journalism postgraduate personal statement

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• Journalism Personal Statement Examples

Your Journalism personal statement is a crucial element of your UCAS application . It is your opportunity to showcase your passion for journalism, your relevant experiences, and your potential to succeed as a journalism student. Check our journalism personal statement examples for UCAS , which can inspire and guide you in writing your successful personal statement . 

Whether you are interested in broadcast journalism , print journalism , or digital and online journalism , these examples cover a range of topics and styles that can help you stand out to admissions tutors.

Journalism Personal Statement Example

As an A-level student in Business Studies, English Literature, and Religious Studies, I have always been passionate about education and learning. I have always been fascinated by the power of the written word and the impact that journalism can have on shaping public opinion and educating society. That is why I am so excited to pursue a career in journalism and continue to make a positive impact on society.

My interest in journalism was first sparked during work experience placements at my local newspaper, The South Wales Evening Post, and a local radio station. During my time at the newspaper, I was allowed to work with experienced journalists and editors, assisting them with research, conducting interviews, and writing articles for publication. This experience taught me the importance of accuracy, objectivity, and the need to present balanced viewpoints. Additionally, at the radio station, I learned about the power of broadcast media and how it can be used to reach a wider audience and engage with listeners on a more personal level.

As a great believer in education, I see the role of the journalist as an educating force, an incredibly important one. The media has a responsibility to inform the public about current affairs and provide accurate and unbiased reporting. Through my work experience, I have seen firsthand how the media can influence public opinion and shape perceptions of different issues. I believe that journalists have a responsibility to provide truthful and accurate reporting, whilst also highlighting important social issues and driving change.

Outside of my academic routine, I have several hobbies and interests that keep me grounded and motivated. One of my favourite pastimes is reading, particularly books that explore different cultures and perspectives. I also enjoy running, which I find helps me to clear my mind and think creatively. By engaging in these hobbies, I can maintain a balanced lifestyle and stay connected with the world around me.

Throughout my academic career, I have strived to excel in all of my studies. During my secondary school years, I was one of the best students in my class, achieving high grades in all subjects. This has given me a strong foundation and the skills necessary to succeed in a career in journalism. Additionally, I have travelled around the world and visited 56 countries so far. This has allowed me to gain a wider perspective on different cultures and societies, which I believe will be invaluable in my future career.

I am excited to continue my education and pursue a career in journalism. I believe that my passion for education, my experience in the media, and my diverse interests and hobbies make me an excellent candidate for this field. I am committed to using my skills and talents to make a positive impact on society, and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

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Personal Statement Example For Journalism

I am driven by my passion for the English language and the power it holds to inform, engage and inspire people. With a deep-rooted affection for the written word and its ability to capture the essence of life, I have always been fascinated by how language has evolved. As a student of English Literature, History and Media Studies, I have been able to explore this evolution in detail and develop my unique voice as a writer.

Studying English has allowed me to think critically, analyse the techniques used by both fiction and non-fiction writers and express my ideas and opinions through a portfolio of work. Through this, I have learnt how to craft compelling narratives, convey complex ideas with clarity and precision, and engage readers through powerful storytelling. My studies in History and Media Studies have complemented my understanding of English, allowing me to appreciate the importance of context, perspective, and the role of media in shaping our understanding of the world around us.

Outside of academics, I am involved in many creative pursuits that allow me to develop my skills as a communicator and storyteller. I participate in a drama group, where I am honing my skills in characterisation, improvisation and public speaking. I am also working towards my Bronze Arts Award, which involves creating and performing a piece of original drama. Additionally, I enjoy playing the piano, which requires a large amount of patience, creativity and dedication – skills that I believe are essential for a successful journalist.

I am proud to have received Young Writers Award from my Secondary School, recognising my talent and dedication as a writer. These accolades have encouraged me to pursue a career in journalism, where I can use my skills to inform, educate and entertain readers on a wide range of topics. I am excited about the prospect of being able to tell stories that matter, whether it is through investigative journalism, features or opinion pieces.

