2025 Student Awards
Call for Entry: November 25, 2024 - May 23, 2025
Results Notification: June 25, 2025
Get recognized for the work you've already completed
Any school or personal work created at any time during your academic, creative program is eligible to be entered into the 2025 Student Awards competition.
Whether you are just starting your journey or looking to launch your career, the Applied Arts Awards give you an advantage in this competitive market. So, draw attention to yourself now and be remembered when you send in your resume.
Breathtaking portfolio piece. Strut with confidence. Fast-track to landing your first job. Winning an Applied Arts Award is your best chance for success.
BE ONE OF THE STUDENTS THAT HOLD THE ATTENTION OF OUR 2025 JURORS!
Jury & Judging Process
Eligibility
Categories & Entry Fees
Entry Material Guidelines
How to Enter
Payment & Refunds
Winners
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact
Disclaimer
Student Awards Jury
What's more rewarding than to put your work in front of mid-to senior-level creatives, all currently working in the creative industry today? Our jurors are award-winning creative professionals who've had the opportunity to work on some notorious advertising and branding campaigns for influential clients, such as Heinz, Adidas, Nike, and more. They know how to spot Award-worthy work.
Edouard Coune
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
AIR
Belgium
Edouard Coune is currently working in Brussels, Belgium where he's been Creative Director at Air for the last two years. Two years back to the motherland after spending 10 years in Canada, where he worked for multiple agencies before spending his last three at Rethink. While in Canada, he had the chance to work on brands like IKEA, MolsonCoors, Greenpeace, Unicef and many more while winning a couple accolades along the way such as Cannes Lions, IDEA, Clios, D&AD, The One Show to name a few. Edouard also made it to the top 10 (barely) on the Creative Report Card in Canada last year.
Quim Español
CREATIVE LEAD
ADIDAS
Amsterdam
Quim Español Sala, a Creative Director and Designer, serves as Creative Lead for Adidas, creating brand campaigns on a global scale. Acknowledged through multiple awards, his work reflects a deep commitment to fostering creativity. Beyond his professional role, Quim's creative exploration extends into personal projects, such as "Fake is Real," where he merges film, photography, and AI. This endeavor stands as a testament to his genuine passion for pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms and storytelling.
Holly Gallacher
SENIOR DESIGNER
NIKE
Portland, OR
Holly, an award-winning designer originally from Scotland, currently works as a Senior Designer at Nike in Portland, Oregon. She began her career in London and later relocated to Canada where she contributed to an array of projects across the design spectrum, ranging from large scale brand identity campaigns to experimental apparel design. Holly's work has been featured in the likes of British Vogue, The New York Times and GQ Magazine.
Joel Harding
GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CRITICAL MASS
Calgary, AB
Joel Harding is a Group Creative Director at Critical Mass, a global digital agency voted AdAge's best place to work. Joel leads creative teams sparking meaningful connections between brands and their audiences using design, technology, and storytelling. His work at the intersection of branding, digital experiences and advertising has allowed him to work with a wide range of clients—from the smallest start-ups to the biggest brands like Nike, Apple, Nissan, Infiniti, Citi, and AT&T—winning awards and making friends along the way.
Hayley Hinkley
CREATIVE
MOTHER
Los Angeles, CA
Hayley Hinkley is an art director. She directs art. She used to direct art in Toronto at Rethink. Now Hayley directs art in Los Angeles at Mother. Her work has been awarded at every major international award show including Cannes, D&AD, The One Show and the Clios, to name a few. She was also ranked #4 Art Director in Canada in Strategy Magazine's Creative Report Card 2022. When Hayley isn't art directing, she's raising a four-legged Bark Director named Granola.
Camille Lévesque
ART DIRECTOR
COSSETTE
Montreal, QC
Camille Lévesque is an accomplished Art Director and Designer based in Montreal. She has been with Cossette since 2019 where she has played a central role on several major brand identity projects, including Destination Canada, Intact Insurance, Loto-Québec, Bonjour Québec, Alloprof, Vachon, Can-Am, Planeterra, BDC and WADA. Outside of her life as a design nerd, Camille enjoys applying her signature style of controlled chaos to the fine-but-frustrating art of home pastry making.
Mike Lo Nam
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CITIZEN RELATIONS
Toronto, ON
Mike is a Toronto-based Creative Director at Citizen Relations with a passion for ideas that generate conversation and storytelling. With more than a decade of experience, his work has been recognized globally by The One Show, Clios, and Cannes, to name a few. Mike's work has been included in Fast Company's 2023 World Changing Ideas list. Mike grew up on a tiny tropical island. If you ever get the chance to meet him, don't hesitate to ask where his accent is from.
