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Competitions

Taking part in competitions is a fantastic way to enhance your CV, raise your profile with employers and gain valuable skills while having fun. You could even win an internship or a cash prize.

About competitions

Getting involved in competitions has many benefits: you can build connections, enhance your CV and gain the skills that employers look for.

There are lots of national and international competitions open to students - we've listed some of these by sector below. Deadlines are staggered throughout the year, so check each competition for up-to-date information.

Competitions across sectors

See the following websites to find competitions across sectors:

  • YES24 - is an innovative global competition developed to raise awareness among Master and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, research fellows and technicians how ideas can be commercialised. Participants, working in four or five, are given the task of developing a hypothetical business, and in the exercise, they will pitch for a 10k prize fund, to demonstrate that the business could be viable, investable and ultimately successful. This fictional business plan is a great way to learn about entrepreneurship without using an idea that comes out of your current research (avoiding any problems with disclosure). Applications close on 28 July 24The Royal Society International Collaboration Awards - Providing funding for newly independent researchers who are building their own group in the UK and Japan to jointly develop international research collaborations. Researchers can apply to the Royal Society for funds of up to £225,000 for three years. Applications will close on 24 July 2024

  • targetjobs: First Generation Undergraduate of the Year - win a paid summer internship and 1:1 mentoring with HSBC. Open to penultimate year undergraduates, who are the first generation of their family to go to university. Applications close in February each year and the winners are announced in April.

  • targetjobs: Black Heritage Undergraduate of the Year - win up to three weeks’ work experience at Sky. Collaborate with professionals across a variety of business areas. Applications close in February each year and the winners are announced in April.
  • targetjobs: Female Undergraduate of the Year - open to first and second year students on a STEM related degree. Win a summer internship with Rolls-Royce. Applications close in February each year and the winners are announced in April.
  • targetjobs: LGBT+ Undergraduate of the Year - win work experience and networking opportunities with Clifford Chance. Applications close in February each year and the winners are announced in April.
  • targetjobs: Undergraduate of the Year for Excellence through Adversity - open to first or second year students studying a STEM degree. Win a ten-week paid summer internship with Rolls Royce, an Apple watch, Rolls-Royce branded gifts and the opportunity to shadow a leader for the day. Applications close in February each year and the winners are announced in April.
  • targetjobs: Undergraduate of the Year Award Celebrating Neurodiverse Talent - win a 10 week paid summer internship with Rolls-Royce. Applications close in February each year and the winners will be announced in April.
  • Milkround Society Awards - university societies can network, build on their skills, present to a panel of judges and compete to win one of two prizes. Win a £1,000 cash prize for your society, or £250 cash prize for the individual award. Applications open in April and close in May each year.
  • The Pitch - sponsored by Sage. Independent pitching competition that helps start-ups pitch to industry experts and investors. The top 10 start-ups go on to compete on the national stage and win the chance to be mentored by leading entrepreneurs. You can register your interest now for next year's competition.
  • FindAMasters Scholarship Competition- Due to start a Masters but need a helping hand funding your programme? Enter for the opportunity to win £6,000 towards the cost of your course. You can register your interest for next year's competition.
  • FindAPhD Scholarship Competition- Due to start a PhD but need a helping hand funding your programme? Enter for the opportunity to win £6,000 towards the cost of your course. You can register your interest for next year's competition.
Built environment, engineering and technology

Built environment

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • 120 hours - global architecture competition for students (individuals and teams of up to 3). Assignments are released then you have 120 hours to work on your submission. Usually opens in March each year.
  • International Velux Awards - biennial competition for students of architecture. Registration open in September every second year and close the following April.
  • COINS Grand Challenge - annual competition which aims to kickstart innovation in construction. Open to anyone whose idea could improve construction safety, sustainability, efficiency or something else. Win cash prizes, internship opportunities and a chance to pitch ideas to industry experts. Usually opens in February and closes in June each year.

Engineering

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • targetjobs: Engineering Undergraduate of the Year - win a unique, one week work experience at BAE Systems. You'll also be place with an engineering leader as your mentor for when you are back at university. Applications close in February each year and winners are announced in April.
  • Oliver Wyman HackAtOW - test your analytical and coding skills and be part of an international challenge. Learn specific technical skills and soft skills. Finalists will go to Madrid to pitch their idea. Receive a prize plus fast-track access to the selection process to join Oliver Wyman. Open to penultimate and final year students or recent university graduates with a STEM background. Applications close in February. Check website for next years competition dates.
  • Formula Student - design, build and develop a single seater racing car for competition. Registration usually opens between October - December, with the live event taking place in July.
  • YES Competition - global business plan competition for postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Applications typically open in May and close in September each year.
  • UK SEDS (UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space) - run various competitions throughout the year. Check website for deadlines.

