Deadline: January 28, 2026
Applications are open for the iF Design Student Award 2026. This is one of the world’s premier design awards for students, receiving more than 7,000 entries annually from all over the world. iF Design, together with their Sponsors offers a platform for innovative student concepts. Winners gain global recognition and a portion of the 50,000 EUR prize money.
The categories for the Prize are the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (Goal 1-15):
- End Poverty
- End Hunger
- Healthy Lives
- Quality Education
- Gender Equality
- Water & Sanitation
- Clean Energy
- Economic Growth
- Resilient Infrastructure
- Reduce Inequality Everywhere
- Sustainable Cities & Communities
- Sustainable Consumption
- Climate Action
- Life below Water
- Life on Land
Benefits
- Recognition: Winning a design award is a reward for your great work during university.
- Networking and PR: Get your name out in the wider design community! Winning an award can open doors to future jobs and more.
- Funding: All winners are considered for part of EUR 50,000 in prize money.
- Challenge Yourself: See how well your design stacks up to other students around the world.
Eligibility
- Open to students from all over the world;
- Students and recent graduates of all design-related courses and programmes are welcome to register their concepts;
- If you are currently enrolled at a university or graduated no more than 2 years ago, you can participate.
Evaluation Criteria
The five criteria will be used by the jurors to give scores to individual aspects of each entry:
- Problem-solving: Does it solve a problem?
- Degree of innovation
- Degree of elaboration
- Uniqueness
- Use value and usability
- Moral-ethical standards: Does it reflect or promote high moral-ethical standards?
- Human dignity
- Respect for the individual justice and fairness
- Awareness of environmental standards
- Social responsibility
- Solidarity: Does it strengthen group relations?
- Sensivity for cultural traditions and power relations
- Concern for common goals and the collective
- Addressing social conflict through dialogue
- Economic Calculation: Does it make economic sense?
- Efficient use of resources
- Feasibility and ease of implementation
- Long-term perspective
- Profitability
- Beneficial experiences: Does it create a positive experience?
- Respect for the individual, justice + fairness, positive experience and fun
- Aesthetic potential, spatial ambience
- Social responsibility, comfort and pleasure
Application
Submit your forward-thinking concept to the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD 2026 by 28 January 2026 at 23:59 CET.
For more information, visit iF Design Student Award.
