The sixth Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship is now open and accepting applications for the 2024-25 academic year.
We’re excited to announce the launch of our annual Investintech-CAJ Journalism Scholarship for 2024-25!
With financial support and journalism resources for career growth, the scholarship is a great way for any post-secondary student in Canada to start building their journalism career.
If you’re considering becoming a journalist, then this scholarship is for you!
Here’s everything you need to know.
About the Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship
The Investintech-CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship is designed to support post-secondary students who are passionate about using data to tell impactful stories.
In partnership with the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ)—a respected leader in Canada’s journalism community providing vital resources, professional development, and networking opportunities for professionals—this scholarship creates a valuable opportunity for emerging journalists to gain visibility and recognition for their work.
By submitting your work, you’ll showcase your skills and perspective before a panel of seasoned data journalists from our Selection Jury. This scholarship is a great way to jump start a journalism career.
The award package includes a $1,000 cash prize for tuition, a free one-year CAJ membership, and a complimentary pass to the CAJ National Conference on May 30-31, 2025, in Calgary!
Not only do you get help with tuition, but the essential tools, networking opportunities, and experience to point you in the right direction!
How to Apply
Interested in the opportunity? Below are details on the application process.
Eligibility
First, to be eligible for the scholarship, you must:
- Be majoring in journalism and pursuing either a bachelor’s or master’s degree
- Be accepted to or currently enrolled in a Canadian college or university
- Be enrolled in a program leading to a diploma, undergraduate, or graduate degree
If you’re in a non-journalism program, don’t worry – you can still apply! You’ll have to demonstrate and prove your journalism skills, though. This could be in the form of a published article or working for a college newspaper, publication, etc.
Submission Guidelines
As to the submission, itself, it can be any of the following:
- A published work from student, local, alternative, or mainstream media
- An analysis or visualization completed as a class assignment
- An in-depth analysis published on a personal blog
Requirements for Submission:
- An individual work submission is preferred. If part of a team, include a detailed explanation of your contribution.
- Your piece must incorporate data skills, including at least one data visualization (e.g., a map or chart).
- Provide a methodology explaining your process, tools, and data compilation.
Note that your submitted work has to demonstrate an investigative narrative, either revealing new findings from the data you’ve analyzed or developing a deeper context from the data, itself.
In addition, your submission must have been produced within one year of the scholarship closing date.
Previous winners are not eligible to apply. Other students who’ve entered in previous years can enter again, however, they must still meet all eligibility requirements and submit a different piece of work.
Deadline: April 11, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST
Judging Criteria
Submissions will be judged with Candian journalism standards in mind. The winning entry will be one that demonstrates an understanding of data analysis, a proficient use of data tools, and skillful story-telling skills that provide a coherent narrative.
Our jury will be evaluating your submission, looking for the following:
- Compliance with submission rules
- Clarity and readability
- Effective use of data and visualizations
- Quality and strength of the topic
You can visit our Winner’s page to view examples of the quality and level of data analysis our jurors are looking for.
Once they’ve reviewed all submissions, they’ll select a winner, and the announcement will be made on April 28, 2025, on our blog and social media.
Meet the Selection Jury
So, who will be judging your submission? Each year we collaborate and work with a jury made up of award-winning journalists. And this year is no different.
All jurors have extensive journalism experience, work at reputable media outlets, and teach data analysis techniques to post-secondary students in Canada.
Meet each of our jury members by visiting our Selection Jury page and get a look at the background and experience they bring to the table when reviewing your submissions.
Prizes
If you’re selected as the 2024-25 Investintech – CAJ Scholarship recipient, you’ll receive the following prizes:
- $1,000 CAD cash prize
- One-year free CAJ membership
- Free pass to the CAJ National Annual Conference in Calgary on May 30th-31st
Important Dates
Here are the dates and timelines you’ll need to keep in mind for your submission:
- Submission Deadline: April 11, 2025
- Review Period: April 14 – 25, 2025
- Winner Announcement: April 28, 2025
- Award Date: May 3, 2025
You can submit your application online through the Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship page.
Simply click on the “Apply Now” button at the top of the page or the “Submit Your Application” button at the bottom, and you’ll be taken to the submission form.
For complete scholarship rules and policies, visit our Terms and Conditions page.
Good luck to all!