Membership enrollment for 2025-2026 is closed.
Enrollment for the upcoming membership year will open in April 2026.
CSPA membership enables student publications to demonstrate their excellence among their peers across the country in the prestigious Crown and Gold Circle awards.
Crowns are awarded by publication in six major categories, and Gold Circles are awarded to distinguish individual excellence in four major categories.
After a year-long hiatus, CSPA will offer a limited number of publication critiques as part of this year's membership.
MEMBERSHIP FOR 2025-2026
Please note: The deadline for membership enrollment, Crown Award, and Gold Circle Award entry has been extended to September 15, 2025.
Please note that CSPA has changed its membership structure, allowing members to choose á la carte the services they prefer.
- High school, middle school, and collegiate publications are eligible for CSPA membership.
- Membership is required in order to submit entries for competition and/or critiques.
- Membership also includes access to the annual Crown finalist presentation.
- A $50 membership fee is required for entry to CSPA awards programs. Publications may then choose which awards programs to enter for an additional fee.
- A limited number of Publication Critiques will be offered this year for $190 per publication.
- Entry to the Crown Awards can be added for $150.
- Your first 30 Gold Circle Award entries can be added for $170.
- Additional Gold Circle entries can be purchased in sets of five entries for $50.
- Additional Gold Circle entries can be purchased in sets of five entries for $50.
- New this year: The CSPA membership free of $50 is redeemable as a one-time credit toward the entire registration fee of a future 2025-2026 CSPA event.
- Memberships must be renewed annually, with one membership per individual publication. When enrolling, please use the same email address that was provided for your publication membership. A new confirmation number will be provided each year.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Only CSPA members can participate in our contests. CSPA membership is required to submit for critique and entry into the Crown and Gold Circle Awards.
- Membership is per publication, not by school.
- New and current members should use this site to enroll/renew for this year's membership.
- All memberships will generate new, unique confirmation numbers to use during this membership year.
- Avoid delays – complete the online application FIRST (including electronic payment, if possible), then upload/send your materials immediately after.
- All awards programs evaluate student-produced work completed in the PRIOR school year (2024-2025), while awards are presented DURING the membership year (2025-2026).
WHY JOIN CSPA?
STUDENT PUBLICATION CRITIQUES
A limited number of Publication Critiques will be available for purchase this year, performed by experienced advisers and student journalism professionals. More...
GOLD CIRCLE AWARDS
RECOGNITION FOR INDIVIDUALS
Gold Circle Awards recognize individual achievement by students from any CSPA member in many categories. More...
CROWN AWARDS
RECOGNITION FOR THE STAFF
Crown Awards recognize overall excellence in either print or digital student publications, chosen by a panel of judges working as a team. More...
Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) is an international student press association, founded in 1925, whose goal is to unite student journalists and faculty advisers at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchanges, textbooks, critiques, and award programs.