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. Applications opened in January and closed on 12 April 2020.
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 open in January, this year's deadline was 24 March 2020.
ADCAN Awards - annual film competition to encourage unsigned filmmakers and animators to submit a 30sec ad from a chosen charity brief. You could win exposure to top production companies and have your ad promoted and featured by Vimeo. Usually opens in April and closes in August each year.
GMKC Global Marketing Competition - business simulation competition, open to teams of current students. Last year's sign up deadline was June, with the final held in December in Madrid.
The Daniel Marks Planning Academy - annual opportunity to receive mentoring, support, a paid internship and a potential permanent job opportunity as a junior planner at a leading creative agency in London. Open to recent graduates and junior account handlers. To apply, you need to submit your response to a brief - full details are on their website. Opens in May and closes in September.
L'Oréal Student Innovator Brandstorm - crack a real business case, take it from idea to concept, learn to be a brand manager and be automatically invited to an assessment centre for a L’Oréal UK internship. The prize is a trip to Paris to compete at their international finals and an automatic offer of a summer internship or industrial placement. Usually opens around October and closes in November each year.
FSE Digital - competition from FSE Digital marketing agency, giving you the chance to win £500 towards your tuition fees plus a 2 week summer internship. Open to students on marketing or business courses (or equivalent subjects). To enter, submit a 500-1000 word article on what you think the future of digital marketing looks like. Entries opened 1 February 2020 and closed on 10 April 2020.

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 open in January, this year's deadline was 24 March 2020.
Crafts Council: Opportunities - includes lists of awards and competitions.
Hiive: Opportunities - includes competitions across a range of creative sectors, including music, dance and theatre.
The House of Illustration: The Book Illustration Competition - annual international competition open to illustrators over the age of 18 who have not been previously published by The Folio Society. The winner receives a commission worth £5,000 to complete six illustrations and a binding design for the book, which is then published by The Folio Society. Five runners each receive £500 cash. This year's deadline was 17 January 2020.
The Alpine Fellowship - each year, writing, visual arts, and theatre prizes are awarded to the best works concerning the year's theme. The theme for this year is 'forgiveness and retribution'. Applications closed on 1 April 2020.

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. The prize is two weeks' work experience at the Observer. This year's competition closed on 23 January 2020.
Hiive: Opportunities - includes competitions across a range of creative sectors, including music, dance and theatre.
Northern Writers' Awards - annual competition, offering cash prizes, mentoring and support to talented writers based in the North of England. This year's competition opened on 20 November 2019 and closed on 6 February 2020.
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 closed on 31 March 2020.
The Alpine Fellowship - each year, writing, visual arts, and theatre prizes are awarded to the best works concerning the year's theme. The theme for this year is 'forgiveness and retribution'. Applications closed on 1 April 2020.
Thousand Films and Sid Gentle Films - television writer competition in the UK.
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF): Student Critics Programme - annual programme offering experience, skills and networking to UK based students aged 18-25 with a passion for cinema. Successful applicants will attend screenings, receptions and events at EIFF, will be mentored by professional film journalists, and create articles during their time at EIFF in June each year.

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. Deadline for entries this year was Friday 30 August 2019.

Media

Student Radio Awards - annual competition awarding the best in student radio across 12 categories. Last year's applications closed on Friday 26 July 2019.
BAFTA UK Scholarships Programme - award scholarships to UK students in need of financial assistance to take a postgraduate course related to a career in film, television or game. Scholarships provide up to £10,000 to cover one year's course fees, an industry mentor and free access to BAFTA events around the UK for a year. Applications opened in March and closed on 27 May 2020.
Edinburgh TV Festival: The Network - 4-day free entry-level scheme for anyone aged 18+ who wants to start a career in television. Applications usually open in February and close in April.
John Brabourne Awards - financial assistance for talented individuals with at least 2 years' related experience, wanting to break into TV or film. Two deadlines per year: 31 January (opens in Nov) and 31 July (opens in May).
Shooting People - details of the latest film upload competitions. (subscription required)
Hiive: Opportunities - includes competitions across a range of creative sectors.
ADCAN Awards - annual film competition to encourage unsigned filmmakers and animators to submit a 30sec ad from a chosen charity brief. You could win exposure to top production companies and have your ad promoted and featured by Vimeo. Usually opens in April and closes in August each year.
Grierson Trust: Best Student Documentary - awarded to a student director for a film made during a UK-based, full-time academic course. Last year's entries opened on 1 April and closed on 29 May 2020.

Music & performing arts

World Federation of International Music Competitions - lists international classical music competitions.