Amy Lore
DESIGN DIRECTOR
ZOLA
Montreal, QC
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Amy graduated from the Graphic Design program at Dawson College. For the past 14 years, she has been working on anything from corporate branding to stationery to promotional materials for small businesses. Amy is part of the Paper Creative team lead at Zola; she provides design direction to over 50+ external designers. She loves collaborating with different designers daily and seeing how their designs evolve.
Mike Postma
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
WUNDER
Halifax, NS
As a software developer turned advertising creative, Mike brings a unique blend of creativity and game-changing strategies to each brief. This Dutch transplant co-founded Atlantic Canada-based Wunder in 2017 out of a desire to do creative work that makes brands stand out. In the past six years, he helped Wunder's clients garner over 400 million earned media impressions and coverage by some of the biggest publications around the world, with the agency recently clinching Gold as Canada's Small Agency of the Year.
Pamela Rounis
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
RETHINK
Vancouver, BC
Pamela Rounis is a Creative Director at Rethink working with clients such as A&W, SmartSweets and YWCA. Her work has been recognized by The One Show, Clios, Communication Arts, The Advertising & Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts, the Marketing Awards and the National Magazine Awards.
Kevin Sato
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
ZULU ALPHA KILO
Toronto, ON
Over the course of his career, Kevin has endeavored to continually evolve his craft and eye for award-winning creative. With a background in web design and development, he applies a media agnostic approach to creative ideation and strives for seamless integration of an idea across all platforms. His work has been awarded internationally at The One Show, Clios, the London International Awards, the Art Directors Club, The Advertising and Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts and several other national shows in his home county Canada. Throughout his career Kevin has demonstrated an unparalleled passion and dedication to his craft. He is as much Designer as Art Director and isn't satisfied with creative that doesn't drive business results.
Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
BENSIMON BYRNE
Toronto, ON
Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez is high-functioning dreamer with an obsession to solve problems. She studied psychology in Barcelona in hopes to gain more insight on people and soon after moved to Buenos Aires to study with some of the best creatives in advertising. Currently she works at Bensimon Byrne, where she has been growing for the past five years. She's privileged to have lived in six different countries that have filled her mind with multiple versions of truths and beauty. All of this she carries into her professional career, where she attempts, sometimes successfully, to solve problems for brands like, Danone, Save the Children, Ciel, Volkswagen, HSBC, Casey House, White Ribbon, and Audi.
Johnny Talisman
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
WJ AGENCY
Calgary, AB
Johnny Talisman started his career winning an Applied Arts Student Award, so it only makes sense that he now judges it… a little bit later. In between his crossing paths with Applied Arts, he's worked on a few start-ups like AT&T, Telus, Boeing, Nestle, Toyota, Scion, Chrysler, Hyundai, Fiat, Shell, Petro Canada, Fairmont Hotels and even a Trump Golf Course (it's as bad as you've heard). He did all this fun stuff working for small agencies like Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi LA, Grey LA & McCann LA. He's married to his inspiration and teaches at AUArts.
Anthony Verge
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
LG2
Quebec, QC
Anthony started to rack up awards for his work during his graphic design studies at Université Laval. LG2 was quick to spot his talent and offered him a bursary to begin his design career. That was 11 years ago. Since then, he's achieved remarkable success, receiving over 75 awards from esteemed national and international competitions like Applied Arts, Communication Arts, The ADCC, Marketing Awards, Grafika, IDEA, and the LIAs. His journey now includes a noteworthy milestone – having been promoted to Creative Director, a testament to his ongoing commitment to excellence and leadership in the field.
Danielle Zablocki
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
LEO BURNETT
Toronto, ON
Danielle is an award-winning Art Director. She has been awarded internationally by The One Show, Cannes Lions, The Advertising & Design Club of Canada & the ANDYs, to name a few. Last year, Danielle ranked in the top ten Art Directors in Canada. She is a creative that thrives off creating acts, not ads. Acts are ideas that are press-focused, garnering attention for a brand to make it famous. Have you ever heard of the infamous Heinz Hot Dog Pact? Her most significant professional achievement is solving the age-old debacle by creating a campaign to finally align hot dog makers with hot dog bun makers for the same number of each per package. Being a creative isn't just her job, it's in her DNA.
