NPR is inviting students from around the country to create a podcast – about anything they want! – and compete for a chance to have your work featured on NPR. Students from 5th grade through college are eligible to participate, however the rules vary depending on your grade. Welcome to NPR’s 2022 Student Podcast Challenge!

NPR began collecting submissions for The College Podcast Challenge on December 1, 2021. Professor help or involvement is not required. The deadline for submissions is February 28, 2022.

There is also a Podcast Challenge for grades 5-12. NPR will begin collecting submissions from this group on January 1, 2022. Submissions must be supported by a teacher. The deadline for submissions is March 21, 2022.

For three years, the NPR Student Podcast Challenge has been open to students in grades 5-12; last year we opened it up to collegiate podcasters for the first time. The response was so strong, and the stories were so moving, that we’re back again to announce the NPR College Podcast Challenge.

The grand prize winner will receive $5,000, and the other finalists will receive $500 each. NPR believes that podcasting takes time and effort, and they think it should be rewarded.

The basics are pretty much the same: Students will create a podcast about a topic they want to explore – and that can be just about anything. In the past, NPR has had podcasts submitted to them about Tater Tots, homework and life in the pandemic. NPR also listened to semester-long investigations about hometown mysteries and dramatic readings of fictional stories.

All students, regardless of age, who are pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree can apply to The College Podcast Challenge. Those who are 18 or older can enter on their own.

The maximum length of your podcast is eight minutes, and the minimum is three minutes.