| Association Name | Local/National | Deadline | Description | Link | Keyword | Single/Multiple | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Advertising Federation | National | March | The National Student Advertising Competition is the premier college advertising competition. | https://www.aaf.org/Public/Events/National-Student-Advertising-Competition/About_District_Competitions.aspx | Advertising, Communications, Marketing | Single | Tel: 202-898-0089 |
| American Cinema Editors | National | December | Anne V. Coates Student Editing Competition | https://americancinemaeditors.org/ed-center/student-editing-competition/ | Film | Single | Tel: 323-956-2900 |
| American Copy Editors Society | National | See website | ACES invests in the future of editing by recognizing students and editors newer to the field. | https://aceseditors.org/awards | Editing, Poetry, Writing | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| American Society of Journalists and Authors | National | See website | ASJA offers numerous awards for freelance writers. | https://www.asja.org/what-we-do/awards/ | Journalism, Writing | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 212-997-0947 |
| Associated Collegiate Press | National | May | ACP Individual Awards honor the nation’s best collegiate journalism — in a wide range of categories. | https://studentpress.org/acp/awards/contest-rules/#individual | Advertising, Business, Journalism, Writing | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication | National | See website | The Mass Communication and Society Division seeks research paper submissions from both faculty and students. | https://community.aejmc.org/mcsd/awards | Public Relations, Research, Writing | Multiple | Tel: 803-798-0721 |
| Association of Healthcare Journalists | National | February | Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism | https://healthjournalism.org/awards-for-excellence/ | Journalism, Healthcare | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Broadcast Education Association | National | See website | The BEA and NAB provide a Student Scholars Program for college undergraduate and graduate students to attend the BEA and NAB Show conventions. | https://beaweb.org/wp/rab/ | Radio, Television | Single | Email: [email protected] |
| College Broadcasters, Inc. | National | May | CBI holds the National Student Production Awards. | https://askcbi.org/2025-award-categories/ | Production | Multiple | Tel: 855-275-4224 |
| College Media Association | National | See website | CMA hosts student contests: The Pinnacle Awards, Apple Awards, and Film & Audio Festival Awards. | https://collegemedia.org/honors/student-contests/ | Film, Production | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 518-463-8644 |
| Columbia Scholastic Press Association | National | September | CSPA Crown Awards are the highest recognition given by the CSPA to a student print or digital medium for overall excellence. | https://precollege.sps.columbia.edu/columbia-scholastic-press-association/cspa-awards-programs/cspa-crown-awards | Journalism | Single | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 212-854-9400 |
| Columbia Scholastic Press Association | National | September | CSPA Gold Circle Awards are offered to recognize superior work by student journalists. | https://precollege.sps.columbia.edu/columbia-scholastic-press-association/cspa-awards-programs/cspa-gold-circle-awards | Journalism | Single | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 212-854-9400 |
| Education Writers Association | National | January | The National Awards for Education Reporting advance education journalism by recognizing the field’s very best efforts. | https://ewa.org/ewa-awards | Journalism, Reporting, Podcast | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Hearst Journalism Awards Program | National | See website | The Hearst Journalism Awards program consists of 14 competitions in college writing, photojournalism, audio, television, and multimedia. | http://www.hearstawards.org/guidelines/entry-guidelines/ | Audio, Journalism, Television | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 415-908-4565 |
| Hearst Journalism Awards Program | National | See website | The Hearst Journalism Awards Program offers up to $500,000 in awards, including five monthly writing competitions, two photojournalism competitions, one radio competition, two television competitions, and four multimedia competitions. | http://www.hearstawards.org/guidelines/entry-guidelines/ | Journalism, Photography | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Institute for Public Relations | National | See website | IPR offers numerous students awards. | https://instituteforpr.org/student-awards/ | Public Relations | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 352-392-0280 |
| International Council of Design | National | See website | The ICoD features member events, including design competitions and awards, organized by its member organizations. | https://www.theicod.org/en/activities/member-events | Graphic Design | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 514-875-7545 |
