For nearly a century, The Varsitarian has been recognized locally and internationally for excellence in campus journalism, visual storytelling, digital innovation, and public service.
From pioneering wins in international student media competitions to sustained recognition from professional, faith-based, and academic institutions, these awards reflect the campus paper’s enduring commitment to independent journalism, rigorous reporting, and creative excellence.
Below is a listing of The Varsitarian’s major awards, citations, and distinctions through the years.
U.S. College Media Association: Apple Awards (Spring Convention)
First student publication from the Philippines and Asia to win, and in multiple categories
2026
- Best Newspaper: “Filipinos Declare: No to Corruption”
- Best News Website
- Best Feature Photography: Traslacion 2006 Coverage
- 2nd Place, Single Ad: UST National Campus Journalism Awards
- 2nd Place, Social Media Coverage of a Single Event: Walkout vs Corruption
- Honorable Mention, News Photography: “Thomasians hold classroom walkout, snake rally vs corruption”
- Honorable Mention, Social Media Engagement: “UAAP is Here”
U.S. College Media Association: Pinnacle Awards (Fall Convention)
First student publication from the Philippines and Asia to win, and in multiple categories
2025
- 1st Place, Sports Feature: “Superstar – UAAP Season 87 Second Semester Primer”
- 1st Place, Coverage of Faith: “Papal Coverage: Francis’s Death and Leo XIV’s Election”
- 2nd Place, Editorial Cartoon: “Surviving Without Sara, the ‘Designated Survivor’”
- 3rd Place, General News Photo: “Welcome Rites at UST GenSan”
- Honorable Mention, Sports Photo: “Golden Tigresses Outlast DLSU in 5 Sets,”
- Honorable Mention, Special Section: “The People’s Pope: Pope Francis, 1936-2025”
- Honorable Mention, Ad Campaign: “26th Inkblots Promotional Campaign”
- Honorable Mention, Video Advertisement: “Pautakan 2025 Teaser”
Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA)
- 45th CMMA (2023) – Finalist, Best School Organ – College Level
- 41st CMMA (2019) – Best School Organ – College Level
- 38th CMMA (2016) – Best School Organ – College Level
- 37th CMMA Special Citation (2015) – Pope Francis’ Apostolic and State Visit Magazine and Coverage
- 1st Student CMMA (2001) – Best Student Photojournalist
Catholic Social Media Awards (CSMA)
- Best Catholic Organization Website (2023)
- Finalist, Best X and Best Instagram accounts (2023)
- Finalist, Photo of the Year (2023)
- Finalist, Best Twitter Account (2017)
- Best Twitter Account (2016)
UST Student Awards
- Quezon Leadership Award (2025)
- Quezon Leadership Award (2024)
- St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork (2024)
- Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award (2024)
- Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award (2019)
- St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork (2018)
- Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award (2018)
- Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award (2016)
- Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award (2012)
- St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork (2011)
- St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork (2007)
- St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork (2006)
- St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork (2004)
- St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork (2003)
- Pope Leo XIII Communitarian Award (2001)
- Pope Leo XIII Communitarian Award (2000)
- Pope Leo XIII Communitarian Award (1995)
- Pope Leo XIII Communitarian Award (1984)
- Pope Leo XIII Communitarian Award (1979)
- Certificate of Appreciation from the Office of Student Affairs (1979)
- Certificate of Appreciation from UST (1979)
Manila Times Campus Press Awards
2019
- Best Editorial: Award to ‘Mocha’ a libel on UST
- Best News Story: Deliver us from evil — within: Philippine bishops to update guidelines on protection of minors
- Best Column by a College Student: CSC, Pope Francis abetting divorce in the Philippines
- Best College News Website
Student Quill Awards (International Association of Business Communicators – Philippines)
Listing based on the year of the awarding ceremonies
2025
- Award of Excellence: 16th print issue, Publication Year 2023-2024
- Award of Excellence: “Axe set to fall on non-tenured UST profs without health permits”
- Award of Excellence: “Aegis 10’ convicted in Atio hazing death, face life imprisonment”
- Award of Merit: Paskuhan Issue
- Award of Merit: Paskuhan 2024 Video
- Award of Merit: “The inspiring journey of a visually impaired UST commerce graduate”
2024
- Paskuhan 2022 issue
- Feature: “Protest vs Marcos Jr. as UST fine arts grads wear pink masks”
- Audiovisual: Baccalaureate Mass
- Audiovisual: Paskuhan 2022
2022
- Award of Excellence, Writing: “After 15 years, gates of Heaven’s Touch to close”
- Award of Merit, Digital Communication: The Varsitarian Website
- Award of Merit, Writing: “Breaking down fees for UST’s enriched virtual mode”
- Award of Merit, Writing: “UST, UP scientists call on gov’t to consult with scientists on development projects”
