The following should give you a good starting point, but it's worth keeping an eye out for all the new competition announcements, too.
D&AD Awards
The D&AD Student Awards programme is, in essence, the design and advertising communities award for those looking to break into the industry. In putting together this programme they aim to do two things: Firstly, find the best new talent for the industry, and secondly, to put creativity high on the agenda in the higher and further education curriculum.
Estimated entry date: February
Grafik Awards
Grafik is very excited to announce the launch of its first-ever awards scheme. The Grafik Design Awards are not about huge entry fees, black ties and awards dos where you don't know anyone and have to buy your own booze despite already having paid the price of a five-star mini-break for your ticket. They are however about finding and rewarding the very best work and the most creative studios and designers around.
Estimated entry date: February
Webby Awards
The Webby Award is probably the ultimate mark of recognition for a website. Established in 1996 by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, the 500 member body of web experts, business figures and creatives get together each year to decide on winning sites in over 60 categories. Sites are judged on content, structure and navigation, visual design, functionality, interactivity and overall impact.
Estimated entry date: December
Design Week Awards
Awards Design Week is the UK's leading Design magazine of choice for over 35,000 design professionals. It has been a unique source of exclusive news, sharp commentary and top design jobs. If you win an award or are short-listed for a prize, your designs will be published in the Design Week Awards supplement - a collectable in its own right. Your success will live on beyond the awards night, as the work becomes part of their collective creative heritage.
Estimated entry date: February
Communication Arts: Interactive
The Communication Arts Interactive Design Annual has been running since 1997 and offers awards across such broad categories as Advertising, Business, Entertainment, Information Design and Self Promotion. So start planning your interactive project for the web, CD-ROM, interactive kiosk or handheld device.
Estimated entry date: March
Computer Arts Graduate Showcase
Their Graduate Showcase has helped many a design graduate earn that precious mark of early respect. Successful candidates are showcased in a large format supplement, which is distributed globally alongside Computer Arts. So if you think you've got what it takes, keep an eye on their news pages.
Estimated entry date: March
Adobe Design Achievement Awards
The Adobe® Design Achievement Awards celebrate student achievement reflecting the powerful convergence of technology and the creative arts. The competition - which showcases individual and group projects created with industry-leading Adobe creative software - honors the most talented and promising student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers, developers and computer artists from the world's top institutions of higher education.
Estimated entry date: November
Emerge
Emerge was set up to encourage new designers, showcase innovative design and support graduates on their transition into the design industry. Last year saw the launch of the first emerge graduate award and recognise the best of last year's graduate talent.
Estimated entry date: July
Designer of The Year
Run by organisations such as the BBC, national press and other media sources. One of the most prestigious must be the Design Museum's Designer of the Year award. Note, however, that nominations are by invitation only. To be in with a chance of getting hold of that £25,000 prize fund, you may need to work on increasing your profile.
Next entry date: N/A
Additional prize: £25,000
Bafta Awards
BAFTA activities expand much further than the well-known film and television awards and now include both the BAFTA Games Awards and the BAFTA Interactive Awards. The latter, focuses on the new media industry and offers awards in categories such as Online Entertainment, Interactive TV, Film, DVD and Design.
Estimated entry date: October
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