Melissa Zeta
Senior Designer
Anomaly
Toronto, ON
Melissa is a Toronto-based designer with over 12 years of experience across agencies, including Cundari, TAXI, Sapient, and presently, Anomaly. A proud alumni of York/Sheridan's Design program. Her portfolio features brands such as Bud Light, Koodo, and the iconic BRP line—Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, Can-Am. Her journey led her to a newfound passion for Brand Identity, recently receiving an Applied Arts Award for Brand Identity for the transformation of the Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts. Driven by a passion for community impact, Melissa dedicates herself to projects within underrepresented communities, exemplified by her involvement with Israella Kobla, a Toronto fashion house championed through Anomaly's Equal Advantage program, as well as her work on the film Underplayed, which sheds light on the underrepresentation of women in music. Her joy and commitment extend to designing for those who stand for meaningful causes.
Edouard Coune
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
AIR
Belgium
Edouard Coune is currently working in Brussels, Belgium where he's been Creative Director at Air for the last two years. Two years back to the motherland after spending 10 years in Canada, where he worked for multiple agencies before spending his last three at Rethink. While in Canada, he had the chance to work on brands like IKEA, MolsonCoors, Greenpeace, Unicef and many more while winning a couple accolades along the way such as Cannes Lions, IDEA, Clios, D&AD, The One Show to name a few. Edouard also made it to the top 10 (barely) on the Creative Report Card in Canada last year.
Quim Español
CREATIVE LEAD
ADIDAS
Amsterdam
Quim Español Sala, a Creative Director and Designer, serves as Creative Lead for Adidas, creating brand campaigns on a global scale. Acknowledged through multiple awards, his work reflects a deep commitment to fostering creativity. Beyond his professional role, Quim's creative exploration extends into personal projects, such as "Fake is Real," where he merges film, photography, and AI. This endeavor stands as a testament to his genuine passion for pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms and storytelling.
Holly Gallacher
SENIOR DESIGNER
NIKE
Portland, OR
Holly, an award-winning designer originally from Scotland, currently works as a Senior Designer at Nike in Portland, Oregon. She began her career in London and later relocated to Canada where she contributed to an array of projects across the design spectrum, ranging from large scale brand identity campaigns to experimental apparel design. Holly's work has been featured in the likes of British Vogue, The New York Times and GQ Magazine.
Joel Harding
GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CRITICAL MASS
Calgary, AB
Joel Harding is a Group Creative Director at Critical Mass, a global digital agency voted AdAge's best place to work. Joel leads creative teams sparking meaningful connections between brands and their audiences using design, technology, and storytelling. His work at the intersection of branding, digital experiences and advertising has allowed him to work with a wide range of clients—from the smallest start-ups to the biggest brands like Nike, Apple, Nissan, Infiniti, Citi, and AT&T—winning awards and making friends along the way.
Hayley Hinkley
CREATIVE
MOTHER
Los Angeles, CA
Hayley Hinkley is an art director. She directs art. She used to direct art in Toronto at Rethink. Now Hayley directs art in Los Angeles at Mother. Her work has been awarded at every major international award show including Cannes, D&AD, The One Show and the Clios, to name a few. She was also ranked #4 Art Director in Canada in Strategy Magazine's Creative Report Card 2022. When Hayley isn't art directing, she's raising a four-legged Bark Director named Granola.
Camille Lévesque
ART DIRECTOR
COSSETTE
Montreal, QC
Camille Lévesque is an accomplished Art Director and Designer based in Montreal. She has been with Cossette since 2019 where she has played a central role on several major brand identity projects, including Destination Canada, Intact Insurance, Loto-Québec, Bonjour Québec, Alloprof, Vachon, Can-Am, Planeterra, BDC and WADA. Outside of her life as a design nerd, Camille enjoys applying her signature style of controlled chaos to the fine-but-frustrating art of home pastry making.
Mike Lo Nam
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CITIZEN RELATIONS
Toronto, ON
Mike is a Toronto-based Creative Director at Citizen Relations with a passion for ideas that generate conversation and storytelling. With more than a decade of experience, his work has been recognized globally by The One Show, Clios, and Cannes, to name a few. Mike's work has been included in Fast Company's 2023 World Changing Ideas list. Mike grew up on a tiny tropical island. If you ever get the chance to meet him, don't hesitate to ask where his accent is from.
Amy Lore
DESIGN DIRECTOR
ZOLA
Montreal, QC
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Amy graduated from the Graphic Design program at Dawson College. For the past 14 years, she has been working on anything from corporate branding to stationery to promotional materials for small businesses. Amy is part of the Paper Creative team lead at Zola; she provides design direction to over 50+ external designers. She loves collaborating with different designers daily and seeing how their designs evolve.
