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Partial Funding Masters the USA

Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship 2027 - NPPF

Deadline Around 6 February 2027, 5:59 p.m. Eastern 141 days left · Hosted by National Press Photographers Foundation · Published

The Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship honors Spokane photojournalist Kit King through the National Press Photographers Foundation King/Lott Scholarship. Graduate students enrolled at accredited four-year U.S. universities compete in the same NPPF student competition as undergraduates, submitting a storytelling portfolio, professor recommendation, and CV essays on your photojournalism journey, financial need, and career plans. A professional jury matches winners to named funds, including King/Lott, which carries a $2,500 award. International students residing in the U.S. may apply. The 2026 cycle ran December 3, 2025 through February 6, 2026; expect a similar early-December 2026 opening and early-February 2027 close for the next competition.

King/Lott fund award
$2,500
Photojournalism focus
Graduate
Expected Picter close
Early Feb 2027
Enrolled grad students
U.S. four-year schools
How to apply Am I eligible? Official website

What is the Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship?

Kit King built a reputation in Spokane for gritty, human-centered newspaper photography before his death in 1991. The National Press Photographers Foundation keeps his name alive through the King/Lott Scholarship, which pairs his legacy with Frank Lott''s and pays $2,500 to a student whose portfolio shows both technical skill and empathy for subjects.

Graduate programs in photojournalism, visual communication, and related fields are exactly where recent Kit King recipients have studied. You do not mail a separate Kit C. King form. Instead you enter the same Picter competition every NPPF student uses, and a jury of working picture editors decides which named fund fits your work.

That means your file needs three pillars: a tight portfolio with captions and metadata that meet NPPF upload rules, a professor who can speak to your campus news work on letterhead, and honest essays about why you need the money and where photojournalism fits your career. Financial need is part of the story, not a side note.

Watch nppf.org each December for the Picter link, plan for an early-February Eastern Time deadline, and treat the NPPF student scholarships page as the only authoritative schedule for the 2027 cycle.

Who can apply

Eligibility

Your progress 0 / 6
  • ✓
    Graduate enrollment at a U.S. four-year school
    You must be a graduate student enrolled for the spring semester of the competition year and attending an accredited four-year college or university in the United States. International students residing in the U.S. are eligible.
  • ✓
    Photojournalism aptitude and academic ability
    NPPF expects evidence of talent in photojournalism or visual storytelling plus a GPA that shows you can complete degree requirements. Your portfolio carries the heaviest weight in judging.
  • ✓
    Demonstrated financial need
    Complete the financial need statement on the NPPF CV form. The foundation awards scholarships to encourage students who need help continuing photojournalism study.
  • ✓
    NPPA Code of Ethics compliance
    Confirm on the CV form that your conduct and work align with the National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics. Manipulated or staged work can disqualify an entry.
  • ✓
    Spring semester enrollment
    Undergraduate and graduate applicants must be enrolled for the spring semester of the competition year listed on nppf.org. Verify the enrollment wording on the live cycle page before you apply.
  • ✓
    Single NPPF award per winner
    You may apply for multiple named NPPF scholarships in one Picter submission, but the foundation grants only one scholarship per student even if you qualify for several funds.
What you get

Benefits

  • King/Lott scholarship value $2,500
  • Payment method Bursar deposit or mailed check
  • Professional jury review Named fund matched to your portfolio
  • First-time recipient gifts Corporate sponsor gear certificates when applicable
  • Tuition and fees Paid from award at your discretion
  • Travel to workshops Not covered by the scholarship
What to prepare

Document checklist

Documents gathered 0 / 5
  • ✓
    NPPF Scholarship CV form (PDF)
    Download the CV form from nppf.org/student-scholarships, complete contact info, GPA, campus media experience, ethics confirmation, and three one-page essays on your journey, financial need, and career aspirations. Save as yourlastname_firstname_University.PDF and upload to Picter.
  • ✓
    Professor recommendation letter
    One letter on university letterhead from a professor or lecturer familiar with your photojournalism work, dated the competition year, signed, and saved as PDF for Picter upload.
  • ✓
    Photo and video portfolio
    Up to 24 JPEG or MP4/MOV files showing singles, picture stories, and/or videos per NPPF portfolio rules. Follow nppf.org/online-portfolio-image-preparation for caption and metadata requirements.
  • ✓
    Picter application profile
    Complete name, date of birth, permanent address, personal email, and mobile phone on the Picter site linked from nppf.org when the cycle opens.
  • ✓
    Bursar or mailing details after selection
    If awarded, provide university bursar account information or a mailing address so NPPF can deposit $2,500 or mail payment as instructed.
Step by step

How to apply

Visit nppf.org/student-scholarships for the exact Picter URL, file limits, and enrollment semester named for the 2027 competition before you start shooting new work.
Caption every still, meet JPEG size rules, and keep video files within length limits. Rejected metadata is a common reason portfolios fail upload.
Draft the three essays within character limits, confirm ethics compliance, and save the PDF with the required filename before Picter opens.
Ask a faculty mentor who knows your campus photojournalism work early enough to receive a signed, dated letter on letterhead before the deadline.
Upload CV, recommendation, and portfolio to the Picter competition linked from NPPF. Prior cycles closed at 5:59 p.m. Eastern on a Friday in early February.
Recipients are notified by email within about a month. Send bursar details or mailing instructions promptly so funds reach you for the next semester.
When

Deadline and timeline

Application deadline
Around 6 February 2027, 5:59 p.m. Eastern
141 days left
Early Dec 2026
Expected opening of the next NPPF student scholarship Picter competition.
Dec 2026 - Jan 2027
Applicants finalize portfolios, CV essays, and professor recommendations.
Early Feb 2027
Picter submission deadline, typically 5:59 p.m. Eastern.
Mar 2027
Email notification to scholarship recipients and alternates.
Spring 2027
Award applied toward spring or upcoming semester study per NPPF rules.
Ongoing
Winning portfolios may appear on NPPF educational pages with your permission.
Questions

FAQ

What is the Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship?

It is a graduate-level photojournalism scholarship honored through the National Press Photographers Foundation King/Lott Scholarship, named partly for Kit King, former chief photographer at The Spokesman-Review. Winners receive $2,500 after competing in the unified NPPF student portfolio competition.

Is the Kit C. King scholarship the same as the King/Lott Scholarship?

Yes. NPPF lists the King/Lott Scholarship on nppf.org as the fund honoring Kit King and Frank Lott. Graduate recipients such as George Washington University and UNC-Chapel Hill students have been announced as Kit King Scholarship winners in NPPF records.

When is the Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship deadline for 2027?

NPPF says next year's dates will be similar to the 2026 cycle, which opened December 3, 2025 and closed February 6, 2026 at 5:59 p.m. Eastern. Expect early December 2026 through early February 2027, and confirm on nppf.org when Picter goes live.

How much is the Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship worth?

The King/Lott fund awards $2,500. NPPF deposits the money into your university bursar account or mails a check according to instructions you provide after notification.

Can undergraduate photojournalism students apply for Kit C. King?

Undergraduates compete in the same NPPF pool for other named scholarships worth $2,500 each. The Kit C. King name most often appears on graduate recipients, but the application process is one shared Picter submission for all eligible students.

Do I need separate applications for each NPPF scholarship?

No. You submit one Picter portfolio and CV. The jury assigns the named scholarship that best matches your work and the donor criteria, which can include King/Lott for strong documentary storytelling.

What happens if my images violate NPPA ethics?

NPPF may disqualify entries with manipulation beyond professional standards or rescind an award after notification if ethics violations surface. Review the NPPA Code of Ethics before you edit files for submission.

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