2021 (2020-2021)
- Award of Excellence: Sports Infographics
- Award of Merit: 21st Inkblots
- Award of Merit: 5th UST National Campus Journalism Awards
- Award of Merit: V Exclusives: CJ Cansino
- Award of Merit: “Misuse of power”: Thomasians slam decision to kill ABS-CBN franchise
- Award of Merit: LENSPEAK: The Decade in Photos
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian
- Award of Merit: Short Videos
- Award of Merit: Transgenders in sports – a call for fair rules
2019
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Editorial: Award to ‘Mocha,’ libel on UST
- Award of Excellence: The 4th UST National Campus Journalism Awards
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Remembering Horacio Interactive Website
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian – V Exclusives
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian – Editorial: Murder of PH languages, identity
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian News Wrap
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian – The Official Student Publication of the University of Santo Tomas
- Award of Merit: The 14th Creative Writing Workshop
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian – BOTOmasino Supplement
2018
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian Short Videos
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian Publicity Materials
- Award of Excellence: 19th Inkblots: The Campus Press in Times of Conflict
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Editorial: Hazing Tragedy-Culture of Death is alive and well in and out of UST
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Botomasino 2017: Special Coverage of UST Student Elections
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Court upholds graft raps vs CHEd chief
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian Sports Infographics
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian Interactive Website
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian V Exclusives
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian Week-in-photos
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian – 2017 Botomasino Special Supplement
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian – Dedicated crisis management office needed, says emergency official
2017
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian: The Official Student Publication of the University of Santo Tomas
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Website
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Jubilee 800 Supplement
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – “Supreme Court, Supreme Hokum”
- Award of Excellence: Botomasino: A Special Coverage of the UST Student Council Elections
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Botomasino Special Supplement
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Short Videos
- Award of Excellence: “Thou Shalt not Kill”: An Editorial
- Award of Excellence: Inkblots 2016 – Campus Press as Engine of Democracy
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian Facebook Page
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian – News Wrap
2016
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian: The Official Student Publication of the University of Santo Tomas
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Botomasino Special Supplement
- Award of Excellence: 16th Inkblots – The UST Annual Nat’l Campus Journalism Fellowship
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Papal Visit Infographics
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Special Supplement for Papal Visit
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian – Botomasino Special Coverage of the UST Student Council Elections
- Award of Merit: The Varsitarian- Papal Visit
- Award of Merit: “Aquino’s Last SONA: Presidential, Philistine, Bitter”
2015
- Award of Excellence: The Varsitarian: The Official Student Publication of the University of Santo Tomas
- Award of Merit: UAAP Season 77 Infographics
- Award of Merit: “Typhoon Glenda Devastates UST Campus”
- Award of Merit: “Mindanao Campus to Rise Soon”
De La Salle University Scholarum Awards
- Finalist, 2025: “The inspiring journey of a visually impaired UST Commerce graduate”
- Finalist, 2025: “Stories of survival as first ‘pandemic batch’ graduates from college”
Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Umpil Awards)
- 2011 Gawad Pedro Bucaneg
PressPlay Awards
2018
- Best in Photojournalism
- Best in Campus Journalism Innovation
- Best News Stories
Other awards, citations, and achievements
- Truth Awards: The Fund for Investigative Journalism (2001)
- Plaque of Excellence, 3rd Runner-Up for Best Alternative Campus Newspaper 1987-1988 (College Editor’s Guild of the Philippines)
- 3rd Runner-Up, Cultural Page Writing (National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 2009)
- Citation, National Movement for Free Elections (2001)
- Only campus paper cited in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia of the Arts
