USA Scholarships
Partial Funding Undergraduate Masters the USA

NPPF Still & Multimedia Scholarship 2027 - USA

Deadline Around 6 February 2027, 5:59 p.m. Eastern 140 days left · Hosted by National Press Photographers Foundation · Published

The NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship honors Mary Lou Foy, the first woman photojournalist at the Gainesville Sun and a former Washington Post picture editor who led the National Press Photographers Association as president. Funded by NPPA Booster Club members, the award goes to university students whose portfolios show strong still work and multimedia storytelling. You do not submit a separate Mary Lou Foy form. Instead you enter the unified NPPF student competition on Picter with your CV PDF, professor letter, and up to 24 images or videos. A jury of working picture editors matches winners to named funds, including Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia, when your work fits still-plus-multimedia excellence. 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.

Student scholarship payment
$2,500
Photojournalism students
Undergrad & grad
Expected Picter close
Early Feb 2027
Spring semester enrollment
U.S. four-year schools
How to apply Am I eligible? Official website

What is the NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship?

The NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship is the student award the National Press Photographers Foundation lists as the Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia Scholarship. Mary Lou Foy started at the Gainesville Sun in 1971 as that paper''s first woman photojournalist, later worked at the Miami Herald, and spent years as a picture editor at The Washington Post. She served as NPPA president in 1992-93 and spent decades pushing visual journalism forward. Booster Club members fund this scholarship so the next generation can carry that same mix of still excellence and multimedia nerve.

You apply the same way every NPPF student does. When Picter opens, you upload a CV PDF with three essays, a professor recommendation on letterhead, and a portfolio of up to twenty-four stills and videos that follow NPPF caption and metadata rules. Picture editors who run newsrooms today judge the pool and assign named scholarships, including Mary Lou Foy, to the files that best fit each donor''s intent. Financial need matters, so the need essay is not filler.

For the 2027 cycle, plan around the annual rhythm NPPF publishes on nppf.org/student-scholarships. The 2026 competition opened December 3, 2025 and closed February 6, 2026 at 5:59 p.m. Eastern, with email notice to winners within about a month. Expect early December 2026 through early February 2027 for the next round, and refresh your portfolio with recent campus or internship work that shows both strong still storytelling and multimedia pieces.

If you are stacking options, the Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship USA 2027 covers another NPPF named fund in the same Picter competition, the Tech Journalism Fund USA 2026 supports independent reporting grants for working journalists, and the STC Student Scholarship USA 2027 helps technical communication students. Authoritative rules and the Picter link live on the NPPF student scholarships page and the Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia Scholarship page.

Who can apply

Eligibility

Your progress 0 / 6
  • ✓
    Enrollment at a U.S. four-year college or university
    You must be an undergraduate or 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.
  • ✓
    Still photography and multimedia storytelling focus
    The Mary Lou Foy fund recognizes students studying photojournalism with a concentration in still photography and multimedia. Your portfolio should show storytelling ability through singles, picture stories, video, or a mix that reflects both still and multimedia skills.
  • ✓
    Photojournalism talent and academic standing
    NPPF expects evidence of talent in photojournalism plus a GPA that shows you can complete degree requirements. Judges weight your portfolio heavily when deciding whether your work matches the Mary Lou Foy criteria.
  • ✓
    Demonstrated financial need
    Complete the financial need essay 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. Disqualifying manipulation includes Content Aware edits or staged situations presented as news.
  • ✓
    One NPPF scholarship per winner
    You compete in one Picter submission for the full pool of named scholarships. NPPF grants only one scholarship per student even if your portfolio could fit several funds.
What you get

Benefits

  • Scholarship value $2,500
  • Payment method Bursar deposit or mailed check
  • Named Mary Lou Foy award Matched by professional jury
  • First-time recipient gifts Sony camera or sponsor gear certificates when applicable
  • Educational portfolio use Winning work may appear on NPPF with permission
  • Tuition and living costs You allocate the cash award
  • International travel 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.
  • ✓
    Still and multimedia portfolio
    Up to 24 JPEG or MP4/MOV files showing singles, picture stories, and/or videos per NPPF rules. Include at least some still work and multimedia pieces if you want the jury to consider you for the Mary Lou Foy fund. Follow nppf.org/online-portfolio-image-preparation for captions and metadata.
  • ✓
    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 Picter URL, portfolio limits, and the enrollment semester named for the 2027 competition before you build new work.
Mary Lou Foy recipients excel at both still photography and multimedia formats. Plan singles, picture stories, and short videos that show ethical, narrative-driven photojournalism rather than only standalone frames.
Caption every still, embed required metadata, and keep each video under ten minutes. Rejected uploads are a common delay, so check nppf.org/online-portfolio-image-preparation before export.
Draft the three essays within the form 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. The 2026 cycle closed February 6, 2026 at 5:59 p.m. Eastern; expect a similar early-February 2027 cutoff.
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
140 days left
Early Dec 2026
Expected opening of the next NPPF student scholarship Picter competition.
Dec 2026 - Jan 2027
Applicants finalize still and multimedia portfolios, CV essays, and professor recommendations.
Early Feb 2027
Picter submission deadline, typically 5:59 p.m. Eastern on a Friday.
Mar 2027
Email notification to scholarship recipients, including Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia winners.
Spring 2027
Award applied toward spring or upcoming semester study per NPPF rules.
Ongoing
Awarded portfolios may appear on NPPF educational pages to help other students learn.
Questions

FAQ

What is the NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship?