My passion for the English language, combined with my academic pursuits and creative pursuits, have prepared me well for a career in journalism. I am eager to continue my journey as a writer and storyteller, and I believe that a degree in journalism will provide me with the knowledge, skills and experience needed to make a meaningful contribution to the world of media.

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Personal Statement - Journalism

Journalism personal statement.

My interest in journalism stems not only from my interest in writing but also my inquisitive nature: I like knowing what is happening around me. This knowledge is particularly vital with our ever-changing political, social, economic, technological, environmental and cultural climates. From the first newspaper published in 1605 to the wealth of free and paid papers scattered throughout tube carriages in London, journalism as a craft is inescapable - a constant means of streaming information to the public. Aside from the writing itself, this is what excites me most about journalism: the ability to have not only my own ideas, but the information I have accumulated, instantly available to a wide audience. Keeping a piece of writing engaging is of the utmost importance to me. I feel that journalists as a group hold a lot of responsibility in that they help to manipulate public opinion.

My favourite newspaper is The Guardian as I feel its articles manage to retain interest whilst being factual. I have quite Liberal political views, so it appeals to me. I also read the Glasgow Herald whenever I am at home. Both newspapers cover a wide range of topics and host a wealth of contributors, whilst retaining one strong voice. I particularly like the sectioned layout of The Guardian as it feels much more concise.

Online journalism is something which interests me greatly as I feel it is very relevant now that everything is so inherently accessible. Multi-media articles, for instance, can only really exist online. However, I do not think this will affect newspapers in any way, as printed text is unparalleled to most readers: instead, I think the online aspect of journalism should be embraced and used to enhance the hard copy.

Outside of my studies I work for Lula magazine, managing the 'Scrapbook' section of their website. My job involves basic web formatting, and my responsibility is to make sure posts are updated regularly on their required days. It is a valuable insight into the world of magazine publishing and layout. I also work with the Fashion Society of University of the Arts London, updating their blog as required to inform members of events. A direct relation to media and journalism, I really enjoy this position.

As well as writing, I am an avid reader. Film and digital photography have been a hobby of mine for a number of years, and I particularly like watercolour illustration. I have always been interested in fashion. I also play the guitar and keyboards, sew and knit. I am a very creative person, which I feel is reflected in my writing - particularly on the blog I have kept for over a year. This has developed into a forum in which I can write about my views on whatever is interesting and/or affecting me. I am often complimented on my writing skills, and plan on continuing my regular posts. I really take pleasure in writing it.

I feel my previous experience in fashion has really pushed me to the limits of my already strong ability to work under a severe amount of pressure and to a strict deadline: the workload was heavy and the atmosphere very competitive. I feel that all these factors translate directly over to a journalism course. Fashion journalism is an interest of mine, and I enjoy its succinct yet descriptive style. However, it is by no means the sole journalistic aspect I am interested in.

I was the student representative for my year, a position which I also held at my previous college. I feel I performed well in the role as I have strong organisational skills and feel comfortable discussing issues not only with my peers, but also senior members of staff. I also had some experience in speaking in front of a large group of people, a skill which I know is vital as a journalist.

I feel that I would thrive as an ideal journalism student due to my insatiable love of writing, paired with my wide range of interests, my enthusiasm for current events, and ultimately my desire to keep others informed.

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Personal Statement: Applying for a Journalism/Media Degree

• application
• personal statement

A question I am frequently asked is what exactly you should write on your personal statement when applying for a journalism/media course. Putting together a great statement can be a pretty stressful task as it is difficult to gage what exactly universities are looking for. However, all graduates have been through it and there is no reason why you cannot secure a place on the course of your choosing. Here are some of my top tips on what exactly you should be writing:

Enthusiasm and passion

For me, I think this is the most crucial element to any application. Demonstrate just how passionate and enthused you are about the course. Perhaps pinpoint an element or a module that you are most excited about and why. Showing that you genuinely want to be studying that course always looks great and will put you in good stead with the admissions officer. Cardiff in particular has a fantastic student media department with its own newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV station. Make reference to these and emphasise how eager you are to get involved, maybe even mentioning that you aspire to be the editor-in-chief of the magazine, or a presenter on the radio station. Universities are always looking for people that want to get stuck in so convey this well.

