Sony World Photography Awards 2027 Student Competition

The Sony World Photography Awards 2027 Student Competition is the student strand of one of the world's largest photography awards, run by the World Photography Organisation. For 2027, photography students aged 18 to 30 are asked to make a series of 5 to 10 images on the brief "Journeys". Entry is free, and the winner travels to London for the awards ceremony with a tutor. The deadline is 27 November 2026.

The brief is deliberately open. A journey can be a rite of passage, the way a city changes, small shifts within one community or the migration of animals across continents. Students can shoot on any device and in any style, as long as the series answers the brief.

The student competition also rewards schools: the winner's institution receives Sony equipment worth about €30,000.

Who Can Enter the Sony World Photography Awards 2027 Student Competition?

Entrants must be aged 18 to 30 on the deadline and studying photography, or a photography-related module or course, in higher education: a diploma, BA, MA or similar. Your institution must be registered with the World Photography Organisation. If it is not, you can register it during the entry process.

It is particularly relevant to:

• BA and MA photography students
• Students of film, media or visual communication with a photography module
• Tutors who want to put forward their students' work

What Can You Enter?

Each entry is a series of 5 to 10 images that responds to "Journeys". All images must be taken between 1 January 2026 and the deadline, and work published before 2026 is not eligible. Up to 20% of a series may already have appeared on your own channels or in an official course programme.

File Requirements

• JPEG, between 1MB and 5MB per image
• sRGB colour, EXIF data left intact
• Shortlisted students supply high-resolution files of at least 300ppi

Entry Fees

There is no fee. Entry is free for students at registered institutions.

What Do Selected Entrants Receive?

• Overall winner: Sony digital imaging equipment, flights and accommodation for the student and one tutor to the London ceremony, a trophy, inclusion in the awards book and the London exhibition
• Winner's institution: Sony equipment worth about €30,000
• Shortlist (up to 10 students): a certificate, press exposure and promotion online, with work shown in the exhibition

Submission Requirements

Entries are made online on the World Photography Organisation website. Prepare your edited series, a title and a short description of the project, and check that your institution appears on the list of registered schools.

Important Rules

• Entrants must be 18 to 30 at the deadline.
• Images must be taken in 2026 and before the deadline.
• One series per student.
• Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash.

When Will Entrants Be Notified?

The shortlist is announced after 1 January 2027, and the overall winner is revealed in April 2027 at the awards in London.

Things to Consider

• Read "Journeys" personally. The strongest series usually start close to home rather than with a literal trip.
• Edit hard. Five strong images beat ten uneven ones; sequence them so the story moves.
• Check the dates. Only images taken in 2026 are eligible, so plan to shoot before November.
• Register your school early. Ask your tutor to register the institution if it is not listed.
• Write a clear description. A few lines on what the journey is help the jury read the series.
• Keep the EXIF data. Files without it may be rejected.

Enter the Competition

Interested in submitting your work?

Enter the Student Competition

For the full brief, rules and list of registered institutions, visit the official World Photography Organisation website.

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

Last verified: October 15, 2026