Mike Postma
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
WUNDER
Halifax, NS
As a software developer turned advertising creative, Mike brings a unique blend of creativity and game-changing strategies to each brief. This Dutch transplant co-founded Atlantic Canada-based Wunder in 2017 out of a desire to do creative work that makes brands stand out. In the past six years, he helped Wunder's clients garner over 400 million earned media impressions and coverage by some of the biggest publications around the world, with the agency recently clinching Gold as Canada's Small Agency of the Year.
Pamela Rounis
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
RETHINK
Vancouver, BC
Pamela Rounis is a Creative Director at Rethink working with clients such as A&W, SmartSweets and YWCA. Her work has been recognized by The One Show, Clios, Communication Arts, The Advertising & Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts, the Marketing Awards and the National Magazine Awards.
Kevin Sato
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
ZULU ALPHA KILO
Toronto, ON
Over the course of his career, Kevin has endeavored to continually evolve his craft and eye for award-winning creative. With a background in web design and development, he applies a media agnostic approach to creative ideation and strives for seamless integration of an idea across all platforms. His work has been awarded internationally at The One Show, Clios, the London International Awards, the Art Directors Club, The Advertising and Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts and several other national shows in his home county Canada. Throughout his career Kevin has demonstrated an unparalleled passion and dedication to his craft. He is as much Designer as Art Director and isn't satisfied with creative that doesn't drive business results.
Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
BENSIMON BYRNE
Toronto, ON
Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez is high-functioning dreamer with an obsession to solve problems. She studied psychology in Barcelona in hopes to gain more insight on people and soon after moved to Buenos Aires to study with some of the best creatives in advertising. Currently she works at Bensimon Byrne, where she has been growing for the past five years. She's privileged to have lived in six different countries that have filled her mind with multiple versions of truths and beauty. All of this she carries into her professional career, where she attempts, sometimes successfully, to solve problems for brands like, Danone, Save the Children, Ciel, Volkswagen, HSBC, Casey House, White Ribbon, and Audi.
Johnny Talisman
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
WJ AGENCY
Calgary, AB
Johnny Talisman started his career winning an Applied Arts Student Award, so it only makes sense that he now judges it… a little bit later. In between his crossing paths with Applied Arts, he's worked on a few start-ups like AT&T, Telus, Boeing, Nestle, Toyota, Scion, Chrysler, Hyundai, Fiat, Shell, Petro Canada, Fairmont Hotels and even a Trump Golf Course (it's as bad as you've heard). He did all this fun stuff working for small agencies like Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi LA, Grey LA & McCann LA. He's married to his inspiration and teaches at AUArts.
Anthony Verge
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
LG2
Quebec, QC
Anthony started to rack up awards for his work during his graphic design studies at Université Laval. LG2 was quick to spot his talent and offered him a bursary to begin his design career. That was 11 years ago. Since then, he's achieved remarkable success, receiving over 75 awards from esteemed national and international competitions like Applied Arts, Communication Arts, The ADCC, Marketing Awards, Grafika, IDEA, and the LIAs. His journey now includes a noteworthy milestone – having been promoted to Creative Director, a testament to his ongoing commitment to excellence and leadership in the field.
Danielle Zablocki
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
LEO BURNETT
Toronto, ON
Danielle is an award-winning Art Director. She has been awarded internationally by The One Show, Cannes Lions, The Advertising & Design Club of Canada & the ANDYs, to name a few. Last year, Danielle ranked in the top ten Art Directors in Canada. She is a creative that thrives off creating acts, not ads. Acts are ideas that are press-focused, garnering attention for a brand to make it famous. Have you ever heard of the infamous Heinz Hot Dog Pact? Her most significant professional achievement is solving the age-old debacle by creating a campaign to finally align hot dog makers with hot dog bun makers for the same number of each per package. Being a creative isn't just her job, it's in her DNA.
Melissa Zeta
Senior Designer
Anomaly
Toronto, ON
Melissa is a Toronto-based designer with over 12 years of experience across agencies, including Cundari, TAXI, Sapient, and presently, Anomaly. A proud alumni of York/Sheridan's Design program. Her portfolio features brands such as Bud Light, Koodo, and the iconic BRP line—Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, Can-Am. Her journey led her to a newfound passion for Brand Identity, recently receiving an Applied Arts Award for Brand Identity for the transformation of the Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts. Driven by a passion for community impact, Melissa dedicates herself to projects within underrepresented communities, exemplified by her involvement with Israella Kobla, a Toronto fashion house championed through Anomaly's Equal Advantage program, as well as her work on the film Underplayed, which sheds light on the underrepresentation of women in music. Her joy and commitment extend to designing for those who stand for meaningful causes.
