Lyra McKee Bursary Scheme 2025
Applications for the #CIJLyraMcKee Bursary Scheme 2025 are now OPEN!
#CIJLyraMcKee Bursary Scheme:
The #CIJLyraMcKee Bursary Scheme was established in memory of the young and courageous Northern Irish investigative journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead by dissident republicans in Derry in April 2019.
The aim of this five-month bursary scheme is to train and mentor people from underrepresented backgrounds, who aspire to become journalists or who are at the very early stages of their journalism career.
The Lyra McKee Journalism Training Bursary was inspired by Lyra’s determination to become an investigative journalist despite personal disability, the need to care for her disabled mother, as well as fighting the in-built bias against working-class entrants to journalism.
Launched in 2019, this will be our sixth intake (the 2020 bursary scheme was postponed due to the global Covid-19 pandemic).
What to expect?
It is not just a paid-for training.
The #CIJLyra McKee Bursary Scheme is a five-month programme which incorporates training at #CIJSummer Conference 2025 and online, as well as a mentoring programme with regular meetings.
It builds towards a Pitch to the Editors session, where the trainees will pitch stories to working UK editors.
“I thought the mentors were so constructive and friendly in their feedback. I didn’t find them intimidating to talk to, and they helped to solve problems in a supportive and empowering way”
“[The mentors] worked through bumps in my ideas; helped me hone my emails, media requests and pitch; and were on hand for the many questions, small and large, that I had throughout the programme. Having never personally known a working journalist I could turn to for advice, the mentors on this programme were such an integral part to my learning and development. I think I learnt as much from them in a few months as I would have on any full time journalism course.”
Time Commitment
Mentoring: 9-10 x 1.5 -2 hours online evening sessions: 19 May, 2, 16 June, 7,14 July, 1, 8, 15, 22 September 2025.
#CIJSummer Conference: 2 full days of training at Goldsmiths, University of London. Dates: 26-27 June 2025.
Online data course: 6hrs of online data journalism course in July spread over 2 days. Dates – TBC.
Why apply?
#CIJLyraMcKee provides cutting edge investigative journalism training (online courses and in-person #CIJSummer Investigative Journalism Conference 2025), and regular online mentoring from leading investigative journalists, culminating in a Pitch to the Editors Day, when the trainees pitch their stories to working UK editors.
“I think it’s a really generous scheme that genuinely wants to equip people with the skills to further themselves. The addition of mentoring felt vital to me. I’ve been for job interviews where the interviewer was very impressed with the fact I was on the scheme. Thanks so much.”
It is a tough and very practical training programme with a great success record.
“The #CIJLyraMcKee scheme was one of the best things I did last year!”
Assisted by the mentors, lots of participants secured journalism jobs and internships following their training at #CIJSummer Conference, a fantastic measure of the programme’s success. These include positions at the BBC Scotland Disclosure team, BBC Asian Network, BBC Humberside, The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Belfast Telegraph, The Northern Echo, Tortoise Media, Deutsche Welle, and FE Week among others.
Jax Sinclair (CIJ Lyra McKee 2021) works as an assistant producer/journalist for the BBC.
Rhys Everquill (CIJ Lyra McKee 2022) co-founded a media co-operative in Leicester – Leicester Gazette.
Rachel Keenan (CIJ Lyra McKee 2022) received the Scott Trust Bursary at Goldsmiths and is now working at the Guardian.
Flávia Gouveia (CIJ Lyra McKee 2023) started doing paid shifts at the Belfast Telegraph and has recently had the story she worked on during her CIJ Lyra McKee traineeship about the disused properties in Northern Ireland published on the front page! She is currently working as a journalist at the Irish News.
Meg Byrom (CIJ Lyra McKee 2023) works as a trainee reporter at The Daily Mail.
Darcie Rawlings (CIJ Lyra McKee 2023) started working as an Apprentice Reporter for The Northern Echo.
Kateryna Pavliuk (CIJ Lyra McKee 2023) joined the BBC journalism apprenticeship scheme and secured a job as a video editor at Tortoise Media.
Who can apply?
We especially welcome applications from people from poorer backgrounds, people of colour, people with disabilities, carers, members of the LGBTQ+ community, Travellers and anyone who cannot afford to pay for the #CIJSummer training. It is open to UK and Republic of Ireland residents only. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
What is covered by the bursary scheme?
The 2025 bursary scheme has funding from the Lorana Sullivan Foundation, from Lyra McKee’s family and for the first time this year from The Press Council of Ireland.
The bursary covers training and mentoring, as well as, depending on the trainees’ needs, travel and accommodation in London to attend the #CIJSummer Conference 2025.
Key dates:
Application opens: 31 January 2025
Application deadline: 31 March, 23:59 BST (UK time)
Offers to successful applicants made by: 1 May 2025
Programme starts: Mid-May 2025
#CIJSummer Conference 2025: 26-27 June 2025.
‘Pitch to the Editors’ Day: September 2025
Programme ends: September 2025
Application:
Testimonials:
“It is well recognised and quality training. It gives a great start for journalists in the industry and gives niche training not available elsewhere. Great for the CV! ”
“I really enjoyed [Pitch to the Editors]! Getting that level of feedback from people I would be pitching to in the future was really helpful, as I now understand what they would be looking for. Despite studying journalism at university I have always struggled to understand what an editor would want from me in a pitch and now I don’t feel in the dark anymore. It was also great to hear other people’s pitches and feedback for other stories.”
“The scheme is invaluable. I have gained so many skills that I wouldn’t have gotten from my university course. I met some fab people.”
“I think it’s a really helpful scheme that genuinely wants to equip people with the skills to further themselves. The addition of mentoring felt vital to me. I’ve been for job interviews where the interviewer was very impressed with the fact I was on the scheme, so it’s given me opportunities to impress people and a boost for my CV. I’ve enjoyed it all. Thanks so much. “
More:
You can read Francesca Hughes’ (CIJ Lyra McKee 2022) account of her experience of the bursary scheme on the the Warwick University Website.
We also urge you to watch LYRA, an award winning documentary about Lyra McKee on Channel 4 On Demand.