Global competition invites under-30 reporters from low and middle-income countries to showcase impactful journalism
Are You the Next Young Journalist of the Year?
Applications are now open for the 2025 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award, a prestigious global competition that recognises emerging talent in journalism. If you’re 30 or under and working in a country with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of USD 20,000 or less (as defined by the World Bank), this could be your chance to shine.
Now in its 13th year, the award offers an incredible opportunity for early-career journalists to be recognised on the international stage. The top three finalists will be invited to London to attend the Foreign Press Association (FPA) Media Awards on 24 November 2025, where the winner will be announced in front of an audience of global media leaders and editors.
While in London, finalists will get the unique chance to tour leading newsrooms and connect with some of the most influential names in the industry, an experience that has helped launch many careers.
Last year’s winner was a courageous woman journalist from Afghanistan, whose identity was kept confidential for safety reasons. Her undercover reporting exposed the harsh realities faced by women and girls under Taliban rule. The other two finalists from 2024, Somaiyah Hafeez and Aisha Farrukh, both from Pakistan were recognised for hard-hitting investigative pieces on enforced disappearances and bonded labour.
Who Can Enter?
To apply, you must:
- Be aged 30 or under on 24 November 2025.
- Be from or working in a country with a GNI per capita of USD 20,000 or less.
- If working outside your home country, the host country must also meet the GNI criteria.
What You Need to Submit:
- Three pieces of journalism (published or broadcast between 1 August 2024 and 1 August 2025) in any format: print, audio, video, or multimedia.
- A 200-word summary for each piece, explaining the story and its impact.
- Details of any collaboration with other journalists or organisations.
- A verification letter from your editor (on official letterhead) confirming your authorship and the piece’s publication/broadcast. Freelancers may submit a letter from a commissioning editor or journalism academic.
If your work is not in English, a full English translation is required.
All work will be checked for originality and plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
The competition is held in collaboration with the UK’s Foreign Press Association (FPA) and is part of the annual FPA Awards ceremony in London each November.
Deadline: 1 August 2025 at midnight (London time)
For more details and to apply, visit the Thomson Foundation competition page.