Judging Process
All work is entered and judged digitally. There are no hard copies. Therefore, please read our RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES, under the ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES section ensure you submit your work properly for maximum impact.
The judges are divided into groups, with each viewing a different and random group of entries. Each judge reviews and scores entries separately. Judges do not confer or discuss their work, and there is only one round of judging.
- Each entry is judged independently on its own merit. Judges are asked not to rank or compare entries.
- We have no predetermined quota of winners If a category has no winners, it is eliminated. Similarly, a category may have multiple winners. All entries above the cut-off score are declared winners and are published.
- We do not rank winners (i.e. no gold, silver, etc.). Every entry above the cut-off score is given equal exposure as a winner.
Entries are given one total score, based on three criteria only:
- Creative merit.
- Technical excellence.
- Suitability for end use in the category it was submitted to.
NOTE: Entries submitted to the high school categories are judged with the level of experience and available resources taken into consideration.
Eligibility
This competition is open internationally to post-secondary (undergraduate and graduate studies) and high-school students. Entries must be submitted digitally in high-resolution format. Only digital entries are accepted.
High-School Students | Are only eligible to apply to the high school categories.
Graduates | If you graduated from a post-secondary school within the past year, you may still submit work completed during your studies.
Work completed either as a school requirement or independently (personal work), during any year of your schooling, is eligible to be submitted to the competition (but not work submitted previously).Categories & Entry Fees
Entry fees vary per sub-grouping and category.
CREATIVE ADVERTISING SINGLE / SERIES: $35 | CAMPAIGNS: $45
Brand Activation Campaign
Concept Development Campaign
Copywriting for Advertising – NEW
Digital Advertising
Digital Experimental/Innovative Campaign
Experiential/Event
Print Advertising
PR/Viral Campaign
Radio
Social Responsibility
Video Advertising
DESIGN - SINGLE / SERIES: $35 | PROGRAMS: $45
Brand Identity Design
Logo Design
Concept Development
Digital Content
Digital Experimental/Innovative
Editorial Design
Game Design & Development
Motion
Packaging Design
Product Development
Promotional Design
Social Responsibility
Typeface Design
Website
Typography
Website and App Design
DIGITAL, MOTION & GAMING - SINGLE / SERIES: $45
Animation
Digital Content
Game Design & Development
Motion
Website and App Design
ILLUSTRATION - SINGLE / SERIES: $35
Animation
Cartoon/Comic illustration
Conceptual Illustration
Editorial Illustration
Graphic Novel Illustration - NEW
Packaging Illustration – NEW
Social Responsibility Illustration - NEW
3D Modelling
Photo Illustration/Mixed Media
PHOTOGRAPHY - SINGLE / SERIES: $35
Conceptual Photography
Food Photography
Lifestyle photography
Motion
Nature, landscape & Wildlife
Portrait Photography
Photo Illustration/Mixed Media
Photo Manipulation
HIGH SCHOOL - SINGLE / SERIES: $20
Entries can be from any application from the sub-groupings above.
Entry Material Guidelines
- Submit entries in digital, hi-res format.
- Actual creative work must be entered. Brief descriptions or case studies for the judges may only be added as a supporting file.
- Do not add a watermark that identifies the entrant Self-promotion work is exempt.
- Entries must be in English or include an English translation for any important text (e.g. headlines AND entry titles).
- Complete the Winners' Information, including the Description of Entry and Creative Credits, at the entry stage. NOTE: Winners will only have 48 hours to review and make edits.
Acceptable file formats and restrictions
STILLS
- File Format: PDF*, JPG, PNG, GIF
- File Dimensions: 8-inches (or 2,400 pixels) on the longest dimension
- Resolution: 300 DPI (min.)
- Colour Mode: RGB
- File Size: Max. 5 MB
* Multipage PDFs are allowed and recommended over individual PDF or JPG files.
MOTION
- File Format: MP4, URL to a video-sharing site (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo).
- File Size: Max. 80 MB
- IMPORTANT re MP4: Video files will be resized by our system to 800px wide keeping aspect ratio.
RESTRICTIONS
- Password–protected sites not allowed.
- MPEG, WMV are unsupported.
- Uploading materials through file sharing sites such Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, etc.
