Spring Competitions
2025-26 General Excellence Critique and Competition Entry period — Dec. 1 - Feb. 1
IMPORTANT: ALL REQUIRED FORMS WILL BE SUBMITTED VIA ONLINE FORMS.
On Dec. 1, 2025, GSPA will begin accepting entries for newspaper, newsmagazine, news websites, and broadcasting published between Feb. 1, 2026 and Feb. 1, 2026. All entries must be be submitted by Feb. 1, 2026.
Please note GSPA membership is required to enter all GSPA competitions.
ENTRY GUIDELINES:
1. Fill out an entry form and payment for each publication type.
2. Submit:
Newspaper and Newsmagazine- Mail TWO COPIES EACH of your best two issues to GSPA, 120 Hooper St. Journalism 211A, Athens, GA 30602. Please do not mail checks to the College. See #4 below.
News Websites and Broadcasts - Provide links to publications on the entry form.
3. It is optional, but recommended, that the adviser or EIC submit a letter (no more than one-page in length) outlining for the judges any challenges the staff faced or elements that the staff wishes to highlight as their publication is reviewed. This can be mailed along with newspapers or newsmagazines, or emailed to gspa@uga.edu for broadcasts and news websites.
4. The contest fee is $40 per entry. IMPORTANT: If planning to pay by check, please first email gspa@uga.edu to request an invoice. Please do not mail checks directly to the College, as our payment processing system has changed. Or, payments can be made online.
No refunds of GSPA contest entry fees will be given for any reason after the entries have been received by the GSPA office. See full refund policy.
Individual Awards
GSPA offers individual categories to recognize outstanding student work in journalism. Work published in newspapers, newsmagazines, news websites and video broadcasts may be entered in the spring competition, while yearbook and literary magazine entries are accepted in the summer.
Fill out separate entry forms for each individual entry in a newspaper, newsmagazine, news website or video broadcast.
Entries must be published between Feb. 1, 2025 and Feb. 1, 2026 (one calendar year). ALL REQUIRED FORMS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE.
Be sure to carefully read and follow all instructions on the entry form in order for your submissions to be valid entries.