IT

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • targetjobs: Software Engineering Undergraduate of the Year - win a paid 12 week internship with Skyscanner in London or Edinburgh. Includes networking opportunities with senior colleagues plus £300 to spend on travel. Applications close in February and the winners will be announced in 21 April.
  • targetjobs: AI and Robotics Undergraduate of the Year - win a 12 week paid summer internship with Ocado plus the chance to have a one-to-one career conversation with a senior member of the Technology Leadership team. Applications open in October and close in January.
  • Cyber Security Challenge - national online competitions raising awareness of cyber learning opportunities and careers. Prizes include internships with sponsor companies, training bursaries and conference places. Check website for deadlines.
  • Grads in Games Awards - two industry-led game development challenges. Search for a Star, for final year or masters students, and Sumo Digital Rising Star, for non-final year undergraduates. See the website for project submissions for next year.
  • Oliver Wyman HackAtOW - test your analytical and coding skills and be part of an international challenge. Learn specific technical skills and soft skills. Finalists will go to Madrid to pitch their idea. Receive a prize plus fast-track access to the selection process to join Oliver Wyman. Open to penultimate and final year students or recent university graduates with a STEM background. Applications close in February. Check website for next years competition dates.
  • Microsoft Imagine Cup - annual global student technology competition. In a team of 4, you'll create a technology solution to problems facing the world today - and maybe even turn your idea into a business. Registration opens in October for next year's competition.
  • Kaggle - data science and machine learning competitions, some with prizes. Ongoing, check website for deadlines.
  • Tech Nation: Rising Stars - competition for innovative, early-stage tech start ups. Enter for the opportunity to connect your start up with mentors, investors and influencers, and raise the profile of your business.
  • Schneider Go Green (Europe) - annual global student competition for sustainable energy solutions. Open to students of business, engineering, marketing, science or innovation. Work in teams of 2-4 to compete for a team prize of €10,000 and mentoring from Schneider. Applications usually open in September and close in February.
  • Bank of England Innovation Competition - create a short video or a presentation on a fintech question. Win a paid data or technology internship. Open to all students studying in the UK. Applications close in January.
  • Colorintech: Metaverse Ideas Competition - open to current students and graduates interested in AR/VR and the metaverse. and who identify as belonging to an ethnic minority. Enter to win up to £1000 and the chance to network with hiring managers and engineering and product leaders.
Business and finance

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • targetobs: Management Undergraduate of the Year - win a summer internship with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Open to first or penultimate year undergraduates. Applications close in February and the winners will be announced in April.
  • targetjobs: Future Actuary Undergraduate of the Year - win a summer actuarial internship with Aon. Open to penulimate year undergraduates studying a STEM degree. Applications close in February and the winners will be announced in April.
  • targetjobs: Maths, Physics and Economics Undergraduate of the Year - win an eight week paid summer internship with Glencore. Open to undergraduates in their penultimate or final year on a Maths, Physics or Economics related degree. Applications close in January and the winners will be announced in April.
  • Universities Business Challenge - students work in teams in a series of realistic, simulated companies, making critical business decisions that affect the company's performance. Registration for the undergraduate competition open in April and close in October each year. Entries for the postgraduate competition opened in April and close in January each year.
  • Zurich Enterprise Challenge - work with one of the world’s top insurance companies and interact with its corporate customers. Solve real-life strategy and business challenges. Open to teams of 3-4 Masters, MBAs or PhD students. Registrations usually open in March/April and close in June.
  • Financial Modelling World Cup - competitions held every month, with rankings calculated after each stage. Prizes for the winner of the full world cup season and stage winners. Check website for stage deadlines.
  • ICAEW100 – enter this accountancy based competition for a chance of winning exclusive opportunities and a first prize of £5,000. Check website for dates for next year.
  • Adecco CEO For One Month – experience running a multinational company with 34,000 employees in 60 countries. The winner gets to lead the company at UK level for a month in the summer. You could then have an opportunity to win the Global CEO for a Month in September, with a salary of €15,000. Applications usually open in January and close in April.
  • Cleantech Challenge (CTC)- annual global innovation and business plan competition. Serves as a launch pad for cleantech business ideas. Pitch a business idea and collaborate during a two-day boot-camp. Win £20,000 toward developing your business. Applications open in January and Stage 1 submissions close in February.
  • The Pitch - sponsored by Sage. Independent pitching competition that helps start-ups pitch to industry experts and investors. Go on to compete nationally and win the chance to be mentored by leading entrepreneurs. You can register your interest now for next year's competition.
  • Bank of England Innovation Competition - create a video or a presentation on a fintech question for a chance to win a paid data or technology internship. Open to all students studying in the UK. Check website for next year's deadlines.
  • The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland's Tom Morrison Essay Prize - annual competition aimed at students or graduates interested in careers in governance. Check website for next year's deadlines.
  • Modeloff - a global financial modelling competition. Requires contestants to use Excel to solve financial questions and case studies.
Law and politics

