iF Design Student Award 2026
Global design competition for students and recent graduates. Free entry, EUR 50,000 prize fund, international recognition at Frankfurt ceremony.
The iF Design Student Award 2026 is a prestigious international competition offering students and recent design graduates a global platform to showcase innovative, future-oriented design concepts that address real-world challenges. This free-to-enter competition celebrates socially relevant design ideas reflecting ethical responsibility, feasibility, and positive social impact.
Participants can submit concepts across all design disciplines including product design, projects/systems, applications, digital solutions, communication ideas, and service concepts. Winners share a EUR 50,000 prize fund and receive extensive international recognition. The award ceremony takes place June 10-11, 2026, in Frankfurt, Germany, designated as World Design Capital 2026.
Winners receive multiple benefits: a share of the EUR 50,000 prize pool, iF Winner Logo for professional use, unlimited publication on iF Design Website, downloadable certificate, exhibition opportunities in Taipei and other locations, professional email footer, invitation to the Frankfurt awards ceremony, and PR/social media support for international visibility.
An international jury of design experts evaluates entries based on five criteria: problem-solving effectiveness, moral-ethical standards, solidarity and social contribution, economic feasibility, and beneficial user experiences. Eligible applicants include current design students, graduates within two years of obtaining their diploma, and teams of up to four people from any design discipline worldwide.
Submission requires completing an online form in English with basic project information, uploading two images, a one-page DIN A1 landscape presentation poster in PDF format, project descriptions, designer credits, and an entry summary. Multiple concept submissions are permitted, provided each concept is entered in only one category. The submission deadline is January 28, 2026, with online jury evaluation occurring March 4-13 and final jury selection April 24.