The 46th annual College Television Awards nominations will be announced on Nov. 19. (photo courtesy of the Television Academy Foundation)

Submissions are open for the Television Academy Foundation’s 46th College Television Awards, which recognize excellence in student-produced programs from colleges and universities nationwide. The foundation is also establishing the Vin Di Bona Trailblazer Award for Nonfiction Series for the spring 2027 ceremony.

The deadline for entries is Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. Submissions must be made by visiting televisionacademy.com/CTA/submit. Criteria for the awards reflects industry standards of excellence, imagination and innovation across categories. Nominations will be announced on Nov. 19.

The Vin Di Bona Trailblazer Award for Nonfiction Series is a $10,000 award sponsored by Emmy Award-winning television producer, director and media entrepreneur Di Bona. Best known as the creator and executive producer of “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” he is widely regarded as a pioneer of reality-based and user-generated programming.

Emulating the Emmy Awards selection process, Television Academy members judge College Television Awards entries. Awards and more than $40,000 in cash prizes will be presented by television stars at a red carpet ceremony in Hollywood to winning teams.

The nine categories are Animation Series; Comedy Series (for undergraduate students); Commercial, PSA or Promo; Drama Series (for undergraduate students); News; Vin Di Bona Trailblazer Award for Nonfiction Series; Scripted Series (for graduate students); Sports; and the Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability Award.

The $10,000 Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability Award recognizes either a student-produced program focused on people with disabilities or emerging artists with disabilities and is underwritten by the Loreen Arbus Foundation. The Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award, a $4,000 cash prize, is also presented to each year’s College Television Award-winning project judged to best highlight a humanitarian concern.

“Each year, the foundation presents the College Television Awards to spotlight rising talent in content creation and showcase their work to industry professionals in Hollywood,” said Tina Perry, chair of the Television Academy Foundation. “This access and visibility to the industry often helps launch careers. We encourage students nationwide to submit their work for consideration.”

The program also includes exclusive opportunities for all participating nominees to network and connect with industry executives over three days of professional development events at the Television Academy in North Hollywood.

The deadline is Oct. 15 and the application fee is $25. For information, visit televisionacademy.com.