Relevant experience

If you have done any kind of writing, editing, blogging etc. outside of school then absolutely put this in. This will show that you are not only able to use your initiative, but that you have the ability to work independently and have great time-management – all essential skills when studying at higher education. If you don’t already have a blog GET ONE. This is possibly the most simple and easy way to get journalism experience where you can write whatever you like, whenever you like, and wherever you like.

Even if you don’t directly have experiences like this, any part time jobs or qualifications you have will also be great for your statement as each will bring with them a useful set of skills for university.

A recent news story that has caught your interest

If you want to study journalism, you of course have to be up-to-date with all the latest happenings of the world. Writing a small paragraph on something in the news that has captured your attention and why will make your statement stand-out and show that you engage with the news. Don’t be afraid to have an opinion and articulate your feelings about something you feel strongly about.

Future goals

Why is it you want to study journalism/media? What do you hope to do with the degree you are applying for? Express that studying the course is a stepping stone for you to get into your dream career and that you truly believe the university will be able to support and facilitate that goal.

Finally, no human being is defined purely by work. Tell the admissions officer exactly who you are and show some personality. What is it you enjoy doing at the weekend? Do you have a hobby? No matter how common or unusual it is, put it in! If you play a sport then there is bound to be a society for that at Cardiff so let them know that you are desperate to get involved. You want to make it clear to the university that there is so much more to you than just academia, and that you will be an all-round great student to have study with them.

Thank you, this helped so much

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Journalism personal statement example 1.

It’s all about the headline. It’s about getting your point across in the most direct way you can. These personal statements are very good example of this, in just a few lines I have to get my message of why I want do a degree in Journalism across to my prospective universities. That is one of the reasons why I love to write, the challenge of putting over a complex thought or concept to a large audience of people and convey it in such a way everybody will understand it. As the great writer Hemingway once said, “My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.”

My own personal experience of journalism started young, my dad used to write for a magazine and take me with him when he went to interview people, since then I have been fascinated with the industry. When I was 14 I was lucky enough to get a work experience placement at “News International” in Wapping. I got to work on the websites of “FiredUp.com”, “Revolver.com” and “Page3.com” as well as have a tour of the offices of “The Sun”, “News Of The World” and “The Times”, I have also recently been offered a day’s work experience at my local paper and I am currently waiting for news of work experience at the BBC.

I pride myself on being well organised and thorough in my research. I have also developed many skills such as interview techniques and being able to see things from another perspective, a skill I have acquired through Sociology and Communication Studies, analytical skills through Film Studies and Media Studies and I have learnt about analysing and collating numerical data and factual evidence in Psychology. Although I have already completed three A-Levels and two AS Levels, I have taken a year out to study AS French, Sociology and Spanish. I did this in order to improve my grades and to give me a wider choice of qualifications as my previous subjects are all very similar with their syllabus as well the fact multiple languages would be an invaluable advantage to have when working in the area of communication.

Some of my outside interests are music, politics, the Internet and reading. Music in particular is a great love of mine, I regularly attend “gigs” and concerts and have been an active member of the “Sum 41 Street Team” for over a year, this involves spreading publicity through flyers and posters to promote the band, I find it very fulfilling and enjoyable. Another one of my interests is the Internet, I contribute articles to a site dealing with issues such as “top-up fees” and other important student matters, which I enjoy greatly and is helping to improve my knowledge of university for the future. I have a part time job waitressing at a local hotel which I do a few nights a week. It gives me a sense of my own independence and responsibility, I also help my mother at the local Red Cross during half terms and holidays cooking for the elderly and have also recently volunteered to sell Poppies for Remembrance Sunday throughout my town. Another activity of mine is being my tutor group representative for our college’s student council and regularly attend meetings to deal with concerns of the student body.

I am thoughtful, organised and handle pressure well, I love to write and it is my ambition to do so, I believe I can bring many things to the courses I have selected and in turn can get a lot out of them as well.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by Danithehack for application in 2000.

Danithehack's university choices Bournemouth University The London Institute London South Bank University Southampton Institute

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

Degree Journalism at The London Institute

Related Personal Statements

Hi. just read this, its one.

