people who have experienced or closely witnessed injustice can bring important insight, sensitivity, and urgency to their reporting.

Lived experience can help journalists ask better questions, notice overlooked patterns, challenge stereotypes, and tell stories with greater depth.

5. The Programme Can Support Multiple Career Paths

The SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online programme can prepare students for careers in several fields, including:

• Global journalism
• Investigative journalism
• Data journalism
• NGO work
• Human rights advocacy
• Policy research
• Campaign communications
• Social justice storytelling
• Media development
• Research-based advocacy

This makes the scholarship valuable not only for people who want to work in newsrooms, but also for those who want to use journalism skills in civil society, advocacy, research, or international development.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the academic and programme requirements.

To be eligible, applicants should have:

• A minimum 2:2 UK undergraduate degree, or
• An international equivalent qualification

Scholarship applicants must also separately apply to the SOAS MA Global Data Journalism Online programme.

Scholarship awards are conditional on gaining entry to the programme. This means that even if an applicant is selected for the scholarship, they must also be accepted into the MA programme before the scholarship can be confirmed.

How to Apply

To apply for the Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship, applicants must complete the online application form.

The application form will ask applicants to:

1. Paste in their CV.
2. Answer three written questions.

Each answer should be between 300 and 400 words.

Application Questions

Applicants will be asked to respond to three questions.

1. How would this scholarship help you apply your lived experience to impactful journalism?

This question asks applicants to explain the connection between their background, lived experience, and their journalism goals.

A strong answer should show:

• What experiences have shaped your perspective
• Why those experiences matter for journalism
• How you want to use your insight responsibly
• What kind of impact you hope to create
• Why this scholarship is important for your journey

2. What is your specific interest in investigative and data journalism for gender justice?

This question focuses on your motivation and area of interest.

A strong answer may discuss:

• Why investigative journalism matters to you
• Why data journalism is important for accountability
• What gender justice issues you care about
• How evidence-based reporting can expose injustice
• What kinds of stories you want to investigate

3. Give an example of a story that could have been told better with a feminist approach, and explain why.

This question tests your ability to think critically about media coverage.

A strong answer should identify a story and explain:

• How it was originally reported
• What was missing from the coverage
• Whose voices were ignored
• What assumptions shaped the story
• How a feminist approach would have improved it
• Why better reporting would have mattered

Application Deadline

The deadline to apply is 6pm GMT on 31st May 2026.

Applicants should prepare their materials early, especially because the application requires a CV and three written responses of 300 to 400 words each.

Since there are only two scholarships available, applicants should avoid submitting rushed answers. Strong applications should be clear, specific, personal, and connected to the scholarship’s purpose.

Final Thoughts

The Feminist Investigative Journalism Scholarship is a powerful opportunity for people who want to use journalism to challenge injustice and create social change.

With full tuition coverage worth £12,000, mentorship, training, networking, and opportunities to work on practical projects for publication, this scholarship offers more than financial support. It offers a pathway into meaningful, justice-focused journalism.

For applicants passionate about gender justice, LGBTQI rights, Global South perspectives, data journalism, and investigative reporting, this opportunity could be a major step toward building a career that combines storytelling, evidence, activism, and public accountability.

Applications close at 6pm GMT on 31st May 2026.

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