The UK and Ireland’s top awards for student newspapers and magazines are back.
With 21 categories, the SPA Awards recognise work at all levels of student publications. This year sees the inclusion of new awards for scientific and human rights journalism, as well as the dedication of our Outstanding Commitment Award to SPA honorary member Billy Dowling-Reid.
Results will be announced at the 2019 National Conference at the University of York, with shortlists released beforehand. You can find more details about the Conference, including ticket information, here.
The categories
Best Publication
This award recognises the best student publication, and shall take into account their overall relevance to their student community and the quality of content they produce.
Submission Guidelines: Include two A4 documents of supporting evidence in any format.
Last year’s winner: Palatinate, Durham
Billy Dowling-Reid Award
The Billy Dowling-Reid Award, formerly known as the Outstanding Commitment Award, rewards students who have shown outstanding commitment to their publications over the previous year, going above and beyond the call of duty.
This award was dedicated to SPA Honorary Lifetime Member Billy Dowling-Reid by the Executive Committee last summer. You can read more about Billy here.
Submission Guidelines: Include a 500 word supporting statement. You may not enter this award yourself, but must be nominated by somebody else.
Last year’s winner: Eve Smallman, Platform
Best Reporter
Sponsored by: News Associates
This award rewards consistently exceptional reporting from an individual at a student publication. It will take into account the range of stories, impact on the intended audience and the quality of journalism.
Submission Guidelines: Include a portfolio of three stories and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Last year’s winner: Tania Chakraborti, Palatinate
Best Specialist Publication
This award recognises the best specialist student publication, whether this is an academic journal, fashion website or science magazine. It will take into account quality of content, design and other achievements.
Submission Guidelines: Include two A4 document of supporting evidence in any format.
Last year’s winner: theGIST, Glasgow
Best Newcomer Publication
This award recognises the best new student publication. Publications must be no more than three years old at the time the awards closes. It will take into account quality of content, relevance to the student community and achievements in other awards.
Submission Guidelines: Include two A4 document of supporting evidence in any format.
Last year’s winner: UNIfied, Canterbury Christ Church
Best Website
This award recognises the best overall website, taking into account design, production, content, overall impact, and user engagement.
Submission Guidelines: Include one A4 document of supporting evidence in any format.
Last year’s winner: Impact Magazine, Nottingham
Best Newspaper/Magazine Design
This award recognises the best-designed student publications across the country. It is split into two sub-categories for magazine and newspaper.
Submission Guidelines: Include one A4 document of supporting evidence in any format.
Last year’s winners: Nouse, York (Newspaper)/GUM, Glasgow (Magazine)
Best Overall Digital Media
This award recognises the most innovative use of multimedia platforms, including using audio and video to enhance a publication’s overall content. This also includes the use of social media networks.
Submission Guidelines: Include one A4 document of supporting evidence in any format
Last year’s winner: Orbital, Royal Holloway
Best Science Publication/Section *New for 2019*
Sponsored by: ABSW
This award recognises the best overall coverage of science in a student publication. It is open to specialist science publications, as well as science sections within a broader publication.
Submission Guidelines: Include one A4 document of supporting evidence in any format.
Best Sports Coverage
This award recognises the best sports coverage by student publications, and is open to events on and off campus.
Submission Guidelines: Include one A4 document of supporting evidence in any format.