Wed, 18/08/2004 - 00:00

hi. just read this, its one of the first personal statements i have read that stands out, its really good.

Starts out superbly and

Mon, 23/08/2004 - 00:00

Starts out superbly and catches your attention... but the tightness of the writing seems to falter a bit towards the end...

Wow i think this is well good

Sun, 10/09/2006 - 00:00

Wow i think this is well good! Ive read a few now and this is one has really stood out for me! Definately better than what ive written or ever will looll totally jealous!

Fri, 27/10/2006 - 00:36

It's unique and helps u differentiate this guy from any other ones! It advertises him well as well! ;)

Sun, 07/01/2007 - 19:02

You almost say all every proposal of journalism need to say in his personal statements.

goooood of YA ADEMOLA

Just like to raise this with

Thu, 22/02/2007 - 21:48

Just like to raise this with all the 'guy' and 'he's' going about up there, unless men have started to do waitressing, this is written by a girl.

Very well written P/S though. Certainly different.

A few years later on- By the Author

Sun, 11/03/2007 - 16:55

I'm just writing this to say thank you for all the kind words about my personal statement. I wrote this about 4 years ago now and it seems like such a distant memory!

I thought I'd let you know the background of this. I wrote this PS and applied to:

Bournemouth London South Bank Surrey Institute of Art & Design London College of Printing (as it was known then) Southampton Institute and I think maybe somewhere else, I can't remember now, it was so long ago.

I got nearly all unconditional offers with the exception of Bournemouth (rejection due to grades) and Southampton Institute (Conditional) and ending up settling at the London College of Printing, or LCC as it is now known.

A few years on, I have done or am about to do work experience at emap, The Journalist (NUJ paper), The Guardian, Bangkok Post and many more. I have also set-up a magazine with friends that is on the brink of publishing with requests of around 1,000 copies from various places.

Just thought I'd fill you in where this little PS got me to.

i used this to help me with

Fri, 07/09/2007 - 08:04

i used this to help me with mine as well. i've seen alot of personal staements but this has to be the one that stanmds out in my mind, it's brilliant

This personal statement

Wed, 19/09/2007 - 19:01

This personal statement although shows signs of strong academical background, is not used effectively because of the English and style of writing as others have mentioned. This can be seen especially near the end where it does sound like your 'sucking up' to the universities. the attitude at the end of the statement is more of you are wanting their place, instead of the attitude of pick me or else your university will loose out. At no point do you tell the university what you can offer them, apart from the last line.

this is a really good

Tue, 02/10/2007 - 11:01

this is a really good statement but has got me worried...she didnt get an offer from bournemouth which is where i really really really want to go, and my personal statement is no where near as good as this one. :s

The Sun? The News of The

Sat, 06/10/2007 - 22:37

The Sun? The News of The World? Papers made for simpletons who will believe the lies and bile that they spread. You deserve to work for that kind of rag just stepping foot inside its offices.

Thu, 01/11/2007 - 17:17

I have been told to make the first paragraph stand out and especially the first sentence yours definately proves this should be the case. I do feel however after the first couple of paragraphs it kinda loses its touch perhaps. I think perhaps you could have discussed wekanesses you have worked on and over come or things you would like to improve about yourself by going to uni. But then again what do i know i am not deciding whether you get in or not! but hey good luck1 : )

fnxs for dis, you realli

Fri, 21/12/2007 - 14:33

fnxs for dis, you realli helped

i dident find it very useful

Thu, 21/02/2008 - 19:39

i dident find it very useful but i did a better one any way so shame

ur on about a course not ur

Thu, 01/05/2008 - 10:37

ur on about a course not ur dads life story the uni doesn't wanna kno bout ur dad cuz their not offering ur dad a place

this is good i liked it

Mon, 16/06/2008 - 12:50

Thu, 19/06/2008 - 13:20

I'd like to enquire how this person got to work with page3.com!

