“The business model of journalism has changed, which necessitates the business model of journalism schools changing.”
– Dean Jelani Cobb
Columbia Journalism School thrives on teaching the fundamentals of delivering quality, meticulous, detail oriented and accurate information, guiding young journalists through the formative parts of their careers.
To continue this century-long tradition, the doors must be open for the best journalism students in the world — and not just for the best students who can afford it. The School is embarking on an ambitious plan to create more inclusive pathways into journalism as a career in the public interest.
Scholarships are at the heart of our mission to represent the world that journalism covers.
The goal? To ignite the careers of our students and support local and nonprofit news. Providing generous scholarship support when students enter the School, and supporting new graduates when they start their careers in journalism, are ways the institution can achieve this.
Plus: this admission cycle, for the first time in the Columbia Journalism School's history, prospective students can apply to its degree programs at no cost.
This is another stake in the School’s commitment to fostering an inclusive media landscape as part of this CJS2030 initiative.
Providing a pathway to rigorous journalism education for students with the greatest socioeconomic need, we create a ripple effect for more diverse and equitable newsrooms of the future. We expect to award over $7 million in scholarships in the coming year.
And, the support we offer doesn't end with their financial aid award.
CJS is opening doors to the profession — beginning with the highest-caliber journalism education.
The Loan Repayment Assistance Program — the first of its kind in the journalism industry — was launched in 2023 to help support recent Columbia Journalism School graduates who bring their talent and skills to nonprofit news media organizations. The school may lend up to $50,000 over five years to help make loan payments.
In the first year of the program, accepted graduates were offered over $300,000, allowing them to pay off a significant portion of their student loans.
Following the long-standing model of law schools and medical schools, the school introduced this program to reinvent the business model for its industry. By providing financial aid to graduates working in nonprofit organizations, the program brings tomorrow's reporters into the most vital newsrooms of today.
“Finding out that the journalism school would start offering loan repayments was on par with the level of excitement I felt getting into Columbia in the first place."
During the program's first anniversary, Dean Jelani Cobb looks to continue fundamentally changing relationships to tuition.
"As local news outlets evolve, I see hope on the horizon,” he said. “Our graduates have a unique opportunity not just to work for vital local organizations, but to shape their future. In today's media landscape, this program is more vital than ever.”
The program is a pillar of support for these deeply important roles, helping to draw top talent to local communities, and embracing a vibrant nonprofit sector. Ultimately, the school under Dean Cobb’s leadership stands as a bulwark in the face of growing news deserts. This year, CJS further invested in local news reporting as part of its curricular experience.
Making a high caliber program available for high caliber candidates is essential for career success – and for the profession.
See more information on eligibility and frequently asked questions.
Dean Cobb told the Nieman Lab that the program is “a way to incentivize our students and graduates to enter this field where there actually is growth, and for the fledgling nonprofit newsrooms, a way for their salary dollars to go further, thereby doing a little bit to assist those outlets and being viable.”
Alumni who earn $70,000 or less will be given priority, although all qualifying alumni at any salary will have their applications considered if they meet other eligibility requirements:
- Have federal or private loans that were taken out to pay for Columbia
- Are employed full-time at a non-profit news outlet in the United States (part-time work or internships aren't eligible)
- Graduated within the past five years
See the program’s FAQ page for more information or contact Admissions.
Dean Jelani Cobb on Access in Journalism
CJS Access in the News
After awarding more than $300,000 with LRAP, the School is now eliminating application fees.
One year ago, Dean Jelani Cobb and Columbia Journalism School launched the pilot Loan Repayment Assistance Program, the first of its kind for gradu
The talent incubator will empower emerging journalists with business news reporting skills and global mobility while promoting newsroom diversity.
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