Calling all student storytellers and future journalists!

Are you passionate about sharing stories about UCL life and your experiences here? Whether you're a first-year student finding your feet or further into your degree, we have two exciting opportunities for you to bring fresh perspectives to your fellow students – all while earning and learning. 

These two programmes offer more than just flexible paid work. They're a chance to hone your content creation skills, build an impressive portfolio, and make your mark on UCL life. Open to all students, from undergrads to postgrads, here's your chance to shape the narrative. 

UCL Student Storytellers 

This flagship programme (previously the UCL Student Journalism Scheme) is now entering its third year. Join our team of five Student Storytellers and work with the Communications Team until September 2025 to create outstanding articles and short-form content. This role is perfect for those looking to level up their journalism and content creation skills. You'll be: 

• Pitching innovative content ideas 

• Crafting original, student-centric long-form and short-form content 

• Collaborating with our media relations team, social media creators and groundbreaking academic researchers 

• Receiving training and upskilling in order to create a portfolio you can take forwards into your career. 

The minimum commitment is one piece of standout content per term. Get inspired to apply by finding out more about our previous cohorts – the 2023-4 Student Storytellers (Journalists) here and the inaugural 2022-23 Student Storytellers (Journalists) here.

How to apply to be a Student Storyteller

We are looking for great writers and content creators who are curious about what’s happening at UCL, want to improve their content skills and get paid for doing so. If you wish to apply, please complete the below two tasks and read the full job description here.

1. List 3 specific topics you would enjoy writing or creating content about which would also be meaningful to a UCL student audience. 

2. Write a one-paragraph response to the following message from the UCL Central Communications Team:  

“Hello, potential Student Storytellers!  

We are looking for content based one of the following:  

• New or groundbreaking academic research coming from UCL 
• Content about living in London 
• Content about student wellbeing  

Please tell us which one you would like to write about, and give a brief rundown of the content. Please include a title, a sub-heading, and a one-paragraph overview/synopsis. Please make clear whether this would be a long-form article and/or short-form content (you can suggest both); and which channels the short-form content might go out on. 

Please bear in mind:  

• The piece needs to be relevant in some way to UCL  
• Your audience is your fellow UCL students  
• It needs to be timely and topical  
• Include who you would approach for interview.  
• If you're only interested in creating short-form content, you can apply for the VPEE Social Media Team's Student Content Creators Scheme – the application link will be updated for this by end of September.
  
  Please include your subject and year of study in your email, and send these and your response to the task to Eli Lee, Communications Manager, at: eli.lee@ucl.ac.uk. 

Deadline for UCL Student Storytellers entry: 11.59pm, Sunday 26 October 2024.  

Please note there is to be no use of an LLM (large language model, such as ChatGPT) for either your pitch or any articles you write on the scheme if you are selected. We can tell! 

If you have any questions, please email studentcommunications@ucl.ac.uk. 

Completed the above tasks? Apply to be a Student Storyteller here!

UCL Student Content Producers Pool  

If you're looking for more flexibility, why not apply to our team of 20 Content Producers? This role lets you: 

• Write articles on diverse topics that interest you 

• Work on your own schedule – no minimum time commitment 

• Develop your skills and build a varied portfolio 

• See your work featured across university platforms 

How it works:  
You'll be part of a Microsoft Teams channel where article and blog requests are posted. See something that sparks your interest? Claim it, create it, and get published – and paid! 

How to apply to the UCL Student Content Producers Pool

Please complete the following two tasks and read the full job description here. 

1. List three topics you would like to write an article about that would be relevant for a UCL student audience.  

2. Please respond to the below request posted on the Student Content Writers Pool Teams Channel:

Paid opportunity – Student content needed for the Student Support and Wellbeing Team (SSW)

Hello Student Content Writers! SSW is looking for articles on student wellbeing on topics including:
• homesickness
• transitioning to university life
• balancing studies & regular life (time management)
• managing your physical and mental health
• budgeting/managing your finances
• managing relationships and networks.

Please can you pitch a UCL Student News article based on one of these topics. Your pitch should include:

• What your article is about in general 
• Some ideas about the key content it will cover – give us more details here; what exactly will you be writing about? 
• Who will you interview for it? 
• What are you hoping the article will achieve? 

Your pitch should be no more than 250 words. Please note that the Student Content Writers Pool focuses predominantly on writing articles. If you're only interested in creating short-form content, you can apply for the VPEE Social Media Team's Student Content Creators Scheme – the application link will be updated for this by end of September.

Deadline for Student Content Writers Pool entry: 11.59pm, Sunday 26 October 2024.   
 
Please note there is to be no use of an LLM (large language model, such as ChatGPT) for either your pitch or any articles you write on the scheme if you are selected. We can tell! 

If you have any questions about the role or task, please contact studentcommunications@ucl.ac.uk 

Completed the above tasks? Apply for the Student Content Pool!