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Scholarships and Bursaries for the Channel 4 Investigative Journalism MA

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De Montfort University (DMU) and Channel 4 have joined forces to offer an innovative MA in Investigative Journalism.

We recognise that many talented people may not be able to afford to take up a place on the course. That’s why we are offering financial assistance to those successful candidates who need it most. 

  • DMU will pay the course fees of two students, and Channel 4 will pay the fees of two more
  • Channel 4 will provide £5,000 towards the living expenses for three students, and help with work experience expenses.

Louisa Compton, Head of News and Current Affairs at Channel 4 said: “Channel 4 is committed to training the next generation of investigative journalists. This collaboration with DMU takes our commitment a stage further, providing a very high-quality MA with teaching provided by professionals who are themselves television journalists of the highest calibre. It’s vital for the future of investigative television journalism that we train up a new generation and widen the pool of talent to include people from diverse backgrounds.”

What's on offer

4 x £9,500 Fee Waiver Scholarships

3 x £5,000 Living Expenses Bursaries

You can apply for both, but (save in exceptional circumstances) can only be awarded one or the other.

£9,500 Fee Waiver Scholarship

There are four scholarships available in the form of fee waivers, each worth £9,500, which will pay the fees of two individual students. Two are funded by DMU, two by Channel 4.

Eligibility

The scholarships are only available to full-time UK and EU students who hold an offer to study on our Investigative Journalism MA, are commencing study in Autumn 2024 and who meet the relevant eligibility criteria. You can apply for a place on the course and for a scholarship at the same time.

How to apply

Deadlines

The application process for the 2024/25 academic year is now open. The deadline for applications is Friday 30 August, 2024. 

However, there are only a limited amount of places on the course, and these will be filled as and when suitable candidates are selected. You are advised to apply as early as you can. 

We are likely to award the Fee Waivers earlier than the deadline if the course becomes fully subscribed and applications close before then. 

Assessment

Submissions will be judged by members of the academic course team, whose decision will be final. In relation to the two Fee Waiver Scholarships offered by Channel 4, they will consult with Channel 4.

Application process for the DMU and C4 scholarships

Application process for the Fee Waiver Scholarships Candidates should submit the relevant information to the course leader, Pervez Khan, at pervez.khan@dmu.ac.uk. You will need to provide:

EITHER:

a) a video of no more than four minutes; or

b) an essay of up to 2,000 words,

outlining an investigative journalism project you would wish to undertake. The video or essay should explain what the planned investigation is, why it will be interesting to a viewer, how it could be carried out and what ethical, regulatory, or legal challenges the investigating journalist could expect to face.

AND

c) a personal statement of no more than 300 words explaining how the award would benefit you, and why you are a deserving candidate for the award. If you have submitted some of this material in your application for a place on the course, you can ask for that to be also taken as the basis for your application for the fee waiver. Please contact the course leader, Pervez Khan, to discuss this.

Terms and conditions

  • For all students the scholarship will not be available in a repeat year
  • To qualify for the scholarship, you must be accepted onto the Investigative Journalism MA meeting the published academic and non-academic entry criteria. Please check course details for entry requirements
  • Be regarded as a UK or EU status student for tuition fees as assessed by DMU and Student Finance England in accordance with UKCISA guidelines
  • The scholarship will act as a tuition fee discount to be applied at the point of enrolment
  • The scholarship is valid only for entry into the 2024/25 academic year and cannot be deferred by the applicant until a subsequent academic year
  • Applicants must have no outstanding debt with the university
  • This scholarship cannot be combined with any other scholarship offered at De Montfort University (DMU), only one will apply
  • That means students in receipt of the scholarship will not be eligible for any other scholarships or awards
  • No cash alternatives will be offered and the scholarship cannot normally be transferred to any other course at DMU or to a nominated recipient
  • Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the University and/or Channel 4, as appropriate
  • Scholarships are only available to students paying their own fees; sponsored students will not be eligible
  • DMU and/or Channel 4, as appropriate, reserve the right to cancel any scholarship which has been claimed fraudulently and to apply the full tuition fee
  • Where a student terminates or interrupts their studies, prior to the completion of their course, both the tuition fees and scholarship will be pro-rata, based on the student’s last date of attendance
  • DMU and/or Channel 4 reserve the right not to award any bursaries should applications not reach an appropriate standard
  • DMU and/or Channel 4 reserve the right to revise, review or withdraw any of the bursaries at any time with a notice period of two weeks

 

£5,000 Living Expenses Bursary

Channel 4 is offering three bursaries of up to £5,000 to go towards the living costs of students.