Just joking, there again i dont think i am lol. Good statement =D

Very impressive. x

Tue, 11/11/2008 - 20:06

great P/S - gave me a

Sun, 30/11/2008 - 22:05

great P/S - gave me a guideline for my own so thank you :] fingers crossed for Cardiff next year!!

bean bags are alright if you

Fri, 19/12/2008 - 14:19

bean bags are alright if you like that kinda thing

your personal statement is

Fri, 23/01/2009 - 14:58

your personal statement is amazing!! i am struggling to write my own and i want to go into journalism also but i don't think i could ever produce anything to this standard. . .its brilliant!! janice xoxox

Sat, 23/05/2009 - 22:56

I wrote my personal statement last year for a journalism course. I got offers from Bournemouth, Kent, Nottingham Trent, UAL and Portsmouth - without fantastic grades. Structure the PS with:

1. A famous quote, followed by why you want to be a journalism.

2. Relevant journalism experience - in school or local paper etc. This should make up the bulk of the PS.

3. Your other interests e.g. hobbies, sporting or other personal achievements.

4. Any voluntary work.

5. Conclude with a persuasive sentence, including why the Uni should choose you.

This should see you getting the offers that you want. Good luck!

So many comments!

Sat, 12/03/2011 - 01:14

You know, I was thinking about my PS the other day as my nephew has just got accepted for a Sports Journalism degree and lo and behold! I've found this again!

University for me now is a distant memory and I've now worked at a well known regional paper in Hampshire and now work at a small publishing firm doing magazines. In addition I run a lot of the Internet side of things. To think it started all those years ago!

Yes, my writing style may be a bit pants (I cringe reading it back now) but at the end of the day it did what was required, it got me the place at university and, to some degree, it got to where I am today. I wasn't as polished as I could have been but I was 17 years old and hadn't had any formal training whatsoever. Not to mention nobody actually looked this over for me (terrible I know!)

Hope that I at least helped a few people along the way :)

hi im basically trying to re

Wed, 31/10/2012 - 13:27

hi im basically trying to re draft my personal statement and im doing it on journalism. any ideas on an opener???

This makes zero sense. He/She

Sun, 03/08/2014 - 21:30

This makes zero sense. He/She got into every university they applied for except for one but their personal statement only got a rating of one star?

Add new comment

• Personal Statements
• Journalism personal statement

Journalism Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

If you want to apply to study Journalism at university then it’s almost a given that you’re good at writing but all good writers suffer from writer’s block occasionally, right?

For those of you that are struggling with a personal statement to study Journalism – here is our example to help you out:

Having developed a passion for writing at an early age my writing skills have evolved over the years and I now feel that a career in journalism is right for me. However, I am not prepared to rest on my laurels and I am always striving to further develop my writing skills.

I enjoy the challenge of conveying a story, event, or thought to a reader in an interesting, engaging, and easily understood way. I write my own blog and look forward to expanding my topic range when I reach university.

To expand my knowledge and skills in journalism I undertook a work experience placement at my local newspaper, The Waterside Herald, whilst I was at school. This gave me the chance to develop my writing skills to suit a journalistic style and to gain an in-depth insight into the daily life of a journalist.

Outside of school I enjoy travelling and hope that my love of travel will enable me to gain experience working for publications in other countries during summer breaks from university.

I am also a keen sports player and regular runner. As well as my academic goals I also hope to complete the London Marathon next year, something that I have been training towards for a number of months.

I look forward to the new challenges that life at university will bring and having the chance to learn new skills and build on my already high standards of writing and communication.

I hope that by studying journalism to degree level I will be able to gain an entry level position at a national newspaper such as The Guardian or The Times. I am also interested in pursuing television journalism as a possible career choice whilst at university.

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• How To Write Your Postgraduate Personal Statement

Choosing a university

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• What are the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement?

What's on this page?

What is a personal statement, preparing to write your personal statement, opening your personal statement, work experience and future plans, ending your personal statement.

Your postgraduate personal statement is your chance to get noticed for your expertise and experience you’ve gathered. It’s an important part of the application process as it allows you to talk about yourself and your passions and prove the value you can bring to your chosen university.

In this article, we’re going to talk you through how to write a postgraduate personal statement that stands out and gives you the best chance of being offered a place on the master’s programme you’re applying for. 

