The competition that offers the next generation of reporters and storytellers the platform to uncover the truth and hold the world accountable on an international stage.
Write articles and learn the tools of journalism while winning prizes, boosting your college applications, and getting published.
"Journalism is what we need to make democracy work."
— Walter Cronkite
Welcome to the
International Journalism Olympiad
Through a Regional Article Competition and an International Media Competition, the International Journalism Olympiad invites high school students to explore the practice and ethics of journalism and evaluate how it shapes public understanding.
Participants will:
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Write their own editorial piece
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Create a media submission
During the Olympiad students will examine:
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Disinformation and misinformation
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War correspondence
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Data journalism
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Media platforms
and show their ability to engage with the complexities of crafting a narrative through the lens of truth-telling.
The International Journalism Olympiad is entirely online and invites students from around the world to challenge themselves to investigate and report on what goes on in our world through articles and media.
Articles and media are to be submitted via a Typeform link we will send
.
How Does It Work?
The Olympiad is divided into two rounds: Regional and International. The regional round is an article competition, and the international round is a media submission competition where the regional round finalists will be invited to compete.
Regional Round:
Write an editorial article in response one of three prompts we will send. Subject matter will vary and will require research and investigation.
Students will have 7 days to answer and submit their response. Responses must be in an article format (with a 1000 word limit, see guidelines and rules) and submitted to a Typeform link we will send.
International Round:
Finalists from each region will be invited to participate in a media submission competition where participants can choose to do a video submission, podcast, montage, or screen recording (see Guidelines and Rules for more information).
For judging criteria see our Guidelines and Rules page. For examples see our Resources page.
Step 2
When the Olympiad begins, choose one of the prompts we will send and respond to it in essay or article form.
Step 3
Submit your response by the deadline via our secure Typeform submission link.
Step 4
Our panel of journalists, editors, and professors will evaluate submissions based on depth, accuracy, originality, and style.
Step 5
Top scorers in each region will advance to the International Round. Finalists will be featured on our website and awarded prizes.
General Timeline
See our Timeline page for more a more detailed schedule.
June
Registration
July
Olympiad Begins
August
Finalists Announced
Why You Should Participate
Prestigious Review
Recognition & Prizes
Stand Out for Admissions
Entries are evaluated by award-winning journalists, foreign correspondents, and editors-in-chief from global institutions and media outlets.
Top essays are published on our website. Winners receive recommendation letters and mentorship opportunities.
University admission will see your initiative and dedication towards a career in news, media, communications, or diplomacy when you participate in the Olympiad.
"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech."
— Benjamin Franklin
Register for the Journalism Olympiad
Judges Panel
Dr. Elizabeth Monroe
PhD, Journalism and Mass Communication – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
PhD Minor, Political Science – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
MA, Journalism – Columbia University
BA, Journalism – Northwestern University
Dr. Elizabeth Monroe is a professor of journalism whose research bridges media institutions with democratic governance, specializing in press freedom, political communication, and the impact of misinformation on public trust. She has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications and led numerous national and international research initiatives on digital media ethics, election coverage, and media polarization.
Our distinguished panel of award winning journalists, correspondents, investigative reporters, and journalism professors bring international standards of integrity and excellence to the review process.
Testimonials
"I’ve never written anything that made me feel more responsible for getting it right. Being held to this standard made me a better writer"
— Leah Zhang
"I used my piece on AI-generated news in my applications to college. The admissions officer actually brought it up in my interview."
— Mateo del Rio
"The feedback I got changed how I think about writing entirely. It taught me to write for real people, not just teachers."
— Alia Johnson