You can apply for the bursary at the same time as applying for a place on the course, however, if you are not offered a place on the course, your application for the bursary will not be considered.

Eligibility

Please read the descriptions below carefully to see if you are able to meet the principal scheme criteria.

The bursaries are only available to full-time UK and EU students who hold an offer to study on our Investigative Journalism MA and are commencing study in Autumn 2024.

C4 Living Expenses Bursaries are aimed at:

  1. Candidates who demonstrate that they have the capacity to succeed in the industry.
  2. Candidates who would find great difficulty in undertaking the course without Channel 4’s help.
  3. Candidates from one of the targeted groups of people who are underrepresented in the industry

How to apply

Deadlines

The application process for the 2024/25 academic year is now open. The deadline for applications is Friday 29 August 2025. 

However, there are only a limited amount of places on the course, and these will be filled as and when suitable candidates are selected. So you are advised to apply early. First come, first served.

We are likely to award the Living Expenses Bursaries earlier than the deadline, if the course becomes fully subscribed and applications close.

Assessment

Submissions will be judged by members of the academic course team, who will consult with Channel 4. The decision, collectively arrived at, will be final.

Application process for the Living Expenses Bursaries

EITHER:

a) a video of no more than four minutes; or

b) an essay of up to 2,000 words,  

outlining an investigative journalism project you would wish to undertake. The video or essay should explain what the planned investigation is, why it will be interesting to a viewer, how it could be carried out and what ethical, regulatory, or legal challenges  the investigating journalist could expect to face

AND

c) a personal statement of no more than 300 words explaining how the award would benefit the student, and why they are a deserving candidate for the award.

If you have submitted some of this material in your application for a place on the course, you can ask for that to be also taken as the basis for your application for the fee waiver. Please contact the course leader, Pervez Khan, to discuss this.

AND

You will need to fill in the Living Expenses Bursaries application form, which you can find here: Application form

You should email the completed material to pervez.khan@dmu.ac.uk, together with scanned copies of any supporting documents and your supporting statement.

Alternatively, you may post a copy of the form together with your supporting documents to:

Pervez Khan

Room 1.24 Clephan Building
Channel 4 Investigative Journalism Bursaries
De Montfort University 
The Gateway 
Leicester
LE1 9BH

Please send important documents recorded delivery. And please don’t send original documents.  We will not be able to return any documents you supply.

Terms and Conditions

  • The C4 Living Expenses Bursaries are awarded at the discretion of Channel 4
  • To qualify for a Bursary, an applicant must be accepted onto the Channel 4 Investigative Journalism MA meeting the published academic and non-academic entry criteria. Please check MA course details for entry requirements
  • An applicant must be regarded as a UK or EU status student for tuition fees (i.e. by DMU and Student Finance England (SFE))
  • A Living Expenses Bursary is valid only for entry into the 2025/26 academic year and cannot be deferred by the applicant until a subsequent academic year
  • The Bursary shall not be available to any student in a repeat year
  • The Bursary shall be paid in instalments in line with DMU’s normal Bursary payment schedule
  • An applicant must have no outstanding debt to DMU
  • Students in receipt of the Bursary will not be eligible for any other scholarships or awards
  • No cash alternatives will be offered and the Bursary cannot be transferred to any other course at DMU or to a nominated recipient. 
  • Bursaries are only available to students responsible for paying their own fees; sponsored students will not be eligible
  • Channel 4 or DMU has the right to cancel any Bursary which has been claimed fraudulently
  • Where a student terminates or interrupts his/her studies prior to the completion of his/her course, then the Bursary will be reduced pro rata calculated on the basis of the student’s last date of attendance
  • Channel 4 reserves the right not to award any Bursaries should applications not meet the appropriate standard
  • Channel 4 reserves the right to revise, review or withdraw any of the Bursaries at any time upon giving 2 weeks’ prior written notice.