Competitions and awards

Bolt Burdon Kemp are proud to announce the return of their proprietary Design the Change Competition. Starting in October 2026 and finishing in May 2027, the student competition joins a global conversation about the need for improved accessibility in the world and the importance design plays in making this happen.

Enter as an individual or as part of a team of up to four students for the chance to win £5,000.

Entries must be submitted before Friday 7 May 2027. For more information, visit the Design the Change Competition webpage. 

The Bright SCIdea Challenge provides support for students at university (UK and International) to develop an innovative science-based idea into a business plan and to compete for a £5,000 prize.

SCI supports entrants in the competition by delivering free, exclusive training. Teams with the strongest business plan are invited to deliver their pitch to an expert panel of experienced, successful senior business people and innovators.

Participants will:

• Attend free, exclusive, accredited online business training workshops.
• Enhance their CVs and network with industry experts.
• Have the opportunity to pitch their idea at the final on Tuesday 23 March 2027 in Belgrave Square, London.

For more information and to enter before the deadline on Wednesday 11 November 2026, head to the Bright SCIdea Challenge webpage.

CFA Institute x AmplifyME Investing Simulator Challenge gives you the chance to experience what it’s like to work in a real investment role, no prior experience required.

Compete against students around the world in this exciting challenge, rise to the top of the leaderboard, and earn your place in the global final, with the opportunity to win* a CFA Program scholarship.

What you’ll receive:

• Build your resume with a certificate of participation from CFA Institute X AmplifyME
• Gain hands-on, practical experience and discover your potential
• If you finish in the top 300 students across all of the sessions you'll be invited to the final round on Tuesday 17th November 2026

Head to the official Investing Simulator Challenge website for more information and to register!

Design for Tomorrow is a sustainability-focused design competition that brings together university students and recent graduates to develop future-focused solutions to real-world sustainability challenges. 

The competition is free to join and open to all university students and recent graduates (within one year of graduation) in the UK. The winning team will get an industry visit and a £300 cash prize!

For more information, and to register before Monday 19 October, see the online Design for Tomorrow form.

The Global Leadership Challenge (GLC) aims to help emerging leaders grow in the wisdom and character required for responsible leadership that makes a real difference in the world — leadership that does not simply seek to fulfil personal ambition but advances the common good.

GLC is a joint initiative of the University of Oxford and the St. Gallen Symposium, supported by partners.

From Thursday 10 – Monday 14 December, the GLC will focus on challenges defined by our partners. Participants will work on real-world issues and co-create impact projects, addressing them through the lens of responsible leadership and sustainability.

The application window closes on Thursday 5 November but applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Find out more on the Global Leadership Challenge website.

Want to earn an official extra from Imperial on your graduation transcript? Do you want recognition for your employer-friendly attributes? Then the Imperial Award is for you.

Open to all current students (and designed with input from the Careers Service), the Imperial Award gives you a completely private online portfolio to use as a diary or journal. The interactive journal lets you identify your best evidence to enhance your CV and, if you wish, to back up your claim to the assessors (one page of writing). The assessors give written, individual feedback. Multiple assessment periods are offered.

Why? College wants you to develop and rehearse the reflective self-awareness that employers seek from graduates and College is willing to recognise it, formally.

Simply register by logging in with your College username and password, click on ‘guidance’ to watch the promo video and read the Student Guidance pack [pdf], which contains all the information you need to start working towards the Imperial Award. Once you've registered, you’ll hear from the Award team about upcoming workshops and further guidance to support your progress. 

It is free, has immediate benefits, runs all year and could enhance your official transcript.

Find out more here at the Imperial Award webpage. 

Build with Generative AI. Solve a real-world financial services challenge.

LSEG, in partnership with Microsoft, is delighted to invite university students to take part in an exciting one-day hackathon in the heart of London on Friday 23 October.

This unique experience will bring together students from a range of disciplines to tackle a genuine business challenge using generative AI technologies. Participants will hear from senior leaders from both organisations, collaborate in teams, gain hands-on experience with AI tools, and develop innovative solutions to a real-world problem within the financial services industry.

The event will run from 8.30 to 18.30, with lunch provided during the day. The hackathon will conclude with a networking reception, offering students the opportunity to connect with professionals and early careers colleagues from LSEG and Microsoft, learn more about our organisations, and explore careers at the intersection of technology, data, and financial markets.

To apply, please complete the online form before Friday 16 October.

The MIT-Imperial Seed Fund aims to help kick-start early-stage projects between two of the world's foremost universities that lead to high-impact research, discovery science and the deployment of frontier technologies. The 2025 call is open for research collaborations in any discipline across all departments and research groups at each institution.

The deadline for the current round of the Seed Fund is Thursday 3 December (23.59 Boston, USA time). For more information, and to apply, head to the MIT-Imperial Seed Fund webpage.

£10,000 in grants available exclusively to Imperial students 

Thanks to our partnership with Santander, 10 students at Imperial will each receive a £1,000 Brighter Futures Grant. The grant is yours to spend however you choose, whether that's rent, bills, study equipment or everyday living costs. 

Who can apply?

• Current students aged 18 or over;
• Undergraduate or postgraduate;
• Full-time or part-time;
• You don’t need to bank with Santander to apply.

Applying is simple

• Register for Santander Open Academy (if you haven't already);
• Verify your email address;
• Log in and select 'Get Started';
• Choose Imperial College London and complete your application. 

Apply by 23.59 on Thursday 3 December 2026. T&Cs apply. Apply online today! 

There’s more. Whether you win or not, you'll still have free access to Santander Open Academy and its online learning resources to support your studies and develop skills that employers want.

The targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards is an annual competition aimed at finding the best undergraduates in the UK. There are 12 awards, each partnered by an employer who provides a fantastic prize for the winner, which could include a paid internship, a trip abroad or other exclusive opportunities.

Applications for the 2027 awards are now open! Please see the Undergraduate of the Year Awards website for more information.

Launched in 2012, TCS CodeVita is a global programming competition designed to identify top coders around the world. It's a dynamic contest that unites people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, shattering boundaries. The "Guinness Book of World Records" twice-listed TCS CodeVita as "The world's largest programming competition", with the latest record being made in 2026 with 146,922 participants.

For more information, and to sign up before Friday 13 November, head to the TCS CodeVita website.

This year, TCS are embracing Goal 11 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Sustainable Cities and Communities. The theme of this year's event focuses on creating a future where cities and communities are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

TCS are inviting university students across the UK & Ireland to join us for a sprint engagement to come up with creative and innovative sustainability solutions to real-world challenges posed by our customers.

To participate

• Form a team of minimum two up to six people.
• Click participate and fill out the registration form (Annexure A) by Monday 19 October.

Teams will need to focus on digitally enabled solutions as part of their proposals. To help with this, we will have expert contributors in sustainability, technology, and corporate functions such as communications and marketing, to assist you.

Students will have the opportunity to join webinars, master classes and drop-in sessions with mentors and experts throughout the sprint engagement. 

The TCS Sustainathon 2026 will culminate with the final judging event taking place in-person at TCS’ Innovation Hub (PacePort) in London on the Friday 27 November 2026, where the finale will take place and the winning team and runners-up will be announced. 

For more information, visit the TCS Sustainathon website.