Deadline: 13-Jun-2026
The Voices of Ukraine Scholarship Programme provides financial support to Ukrainian journalists, editorial teams, and independent media operating under crisis and wartime conditions. The initiative aims to strengthen media resilience, sustain public-interest journalism, and help media professionals continue reporting from Ukraine despite the challenges caused by the ongoing conflict.
Program Overview
The Voices of Ukraine Scholarship Programme is designed to support journalists and independent media organizations working in crisis-affected regions of Ukraine.
The program is managed by the Public Interest Journalism Lab in partnership with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom.
The initiative seeks to:
- Strengthen media resilience during wartime
- Support independent journalism
- Ensure continuity of reporting from Ukraine
- Protect access to reliable public-interest information
- Help journalists and media outlets remain operational under crisis conditions
Program Objectives
The scholarship program focuses on sustaining journalism in challenging environments.
Key objectives include:
- Supporting journalists working under crisis conditions
- Strengthening independent media operations
- Encouraging reporting on public-interest issues
- Maintaining access to trustworthy information
- Supporting media organizations displaced by conflict
- Preserving diverse and independent voices within Ukraine’s media landscape
Funding Details
Support for Individual Journalists
- EUR 600 per month
- Funding available for up to four months
- Payments made in Ukrainian hryvnias
Support for Editorial Offices
- EUR 900 per month
- Funding available for up to five months
- Payments made in Ukrainian hryvnias
Purpose of Funding
Financial support is intended to:
- Stabilize journalistic work
- Maintain newsroom operations
- Support content production
- Enable continued reporting during crisis conditions
- Strengthen media sustainability
Who is Eligible?
The program is open to media professionals and organizations operating within Ukraine.
Eligible applicants include:
- Individual journalists
- Editorial offices
- Independent media organizations
Applicants must:
- Have at least two years of experience in the Ukrainian media market
- Be working under crisis conditions or have relocated from heavily war-affected regions
- Remain in Ukraine during the grant period
- Continue producing journalistic content throughout the funding period
Required Application Information
Applicants must submit a completed online application form.
The application should include:
- Information about the journalist or media team
- Description of the target audience
- Organizational background
- Future plans and editorial goals for the coming year
- Five to ten links to recent publications demonstrating journalistic work
The submitted publications should clearly demonstrate:
- Reporting quality
- Editorial consistency
- Public-interest journalism
- Ongoing engagement with relevant social issues
Selection Process
Applications are reviewed through a competitive evaluation process.
Assessment criteria may include:
- Quality of journalistic work
- Relevance of reporting activities
- Impact on target audiences
- Need for financial support
- Commitment to continued journalism in Ukraine
- Ability to sustain meaningful reporting during the scholarship period
Recipient Responsibilities
Selected recipients must continue their journalistic activities during the funding period.
Grant recipients are required to:
- Remain active in journalism
- Continue publishing content
- Use funding for professional continuity
- Submit short monthly activity reports
- Demonstrate ongoing reporting and editorial work
Why This Programme Matters
Independent journalism plays a critical role during crises and armed conflicts.
The Voices of Ukraine Scholarship Programme helps:
- Protect press freedom
- Sustain independent media
- Ensure public access to reliable information
- Support journalists facing difficult working conditions
- Strengthen democratic values through reporting
- Preserve local and regional news coverage
By supporting journalists directly, the program contributes to media sustainability and information integrity during wartime.
How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Verify that:
- You meet the experience requirement
- You are actively working in Ukraine
- You continue to produce journalistic content
- You are affected by crisis conditions or displacement
Step 2: Prepare Supporting Information
Gather:
- Professional background information
- Team details (if applicable)
- Target audience information
- Strategic plans for the next year
- Recent publication links
Step 3: Complete the Online Application
Fill out all required fields and ensure information is accurate and complete.
Step 4: Submit Work Samples
Include five to ten recent publications that best demonstrate your journalism and editorial work.
Step 5: Await Evaluation
Applications will be reviewed competitively by the program administrators.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Submit your strongest and most impactful publications
- Clearly explain your audience and reporting focus
- Demonstrate the importance of your journalism
- Highlight challenges faced due to crisis conditions
- Provide a realistic plan for future reporting activities
- Ensure all application sections are fully completed
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting fewer than the required publication samples
- Providing outdated or irrelevant work examples
- Failing to explain current crisis-related challenges
- Incomplete application forms
- Insufficient information about future reporting plans
- Not demonstrating ongoing journalistic activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Voices of Ukraine Scholarship Programme?
It is a financial support initiative for Ukrainian journalists and independent media working under crisis and wartime conditions.
Who can apply?
Individual journalists, editorial offices, and independent media organizations with at least two years of experience in the Ukrainian media market.
How much funding is available?
Individual journalists may receive EUR 600 per month for up to four months, while editorial offices may receive EUR 900 per month for up to five months.
Must applicants remain in Ukraine?
Yes. Applicants must remain in Ukraine during the grant period.
What documents are required?
Applicants must complete an online application and provide five to ten links to recent journalistic publications.
How are recipients selected?
Applications are evaluated competitively based on journalistic quality, relevance, impact, and the ability to continue reporting under crisis conditions.
Are reporting requirements required after selection?
Yes. Selected recipients must submit short monthly reports demonstrating continued journalistic activity.
Conclusion
The Voices of Ukraine Scholarship Programme provides essential support for journalists and independent media organizations working under the extraordinary challenges of wartime Ukraine. Through monthly financial assistance, the initiative helps sustain independent reporting, strengthen media resilience, and ensure that critical public-interest journalism continues to serve communities across the country.
For more information, visit House of Europe.