Frequently Asked Questions
Entry Packs, including information on guidelines and conditions of entry, can be found on the How to Enter page. Please make sure that you have read and fully understood these before entering.
Deadlines, eligibility and fees
- When is the deadline for entry forms and fees?
- When is the deadline for submission of entries?
- Who can enter the RSA Student Design Awards?
- Are the RSA Student Design Awards open to students outside the UK?
- If I am a currently enroled student, do I need to be studying on a design course to enter?
- I'm doing a post-graduate course - can I still enter?
- How much does it cost to enter?
- How can I pay the entry fee?
- I am not currently living or studying in the UK - how do I pay?
- Can I enter more than once for the same project, and for different projects?
Working on the briefs and submission details
- How many people can work on a brief?
- Can members of a team be from different departments in the same college, or a different college?
- What if my entry is late in arriving?
- Where should I send my entry?
- May I deliver my entry in person?
- Should I send my entry fee with my entry?
- What if my entry is bigger than A3?
- Do I need to put an RSA label on every piece of my entry?
- What happens if my entry gets damaged?
- What type of card should I use to mount flatwork?
- Can my work be disqualified for any reason?
- Who will be judging my work?
- When and where will my work be judged?
- What is the process for short-listed entrants?
- When and how will I find out if I have been shortlisted for interview?
- How many entrants are short-listed in each brief category?
- Will my work be shown anywhere?
- What do I get if I win an award?
- What is the award for the winning entrant/s?
- What are the awards for 2nd and 3rd place?
- Is there any other recognition apart from the awards?
- Will my entry be returned to me?
Deadlines, eligibility and fees
When is the deadline for entry forms and fees?
Entry forms and fees are due by Friday, 17th February 2012. Entry forms and fee should be sent by this date to:
RSA Student Design Awards Registrations
8 John Adam Street
London
WC2N 6EZ
UK
When is the deadline for submission of entries?
The window for submitting entries is Monday, 20th February - Friday, 16th March 2012. Entries will be accepted on any weekday within these dates between 08:00-18:00, excluding weekend and bank holidays. Entries should be delivered to:
Brooks Transport Services Ltd
Unit 2/15
Second Avenue
Bluebridge Industrial Estate
Halstead
Essex
CO9 2SU
UK
Who can enter the RSA Student Design Awards?
The RSA Student Design Awards are open to all currently enroled students and those within one year of graduation. If you are a new graduate and you would like to enter the RSA Student Design Awards 2011/12 competition, you should have graduated no earlier than Feburary 2011.
Are the RSA Student Design Awards open to students outside the UK?
Yes - international entries are accepted from currently enroled students and new graduates within one year of graduation.
If I am a currently enroled student, do I need to be studying on a design course to enter?
No - you can be studying on any course at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
I'm doing a post-graduate course - can I still enter?
Yes - all currently enroled students, undergraduate or post-graduate can enter.
How much does it cost to enter?
£35.00 per entry (whether submitted by an individual or a team). This is inclusive of VAT.
How can I pay the entry fee?
By personal or college cheque (in pounds Sterling and drawn on UK banks only), or postal order. Your college may also submit a purchase order number if they are paying by college cheque for a number of students, and will be sent an invoice. Your tutor should collect individual payments and send them together with any college cheques or purchase order numbers, and the entry forms, to the RSA.
I am not currently living or studying in the UK - how do I pay?
By a cheque or bankers draft in pounds stirling, or credit card.
Can I enter more than once for the same project, and for different projects?
There is no limit to how many times candidates can enter the same or different projects provided the correct entry fee, for each entry, is submitted each time.
Working on the briefs and submission details
How many people can work on a brief?
You can enter as either an individual or as a team; some projects may be more suited to teamwork than others. There is no set number of people that can be part of a team, but generally team entries comprise 2 or 3 people.
Can members of a team be from different departments in the same college, or a different college?
Yes. In all cases, each team member must complete an entry form.
What if my entry is late in arriving?
Unless previously arranged with the RSA under exceptional circumstances, no late entries will be accepted.
Where should I send my entry?
You should submit your entry between Monday, 20th February and Friday, 16th March 2012 to:
Brooks Transport Services Ltd
Unit 2/15
Second Avenue
Bluebridge Indistrial Estate
Halstead
Essex
CO9 2SU
UK
May I deliver my entry in person?
