RSA Student Design Awards

The RSA Student Design Awards is a global curriculum and annual competition for students and recent graduates run by the RSA, a globally renowned charity committed to finding innovative, practical solutions to social problems.

Our goal is to empower a generation of savvy, employable designers who understand the potential of design to benefit society.

We do this by running a competition that challenges students and recent graduates to think differently about design, through tackling briefs focused on real-world problems. We work closely with industry partners to develop the briefs, we help colleges and universities embed them in their curricula, and we support participants through workshops and mentoring. Winners are rewarded with cash prizes, paid industry placements and complementary RSA Fellowship to kick-start their careers.

We’re driven by our mission to enable, support and reward design that positively impacts the world. Since 1924 the RSA Student Design Awards has represented a growing voice for socially responsible design, with students participating in the UK and beyond. Following increased international interest and recognition, we launched a tailored RSA Student Design Awards scheme in the United States in 2012 and in September 2013 we launched in Malaysia; new partnerships with other countries are underway.