Main Entry Files
REQUIRED
Your Main Entry File(s) must clearly show the entry (ideally with no additional graphics) in hi-res format.
PERMITTED
SINGLE | 1 File
A single unit – Such as an ad, annual report, book/publication, multiple-page brochure, poster, environmental signage for an event/storefront, website, etc.
SERIES | 3 Files maximum
2 – 3 units – i.e. A family of logos, packages, ads, package, posters.
CAMPAIGN | 6 files maximum
Up to 6 elements/units from an entire campaign or program to promote an event, brand, product, service or business.
NOTE ON MULTIPAGE PDFS: Recommended when incorporating any additional images into the maximum number of files allowed (e.g. the image in context, inside pages from a book, or multiple views of 3-dimensional entries such as packaging). It only counts as 1 file.
Support Files
Support Files are for clarity to assist the judges. They are not for publication (except where noted) and do not count towards the file limitations noted above. These files can be added to your main entry material or uploaded to the Supporting Materials of the ENTRY MATERIALS section. Only one file/URL may be uploaded.
REQUIRED
~ English translations for non-English entries: Include any important text (e.g. headlines and the entry title) either as a Support File or within a multipage PDF as your Main Entry File.
PERMITTED
~ Brief descriptions: Are recommended in cases where the use/intention is not obvious or to provide further clarity for the judges. Limit to 50 words in English (10-second intro for motion).
~ Case studies: Not recommended (as outcomes are not a consideration for judges in scoring), case studies can be added ONLY as a Support File and should be limited to max. 50 words in English (or up to 45s for videos). REMINDER: The actual creative is to be judged as your Main Entry File.
NOT PERMITTED
~ Uploading the same creative: Do not submit the same creative either as a file or URL if it's already been added as the Main Entry File.
~ Entrant information: Do not add a watermark that identifies the entrant on the Support files/URLs.
RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES
Judging is online. Here's how to help the judges:
- A multipage PDF is preferred over multiple, individual PDF or JPG files.
- More is not better. Curate your images to the maximum indicated for each category, except where noted.
- Give the judges the full picture at-a-glance. Show multiple views of 3D pieces, zoom in on small print or details and show complex/novel work in the context of how the audience saw it.
- Include supporting material within a multipage PDF as your Main Entry File when requested.
- Look at your entry on a smaller screen and ensure all important details are legible at that size, as that's how a judge may view it.
How To Enter
The entry form consists of five (5) steps. You will have the option to save your progress during each step of the process.
Create your "MY ENTRIES" Account.
This is your Applied Arts Awards account for all Awards competitions. Once logged in, personal account information can be updated, a new entry can be started, copied from an existing one, or edited; and you can pay for all or some entries.
Bookmark https://www.appliedartsmag.com/myentries/ for easy access to your account later.
Be sure to provide a phone number and email address that you access regularly outside of school when setting up your "My Entries" awards account. All winners will be notified in June, so it is CRUCIAL that you are available to provide any additional images or information we may need for the Awards Annual.
NOTE: If you've entered the Applied Arts Awards previously, please use the email address associated with your account.
All entrants must complete an online entry form in My Entries, regardless of payment method, to be eligible for entry.
Step 1: Entry Information
Select the Student Awards competition, choose a sub-group, category and your entry title.
Step 2: Entry Materials
Entry format: All entries are to be submitted in digital format. See the ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES section above for detailed specifications and helpful tips.
Step 3: Winners' Information
THIS SECTION IS FOR PUBLICATION ONLY AND IS NOT VISIBLE TO THE JUDGES. Please review the information carefully. After the winners have been notified, you will only have 48 hours to make edits.
The "Winner" field is the primary individual you want to be credited on the piece (i.e. the student).
NOTE: In instances of a group project enter only the first individual of the team as in the "Winner" field. The other team member(s) should be added in the CREATIVE CREDITS section. (See Step 4: CREATIVE CREDITS for further explanation on how to enter additional names so that they are properly credited as "Winners").
Optional fields: Phone, email, web address, social handles, and the URL to the winning entry (typically, for motion entries). If these are entered, they will be published beside your winning work.
NOTE: We recommend including the URL as, due to file sizes, we don't upload the MP4 files directly for viewing in the Winners Gallery. They are only used for judging.
Description of Entry: For the purpose of providing a brief creative summary of the project to be published beside your winning entry. The description is limited to a maximum of 500 characters (includes spaces).
NOTE: The "Descriptions of Entry" are for publication use only and are not shown to the judges.
