Student Journalist Starter Pack
Seven tools and guides to help student journalists break into the industry: CV template, cover letter, portfolio guidance, pitch generator, ethics quiz, glossary, and NCTJ guide.
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Who this pack is for
This pack is designed for journalism students, recent graduates, and career changers who are breaking into UK journalism for the first time. Whether you are applying for an NCTJ course, a regional newspaper training scheme, a national newspaper work experience placement, or trying to land your first freelance commission, this pack gives you the practical tools you need without the noise.
The pack covers the four key areas new entrants need to master: presenting yourself on paper (CV, cover letter, portfolio), getting published (pitch generator), understanding your ethical obligations (ethics quiz, glossary), and qualifying (NCTJ guide). All tools are free and require no account.
What’s included
Seven tools and guides — click any card to open it directly.
Journalism CV Template
A journalism-specific CV structure that leads with bylines and clips, not generic graduate formatting.
Cover Letter Template
A cover letter structure tailored for journalism applications — editorial training schemes, staff roles, and work experience.
Portfolio Guidance
How to select, present, and link to your clips for journalism job applications and editorial training scheme assessments.
Pitch Generator
Build a structured pitch email for editors: hook, news peg, sources, word count, and rights — in under two minutes.
Ethics Quiz
Test your knowledge of NUJ Code and IPSO Editors' Code principles through real-world ethical scenarios.
Journalism Glossary
A comprehensive A–Z glossary of journalism terms, legal concepts, and industry jargon for new entrants.
NCTJ Qualification Guide
A full guide to the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism: units, exams, shorthand, and how to study and pass.
Work Experience Cold-Email Guide
How to approach newsrooms for work experience: what to include, how to follow up, and a template you can adapt for regional, national, and broadcast outlets.
NCTJ Exam Revision Tracker
A structured revision planner for the four core NCTJ units — media law, public affairs, shorthand, and journalism practice — with recommended study hours per topic.
How to use this pack
- 1
Get your application materials right first
Before pitching editors or applying for schemes, make sure your CV and cover letter are in shape. Use the Journalism CV Template to restructure your CV around bylines and clips rather than generic graduate experience. Use the Cover Letter Template to write a targeted application for each specific role. Refer to the Portfolio Guidance to select your best clips and present them effectively.
- 2
Start pitching — and keep pitching
Getting your first bylines requires persistence. Use the Pitch Generator to structure each pitch, but personalise it for each editor and outlet. Start with local and regional titles, student media, and hyperlocal news sites. Track each pitch in a simple spreadsheet with the outlet, editor, story idea, date sent, and response. Expect a low hit rate and do not be discouraged.
- 3
Understand your ethical obligations early
Take the Ethics Quiz to test your understanding of the NUJ Code and IPSO Editors' Code. Many journalism students underestimate how important ethics knowledge is — NCTJ exams test it directly, and employment panels ask about it. Read the Journalism Glossary to ensure you know key legal and industry terms.
- 4
Plan your NCTJ path
Read the NCTJ Guide to understand the qualification structure: the Diploma units, the assessed journalism practice, and the key exams (law, public affairs, shorthand). Decide whether full-time course, part-time course, or apprenticeship is right for your situation. Note that shorthand takes many months of regular practice — start earlier than you think you need to.
- 5
Build your portfolio systematically
Refer to the Portfolio Guidance after every piece you publish. Ask yourself: does this demonstrate something new about my skills? Aim for variety — news, feature, interview, and if possible an investigation or data piece. Keep all your published work in a dedicated folder with URLs, screenshots, and PDFs as backup.
Red flags — mistakes that hold student journalists back
- A generic CV that leads with your degree rather than your bylines — employers want to see evidence you can write and report, not just that you studied journalism.
- A portfolio that contains only one type of writing (e.g. all features, no news) — employers want to see range; even a short 300-word news story demonstrates you understand the format.
- Leaving shorthand until the final year — reaching 100 wpm requires months of daily practice; starting late makes passing the NCTJ exam extremely difficult.
- Applying for editorial training schemes without tailoring each application — generic cover letters are immediately recognisable and indicate a lack of genuine interest in the specific outlet.
- Publishing inaccurate stories on your student newspaper without correcting them — a student publication carries the same ethical obligations as a professional one; editors check your track record.
- Not building a public online presence — a LinkedIn profile, a personal website with clips, and a professional social media presence are all expected by the time you apply for your first job.
- Assuming your degree alone will get you a job — without bylines, work experience, and demonstrable skills (shorthand, data, social media), a journalism degree has limited standalone value in the UK job market.
Primary sources
- NCTJ — Diploma in Journalism — the official qualification structure, unit list, and accredited course finder
- NUJ Code of Conduct — the ethical code all student members should read and understand before they start reporting
- IPSO Editors' Code of Practice — the regulatory standard for accuracy, privacy, harassment, and fairness; tested in NCTJ media law exams
- Journalism.co.uk Jobs — the primary UK job board for journalism roles, training schemes, and work experience placements
- Press Gazette Jobs — national, regional, and digital journalism vacancies
- Guardian Careers — Journalism — practical career advice from industry professionals; regularly updated
- NCTJ — Journalism Apprenticeships — employer-funded routes to NCTJ qualification while working; available at regional and national level
Common mistakes
- Writing in an academic style for news. News writing is short sentences, active voice, inverted pyramid — the most important information first. Academic writing is the opposite. Practise rewriting your academic essays as 300-word news stories.
- Not recording interviews. Always record with consent. Memory is unreliable and misquotation ends careers. Even if you use shorthand, a backup recording protects you if a source disputes what they said.
- Relying solely on social media for sources. Social media posts are starting points, not publishable sources. Verify everything; call the person; get a named, on-the-record quote before you publish.
- Missing deadlines. Delivering late is one of the fastest ways to end a relationship with an editor — even a student editor. Being reliably on time is a more valuable professional attribute than any writing skill at the entry level.
- Not joining the NUJ as a student member. Student NUJ membership costs very little, provides access to legal support, media law resources, and networking, and demonstrates professional seriousness on a CV.