| International Public Relations Association | National | May | IPRA Golden World Awards (GWA) initiative recognizes excellence in public relations practice worldwide in a variety of categories. | https://www.ipra.org/golden-world-awards/enter/ | Public Relations | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| International Women's Media Foundation | National | See website | IWMF Awards include the Anja Niedringhaus Courage In Photojournalism Award, Courage in Journalism Award, and the Gwen Ifill Award. | https://www.iwmf.org/our-awards/ | Journalism, Photojournalism | Multiple | Tel: 202-496-1992 |
| Investigative Reporters and Editors | National | January | IRE holds several different types of contests every year. | https://www.ire.org/awards/ | Investigative Reporting, Editing | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 573-882-2042 |
| National Association of Science Writers | National | See website | NASW offers a variety of awards that recognize the professional work of science writers. | https://www.nasw.org/awards | Science, Writing | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 510-859-7229 |
| National Broadcasting Society (Broadcast Education Association/AERho) | National | May | The 2025 BEA On-Location Student Creative Competiton will be produced in partnership with CBI’s National Student Production Awards. | https://www.beaweb.org/OL/student-creative-25 | Production | Single | Email: [email protected] |
| National Center for Business Journalism | National | July | The Barlett and Steele Awards | https://businessjournalism.org/awards/enter/ | Journalism | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 602-496-5555 |
| National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association | National | April | Excellence in Journalism Awards | https://www.nlgja.org/excellence-in-journalism-awards/ | Journalism | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 202-588-9888 |
| National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association | National | See website | The Curve Fellowship for Emerging Journalists | https://www.nlgja.org/awardsinfo/curve-award/ | Journalism | Single | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 202-588-9888 |
| National Newspaper Association/Foundation | National | See website | NNA offers several awards including the Amos and McKinney Award, Newspaper and Education contests, Better Newspaper contests, and Daniel M. Phillips Leadership Award. | https://www.nna.org/contests-awards | Journalism | Multiple | Tel: 850-542-7087 |
| National Press Foundation | National | See website | National Press Foundation Awards | https://nationalpress.org/awards/ | Journalism, Reporting | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 202-663-7280 |
| National Press Photographers Association | National | See website | NPPA Contests | https://competitions.nppa.org/ | Journalism, Photography | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| National Press Photographers Association | National | March | NPPA Awards | https://nppa.org/awards/awards | Journalism, Photography | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| National Society of Newspaper Columnists | National | May | NSNC 2025 Annual Columnist Contest for published columnists. | https://www.columnists.com/enter-now/ | Journalism, Newspaper | Single | Joanne Brokaw, Contest Chair; [email protected] |
| Online News Association | National | See website | ONA's Online Journalism Awards are open to newsrooms of all types, websites, micro sites, blogs, podcasts and all digital platforms. | https://awards.journalists.org/awards/ | Journalism | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Public Relations Society of America | National | See website | Annually, PRSSA and the PRSA Foundation offer many individual scholarships. | https://www.prsa.org/prssa/scholarships-awards/individual-scholarships | Public Relations | Multiple | Tel: 212-460-1400 |
| Radio Television Digital News Association | National | February | RTDNA has honored outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards. | https://www.rtdna.org/student-murrow-awards | Podcast | Single | Tel: 202-221-4282 |
| Religion News Association | National | March | Chandler Award for Excellence in Student Religion Reporting | https://rna.org/chandler | Journalism, Reporting | Single | Email: [email protected] |
| Robert F. Kennedy Book and Journalism Awards | National | See website | High School and College Journalism Awards | https://rfkhumanrights.org/awards/book-and-journalism-awards/ | Book, Journalism | Multiple | [email protected] |
| Robert F. Kennedy Book and Journalism Awards | National | May | Speak Truth to Power Video Contest | https://rfkhumanrights.org/our-impact/education/educators/speak-truth-to-power-video-contest/ | Film | Single | Benjamin Higgins, [email protected] or Karen Robinson, [email protected] |
| Sidney Hillman Foundation | National | January | 2025 Hillman Prize | https://www.hillmanfoundation.org/hillman-prizes/nominations | Book, Journalism, Broadcast | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 646-448-6413 |
