The Hearst Journalism Awards Program, was founded in 1960, to provide support, encouragement, and assistance to journalism education at the college and university level. The program awards scholarships to students for outstanding performance in college-level journalism, with matching grants to the students' schools.

The 51st annual program offering up to $500,000 in awards, consists of six monthly writing competitions, three photojournalism competitions, three broadcast news competitions (one in radio and two in television), and two multimedia competitions - with championship finals in all divisions.

Participation in the program is open to undergraduate journalism majors currently enrolled in ACEJMC - accredited universities. An exception to the journalism major rule is made for students entering the photojournalism competitions. Entrants must be actively involved in campus media and must have published articles, photographs or produced newscasts or multimedia pieces that can be submitted in our writing, photojournalism, broadcast news and/or multimedia competitions.

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation was established by its namesake, publisher William Randolph Hearst, in 1948 under California non-profit laws, exclusively for educational and charitable purposes. Since then, The Hearst Foundations have contributed more than $759 million in the areas of education, health care, social services, and the arts in every state.