Yes, if you arrange this with Brooks Transport Ltd. Brooks Transport can be reached by telephone at: +44 (0)1787 476624
Should I send my entry fee with my entry?
No, entry forms and fees should be sent by Friday, 17th February 2012 to:
RSA Student Design Awards Registrations
8 John Adam Street
London
WC2N 6EZ
UK
What if my entry is bigger than A3?
Any flat artwork not mounted on A3 boards will be automatically disqualified. Boards may not be folded or hinged.
Do I need to put an RSA label on every piece of my entry?
Yes. Failure to do so may result in your work not being judged, irrespective of any payment submitted.
What happens if my entry gets damaged?
While this is a very rare, parcels do sometimes get damaged in the post, so it is always a good idea to ensure that you or your college package your work carefully before sending it in, and where possible, keep a copy. The RSA does not accept responsibility for damaged work.
What type of card should I use to mount flatwork?
Presentation boards should be lightweight card (approximately 700 gsm), and all items should be securely fixed to boards.
Can my work be disqualified for any reason?
Yes. Here are a few of the most frequent reasons for disqualification:
- Incorrect, missing or uncleared payment
- Work without RSA labels attached
- Work mounted incorrectly, such as on paper rather than board or on a size other than A3 or other size specified in a project's Submission Details
- Submitting more than the required deliverables stated in the brief (such as sending in five boards instead of four or a CD when asked for just boards)
- Two different responses to a brief submitted as one entry (in this case you would need to enter twice with a separate payment for each entry)
- Putting your name on the work anywhere other than the RSA label, which should be on the back of each submitted item
Who will be judging my work?
Each year a jury is put together for every project. You can see details of jury members on each project page via a link named 'Judging Panel'. Details of the juries for 2011/12 will be released in late 2011 or early 2012.
When and where will my work be judged?
Judging for the 2011/12 competition will take place at the RSA in London between March-May 2012.
What is the process for short-listed entrants?
The judging process for the RSA Student Design Awards is a 2-stage process. At the first stage, the judges anonymously select a short-list of approximately 5-10 (usually around 7) submissions to go to the next stage, based solely on the 4 A3 boards, the 250-word written statement and the sketchbook. This number can vary depending on the total number of entries in that particular category and if the judges feel there are more or less that they would like to see at the next stage. The second stage is an interview stage: all short-listed candidates are invited to the RSA to present their work to the judges and to discuss their development as a designer. All candidates are allotted a 30-minute time slot, 5-minutes of which consists of a short presentation to the judges. At interview, candidates are invited to bring along further development of their design idea and/or their portfolio.
When and how will I find out if I have been shortlisted for interview?
You will receive a letter from the RSA informing you of the date and time of your interview (a letter will also be sent to your tutor, if you are a currently enroled student). This will be sent out to you 2-4 weeks before the scheduled interview.
How many entrants are short-listed in each brief category?
Generally 5-10 entrants are chosen as the short-listed from all the entries in a particular category. It is up to the judges to decides how many winners there will be, selected from the short-list. Often, there is one winner and several commendations, including 'Highly Commended' and 'Commended.'
Winning and commended work is shown on the RSA Student Design Awards Exhibitions page and some may appear in the media, subject to press coverage. In addition, all short-listed entrants will be listed on the website.
What do I get if I win an award?
Each project has its own sponsors and awards - see individual project pages for the link to 'Awards'.
What is the award for the winning entrant/s?
The award for the winning submission/s varies from brief to brief. For a full list of the awards associated with each brief, go to the brief pages, where you will find more information. Some briefs carry a cash award, distributed at the jury's discretion, whilst others are awarded an internship.
What are the awards for 2nd and 3rd place?
There are no 2nd and 3rd prizes in the RSA Student Design Awards. Students are either awarded as a winner and thus receive a cash award or an internship, or are awarded a commendation, which is an accolade in itself, but does not come with a cash award or internship. Other students who have been short-listed may not be a winner or commended, but short-listed entrants are encouraged to note that they have been short-listed on their CVs.
Is there any other recognition apart from the awards?
Short-listed students may be Highly Commended or Commended where the jury deems it appropriate. Being short-listed for interview is also widely recognised as an achievement, and should be put on your CV.
Will my entry be returned to me?
Yes, your work will be returned to your college if you are a currently enroled student, or to your specified address if you are a new graduate. Your work will be returned after the preliminary judging if you have not been short-listed. If you have been shortlisted, the RSA will return your work around June/July 2012.
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