2025 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award

Now in its 13th year, the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award, in partnership with the UK Foreign Press Association (FPA), celebrates outstanding young journalists from the developing world. The award is open to journalists aged 30 or under (on 24 November 2025) who are from and reporting in countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than USD20,000. Entrants must submit a portfolio of three published or broadcast pieces produced within the 12 months preceding the deadline: 1 August 2025, midnight (London time).

Project Themes

• Investigative and impactful journalism
• Public interest reporting in the developing world
• Multimedia storytelling across print, audio, video, or online platforms
• Coverage that sparked public debate or had societal impact
• Original, verified journalism with clear authorship
• Collaborative reporting efforts

Eligibility Criteria

• Journalists aged 30 or under on 24 November 2025
• From and working in countries with a GNI per capita under USD20,000 (as defined by World Bank criteria)
• Must submit a portfolio of 3 published/broadcast works from the 12 months prior to 1 August 2025
• Entries may be in any language, but must include a verbatim English translation
• Submissions must include a written summary (max 200 words per story) explaining the content and its impact
• Each submission must be accompanied by a verification letter from an editor or journalism academic (sent separately by email)
• Applicants must declare and explain any collaboration on submitted work
• Submissions will be checked for plagiarism; non-original work will result in disqualification

Deadline: 1 August 2025
For more information, please click here.