Competition for the 2016 Sky Bob Friend Scholarship opens next week, and this year there is an important change in eligibility.  Henceforth, with the sole exception that previous winners may not enter again, ALL undergraduate students in the Centre are eligible to compete. So, first, second and third years may enter.  

Students have until 4pm on Friday 12 February to submit their entries for this, the most prestigious prize available to journalism undergraduates in the UK. Shortlisting will take place soon afterwards and candidates who make the shortlist will travel to Sky’s Westminster studios at Millbank, London SW1 to meet a panel chaired by a representative of Sky News.  At least one student from each year will be shortlisted.

So, what do you have to do to win? Applicants must provide a detailed proposal for a multi-platform treatment of a topical news item, appropriate to Sky News. Multi-platform means content suitable for TV, radio, online and mobile platforms. Proposals will be considered by a panel that will draw up a final shortlist of candidates. At Millbank the shortlisted students will sit tests in general knowledge and spelling set by Sky News

The prize is £3,500 and a fully-funded four week internship at Sky News. Previous winners include: Alan McGuinness, who now works at Sky News; Tania Steere who is a producer at ITN;  Jemma Collins, who began her career as a reporter with KMTV; and the 2015 scholar,  Boglarka Kosztolanyi,  who spent much of last summer working for Sky News in Hungary, Austria, Serbia etc.

The 2016 Scholar will receive their prize from Faisal Islam, Political Editor of Sky News. Faisal will present the prize before delivering the 2016 Bob Friend Memorial Lecture.

We will provide further detailed briefings and guidance to all eligible students.