W. Eugene Smith Student Grant 2026

The W. Eugene Smith Grant for Student Photographers is designed to encourage and support students whose photographic work renews the tradition of W. Eugene Smith’s dedicated compassion as evidenced during his 45-year career as a photographic essayist. Special consideration will be given to work that promotes social change, that embraces new technologies and image distribution, and that seeks to integrate the tradition of photography and social change with contemporary practice. The judges will be looking for a photographer and project that seem most likely to use exemplary and compelling photojournalism and documentary photography (possibly supplemented by or incorporating multi-media) to address an issue of import and impact related to the human condition: social change, humanitarian concern, armed conflict, or other topics of interpersonal, psychological, cultural, social, environmental, scientific, medical and/or political significance, ideally expressing an underlying acknowledgement of our common humanity.

Requirements
A biography up to 1500 characters (spaces included). A CV, up to 2000 characters (spaces included), is optional, and can instead be submitted as a PDF of unlimited length.
The project description is a concise synopsis or summary of the project. This outline should be brief but comprehensive. Ideally, the project will be journalistically realizable, visually translatable, and humanistically driven. The description should not exceed 2000 characters (spaces included).
The project proposal should go into greater detail, describing the practical aspects of the applicant's plan. It should explain how the applicant will use the Smith Student Grant funds to complete the project. The proposal should not exceed 3000 characters (spaces included).
Student ID: A JPG of a current Student ID must be submitted, as the 40th image uploaded.
IMAGES: Applicants can submit up to 40 images total (including their Student ID). These should consist of representative images from the project being proposed to the W. Eugene Smith Grant for Student Photographers. The applicant can also include in their submission past work clearly marked as such, that represents the candidate's vision and their ability to execute the project being proposed to the fund. No AI generated imagery is allowed.
Must be at least 18 years of age to apply.

What the Recipient Receives

For 2026, the amount of the W. Eugene Smith Student Grant is $5,000. The grant provides two students with the opportunity to complete a photographic essay.

In the event the applicant is the recipient of the Student Grant, the applicant understands and agrees that $4,500 of the total Grant of $5,000 will be paid upon receipt of the Grant, and $500 will be paid upon receipt of twelve (12) digital images within eighteen (18) months after receipt of the Grant. The recipient must also submit a final report detailing how the grant was used and how the money contributed to the success of the project.

The images and prints referenced above will become part of the W. Eugene Smith Legacy Collection at the International Center of Photography ("ICP"). Recipients agree that, along with the delivery of the images and prints, the Recipient will sign a Deed of Gift, as may be revised from time to time, granting an irrevocable worldwide nonexclusive license to the Smith Fund and to ICP to use each of the images and prints in exhibitions and to reproduce each of the images and prints in any media now known or hereafter developed (print, electronic, film, or other) for non-commercial purposes including, but not limited to, reproductions used in advertising, public relations, catalogs, books or other similar publications relating to the Smith Fund or to ICP.

The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, independently administers the grant program that provides photographers with the opportunity to carry out or complete a major photographic essay.