Step 4: Creative Credits
Credits are a summary of the individual(s) or organizations(s) that have worked on the project (i.e. instructor, school, or program).
A maximum of 6 creative credit roles will be published in the Annual, however, any/all creative credits you entered will appear in the online Winners Gallery.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- In instances of a team entry (e.g. student group project), enter the subsequent names here (Reminder: you entered one name in the "Winner" field). Choose the "Other" role and enter Student, or Winner as a custom role field. They will not be counted towards your 6 credit roles, and will be credited together as the "Winners". These individuals may also be added a second time, identifying their specific roles on the project (e.g. art director, writer).
- Credits only need to be entered once. Credits automatically get saved to your account to be used for any competition. For subsequent entries, select either a saved credit or add a new credit. To change the order of your credits, change the number from the sort column and select "Update Sort" when finished.
- Creative credits must be completed at the time of submission. If selected as a winner there will be only 48 hours to edit or add the creative credits. Be sure to review your creative credits carefully, particularly the credits to be printed in the Annual.
Step 5: Certificate information
Winners will receive one certificate for each winning entry. Complete the winning individual you wish to appear on the certificate. The entry title with the category the project won, and school will automatically be included on the certificate. You will have the opportunity to order additional certificates once winners have been notified.
NEXT: FINALIZING YOUR ENTRY
After Step 5, the entry form is complete. Press the "Save" button to return to the "My Entries" dashboard to submit a new entry, copy an existing entry to a new category, or submit payment.
IMPORTANT: A submitted entry is not final and entered in the competition until it's paid for. Entries may be edited until paid. Once payment has been processed, it is final.
Payment & Refunds
Entry fees vary. Check the Awards Categories Kit for entry fees. Once an entry is paid it is officially in the competition and cannot be modified.
Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard or American Express (AmEx is for Canadian payments only at this time), or PayPal. US and international entry fees are payable in US funds.
We only accept cheques or direct deposits in special circumstances. These cases must be pre-approved. To request them, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.
NOTE TO STUDENTS WITH A SCHOOL CODE
For students with a school code, please select "School Code" as the method of payment, followed by the school code issued by your instructor/school.
NOTE TO TEACHERS
If you have a large volume of student entries to submit and would like to organize payment through your school, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com for a School Group Code. We will track entries and issue an invoice.
Entries are non-refundable. If an entry is submitted to the same category, entrants will have the option to move the entry to another category or enter new work in its place.
Keep a record of your submissions.
Winners
All entrants will be notified by late June 2025 via email. At that time, you will have only 48 hours to correct or finalize creative credits and descriptions.
To ensure you don't miss the results notifications, add winners@appliedartsmag.com to your white list.
Award recipients will earn the following recognition for their outstanding work
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Published in Applied Arts Magazine: Winning entries are featured prominently in the Winter 2025: Advertising & Student Awards Annual, showcasing the best creative work in the industry. The Awards Annual provides winners with valuable exposure and recognition within the creative community and will be received by the winner.
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Online Gallery: Showcasing the Winners' work in the Applied Arts Awards online gallery, a digital exhibition of the awarded entries. This online presence can increase exposure and visibility for the winners' work.
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Digital Winners' Badge: Winners are granted the right to display the Applied Arts Awards winners' badge on their website, portfolio, or marketing materials. This badge serves as a visual mark of distinction and can help enhance their professional reputation.
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Award Certificate: Winners receive an official certificate acknowledging their achievement in the Applied Arts Awards competition. This certificate is a tangible symbol of their accomplishment and can be used for promotional purposes.
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Industry Recognition: The Applied Arts Awards are highly regarded within the creative industry, and winning an award can significantly enhance a professional's reputation and credibility. It can also attract attention from potential clients, employers, collaborators, and peers, opening up new career opportunities and collaborations.
ADD-ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR WINNERS*
- Order additional certificates for your creative team, parents, etc. with an option to order a plaque-mounted certificate.
- Order additional copies of the Student & Advertising Awards Annual at a discounted price.
- Order a personalized, engraved Awards trophy. This attractive and original Lucite AACE cube is 3.5x3.5x3.5 square inches.
*Additional fees apply
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility FAQ
I'm a high school student. Can I enter? Yes. There are a limited number of categories available for high-school students in the Student Awards competition. The rest of the categories are open only to post-secondary students attending a college, university or other type of art school.
I am currently studying a post-graduate/graduate program, am I still eligible to enter? Yes. You are still eligible to enter the Student Awards competition.
