Jean-Luc Lagardère Foundation - Jean-Luc Lagardère Foundation Talent Scholarship-Journalism

Jean-Luc Lagardère Foundation journalism scholarship

You will receive a one-off grant of 10,000 EUR to fund a comprehensive written report or a detailed journalistic article for print media, which you will produce in France or abroad. The report must address a social, economic, political or cultural topic and be written in French. You have up to 5 years to complete the project. In the published piece, you must identify yourself as a ‘recipient of the Jean-Luc Lagardère Foundation grant’. Each year, the Foundation awards a grant to a single freelance journalist.

Who can apply

• Job: You work as a freelance journalist.
• Published work: You have already published at least 2 reports or research articles in French, each comprising at least 5,000 characters, whether in print or online.
• Age: You must not be older than 30 at the end of the year in which you apply.
• Language: You speak French fluently. You will present your project in French, both in writing and orally.
• Nationality: Open to all nationalities.
• Your project: You are submitting an original idea for a major project. You may only submit one project. A project that has previously been rejected may only be resubmitted if you have substantially revised it.

How to apply

Applications can be submitted free of charge via the Foundation’s website by 14 June, 23:59. You must submit a complete PDF file containing your personal statement, CV, project description, preliminary research and financial plan, as well as copies of your two published works. If you are shortlisted, you will present your project in person to the jury in French. If you fail to attend, you will be disqualified.

How realistic are your chances?

Only one scholarship is awarded each year, and the jury can decide to give none at all if no project convinces it. So this is a genuinely competitive single award. The requirements narrow the field sharply: you must be a freelance journalist under 30 with published work and a strong, original report idea you can defend in French. If you fit that profile and bring a well-researched, newsworthy project, you have a real shot. A polished, concrete proposal is what decides it.