| Sidney Hillman Foundation | National | See website | Sidney Award | https://www.hillmanfoundation.org/sidney-awards/about | Journalism | Single | Email: [email protected] |
| Society for Experiential Graphic Design | National | See website | SEGD offers the Global Design Awards and Achievement Awards, both of which include categories for student work and offer opportunities for recognition. | https://segd.org/awards/ | Graphic Design | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 202-638-5555 |
| Society for News Design | National | February | The Society for News Design (SND) Creative Competition Best of News Design is a juried competition recognizing excellence in print and digital storytelling, graphics, and social media. | https://snd.org/best-of-design-competitions/ | Digital Storytelling, Graphic Design, Social Media | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Society of American Business Editors and Writers | National | See website | SABEW is well-known for its prestigious Best in Business annual awards | https://sabew.org/contestsawards/ | Book, Business, Journalism | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Society of Environmental Journalists | National | September | SEJ's annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment honor the best environmental journalism in 10 categories. | https://www.sej.org/initiatives/awards-fellowships/sej-annual-awards-reporting-environment | Environment, Journalism | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 202-558-2055 |
| Society of Publication Designers | National | March | 2025 SPD-U Student Competition | https://www.spd.org/student-outreach/category/SPD-U+COMPETITIONS | Design, Illustration, Photography | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 212-223-3332 |
| Southern Public Relations Federation | National | June | The Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF) recognizes its members' outstanding work product through the annual Lantern Awards program. | https://sprf.org/Lantern_Awards | Public Relations | Single | President Patrice Guilfoyle; Email: [email protected] |
| The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists | National | See website | AAEC offers numerous awards to cartoonists. | https://editorialcartoonists.com/cartooning-awards/ | Editorial Cartoon, Political Cartoon | Mulitple | Email: [email protected] |
| The Association of Registered Graphic Designers | National | See website | RGD's annual competition, Student Awards, recognizes communication design excellence from students. | https://rgd.ca/connecting-learning/community/awards/rgd-2025-student-awards | Graphic Design | Single | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 1-888-995-6133 |
| The National Association for Amature Radio | National | See website | ARRL Awards | https://www.arrl.org/awards | Radio | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 1-860-594-0200 |
| The National Association for Amature Radio | National | See website | ARRL Contests | https://www.arrl.org/contests | Radio | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 1-860-594-0200 |
| The Poynter Institute | National | February | The Poynter Institute Journalism Prizes are a prestigious awards contest honoring the best journalism in the United States that previously was run by the News Leaders Association. | https://poynterprizes.secure-platform.com/a | Journalism | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| The Professional Association for Design (AIGA) | National | See website | AIGA Awards | https://www.aiga.org/competitions-initiatives/aiga-awards | Art, Graphic Design | Multiple | Tel: 212-807-1990 |
| The Society of Illustrators | National | See website | The Society of Illustrators hosts several awards and calls for entries throughout the year, recognizing outstanding work in various categories of illustration. | https://societyillustrators.org/awards-calls/ | Art, Illustration | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 212-838-2560 |
| University & College Designers Association | National | See website | The UCDA Awards recognize exceptional design work created by and for educational institutions. | https://www.ucda.com/awards/ | Graphic Design | Multiple | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 615-459-4559 |
| University Film & Video Association | National | See website | The University Film & Video Association (UFVA) offers several awards and grants for student members. | https://ufva.site-ym.com/page/Awards | Film, Television | Multiple | Email: [email protected] |
| Virginia Press Association | Local | January | VPA News & Advertising Contest | https://www.vpa.net/mailing-lists/ | Advertisement, News | Single | Email: [email protected]; Tel: 804-521-7570 |
| Winning Writers | Local | October | Winning Writers offers multiple contests for writers. | https://winningwriters.com/our-contests | Poetry | Single | Email: [email protected] |
This database is a one-stop resource for award and contest opportunities that honor student work. Use the Search function below to sort by keyword or organization.