Am I still eligible to enter if I recently graduated? If you've graduated in the past year you are still eligible to enter the Student Awards. You may also qualify to submit work to the Young Blood categories in the professional competitions. Please see the specific discipline for eligibility.
Judging FAQ
Will the judges see my descriptions during the judging? Judges do not see the creative descriptions you have entered. These are only for publishing beside your entry if chosen as a winner. If you feel judges need an explanatory note, you may include a brief description as a Support File (no more than 50 words or 10 seconds for broadcast/video).
Categories FAQ
Can I enter a piece in multiple categories? Yes. In your account on the My Entries home page, click "Copy" on any entry you've created. Be sure to change the discipline and/or entry category to the new one you want to submit to.
Which category does my entry belong in? Often the best way to understand a category is to see previous work that won in that category. Check our online Winners Gallery for examples. If you still have questions regarding our categories or require assistance in selecting the appropriate category, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.
NOTE: Applied Arts reserves the right to move an entry to another category if we feel it unsuitable or incorrectly categorized.
Is my entry a single series, and campaign? A single means one piece, and series means you are submitting more than one piece of the same project to a maximum of three. A campaign is up to six pieces for the Student competition. If an entry contains more than the specified images, we will either contact you to split the submission into multiple entries, or choose which ones will be judged, so it's best to stick to the indicated number of pieces specified.
Entry Material FAQ
At what specs do I need to submit my entry? Refer to ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES section for specifications.
Can I submit a hard copy or disk? No. Only digital uploads are accepted.
The program crashed. Did I lose everything? No. You are saving your work as you go through each section of the entry form. If the program crashes as you are completing a certain section, it may not have been saved in that section.
The file I uploaded won't show me a preview. Why? You may not see the image preview if you haven't followed the specs outlined in ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES. Check your file and re-upload. If you continue to experience difficulties, try clearing your browser history or contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.
I uploaded the wrong file. Can I change it? Yes. You can resubmit images at any time until payment is made. Click the "X" beside the appropriate file and re-upload your image.
NOTE: The thumbnail image may not correctly display your new image. If this happens close your browser and log back into "My Entries" for the changes to show. If you continue to experience difficulties, try clearing your browser history or contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.
Rights FAQ
Do I need to get the rights of the subjects or material used from external sources in my entry? It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure copyright is not infringed. Upon entry you must grant us the rights to reproduce the image or images for both our online and print publications, so you would most likely need to have these rights in place to protect yourself. Although you do not need to send us a copy of the release forms, we do suggest that you have them. Entrants who request we don't run their winning work because they don't have the rights will not be refunded for their entry. NOTE: Student work is often exempt from copyright rules.
What rights do I retain if my work is chosen? You retain all rights to your images.
Payment FAQ
How do students enter and pay? Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, or with a School Code. If using a school Code select the "School Code" option under Payment Method to finalize the entries.
Can I submit more entries after paying? Yes. In My Entries, you will have the opportunity to submit additional entries even if others already entered have been paid. This will simply generate a new confirmation email when you complete your entries with payment.
I want to change something after I've paid. What do I do? Once an entry is paid, you cannot change the category, entry title, entry format, winners information, description of entry, or credits. A paid entry is final, so check carefully before proceeding to the payment field. If chosen as a winner, you will be given a small window of time to add or edit information.
Can I get a refund? Entries are non-refundable; costs cover administration, processing and the judging of the entry. A submission of entry acknowledges acceptance of these rules.
I'm getting error messages when I try to pay. What do I do? If you entered your payment information incorrectly on your first attempt, any subsequent attempts would be declined, even if you change your payment type. Close your browser and log back into My Entries. You should now be able to proceed with payment. If you continue to experience difficulties, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.
Winners FAQ
If I win, what image will you use for reproduction? We will use the image(s) you submitted on entry. In the case of series, complete, campaign or motion, we select a sampling at our discretion from the images/files submitted.
Contact
Questions? If you've checked all of the above sections and cannot find the answer to your question, or if you are having difficulty entering, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.
Disclaimer
Applied Arts reserves the right to amend these rules throughout the competition. Applied Arts assumes all entries are original and the property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein. Applied Arts reserves the rights to publish or exhibit entries for our print or electronic formats, or related promotions. Entries are non-refundable. Costs cover administration, processing, and the judging of the entry. Entries may be moved to a more suitable category, if Applied Arts deems the category chosen unsuitable. All descriptions and credits are subject to be edited for length, clarity and grammar in accordance with the Applied Arts editorial style guide. A submission of entry acknowledges acceptance of these rules.