It is the Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia Scholarship offered through the National Press Photographers Foundation. The fund honors Mary Lou Foy, a pioneering photojournalist and former NPPA president, and supports students who demonstrate excellence in still photography and multimedia storytelling. Winners receive $2,500 after competing in the unified NPPF Picter student competition.

Is the NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship the same as the Mary Lou Foy Scholarship?

Yes. NPPF lists the award as the Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia Scholarship on nppf.org. CareerOneStop and other directories often shorten the name to NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship, but the application path, eligibility, and jury process are the same named fund within the NPPF student pool.

When is the NPPF Still and Multimedia 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 the live Picter link on nppf.org/student-scholarships when the competition opens.

How much is the NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship worth?

NPPF deposits $2,500 into each student awardee's university bursar account or mails a check according to instructions you provide after notification. First-time recipients may also receive sponsor gifts such as a Sony Alpha camera or equipment certificates from corporate partners listed on the student scholarships page.

Do I need a separate application for the Mary Lou Foy fund?

No. You submit one Picter portfolio and CV for all NPPF named scholarships. The jury assigns the Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia Scholarship when your still and multimedia work best matches that donor's criteria. You cannot request a specific fund in the standard application beyond optional Clarkson or TV scholarship flags.

Can international students apply for the NPPF Still and Multimedia Scholarship?

International students residing in the United States who are enrolled at an accredited four-year U.S. college or university for the spring semester of the competition year may apply. You must meet the same portfolio, recommendation, ethics, and financial need requirements as domestic students.

What portfolio mix fits the Mary Lou Foy Still and Multimedia Scholarship?

NPPF allows singles, picture stories, and videos up to the file limits on the student scholarships page. For the Mary Lou Foy fund, show storytelling through still photography and multimedia together rather than only one format. Caption stills correctly, avoid disqualifying manipulation, and keep videos within the length cap.

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, and avoid Content Aware or other edits that violate photojournalism norms.

Featured

Scholarship Union

More in-depth scholarship guides curated by experts.

Keep looking

Related guides

Partial Funding
Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship 2027 - NPPF
The Kit C. King Graduate Scholarship, awarded through the National Press Photographers Foundation King/Lott fund, supports graduate students with talent in photojournalism who need financial help to continue study at an accredited four-year U.S. college or university. You apply once through the unified NPPF Picter competition with a portfolio, professor recommendation, and CV essays. The 2027 cycle is expected to open in early December 2026 and close in early February 2027, with a $2,500 award paid to your bursar account or by check.
Partial Funding
STC Scholarships 2027 - Society for Technical Communication
STC Scholarships from the Society for Technical Communication support undergraduate and graduate students who study technical communication, professional writing, UX content, or related fields. Up to four $500 awards (two undergraduate and two graduate) are granted annually, and winners may attend the STC Summit with complimentary registration. Apply through the STC scholarship page at stc.org with essays, two recommendations, and a transcript; the typical deadline is 15 February. Some databases incorrectly list lochgroup.com as the sponsor URL, but the authoritative source is STC in Arlington, Virginia.
Partial Funding
Tech Journalism Fund 2026 - $5,000 to $25,000 Grants
The Tech Journalism Fund 2026 is Omidyar Network's project grant for US-based journalists reporting on technology and society, paying $5,000 to $25,000 towards the cost of a single resource-intensive story. Freelancers, staff reporters, editors and whole teams are eligible across any medium. The money covers reporting costs rather than salary: travel, research and fact-checking support, multimedia work, data access such as LexisNexis searches and government record requests, and a stipend for the reporting time itself. Priority goes to pitches on AI regulation and tech policy, investigations into the companies and people shaping the AI industry, the effect of AI on children and families, and how workers and unions are dealing with AI at work. Applications run on a rolling basis with no deadline and are usually reviewed within 30 days. Every funded project stays editorially independent and discloses the support.
Partial Funding
ITE Diversity Scholars 2027 - Up to $20,000
The ITE Diversity Scholars Program, now branded as the ITE University Scholars Program, supports US high school seniors and community college transfer students who plan to study transportation engineering, planning, or related fields at a four-year university with an ITE Student Chapter. Scholars can receive up to $20,000 total, paid up to $4,000 per year for as many as five years, plus mentoring, chapter engagement, and internship connections. Applicants need a 3.0 high school GPA, US citizenship or lawful permanent residency, and preference goes to first-generation and Pell-eligible students. Applications are due March 15 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the ITE scholarship platform.

Always verify scholarship details on the official source before applying. Information on this page may change.

Visit official website