Student Design Awards - The RSA - RSA

Student Design Awards

Student Design Awards

Think differently about design

Submissions for the Student Design Awards 2023-24 are now closed.

The Student Design Awards are the world’s longest-running design competition and in 2024 we'll be celebrating 100 years of recognising innovative ideas.

Every year, we’ve invited young designers and students from across the globe to apply their skills and creativity to design briefs that focus on the most pressing social and environmental challenges. Since the first prizes were given out 1924, the Student Design Awards have welcomed over 110,000 projects from over 20 countries.

The awards have been a prestigious springboard for participants’ careers. Our alumni include:

  • Richard Howarth - Apple, VP of Design
  • Betty Jackson MBE - Fashion designer
  • Matt McGrath - Aircraft Medical founder and inventor of the video laryngoscope.

The Student Design Awards offer the chance to learn from, and be inspired by, this century's old tapestry of incredible changemakers.

Be part of a hopeful collective of innovators creating meaningful impact for our people, place and planet.

 

Key dates

2023

Sep: Briefs launched

  • Oct: Free brief information sessions
  • Nov - Dec: Free learning and skills workshops

2024

  • 31 Jan: Submissions open
  • 16 Feb, 4pm GMT: Early bird submissions deadline (£25 entry fee)
  • 28 Feb, 11.59pm GMT: Bursary application deadline
  • 16 Mar, 4pm GMT: Final submissions deadline (£35 entry fee)
  • Mar - May: Judging (two stages: shortlisting and interviews with finalists)
  • Jun: Winners announced and awards ceremony

Design briefs

Download the design briefs for 2023-24.

Information and resources for...

Students

Access tools on design thinking and find out more about our bursary offer.

Educators

More information on how to integrate the awards within your curriculum and careers offer.

The prizes

Winners of each brief receive £2,000 for them to use as they wish.

About the competition

Find out about more about the Awards.

Judging

Find out more about the judging process and the submission criteria.

News and events

See the latest news and events.

Student Design Awards winners

See the winning submissions from past Student Design Awards.

 

Get involved in the Student Design Awards 2023-24: register to receive news and updates

For information about how we handle your data, please read our privacy policy.

Contact

+44 20 7451 6845 | [email protected]

Connect

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Read blogs and Comment articles about the Student Design Awards

  • Sophie Hague: me and my education

    Blog

    Sophie Hague

    Sophie Hague, a 2022 Student Design Award winner, explains how design helped to identify the learning techniques that worked for her.

  • The Student Design Awards' most ambitious year yet

    Blog

    Anna Markland

    Learn about our legacy of active inclusion and our commitment to making 2023-24 the boldest and most far-reaching Pupil and Student Design Awards cycles yet.

  • Century of innovation

    Feature

    Anton Howes Anna Markland

    The Student Design Awards celebrate 100 successful years supporting visionary products.