Find competitions on these following websites:

Media, creative and cultural, and languages

Marketing

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • DMA Talent Marketing Challenge - win hands-on experience, prizes and the opportunity to meet and impress marketing’s top VIPs. Set up your student agency, get stuck into a real-life marketing brief and pitch your solution to a real-life client.
  • D&AD: New Blood Awards - annual competition to produce a creative brief set by world famous brands. Call for entries usually open in January and close in March each year.
  • L'Oréal Student Innovator Brandstorm - annual international competition for students to work in teams of 3 to win a 3-month intrapreneurship in the L'Oréal global office in Paris.

Creative arts, design & fashion

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • Arts Thread - includes arts and design competitions and an opportunity to showcase work. Check website for competition deadlines.
  • D&AD: New Blood Awards - annual competition to produce a creative brief set by world famous brands. Call for entries usually open in January and close in March each year.
  • Crafts Council: Opportunities - includes lists of awards and competitions.
  • The Folio Society: the Folio Book Illustration Award – win a £2000 cash prize and portfolio review. Usually opens in May and closes in June each year.
  • The Alpine Fellowship - each year, writing, visual arts, and theatre prizes are awarded to the best works concerning the year's theme. Applications usually open in January and close in April.
  • MacMillan Prize for Illustration - annual illustration competition. The winner receives £1000 prize. Applications open and close in April each year.
  • Penguin Student Design Award - annual design and illustration competition, offering the chance to win £1,000 in prize money as well as a work placement in the Penguin Random House Design Studios.

Journalism, writing & publishing

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • Journo Resouces: Young and Student Journalism Awards - comprehensive list of awards and competitions by deadline.
  • The Poetry Society - list of competitions and prizes.
  • Amnesty International Media Awards - includes a student award for students who have had an article published (or a radio/TV piece broadcast) in a recognised student media outlet. Entries will open in September and close in January. Sign up to register your interest.
  • Northern Writers' Awards - annual competition, offering cash prizes, mentoring and support to talented writers based in the North of England. See website for further information and deadlines.
  • The Alpine Fellowship - each year, writing, visual arts, and theatre prizes are awarded to the best works concerning the year's theme. Applications usually open in January and close in April.
  • BAFTA – Rocliffe Screenwriting Competition.

Languages

Find competitions on these following websites:

Media

Find competitions on these following websites:

Music & performing arts

Find competitions on these following websites:

Science & health

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • JSPS, Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize - for the Medical Research Category of the 5th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize to recognize and honour individuals who have made highly meaningful contributions to the fields of medical research in Africa.
    Application deadline is 20 September 24 
  • Oliver Wyman HackAtOW - test your analytical and coding skills. Be part of an international challenge. Learn specific technical skills and soft skills. Finalists will go to Madrid to pitch their idea. Receive a prize plus fast-track access to the selection process to join Oliver Wyman. Open to penultimate and final year students or recent university graduates. You need a STEM background. Applications close in February. Check website for next years competition dates.
  • Royal Society of Biology: Top Student Award - for undergraduate biology students. Rewards achievements by recognising skills and abilities. See website for more information on closing dates.
  • Biochemical Society: Science Communication Competition -. Submit a piece of writing or video targeted at the general public, on a molecular bioscience topic of your choice.
  • The Josh Award - recognises and supports up-and-coming talent in science communication. Applications open in March and close in April. Register for information about The Josh Award 2024
  • YES Competitions - business plan competition for postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Check website for deadlines.
Environment, marine, animal and agriculture

Find competitions on these following websites:

  • Schneider Go Green (Europe) - annual global student competition for sustainable energy solutions. Open to students of business, engineering, marketing, science or innovation. Work in teams of 2-4 to compete for a team prize of €10,000 and mentoring from Schneider. Applications usually open in September and close in February.
  • Cleantech Challenge (CTC)- annual global innovation and business plan competition, serving as a launch pad for cleantech business ideas. Pitch a business idea and collaborate during a two-day boot-camp. Win £20,000 toward developing your business. Applications open in January and Stage 1 submissions close in February.
The ncl+ Award
Gain skills and experience