iF Design Student Award 2027

The iF Design Student Award 2027 is one of the largest international design competitions for students, run by iF International Forum Design in Hanover, the organisation behind the iF Design Award. It is free to enter and offers €50,000 in prize money for design concepts that address the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The deadline is 3 February 2027, and the award ceremony takes place in New York in June 2027.

Entries are concepts, not finished products. No prototype or model is needed: you present your idea on a single A1 poster, with images, a short statement and, if you like, a video. Product, communication, interaction, service and spatial designers can all take part, as long as the concept contributes to one of the 15 Sustainable Development Goals used by the award.

Students currently enrolled at a university and graduates from the past two years can enter alone or in teams of up to four people.

Who Can Enter the iF Design Student Award 2027?

The award is open to students enrolled at a university and to graduates who finished their studies within the past two years, from any country. You can enter alone or in a team of up to four people.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Product and industrial design students
• Communication and graphic design students
• Interaction, UX and service design students
• Architecture and interior design students
• Recent graduates with a strong concept from their final project

What Can You Enter?

Each entry is a design concept that works towards one of 15 UN Sustainable Development Goals, from No Poverty and Zero Hunger to Climate Action, Life Below Water and Life on Land. You can enter several concepts in different categories, but the same concept cannot be entered in more than one.

Concepts can come from any design discipline: a product that makes clean water easier to access, a service that helps people find work, an app for learning, packaging that reduces waste or a system for safer cities. What matters is a clear link between the problem, the people affected and the design response. Final-year projects, competition briefs and personal initiatives are all suitable starting points.

Entry Fees

Entry is free for individuals and teams.

What Do Selected Entrants Receive?

• Prize money: €50,000 shared between the winners
• Award ceremony in New York City in June 2027
• Publicity: winning concepts are presented by iF to an international audience

Submission Requirements

Entries are made through the official entry tool after creating a "my iF" account. For each concept you need:

• Poster: A1 landscape (840 × 594 mm) PDF, using the official template, RGB, English only, up to 5 MB
• Images: one landscape and one portrait image, JPEG or PNG, RGB, up to 5 MB each and 4,750 px wide
• Design statement: up to 650 characters in English
• Credits: names of all team members, university and student IDs, with a photo of all team members' student IDs for team entries
• Optional: a link to a video explaining the concept

Important Rules

• Applicants must be enrolled students or graduates of the past two years.
• Teams can have up to four members.
• Each concept must address one of the 15 SDGs.
• The same concept cannot be entered in more than one category.
• All texts must be in English.

When Will Entrants Be Notified?

The iF jury first judges all entries online, with results on 31 March 2027. The final judging follows on 4 May 2027, and the winners are celebrated at the award ceremony in New York in June 2027.

Things to Consider

• Start from a real problem. Concepts tied clearly to one SDG, with a believable user and context, are easier for the jury to assess.
• Design the poster carefully. The A1 poster is the main way your idea is judged; it must be clear at a glance.
• Use the official template, or the entry may be rejected.
• Write in plain English. You have 650 characters to explain what the concept is and why it matters.
• Show evidence. Research, user feedback or test results, even simple ones, make a concept more convincing.
• Choose the right SDG. Enter the goal your concept serves most directly.
• Graduates can still enter if they finished within the past two years.

Enter the Competition

Interested in submitting your work?

Enter the iF Design Student Award 2027

For the full conditions, the SDG categories and the entry tool, visit the official iF Design website.

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Last verified: October 12, 2026