Fast Facts

The Chronicle of Higher Education is offering a scholarship and summer internship for students interested in reporting on race and identity in American institutions. The program includes a $10,000 scholarship and a paid summer internship in their Washington, D.C. newsroom, focusing on diverse educational issues and minority-serving institutions.

Responsibilities: Interns will report and write stories for The Chronicle, contribute to daily newsletters, and assist on data and long-term projects.

Skills: Candidates should possess strong writing and communication skills, knowledge of MS Office, and attention to detail.

Qualifications: Applicants must have prior journalism experience and be pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies, along with a portfolio of published work.

Location: The internship is primarily in Washington, D.C., with potential for remote work in several states, including MD, VA, MI, WA, TX, FL, NC, and NY.

Compensation: $800 - $800 / Weekly

The Chronicle of Higher Education believes a diverse newsroom delivers the most comprehensive and dynamic journalism. Our scholarship program is targeted at students who are committed to writing professionally about the many ways race and identity intersect with America’s institutions.

The 2026 Scholarship Recipient will participate in our paid 2026 Summer Journalism internship and be awarded a $10,000 scholarship.

Summer Reporting Internship

The internship runs from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

The Chronicle is the premier source for news about higher education. We’ve been around since 1966, and more than a million people read us online every month. We’re also an equal-opportunity employer, and one of our top priorities is recruiting and maintaining a diverse staff.

As an intern, you’d be a full-time reporter in our Washington, D.C. newsroom. Interns work primarily on daily-news coverage and also have opportunities to pursue more ambitious stories and contribute to newsroom projects. You’d focus your coverage on Minority Serving Institutions (such as HBCUs), efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented faculty, staff, and students on college campuses, and how the federal Office of Civil Rights is defining and investigating alleged discrimination on campuses. You would also help audit our coverage of Minority Serving Institutions, ensuring that it is fair, accurate and comprehensive, and maintain and promote our newsroom’s diverse source list. Click these links for some examples of our past interns’ work. Pay is $800 a week before taxes.

The Chronicle is independently owned and based in Washington, D.C. Most Chronicle staff members work in a hybrid capacity out of our D.C. office, but remote work in VA, MD, MI, WA, TX, FL, NC, and NY may be considered. If you have questions about the policy, email Kate Bellows at [email protected]. 

For more information about eligibility requirements and how to apply, please see the Chronicle of Higher Education Scholarship Portal here.

To apply for this scholarship you must include the following with your application: 

•  A resume.
•  A cover letter that includes your interest in the scholarship, the internship, and your experience(s) writing about a historically marginalized community.
• The email addresses and phone numbers of three references; at least two of them should have edited or supervised your journalism.
• Provide five published clips that show us what you’re capable of (articles, links to articles, links to multimedia projects, or any other kind of reporting project). Please ensure application readers are able to view your clips (e.g., an ad doesn't cover half the article).
• Candidates should have some prior experience in a newsroom, be it college or professional.

We will begin reviewing applications on Thursday, January 15 and hope to extend offers by early March.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Report and write stories that contribute to The Chronicle’s short-term and medium-term news coverage and that appear in The Chronicle’s flagship daily newsletter.
• Contribute reporting to The Chronicle’s Daily Briefing subscriber-only newsletter,
• Assist on data projects and other long-term reporting projects.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate or graduate studies and prior experience writing or producing published clips, such as articles, links to articles, links to multimedia projects, or any other kind of reporting project, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Some prior experience in a newsroom, be it in a college publication or professional.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of MS Office applications, especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong organizational and verbal communication skills with keen attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Strong, clear written communication skills.
• Ability to learn quickly.
• Ability to complete reporting assignments from an editor and meet established deadlines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Ability to perform work indoors in climate-controlled private work area with minimal noise, performing primarily sedentary work.
• Ability to routinely perform work on computer for an average of 7-8 hours per day, when necessary.
• Ability to work extended hours whenever requested by management.