There are 14 journalism awards competitions in the 2025-2026 each school year—four writing, two
photojournalism, one audio, two television, one podcast and four multimedia competitions.

Each participating university may enter two separate students’ entries per competition. Schools receive a $250 stipend per competition entered regardless of students’ placements.

The submission must have been disseminated – published, aired and/or posted – while the student was an
undergraduate journalism major or minor attending a domestic accredited college or university within the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). An exception is made for photo entrants who do not have to be journalism majors/minors to enter the photo competitions.

Double bylines and/or group entries are not allowed except in the Multimedia IV – Team competition and the Team/Individual Investigative Reporting competition.

How to enter

Enter the Hearst competitions through our online application.

Access to the application and login codes are shared by the program office with administrators/professors at the journalism departments of participating schools. Please contact the j-school or the Hearst Journalism Awards program office for more information:
jwatten@hearstfdn.org.

The journalism departments of participating schools select which two entrants to submit per competition.

Please check under each category for competition details.

Writing | Photojournalism | Audio | Television | Multimedia | Awards