Citizen Storyteller Scholarship

$2,000 toward a documentary you haven't made yet.

Two scholarships are awarded each cycle to university students and recent graduates who want to travel the world and tell stories that matter.

Two awards

per funding cycle · $2,000 USD each

The Concept

What is a citizen storyteller?

A citizen storyteller is not a professional. You do not need a film degree, a reel, or a publication credit. You need to care about a story and be willing to show up for it.

Think about citizen storytelling the way you think about volunteering. Instead of building something or serving something, you contribute your stories. You use whatever media-making abilities you have in service to the people and causes you care about. You find a protagonist whose work deserves an audience. You document it. You share it.

As a traveler, this changes everything. You are no longer passing through. You have a reason to be somewhere, a relationship to build, and something to produce at the end. You experience a destination from the inside, from the perspective of the people who live there, instead of from a bus window.

That is what the scholarship is designed to support. People who are ready to use their time, their travel, and their skills for something useful.

The Details

What you need to know.

Eligibility

Who can apply

University students currently enrolled in any degree program, or graduates who completed their degree within the last four years. No documentary experience required.

The Award

What the scholarship covers

$2,000 USD toward the program fee for any upcoming Actuality Abroad Documentary Outreach. Two awards are made per funding cycle. The scholarship is not transferable to other programs or future cycles.

Programs

Upcoming eligible programs for this round of scholarships

Cambodia · January 2027
TBD · July 2027

Scholarship recipients must also complete the standard Documentary Outreach application and be accepted to their chosen program before the award is applied.

Selection

How recipients are selected

Applications are reviewed by the Actuality Abroad team. There is no single qualifying credential. We are looking for people whose application makes a case for why this is the right next step for them: their past work, their personal statement, and their reason for applying. Timeline All applicants receive a response by early October.

The Application

What we ask for.

The application takes time to do well. That is intentional.

Your background

Name, email, school, and field of study.

Past work

Links to examples of your work in any media. Include your role on each project. This does not need to be documentary film.

Personal statement

What does it mean to you to be a citizen storyteller? This can be written text or a link to a video statement if you prefer. There is no correct answer. We are looking for someone who has actually thought about it.

Social media presence

Links to your active channels. Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, or wherever you participate online.

Program choice

Which Documentary Outreach you have applied to or are planning to apply for.

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