SAJA 2026 Scholarship Program

SAJA continues to support journalism education. Our scholarships help students afford tuition costs associated with higher education to pursue their journalism degree. 

In 2026 SAJA will offer up to $30,000 in scholarships to be distributed among 6 students. 

READ ABOUT the 2025 Scholarship RECIPIENTS HERE

Selection/Eligibility

• Full-time undergraduates and graduate students pursuing a journalism degree in the fall of 2026 at a university in the U.S. or Canada are eligible.  If they are an undergraduate student applying for this scholarship, journalism must be their major, not minor.
• All applicants must show proof of enrollment.
• International students from one of the following South Asian countries can apply (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and people of South Asian origin from the Caribbean). Although funds will not be released until they arrive in the U.S. 
• U.S. students must be of South Asian descent (which includes: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and people of South Asian origin from the Caribbean) 
• U.S. students eligible also include those who demonstrate an interest in covering South Asia and/or the diaspora.
• Immediate relatives of SAJA Board members and judges are INELIGIBLE to apply.

Evaluation Procedure

A committee of judges appointed by the SAJA Board will review the student applications and evaluate them based on:

1. need
2. interest in journalism (i.e. related coursework, internships, extracurricular activities, part-time work) 
3. written communication skills 
4. interest in contributing to the SAJA community 

Commitments and Expectations

Scholarship recipients are expected to support SAJA by volunteering at the annual convention or another event during the year, promoting SAJA membership and activities and making donation appeals.

All scholarship recipients must agree to provide an update on their academic endeavors at the end of the school year associated with their award.

SAJA may post these statements or excerpts on its website and social media platforms.

How to Apply

Deadline: April 17, 2026 by 11:59pmEST

Please send a SINGLE PDF document to Mihir Zaveri, SAJA board member, at mihir.a.zaveri@gmail.com with “SAJA Scholarship” in the subject line.

The PDF document MUST include:

1. A resume (1-2 pages Max)
2. A 350-word essay explaining their:
   a) interest in journalism
   b) how they intend to pursue their journalism interest in school (especially if their school does not offer a journalism degree) 
   c) how they plan to give back to SAJA, once they start working in journalism. (For example, help SAJA organize panels, workshops with their local chapter, mentor future South Asian Journalists and/or Journalism students, work at the SAJA annual conference and/or annual awards ceremony, and/or join the board) 
3. A short statement describing financial need, including student loans and a summary of all other financial aid they have received or hope to receive
4. A selection of 2-3 clips (published print stories or video pieces--provide the links in the PDF).  If the applicant does not have published pieces, then 2-3 writing samples or 2-3 video story samples
5. Proof of enrollment

• Applicants may be interviewed by phone or in person by a member of the selection committee.
• Should an applicant receive the scholarship, they must maintain their SAJA membership for at least 5 years. 
• Students who apply for the SAJA Scholarship should already have an active SAJA Student Membership. If not, please join SAJA at this Link. Membership status will be checked upon receiving your application.
• Questions: please email Indira Somani, SAJA President and Chair of the Scholarship Committee, indira.somani@gmail.com
• Before sending a question, please read this webpage carefully as your question may be answered. 

• Winners will be notified in May of 2026.

Other Information

Those selected to receive scholarships will be required to provide the following information / documents to SAJA prior to being entitled to receive the scholarship amounts:

- A U.S. Postal address to which the scholarship check will be physically mailed or details of a US Dollar bank account at a bank branch located in the United States; and

- U.S. Treasury Form W-9 or Form W-8BEN

Failure to provide any of the above information/documents on a timely basis could result in revocation of the scholarship.

Each scholarship recipient must consult her/his own tax advisor on the extent, if any, to which the scholarship amount may be taxable by any of the tax jurisdictions to which she/he may be subject to. SAJA does not make any representation as to the taxability or non-taxability of the scholarship amount.

All scholarship amounts will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service of the United States government unless the recipient signs a declaration stating that the amount received from SAJA complies with the conditions described by the Internal Revenue Service under the section “Tax-Free” in the rules under Topic Number 421 – Scholarships, Fellowship Grants, and Other Grants (https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc421).