Shona Barrie – Director of Admissions, University of Stirling

You’ll have already written a personal statement for your undergraduate study, so you’ll know the importance of preparation. There are two things to think about when you’re planning:

• The practical and factual information you need to get across.
• Then, the more emotional, human parts of you that make you different to everyone else. 

Before you start writing, take some time to think about the key things you’d want your chosen university to know about you, and get them down on paper.

Questions to focus your mind

• Why have you chosen this master’s programme?
• Why are you passionate about this subject matter? 
• How has your undergraduate study influenced your decision to apply?
• Have you got any work experience that might help you?
• What life experiences have you had that you could talk about?
• What achievements can you talk about to support your application?
• Why do you want to study at this particular university?
• What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Three top tips

Be specific.

Remember that a postgraduate personal statement needs you to talk specifically about the university you’ve chosen.

Demonstrate experience

Universities will be looking for postgraduate students who are able to demonstrate expertise in a particular subject – so include that.

Show what you've learnt

Tell the university about your university life as an undergraduate and include any clubs or societies you were involved in.

Admissions tutors will be reading a lot of personal statements so it’s important to grab their attention right from the start. 

You can find a full guide on How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber but here are the main things for you to think about. 

• Don’t overthink the opening . Just start by showing your enthusiasm for the subject, showcasing your knowledge and understanding, and sharing your ambitions of what you want to achieve.
• Avoid cliches . Remember, this opening part is simply about introducing yourself, so let the admissions tutor reading your personal statement get to know you. 
• Keep it relevant and simple . You’re limited on how much you can include so avoid long-winded explanations. Why use 50 words when ten can make your point?

Talking about the course

Now you’re ready to start talking about the course and subject you’re applying for.

There are four main areas you’ll need to cover in this section of your personal statement. 

• Why are you applying for this master’s?  Think about your undergraduate study and how this master’s will develop your expertise further. Do you have career aspirations this course will help you achieve?
• Why does the subject interest you? This is your chance to show your passion and really demonstrate who you are. If you have work or volunteering experiences related to the subject, include them here.
• Why do you think you’ll be an asset to the university?  Your personal and practical skills combined together create a unique picture of who you are and why you’ll be a successful postgraduate student, so include both. 
• How does your previous undergraduate study relate to the course? Showcase your enthusiasm for your current study and take the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge now, and how you want to build on that. 

Next, you’ll need to write about your personal skills and achievements.

Universities like to know the abilities you have that’ll help you on the course, or generally with life at university. Don’t forget to include evidence to back up why you’re so passionate about the programme you’ve chosen.

Your personal skills and achievements

Be bold and talk about the achievements you’re proud of., include positions of responsibility you hold, or have held, both in and out of school., what are the things that make you interesting, special, or unique .

Your work experience and future plans are important to include in your personal statement. You should share details of jobs, placements, work experience, or voluntary work, particularly if it's relevant to your course. 

• Try to link any experience to skills or qualities that’ll make you successful on your course.
• If you know what you’d like to do after as a career, explain how you plan to use the knowledge and experience you’ll gain.

It’s always good to connect the beginning of your statement to the end and a great way to reinforce what you said at the start. You want to see the ending as your chance to end in a way that’ll make the university remember you. 

This final part of your personal statement should emphasise the great points you’ve already made and answer the question of why you should be offered a place on the course. 

Read our full guide on How to finish your statement the right way .

Aakriti Labra – MSc Occupational and Organisational Psychology, University of Surrey

Now you’ve written your postgraduate personal statement, you’ll need to do a couple of final things before you submit it. 

• Have you proofread your personal statement? Don’t just rely on spellcheckers. We’d recommend reading it out loud as that’s a great way to spot any errors as well as checking it sounds like you. 
• Have you asked for feedback? Ask friends, family or your undergraduate university tutors to have a read through your personal statement and take their feedback on board.
• Check out our personal statement dos and don'ts Have a look at the common pitfalls against your final draft to make sure you haven't made any obvious errors!

More advice

Use the UCAS’ personal statement tool alongside this guide to help you structure your ideas.

Do you want to understand the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement? Take a look at our guide here.

