403 applicants from 56 regions are selected for the Young Journalists School at the National Centre RUSSIA

The Young Journalists School at the National Centre RUSSIA has announced its selection results, with 403 applicants recommended for admission. Of these, 270 will take part in face-to-face programmes in Moscow and at the branches in Vladivostok, Krasnoyarsk, Khanty-Mansiysk, Ryazan and Sevastopol, while a further 133 have been selected for a special online module — they represent 56 regions of the country.  

The "Young Journalists School" is a project run by the National Centre RUSSIA in partnership with the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and the Movement of the First, offering training in several formats. The Russian Children and Youth Centre is the project's strategic partner. The programme trains the next generation of media professionals — a pool of talent to safeguard Russia's information sovereignty and ensure objective coverage of events.

The competitive selection process took place in several stages. By 20 October, applicants aged 12 to 17 submitted their applications online and completed a creative assignment — an essay on one of the suggested topics and a 90-second video introducing themselves. The list of applicants who advanced to the in-person stage was published on 1 November, and from 3 to 13 November they were interviewed by experts at the National Centre RUSSIA or by video call and wrote an assessment essay. The jury assessed their command of written language and depth of thought, as well as their ability to reason, engage in discussion and defend their views.

Classes will begin in mid-November and run until 30 June 2027. The programme consists of seven modules and combines theory and practice. Participants will gain a thorough grounding in the Russian language, the basics of journalism, journalistic genres, ethics and legal requirements, then work with mentors to create multimedia content — written pieces, photos, videos, blogs and AI-generated content — and test it straight away on different platforms as they cover events at the National Centre RUSSIA. An online module is available to pupils from the regions, allowing them to complete the programme remotely wherever they live.

Participants will get an inside look at the profession through visits to the country's leading news agencies, where they will see first-hand how news stories take shape, how broadcasts are put together and how newsrooms operate in real time. They will learn from people who shape the country's media landscape every day.

The Young Journalists School aims to find and nurture the voices of a new generation — bold, honest and talented young journalists with a command of language who will shape public debate and Russia's media agenda in the years ahead. In January 2027, participants will attend a winter session with hands-on training in a real media setting, followed by a summer placement and interim assessment in May and June, and the programme will conclude in June with final project defences and a graduation ceremony.

The final list of participants is available on the Young Journalists School page.