Last year’s winner: The Boar, Warwick
Best News Story
Sponsored by City University, London
This award recognises quality news reporting from student publications. It will take into account quality of sources, structure, and impact of the article on the intended audience.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Last year’s winner: ‘The social side of Birmingham sport’, Redbrick
Best Feature
This award is for longer, magazine style pieces, about a specific area or focus. Judges will look at flow, structure, impact, passion and storytelling.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Last year’s winner: ‘Did Malia Bouattia launch a viral fake news story?’, Emma Yeomans, The London Student
Best Interview
This award recognises the best interviews made by student publications, whether that be with politicians, musicians, or even a local community worker. It focuses on the style, presentation and impact of the interview.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Last year’s winner: ‘This is the greatest social justice issue of our time’, James Angrove, Exeposé
Best Comment Piece
This award recognises the best opinion writing from a student publication. It will take into account structure, relevance to the audience and impact of the piece.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Last year’s winner: ‘Lifting the lid on student sex work’, Rebecca Zack, Glasgow Guardian
Best Entertainment Piece
This award focuses on various areas such as music, film and culture. An example could be a music preview, a film critique or a theatre review. It will take into account the piece’s structure and relevance to the audience.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Last year’s winner: ‘Your average night out in Falmouth’, Carl Altener, Falmouth Anchor
Best Lifestyle Piece
This award recognises the best lifestyle piece. This could include stories on fashion, travel, or food and drink. It will take into account the story’s structure and relevance to the audience.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words
Last year’s winner: ‘Barbies, bullies and the Bible’, Edward Villars, The Boar
Best Science or Technology Story
Sponsored by: ABSW
This award recognises the best science and technology reporting. This can include reporting on scientific research at institutions, as well as wider issues and topics in the science and technology sector including gaming. It will take into account the story’s relevance to the audience, structure, and impact.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Last year’s winners: Brittany Harrison, The Boar/Marianna Marcelline, Glasgow Guardian
Best Human Rights Journalist *New for 2019*
Sponsored by: RightsInfo
This award recognises consistent coverage of human rights issues by a student journalist. It will take into account the range of stories, impact on the intended audience, relevance to human rights and the quality of journalism.
Submission Guidelines: Include a portfolio of three stories and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Best Human Rights Story *New for 2019*
Sponsored by: RightsInfo
This award recognises the best story with a human rights angle. It will take into account the story’s structure, relevance to human rights and impact on audience.
Submission Guidelines: Include one story and a supporting statement of 300 words.
Best Student Photographer
This award recognises the best student photographers, who provide their publications with memorable, high-quality images showing student life and events.
Submission Guidelines: Include three photographs and a 300 word supporting statement
Last year’s winner: Max Connelly-Webster, The Boar
How to enter
Submit your entries via this Google Form. The deadline for entries is 11:59pm on Thursday 7 March.
Make sure to include a link or other evidence of publication when submitting your entry
If you have any questions, or problems with the submission process, contact the awards team at awards@spajournalism.com
Rules
- The deadline for entries is 11:59pm on Thursday 7 March. Any work submitted after this time will not be accepted.
- Only students of the current academic year (2018/19) or who have graduated in the past year are eligible to enter the awards.
- All work entered must have been published between 16 March 2018 and 7 March 2019 for a student publication in the UK or Ireland.
- Any publication entering must be a member of the Student Publication Association by the time the deadline for submissions passes.
- Each entry can only be entered into one category, with the following exceptions:
(a) Entries for the following categories may be formed in part of entries for other categories: Best Publication, Best Specialist Publication, Best Newcomer Publication, Best Website, Best Overall Digital Media, Best Science Publication/Section;
(b) Entries for Best Reporter or Best Human Rights Journalist may feature ONE article that has been submitted for another award. If this limit is exceeded, then the entry for Best Reporter or Best Human Rights Journalist will be disregarded;
(c) Entries for the following categories from the same publication are expected to be similar, but they may not be identical to each other: Best Publication, Best Specialist Publication, Best Newcomer Publication, Best Website, Best Overall Digital Media, Best Science Publication/Section.
- No invidivual may enter any individual category more than twice. If more than two entries are submitted, then only the first two will be accepted.
- Any part of work that is entered may be used by the SPA for promotional purposes.
- The decisions of our shortlisters and judges are final.
We will endeavour to provide entrants with feedback on request, but sometimes this isn’t possible.
If you have any questions about this year’s SPA Awards, contact the Awards Team at awards@spajournalism.com