Category
Design competitions span product design, UX, graphic communication, service design and interaction design. They ask students to tackle briefs from real brands and social organisations, producing work that can go directly into production or public display. Prizes range from mentorship with senior designers and studio internships to publication in international design annuals. These competitions are ideal for building a portfolio that stands out to employers, graduate schools and clients who want proof of your ability to deliver under a creative brief.
Design stats
Tech & Engineering, Design, Architecture, Social sciences
by London Play Design
Could you design something that gives children in London high-quality play experiences? London Play Design is inviting students and recent graduates from UK universities to design play opportunities that make use of f...
Europe · Bachelor, Master, PhD
Deadline
Nov 20, 2026
in 1 week
Prize · Mixed/Other
Winning designs will be built in an adventure playground
Arts/Photography, Tech & Engineering, Design, Business, Architecture, Fashion, Natural sciences, Education, Health, Law, Mathematics, Social sciences
by Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Technical University of Munich, IIT Bombay, Zhejiang University, Hong Kong UST, UNESP Brazil, YGA
The Global Sustainability Challenge, brought to you by the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and leading institutions worldwide, invites university students to develop bold solutions in Sustainable Energy and Adapt...
Global, Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, Middle East · Bachelor, Master, PhD
Deadline
Nov 22, 2026
in 1 week
Prize · Cash Prize
Cash Prizes, Global visibility and recognition, Invitation to Stanford EcoGlobal program
Tech & Engineering, Design
by ThermaLabs
The BREEZE Engineering Challenge is an engineering competition run by ThermaLabs. Design and build the best cooling jacket for people who work in 45 degree heat. Anyone 18 or over can apply, on their own or in a team...
Global · Open to everyone
Deadline
Nov 23, 2026
in 1 week
Prize · Mixed/Other
Parts money of up to 10,000 dollars for up to 3 designs, a 3 percent royalty pool for 10 years, and a hiring shortlist
Tech & Engineering, Design, Fashion, Health
by https://www.desall.com/
Perfume Refill Cap Design A leading multinational company in the packaging industry and Desall invite you to design an innovative and reusable dispensing cap for refilling perfume bottles at home. The proposed solution...
Global · Open to everyone
Deadline
Nov 26, 2026
in 2 weeks
Prize · Cash
5000
Design, Architecture
by Architerrax
The Architecture Portfolio Challenge 2026, the second edition of the competition by Architerrax, invites architecture students and emerging designers worldwide to submit a portfolio that communicates design thinking, pro...
Global · Bachelor, Master
Deadline
Nov 30, 2026
in 2 weeks
Prize · Mixed/Other
USD 2,500 total prize pool
Arts/Photography, Design, Natural sciences
by Anthology Magazine
Offering a variety of competitions established to encourage and promote visual artists and writers, the Anthology Creative Awards provide a platform for emerging creatives to publish their work. There are eight categorie...
Global, Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, Middle East · Open to everyone
Deadline
Nov 30, 2026
in 2 weeks
Prize · Cash
Up to €1000 per competition, and publication
Tech & Engineering, Design, Business, Architecture, Natural sciences, Education, Health, Social sciences
by Stanford Center on Longevity
People are living longer than ever before, and throughout these longer lives they encounter periods of transition, changing abilities, new responsibilities, and evolving needs. The 2026-2027 Stanford Center on Longev...
Global · Bachelor, Master, PhD
Deadline
Dec 1, 2026
in 2 weeks
Prize · Cash
Finalists will receive $1,000 USD and Winners of the Finals Competition will receive: 1st place: $10,000 USD, 2nd place: $5,000 USD, 3rd place: $2,000 USD
Tech & Engineering, Design, Business, Natural sciences, Education, Health
by BeMyApp
The AI Builders Challenge – North America, sponsored by IBM SkillsBuild and organized by BeMyApp, is a free virtual hackathon inviting college and university students across the U.S. and Canada to build AI-powered soluti...
North America · Bachelor, Master, PhD
Deadline
Dec 2, 2026
in 3 weeks
Prize · Cash Prize
$15,000 USD Total Prize Pool Grand Prize: $10,000 Second Place: $3,000 Best AI for Good Project: $1,000 Best Wildcard Solution: $1,000
Design, Architecture
by Volume Zero Competitions
As Volume Zero celebrates a decade of shaping global architectural discourse, we are proud to introduce our 30th international architecture competition THE UNBOX 2026: a call to rethink the "DNA" of our shared environmen...
Global · Open to everyone
Deadline
Dec 3, 2026
in 3 weeks
Prize · Other award
Prizes of total USD 10000, broken down as follows: 1st Prize: USD 5000;;2nd Prize: USD 2500;;3rd Prize: USD 1500;;Gold Mention: USD 1000
Design, Architecture
by Volume Zero Competitions
Marking a decade of pioneering global design discourse, Volume Zero is proud to announce the launch of its 29th international architecture competition: Micro Living 2026. This landmark edition marks a significant milesto...
Global · Open to everyone
Deadline
Dec 3, 2026
in 3 weeks
Prize · Other award
Prizes of total USD 10000, broken down as follows: 1st Prize: USD 5000;;2nd Prize: USD 2500;;3rd Prize: USD 1500;;Gold Mention: USD 1000
Tech & Engineering, Design
by ThermaLabs
Apply to be on our founding engineer team. ThermaLabs is a startup founded by an IVY league entrepreneur. We're building clothing that keeps people cool while they work in extreme heat. We're looking for the engineers...
Global, Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, Middle East · Bachelor, Master, PhD, Open to everyone
Deadline
Dec 6, 2026
in 3 weeks
Prize · Mixed/Other
$5000 design prize. A job on our founding engineering team: $40 an hour + Equity for students, from $90,000 a year + Equity for graduates.
Tech & Engineering, Design
by Shenzhen Industrial Design Profession Association (SIDA)
Better Design Award (BDA) 2026 The Better Design Award is an international design competition seeking outstanding projects that demonstrate how design can drive innovation, technological development and real-world impac...
Global, Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, Middle East · Open to everyone
Deadline
Dec 12, 2026
in 1 month
Prize · Cash
4,100,000 CNY (approximately 545,900 Euro)
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Sooner or later you will have to stand up and present: a seminar, a thesis defence, a competition pitch. Your first time does not have to be a disaster. Ten tips that actually help.
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Competitions offer students opportunities to build skills, gain confidence, and expand networks. Discover how participating can transform your academic and professional journey.
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