Applied Arts Student Awards 2027

The Applied Arts Student Awards recognise the best work by students of graphic design, advertising, photography, illustration, digital, motion, gaming and related creative programmes. Run by Applied Arts, Canada's magazine for visual communications, the 2027 edition opens on 23 November 2026 and closes on 21 May 2027, with results on 23 June 2027. Student work is judged against work by peers at a similar level of experience, rather than against professionals.

Who Can Enter the Applied Arts Student Awards?

Current secondary, post-secondary and graduate students studying graphic design, advertising, photography, illustration, digital, motion, gaming and related creative programmes. Students in Canada and elsewhere can enter. Professionals, including recent graduates who are no longer students, enter the main Applied Arts awards instead.

Categories

Student categories include brand activation, brand identity design, concept development, experimental digital work, entire advertising campaigns, entire design and packaging programmes, social responsibility work and more, alongside single pieces and series. Programme entries, such as a brand identity design programme or a concept development programme, cost $45 CAD each. The full list, with fees, is on the awards page.

Generative AI

Entrants must disclose any material use of generative AI and describe how it was used. They remain responsible for originality and for securing rights and permissions, and process work may be requested.

What Winners Receive

Winning student work is featured in the Advertising & Student Awards Annual and becomes part of the online Winners Gallery and Awards Archive. Winners also receive an official certificate and a winner badge for portfolios, websites and CVs. Judges score independently, with no quotas: every entry above the cut-off score wins.

Why Enter?

A student award is an early credential that stands out on a CV and in a portfolio. Because these awards judge students against students, it is a fair chance to be recognised for school projects, briefs and personal work.

Tips for Entering

Choose your strongest, most finished projects, and present them as you would to a client: a clear main image, key applications and a short explanation of the brief and your idea. For programmes, show how the system works across several pieces. Ask a tutor to review your selection before you submit, and enter before the deadline to avoid last-minute problems with uploads.

Related Awards

Applied Arts also runs Design Awards, Photography & Illustration Awards and Advertising Awards for professionals, each with its own deadline.

Preparing Your Entries

Students should plan entries with their tutors well before the deadline, especially for complete programmes, which need several pieces and sometimes an overview. Programme and campaign entries can include a short overview of up to six pages or 60 seconds of video, if needed, to show how the pieces fit together; it does not need to be elaborate. Some categories require a brief explanatory note of up to 50 words. Photograph printed work and packaging well, and give each piece a clear title.

Before You Upload

Check the technical requirements carefully: file format, size, colour space and how files should be named or numbered. Keep the original high-resolution files ready, as organisers often ask for them if your work is selected. Submit a few days before the deadline to avoid last-minute problems with uploads or payment.

Things to Consider

• Students only.
• Fees in Canadian dollars.
• Disclose AI use.
• Deadline: 21 May 2027.

Enter the Awards

Ready to put your student work in front of the jury?

Enter the Applied Arts Student Awards

Categories, fees and rules are on the Applied Arts website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 4, 2026