Kontext Media Academy

Learn it in a working newsroom, not a lecture hall

We train aspiring and working journalists and content creators in the studio where our own programmes are made — practical skills, ethical grounding, and the creative confidence to work in an industry that changes every quarter.

Applications for the November cohort close on 16 October 2026.

Academy in sessionA cohort working in the studio — 1600×1200

Why the Academy exists

We met talented storytellers with no room to practise

Journalists who could not get near a professional production facility. Young creators with exceptional ideas and nowhere to develop the craft. That gap is one of the three reasons Kontext Media Africa was founded, and the Academy is the part of the answer that outlives any single programme we publish.

So we teach in the room where the work happens. Trainees sit in on real productions, cut real material, and publish something with their name on it before they leave.

Practical skills

Scripting, shooting, audio, editing, publishing. Things a graduate can actually do.

Ethical grounding

Sourcing, verification, right of reply, consent, and the law as it applies in Uganda.

Creative confidence

Pitching, finding a story, research, developing a voice, working to a deadline in public.

Programmes

Three ways in, depending on where you are starting

For people starting out

Foundations in Digital Storytelling

For recent graduates and aspiring creators who can write but have never held a camera, or can shoot but have never structured a story.

Length
4 weeks
Format
In studio, part-time
Cohort
3 learners per cohort
Fee
UGX 320,000

For working journalists

Newsroom Practice

For reporters and producers already in work who need the digital half of the craft — shooting, cutting, and publishing to platforms that did not exist when they trained.

Length
4 weeks
Format
Evenings (4–7pm), intensive
Cohort
2 learners per cohort
Fee
UGX 250,000

For creators and teams

Creator Studio

For content creators and in-house communications teams who want their output to look and sound like it was made professionally, because it was.

Length
5 days
Format
Workshop, in studio, part-time
Cohort
Maximum of 3 people per team
Fee
UGX 200,000 per team

Dates and fees

The next intakes

ProgrammeStartsApplications closeFeeStatus
FoundationsNovember16 October 2026UGX 320,000Open
Newsroom PracticeNovember16 October 2026UGX 250,000Open
Creator StudioDecemberAlways openUGX 200,000Open

No scholarships available at the moment. Partial payment and employer sponsorship are available.

How to apply

  1. Send us the form

    Name, what you do now, and what you want to be able to do afterwards. Attach your CV.

  2. Show us something

    One piece of work — a video, a script, a recording, a piece of writing. It does not have to be polished.

  3. A conversation

    A 45-minute call so we can get to know you and your expectations.

  4. Offer and place

    You receive a decision by email within 7 days.

Seven questions, about five minutes. Applications for the November cohort close on 16 October 2026.

Kontext Media Academy

Apply for a place

Seven questions, about five minutes. Nothing here has to be polished — we are reading for what you want to make, not how well you fill in forms.

This is where our answer goes, so check it twice.

Student, reporter at a station, running your own page, between things — a few words is enough.

A video, a script, a recording, a piece of writing. It does not have to be polished. Nothing yet? Leave this empty and say so below.

A short paragraph. We read every one.

Before you apply

Do I need a journalism degree?

Only for some programmes.

Do I need my own camera or laptop?

If you have your own devices, you can always bring them along.

Is it taught in English or Luganda?

Teaching takes a mix of English and Luganda. Training materials are available only in English.

Can I do it while working full-time?

Yes. You can choose a time that suits you best for your training.

Is there a certificate at the end?

You receive a ‘Certificate of Completion’ at the end of your training.

Do you help with work afterwards?

We offer introductory and recommendation letters to our alumni. We also run an active alumni network where opportunities are regularly shared.

Still unsure? Write to academy@kontextmedia.africa and ask.