Student Design Award 2018
Shortlist announced!
A big thank you to everyone who entered the Penguin Random House Student Design Award 2018. We had a record-breaking 2,185 entries this year. Congratulations to the shortlisted entrants:
Adult Fiction Cover Award – shortlisted entrants
Simon Breese – Billy Blue College of Design, Australia
Emily Courdelle – Norwich University of the Arts
Raemarie Lee – Kingston University
Daisy Moore – Kingston University
Mulenga Musonda – University of Brighton
Joshua Payne – Falmouth University
Joanna Ruane – University of Huddersfield
Sascha Sendlbeck – University of Derby
Alva Skog – Central Saint Martins
Adult Non-Fiction Cover Award
Robert Benniman – Gloucestershire College
Zoe Boukouvala – Bath Spa University
Ching Man Cheung – Coventry University
Cameron Edwardson – Coventry University
Fergus Frost – Central Saint Martins
Helen Kellock – Glasgow School of Art
Graham Robinson – Stockport College
James Seabright – Northumbria University
Harry Woodgate – University of Hertfordshire
Stephen Young – University of Hertfordshire
Children’s Cover Award
Emily Courdelle – Norwich University of the Arts
Fruzsina Czech – Ulster University, Belfast
Jade Devanna – Hugh Baird University Centre
Heléna Doré – Plymouth College of Art
Kay Hamers - University of Northampton
Katie Hilton – Blackpool & the Fylde University
Emma Hope – Glasgow Clyde College
Lucy Scholes – Falmouth University
Lydia Townsend – Northbrook Metropolitan College
Saskia Wright – Nottingham Trent University
Please keep a look out after Thursday 10th May, once we've received the final designs from each student, for further details of these shortlisted entries.
The winners will be announced on Wednesday 20th June.
The winner of each category will win a work placement within the Penguin Random House Design Studios as well as £1,000 in prize money. The winners of the 2nd prize in each category will receive a £500 cash prize and the winners of the 3rd prize in each category will receive a £350 cash prize.
All the shortlisted entrants have been contacted by email about the next stage of the competition.
We regret that we cannot enter into any further correspondence with entrants who have not been selected for the shortlist.
About the Student Design Award
The Penguin Random House Student Design Award is an opportunity for students interested in pursuing a career in design to experience real cover design briefs first-hand.
The competition is open to anyone studying on a Further Education or Higher Education course (part time or full time) in any subject and at any level at the time of the deadline for entries (6 March 2018). Entrants must be aged 18 or over by 1 July 2018. The competition is not open to graphic design professionals. Entrants must be available to take up the 4-week work placement if they win the first prize. See the Terms and Conditions for full details of entry requirements.
To enter, select the category/categories you would like to submit an entry for, read the briefs and get designing!
Students may enter a maximum of one design in each of the three categories.
To make the process even more similar to the way our designers work, once the judges have selected the shortlist, the Art Directors will email the shortlisted entrants with individual feedback and further art direction on their cover designs.
This year, our three briefs are:

Adult Fiction Cover Award
Animal Farm
George Orwell

Adult Non-Fiction Cover Award
A Brief History of Time
Stephen Hawking

Children's Cover Award
Noughts & Crosses
Malorie Blackman
A letter from Tom Weldon, Penguin Random House CEO
Standout cover design is an integral part of the success of a book and Penguin Random House has created thousands of iconic book covers throughout the years. The vital role of illustrators and designers in the production of some of the world's best-loved adult and children's books has created and defined the identity of our UK publishing lists.
We value creativity and design incredibly highly, and started the Penguin Random House Student Design Award twelve years ago to encourage the next generation of designers to use their amazing talents to help us tell our authors' stories.
I am always impressed with the quality of submissions and I look forward to seeing what this year’s talent has to offer.

This year, we're partnering with Lecture in Progress to spread the word about the Penguin Random House Student Design Award. Lecture in Progress is a new creative resource launched earlier this year by the creators of It's Nice That. Covering design, illustration, photography, filmmaking, advertising and animation, it offers first-hand accounts, advice and insight into creative jobs and careers. It's currently free for students and takes a few moments to become a member – simply visit lectureinprogress.com to sign up.