Media, creative & cultural

Taking part in competitions can enhance your career opportunities in this sector. You could win a cash prize, an internship or even a chance to travel abroad.

Deadlines are staggered throughout the year, so check each link for up-to-date information.

Advertising, PR & marketing

DMA Talent Marketing Challenge - opportunity to 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. Open to students at any stage of any course. The deadline for entries is 5 June 2023.
D&AD: New Blood Awards - annual competition to cultivate new creative talent. Open to all students and recent graduates, the challenge is to answer 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. Register now to take part in the 2023 competition.

Arts, design & creative

Arts Thread - includes arts, design and creative events and competitions and an opportunity to showcase work. Check website for competition deadlines.
D&AD: New Blood Awards - annual competition to cultivate new creative talent. Open to all students and recent graduates, the challenge is to answer a creative brief set by world famous brands. You can sign up to their free online course which walks you through the process and gives you hints and tips on how to win. Call for entries usually open in January and close in March each year.
Crafts Council: Opportunities - includes lists of awards and competitions.
ScreenSkills: Opportunities - includes competitions, mentoring, training opportunities and events
The Folio Society: the Folio Book Illustration Award - open to illustrators over the age of 18 who have not been previously published by The Folio Society. The winner receives £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, open to students from any discipline. The winner receives £1000 prize. Applications usually open around mid-April and close towards the end of 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. Open to students of all disciplines. Sign up for notification of this year's deadlines.
Arts Council: Developing your Creative Practice – the fund supports creative practitioners thinking of taking their practice to the next stage to research, have time to create new work, travel, training, develop ideas, network, or find mentoring. Check the website for latest funding deadlines.

Journalism, writing & publishing

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.
British Guild of Agricultural Journalists/John Deere Journalism Training Award - training course and 3 days work experience in late June/early July for aspiring journalists and PR professionals in the agriculture sector. There's also a chance to win the John Deere trophy and £250. Applications usually open around January and close in April.
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 - range of talent support programmes, including their UK Scholarships Programme which awards scholarships of up to £10,000 to UK students in need of financial assistance to take a postgraduate course related to a career in film, television or game, and screenwriting competitions. Register your interest to be notified when 2023 applications open.
Roundhouse's Poetry Slam - calling poets aged 18-25. Win a cash prize and make industry contacts to raise your profile. Sign up for further information and deadlines.
The Royal Television Society Bursary Scheme is now open. The RTS runs three pioneering schemes – the TV Production and Journalism Bursary, the Digital Innovation Bursary and the Steve Hewlett Scholarship. In addition to the core schemes, the RTS introduced the Beryl Vertue Scholarship in 2022, to support an applicant with an interest in producing. The submission window will close on the 29 June 2023. The application form can be found here. Please refer to their Guide to applying for a Bursary for more information

Languages

Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize - aims to recognise and celebrate the achievements of young translators at the start of their careers. The prize is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34, with no restriction on country of residence. Usually opens around April and closes around July/August each year.

Media

Student Radio Awards - annual competition awarding the best in student radio across 12 categories.
BAFTA - range of talent support programmes. Register your interest to be notified when applications open.
Edinburgh TV Festival: The Network - 4-day free entry-level scheme for anyone aged 18+ who wants to start a career in television. Register your interest.
Shooting People - details of the latest film upload competitions. (subscription required)
ScreenSkills: Opportunities - includes competitions, mentoring, training opportunities and events
Grierson Trust - Best Student Documentary - awarded to a student director for a film made during a UK-based, full-time academic course. Entries open in March and close in June.

Music & performing arts

World Federation of International Music Competitions - lists international classical music competitions.
Arts Council: Developing your Creative Practice – the fund supports creative practitioners thinking of taking their practice to the next stage to research, have time to create new work, travel, training, develop ideas, network, or find mentoring.