The Pool of Young Journalists in Europe is a one-year content-creation programme run by Eurodesk together with the European Commission. Members report on the issues that matter to young people in Europe and publish articles, videos, photos and podcasts on the European Youth Portal, which the organisers describe as drawing more than 8 million visits a year, and on Eurodesk’s social media channels. The pool was created during the European Year of Youth and reached its fifth edition in 2026, when 17 young journalists were chosen from more than 400 applications.
Members work from their home countries, join monthly online editorial meetings, and travel to Brussels twice during the year. A new call opens on the portal each autumn for the following year’s cohort.
Benefits & funding
- Publication on the European Youth Portal and on Eurodesk’s social media channels
- Regular online training webinars across the year
- A kick-off week in Brussels with workshops on interview techniques, storytelling and public speaking, plus visits to the European Parliament and the European Commission
- A network of young journalists from across Europe and contact with EU officials
- No participation fee. The official pages do not state any payment for published content and do not state whether travel costs are reimbursed.
Eligibility
- Aged 18 to 30; the 2026 call required applicants to be at least 18 by 1 February of the programme year
- Resident in one of the 36 Eurodesk countries: the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Georgia and Switzerland
- Able to write and communicate in English
- Available to contribute for a full one-year period, including monthly online editorial meetings and training sessions
- Willing to travel one to three times during the year, including in-person meetings in Brussels in mid-February and at the end of August or beginning of September
- Ready to meet the monthly content goals: at least three pieces of content, produced alone or with other members of the pool
- Residence is the only geographic gate; the call sets no nationality requirement and no degree requirement
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Residence required
Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czechia · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece
+ 24 more
Hungary · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Netherlands · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Iceland · Liechtenstein · North Macedonia · Norway · Serbia · Türkiye · Ukraine · Georgia · Switzerland
Age requirement
18–30 yrs
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Application process
- 1Watch the programme page on the European Youth Portal for the call, which opens each autumn; the 2026 call opened on 8 September 2025.
- 2Prepare a motivation letter or a motivation video.
- 3Prepare one article as a writing sample.
- 4Complete the online application form linked from the call and submit both items before the deadline; for the 2026 edition it was 30 September 2025, 23:59 CEST.
- 5Wait for the selection outcome. Chosen journalists are announced on the portal and invited to the Brussels kick-off week.
Program timeline
8 September 2025
Applications open for the 2026 edition
Application deadline, 23:59 CEST
30 September 2025
Kick-off week in Brussels, with workshops and institution visits
February 2026
Second in-person meeting in Brussels
End of August to early September 2026
One-year term ends
31 December 2026
Call for the next edition expected to open
Autumn 2026