College Photographer of the Year 81

We are pleased to announce the 81st College Photographer of the Year competition.

We will receive entries from August 24 to September 21, 2026. Judging will take place from October 17 to 24 and will be livestreamed. Read the rules and ethics standards closely to be accepted. Please follow @collegephotog on Instagram and our website for updates on how to watch judging live or how to attend in person.

We believe that open and transparent judging allows student photographers to learn from the conversation, builds public trust, and lets jurors share their own humanity through honest discussion. We hope you have a chance to follow the judging process.

The University of Missouri and the Reynolds Journalism Institute administers CPOY with support from its co-sponsor Nikon Inc., whose generosity allows CPOY to offer free entry to students in educational institutions worldwide. We thank them for their 20-year dedication.

Who may enter

Undergraduate or graduate students at any college, university or educational institution worldwide who enrolled for at least one semester, trimester or quarter between September 2025 and December 2026 may enter. You must have graduated high school or secondary school, as this is for higher education students.

Applicants are ineligible if they have accumulated two or more years of paid professional experience as a photographer, photo editor or videographer, including paid internships.

You must submit the name and contact information for a faculty member or advisor who can verify your eligibility as a recent student and not a professional photographer. They will only be contacted if we have eligibility concerns.

Awards

College Photographer of the Year - Gold Portfolio Winner

Nikon Z Series Mirrorless Camera/Lens

Missouri Photo Workshop fellowship in honor of Greg Dorsett / The Muskegon Chronicle

National Press Photographers Foundation monetary award in memory of Colonel William J. Lookadoo

A plaque

Runner-up College Photographer of the Year - Finalist Portfolio Winner

Nikon Z Series Mirrorless Camera/Lens

Tuition to the Missouri Photo Workshop

National Press Photographers Foundation monetary award in memory of Milton Freier

A plaque

Sports Portfolio - Gold Winner

Nikon Z Series Mirrorless Camera/Lens

Documentary Photographic Project - Gold Winner

Tuition to Mountain Workshops

The Alexia/CPOY Project Grant - Recipient

Nikon Z Series Mirrorless Camera/Lens

$1,000 to continue work on the proposed project

Acceptance to The Alexia Fall Workshop

$500 for travel/lodging expenses

Online Storytelling - Gold Winner

A plaque awarded in the name of the educational institution, workshop or individual

Individual Micro Doc - Gold Winner

Nikon Z Series Mirrorless Camera/Lens

Tuition to One Day MediaStorm Workshop

Team Micro Doc - Gold Winner

Tuition to One Day MediaStorm Workshop

Documentary - Gold Winner

Tuition to One Day MediaStorm Workshop

A Classic Pass to the True/False Film Fest

Other Awards

Digital certificates will be emailed to Gold, Finalist and Award of Excellence winners in individual categories, upon request. One certificate will be emailed, upon request, to each group.

All recognized entries will be featured at CPOY.org and on social media.

Eligible materials

All entries must have been created between August 23, 2025, and August 22, 2026, and may not have been previously entered in this competition. (There are some exceptions for Category 12 - Documentary Photographic Project, Category 13 - The Alexia/CPOY Project Grant - and Category 18 - Individual Micro Doc.

All entries or components of entries must be publishable. The work is not eligible if you invaded someone's privacy, promised it would not be published or did not obtain informed consent in the case of people of diminished capacity.