Investintech is proud to announce that the third annual Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship contest is now open for the 2021 – 2022 academic year!
We know it’s been tough for students, like you, trying to juggle not only your health and safety, but also adjusting to different methods of learning, whether in-person or online.
Getting back into the swing of the academic year is no easy feat. That’s why Investintech is looking to support students and help make the transition easier.
Our scholarship is aimed at offering post-secondary Canadian students who are interested in data journalism the financial help and support needed in developing your education and career as a future journalist.
About the Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship
This scholarship is an all-around opportunity that offers a $1,000 cash-prize, journalist networking opportunities, and the chance to put your work in front of data journalist professionals.
Hoping to help Canadian students financially, we’ll be awarding the winner a one-time cash prize of $1,000 CAD. This amount will be paid out to the student’s academic institution and be paid towards your tuition balance.
To ensure you get the best journalistic support out of this scholarship, we’ve partnered with the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ). It is one of the most credible and authoritative organizations for journalists in Canada. The CAJ is offering the winning student a one year membership with the CAJ for free. In addition, they are also providing a free pass to their annual national CAJ conference (provided that COVID-19 restrictions allow for an in-person event in 2022). This conference is a chance for you to further develop the skills, resources, and connections you need.
The winning submission will be picked by a Selection Jury that is also highly credible, made up of experienced and renowned data journalists. The three journalists making up the jury have many years of experience and extensive backgrounds under their belts. They have written for authoritative media outlets and received journalism awards. They’ll review and vet your work according to the standards set by the Canadian journalism industry.
We know there is a limitless pool of journalism talent among Canadian students – two of them have won the award so far. If you think you have a piece of journalistic work and a few project ideas worthy of the scholarship prize, apply this year and be the third annual Investintech – CAJ Journalism Scholarship winner!
Here’s how to apply.
Applying for the Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship
The Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship is open to students who show an interest in data journalism. Eligible students must meet the following requirements:
- Majoring in a journalism program, working towards either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
- Currently accepted to or enrolled in a college or university in Canada.
- Pursuing a course of studies leading to an undergraduate or graduate degree in journalism.
- Non-journalism program students may apply, but will need to show evidence of their journalism skills, such as having a published news story, or working for a college publication, etc.
Submitted work may be a published item, class assignment or even an item on a personal blog.
- Work must have been produced within one calendar year of the scholarship closing date.
- Individual work is preferred. If the submitted item is produced as part of a team of two or more, the applicant must submit their own proof of work.
- Previous winners are not eligible to apply.
The submission must include:
- An example of a work of journalism that shows the application of data skills (e.g. use of spreadsheets, web scraping, use of mapping tools).
- An explanation of what you did and how you did it, including the resources you used. For submissions that were produced as part of a team, you must describe your role and contribution to the piece.
- An idea for a project you would like to work on, particularly if you had more data journalism skills. Include a link to a dataset that shows why the story is worth pursuing, and a link to a story you aspire to create or one that inspires you to a journalistic goal.
- A letter of support from an instructor or editor.
The winner of the scholarship will be one Canadian student whose submission shows an interest and understanding of data journalism tools and techniques.
Wondering what a winning submission looks like? Visit our Winner’s page to get a look at last year’s recipient and the winning submission.
The deadline for submissions is April 29, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST.
Submission Judgement Guidelines
Your submitted work will be reviewed by the Selection Jury that consists of three professional data journalists who work in the industry. Visit the Data Journalism Scholarship Selection Jury page to meet the journalists reviewing your work.
After you meet the eligibility and submission requirements, the review process will focus mainly on the quality of your work. The Selection Jury will review your submissions according to these guidelines:
- Follow all submission rules and complete full details
- Submissions must be in English or in French
- Minimum word count for written parts of the submission: 500
- Previously published material can be submitted
- Restricted to students enrolled in a Canadian university or college
- Creativity and style; coherence and readability
- Inclusion of major sources (authoritative sources linked to back claims)
- Effective use of data, visualizations, and/or medium being used
- Strength of the topic and the applicant’s work
All the submissions will be reviewed over the course of two weeks. From the entire pool of submissions, they’ll create a shortlist and eventually select a winner from the top candidates.
The winner will be announced on May 16th, 2022 on our blog, social media, winner’s page, and we’ll get in touch personally with the winner, as well.
Award Prizes
Here’s what you can win as the 2021 – 2022 Investintech – CAJ Scholarship recipient:
- One-time cash prize of $1000 CAD
- One year free CAJ membership
- One free annual pass to the CAJ National Conference in Montreal in May 2022*
Dates & Deadlines
- Annual deadline for submissions: April 29, 2022
- Review timeframe: May 2 – May 13, 2021
- Announcement date: May 16, 2021
- Award date for 2021-22 scholarship year: May 17, 2022
Enter your submission by visiting our Investintech – CAJ Data Journalism Scholarship page, and clicking on the Submit Your Application button where you’ll be directed to the online submission form.
For a complete look at the rules and regulations of the scholarship contest, please visit the Terms and Conditions page on our website.
Good Luck and Bonne Chance to all!
*NOTE: In the event that the annual national CAJ conference for 2022 is cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions and protocols, it is at the sole discretion of the CAJ whether or not to provide or determine a suitable substitution prize.