Xiaohongshu
The Cheese Grater has been crowned Best Publication in the UK and Ireland at the 2026 National Student Publication Awards.
The UCL news and satire magazine beat other sector-leading student publications like Epigram and Roar News to take home the coveted prize. The Cheese Grater also received recognition in two individual categories, with former Editor-in-Chief Nick Miao winning Best Reporter and Elgin Edison awarded Highly Commended for Best Creative Piece.
In a highly competitive category The Cheese Grater stood out as an innovative outsider with an eye for engaging design, challenging the establishment with compelling and relevant stories that have found an audience.
Owen Meredith, Chief Executive of the News Media Association
The National Student Publication Awards take place every year, with this year's conference and ceremony held in Norwich. The event brings together the brightest and best of the UK's student media world, from online and print publications to radio stations and podcasts. The awards are highly competitive: ten publications were shortlisted for the Best Publication category, with many more nominated.
It's an incredible achievement for The Cheese Grater, who have built on their win at the 2025 Regional Student Publication Awards to become the first UCL publication ever to secure the prize at a national level.
Owen Meredith, Chief Executive of the News Media Association, said: 'In a highly competitive category The Cheese Grater stood out as an innovative outsider with an eye for engaging design, challenging the establishment with compelling and relevant stories that have found an audience. Their digital strategy and growth speaks for itself with a determination to reach readers where they are with a multi-platform approach while investing in the print product. Overall, they have shown commitment to delivering journalism that champions its readers and delivered impressive engagement and results.'
It's been a particularly strong year for The Cheese Grater, with C0-Editors-in-Chief Rebekah Wright and Malvika Murkumbi taking the magazine to new heights. The team has produced five print issues since September and plans to release a sixth in June, making it their busiest year to date. For Rebekah and Malvika, winning Best Publication means a great deal:
The Cheese Grater has been a fundamental part of our UCL experience, so this recognition from the SPA is incredibly exciting and rewarding. There was a lot of fantastic competition for this award, and we were genuinely shocked to have won. We’re grateful to the SPA and to our wonderful committee and society members, whose hard work and talent made this achievement possible.
Rebekah Wright and Malvika Murkumbi, Co-Editors-in-Chief of The Cheese Grater
But the hard work doesn't stop here. Although Rebekah and Malvika are graduating this summer, they will be handing the editorial baton to James Balloqui and Go Kitajima, both dedicated and long-standing members of the society. And armed with a strong team of writers, an ever-growing readership, and recognition on a national scale, it's set to be a very exciting year for The Cheese Grater—something the current Editors-In-Chief emphasise: 'We hope that our successors continue our commitment to public interest reporting at UCL and use this momentum to continue building on our improved digital platform, helping our stories reach more people. Many of next year’s team are already integral and valued members of the publication and, as we leave UCL, we’re excited to see where they take things.'
Want to be a part of UCL's award-winning student media? You can join The Cheese Grater and check out the full list of media societies here.
Read the latest from The Cheese Grater on their website, or keep an eye out for their next print issue, available for free on campus in June.