Princeton Summer Journalism Program
Application Deadline: January 26, 2026 at 10:59 pm (says 11:59, that's Eastern Standard Time)
Application Website: Application Process | Princeton Summer Journalism Program
For 10 days in July-August, SJP students attend workshops and lectures and learn skills to produce their own newspaper. Classes at the program are taught by program alumni and reporters and editors from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, The Daily Beast, Politico, Sports Illustrated and CNN, among other media outlets. In addition to introducing students to the multifaceted world of journalism, PSJP is designed to immerse students in a residential experience at one of the best colleges in the country: Princeton University. Students live on campus in underclassmen residence halls and attend sessions with Princeton's top professors. Toward the end of the program, students attend seminars on every aspect of the college admissions process, including test prep, writing personal narratives, choosing the best fit college, and understanding financial aid. Travel to Princeton, and the entire program, is free.
Program Eligibility: High school junior living in the United States, 3.5 unweighted GPA, interest in journalism, low-income (combined parental income less than 60,000, qualify for free/reduced lunch, or qualify for SAT/ACT fee waiver). Students who will be first-generation college students are given priority consideration.
Application Requirements: transcript to upload, parent tax forms if available, three essays: 1) In about 150 words, tell us about a news, feature or opinion article you’ve read recently that impacted you deeply, and why it had an effect on you. 2) In about 150 words, tell us about your interest in pursuing a career in journalism. 3) Take an issue, a trend, a phenomenon, a group or an important person in your local community, and write an article about it, her or him. This is a chance for you to show off your skills as a journalist. Your article may take the form of a news piece, a feature piece or an opinion piece. Please indicate which type of article it is in the box beneath your article. It should be about 400 words in length.
