# NPR's College Podcast Challenge returns for 2026

> Students can submit audio stories up to eight minutes long for a chance to win $5,000 and have their work featured on NPR.
- Title: NPR's College Podcast Challenge returns for 2026 · NPR
- Summary: Students can submit audio stories up to eight minutes long for a chance to win $5,000 and have their work featured on NPR. The College Podcast Challenge is…
- Keywords: npr, college podcast challenge, student podcasting, audio storytelling, higher education, podcast competition, student journalism, news, NPR's, College, Podcast, Challenge
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/09/20/nx-s1-5966588/nprs-college-podcast-challenge-is-back-for-2026
- Published: 2026-09-20T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: npr, college podcast challenge, student podcasting, audio storytelling, higher education, podcast competition, student journalism, news
## NPR's podcast challenge is open
Students nationwide can submit audio stories up to eight minutes long for the sixth annual College Podcast Challenge. The deadline is January 17, 2027 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.
## Five thousand dollars for the winner
The grand prize is $5,000, with $500 scholarship prizes for finalists. The competition has engaged thousands of students from colleges in all 50 states and Washington D.C.
## Stories that have won before
Past winners include a Penn State freshman's reporting on a young Cassius Clay, a Colorado College student's discovery about her sperm donor father, and a Fordham senior's letter to grandparents about cancer and dementia.
## Sound quality has improved
Students today are more comfortable with microphones and better at editing. But judges warn against overusing sound effects and music, which can drown out the actual story.

> Just because sound effects are fun and available, it doesn't mean you need them.
## Music rules are strict
All music must be original and non-copyrighted. Many submissions are disqualified each year for violating copyright rules or using music so loud it obscures the story.
## No AI writing allowed
Submissions must follow NPR journalism ethics, including not using AI to write or produce any part of the podcast. Stories should present both sides and respect people's privacy.
## New challenge for seniors
This year introduces the Senior Podcast Challenge for people 65 and older, expanding the program beyond the College Podcast Challenge and the Student Podcast Challenge for grades 4-12.
## All it takes is a good story
Beyond technical rules and ethics guidelines, the key to winning is a compelling narrative. Students should focus on telling stories that matter to them and their communities.
## Key takeaway

The College Podcast Challenge is now in its sixth year and welcomes submissions from students across all 50 states, with a January 17, 2027 deadline.