First Journalism Diversity Fund bursaries awarded for 2016/2017 academic year

Cohort 1 of the Journalism Diversity Fund has now concluded with the awarding of two bursaries for the 2016/2017 academic year. These two up-and-coming journalists were awarded funding to begin their journalism training at NCTJ-accredited courses beginning this September.
Bursaries were awarded to:

• Emilia Bona, News Associates Manchester
• Olivia Tobin, Press Association Training Newcastle

The interviews were kindly hosted by the London Evening Standard on Friday, 6 May. The interviewing panel consisted of Joanne Butcher, chief executive, NCTJ; Doug Wills, managing editor, London Evening Standard; Charlotte Cooper, EMEA Learning Manager, Thomson Reuters and Laurie Tucker, day editor and journalism training, Sky Sports News HQ.

Five interviewees were quizzed on their passion for journalism, financial need and diversity.

Bursaries are awarded four times a year to students planning to study an NCTJ-accredited course. They are awarded to students from socially or ethnically diverse backgrounds and can help them cover the cost of course fees and living expenses.

This was the first round of bursaries granted for the academic year between September 2016 and August 2017.

Applications for the next cohort are currently being accepted until Wednesday, 25 May. The full schedule and application form can be found here.