For outstanding achievements in the training of pedagogical staff in 1945, the Decree of the Government of Ukraine was awarded to the Odesa Pedagogical Institute the name of the outstanding scientist-teacher - Konstiantyn Dmytrovych Ushynsky.
In 1970 Odesa State Pedagogical Institute named after K. D. Ushynsky was awarded with the Honorary Diploma of the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
September 29, 1994, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the basis of Odesa State Pedagogical Institute named after K. D. Ushynsky created South Ukrainian State Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky.
In 2007, the staff of the University was awarded by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for the contribution to the development of education, training highly qualified specialists, productive scientific and pedagogical activity and employment gains.
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Association of Media Workers of Ukraine recognized the University as the best among the higher educational institutions of the III-IV accreditation levels in the field of training of scientific and pedagogical staff and awarded the 1st degree diploma with the awarding of the gold medal at the All-Ukrainian competition "Higher school-2008".
July 13, 2009 by the Decree of the President of Ukraine the University granted a national status.
As a result of an online survey conducted by the Turkish website www.ukraynahaber.com from January 1 to March 31, 2011, the University, according to foreign citizens’ evaluation, was selected as the best institution of higher education in Ukraine.
In April and November 2011, the Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine awarded the Grand Prix and Gold Medal for winning the competition nominations at the international exhibitions in Kyiv "Education and Career - 2011".
For the effective implementation of the international educational program Intel "Training for the Future", with the assistance of the development of the information society in Ukraine in 2011, the University was awarded a diploma.
In March 2012, for the participation in the 10th Ukrainian Finals of the International Olympiad in Turkish, during which the University team took the 2nd place, was awarded the Diploma of the Main Department of Education and Science of Kyiv City State Administration.
At the exhibition "Contemporary Education in Ukraine-2012" the university received a diploma of the winner for the implementation of the project "International educational programs as a catalyst for informatization of the pedagogical university".
In the course of the XVIII International Exhibition "Contemporary Education in Ukraine - 2013", held in February 2013 in Kyiv, the University was awarded a gold medal in the competition "Informational and communication technologies in education".
In March 2013, according to the results of the competition held by the Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Exhibition World Company within the framework of the IV International Exhibition "Modern Education Institutions - 2013", the University received the Grand Prix "The Leader of Scientific and scientific-technical activity" and the certification "The quality of scientific publications" according to the h-index in Scopus.
December 9, 2016, in Kunming, the University of Educational and Cultural Center "Confucius Institute" was ranked the best among 511 nominees from 140 countries and received the highest award from the Chinese Government - "Confucius Institute of 2016", which was awarded to the Rector Olexii Chebykin personally by Ms. Liu Yandong, Vice Prime Minister of the State Council of the People's Republic of China.
April 24, 2017, the staff of the State Institution "South Ukrainian national pedagogical university named after K. D. Ushynsky" was awarded the Diploma of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for merits to the Ukrainian people.
May 2017, the staff of the University was awarded the Honorary Diploma by the Odesa City Council for many years of selfless work, high professionalism, significant achievements in scientific and pedagogical activity, a significant contribution to the development of education and science, training of highly skilled specialists and on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the foundation.
May 19, 2017, the Honorary Diploma of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine was awarded to a team of the University for significant achievements in scientific and pedagogical activities, professional training of student youth and on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the institution.
July 19, 2017, the staff of Ushynsky University for the high achievements in ensuring the development of domestic education and science, the achievement of significant success in the scientific and educational sphere, a significant contribution to the creation of spiritual values and high professionalism was awarded by the Honorary Diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