Why study a postgraduate course? Find out here.  

What funding is there for postgraduate courses?  

Sponsored articles UCAS Media Service

How to find a job, student finance for postgraduate loans, five reasons to sign up to the ucas newsletter.

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Journalism – Boost Your Personal Statement

Thinking about studying journalism at university but not sure what to include in your personal statement?  

Journalism is a competitive industry, but if you’re considering studying a degree in this exciting discipline, it’s important that you convey your enthusiasm, capability and written communication well – your personal statement is therefore the best place to evidence these skills. Understandably, the current situation has made things very difficult for you to gain extra-curricular skills, but here are a few activities you may wish to do over the summer to research the profession more and to enhance your personal statement.

You may be undecided about the type of journalism you want to specialise in, be it newspaper, magazine, digital, TV or radio broadcast journalism, but that’s ok as a degree in journalism will give you the opportunity to explore different areas in more depth, so ensure that you check the content of your five university choices for variety.   Also ensure that you research the profession – click here for further information.   

After you’ve researched different careers, start researching influential journalists.   You may aspire to be the next Faisal Islam or Vanessa Kingori, or it may be someone who writes or broadcasts about topics that you value such as the environment, music, fashion, travel, food, equality or human rights for example.   Like artists, it’s always good to have a muse or a role model to admire from afar before you start developing your own style.   So start watching TED talks, collate inspiring journalists’ work and dig a bit deeper into their backgrounds.

A sk yourself, what makes a successful journalist, influencer or campaigner?

Build upon the skills of a journalist

Check out the NCTJ Summer School , which boasts a series of video clips outlining the different attributes that make a great journalist.   This has already started but you can check out the videos on YouTube and learn about a variety of journalistic skills such as news gathering, media ethics, law, sports reporting, fact checking and much more.   Click here for access.  

Another useful skill is touch-typing and improving the number of words-per-minute that you can type and you can take a free online course here. You may have also heard about news reporters taking notes using shorthand when interviewing people.  This skill, used by many journalists is known as teeline and is great for when technology fails.  Have a go at learning some of the basics here as well as brushing up on your grammar from the BBC news style archives.

For a variety of free online courses related to Journalism and Media, try Alison , Coursera, or Open Culture all delivered from universities from all over the world.   This will give you a taste of learning beyond your current course and will equip you with research and independent study skills.   Just ensure that you check the time commitment of the course so that it’s feasible for you to complete.  It is also wise to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the industry such as new technology, tools, apps and current affairs through the Journalism website – a go-to site for many journalists where you can read about current developments as well as listen to podcasts.

If you’ve not had any work experience yet, there are some virtual opportunities currently available.   Although these are not journalistic roles, you will still acquire employability skills such as time-management, planning and working to a deadline – all skills transferable to journalism.   View the following platforms on Chrome for opportunities: Inside Sherpa, Barclays Lifeskills and Speakers for Schools .  

For writing experience, you’ll have to be persuasive and seek out opportunities yourself, so approach your local newspaper and ask if there are any virtual tasks you can help them with or see if you can interview a journalist about their job. The worst they can do is say no! Or try writing competitions such as the BBC Young Reporter, Young Muslim Writers Award , or the Walter Scott Prize to name a few.  

You could also try blogging about issues that are important to you through sites such as WordPress or Blogger – don’t worry if nobody reads them, this is a way for you to collate your writing! 

Volunteering in roles such as tutoring English or campaigning for social action is also great experience, so try Vinspired .  You can always blog about your volunteering experiences too! Or why not approach other volunteering organisations and offer to write for them?   You could even ask your school or college if you can start a newsletter, newspaper or social media communication – this will build your personal writing portfolio.   Other ideas include volunteering for hospital radio when the situation becomes safer to do so. For information on this, click here.

These are just some cost-effective ideas for you to expand upon in your personal statement, but it’s not an exhaustive list so do keep your eyes open for other opportunities too.  

Remember, like a journalist, be tenacious and create opportunities!

For further advice on your personal statement, email: [email protected]

* Always be cautious and check any online forum or employer with your teacher or people at home first, as your safety is paramount!

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