Sony World Photography Awards 2027—Student & Youth Competitions [Free Entry]: Apply by Nov 27/Jan 5

The World Photography Organisation is inviting entries for the Student and Youth competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2027. Photography students aged 18–30 can submit a series on “Journeys,” while photographers aged 19 or below can submit up to three individual images. Entry is free and selected photographers can receive Sony equipment, international exposure and opportunities to attend the awards ceremony in London.

Click here to enter the Sony World Photography Awards 2027.

About the Sony World Photography Awards

The Sony World Photography Awards are organised by the World Photography Organisation with support from Sony.

The annual awards recognise photographers working across different genres and experience levels. Selected images receive international exposure through exhibitions, publications, media coverage and the organisation’s online platforms.

The 2027 awards include separate Series, Single Image, Student and Youth competitions.

Competition Highlights

Organiser: World Photography Organisation
Awards: Sony World Photography Awards 2027
Competitions covered: Student and Youth
Participation: Worldwide
Entry fee: Free
Student age: 18–30 years
Youth age: 19 years or below
Student deadline: November 27, 2026
Youth deadline: January 5, 2027
Prizes: Sony Digital Imaging equipment, international exposure and other benefits
Winner announcement: April 2027

Student Competition

The Student Competition provides a global platform for students undertaking formal photography programmes.

Applicants must respond to the annual brief by submitting a photographic series containing between five and ten images.

Student Competition Theme

The 2027 brief is: “Journeys”

Participants may interpret the theme broadly. A journey may represent:

Personal growth or a rite of passage
Changes within a family or community
Transformation of a town or city
Migration and movement
Travel between places
Cultural or social change
Environmental transformation
An emotional or psychological journey
Small changes occurring in everyday life

The submission must work as a connected photographic series rather than a collection of unrelated images.

Student Competition Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be between 18 and 30 years old on the competition deadline.
Be enrolled in a formal photography programme.
Study through a participating or registered educational institution.
Submit original work responding to the “Journeys” brief.
Enter a series containing five to ten images.

A qualifying photography programme may be a formal photography course, credit, module or foundation taught at the higher-education level as part of a diploma, Bachelor of Arts or Master of Arts curriculum.

Students should ensure that their university or institution is registered with the competition before submitting an entry.

Student Image Requirements

Student entries must:

Contain between five and ten images.
Respond clearly to the “Journeys” brief.
Consist of original work created by the entrant.
Be submitted in JPEG format.
Be between 1 MB and 5 MB per image.
Use the sRGB colour model.
Retain EXIF data within the image files.
Be available in a high-resolution version suitable for printing if shortlisted.

The rules state that images must have been taken within the 18 months preceding the November 27, 2026 deadline.

Rules concerning previously published work vary according to where and when the photographs were published. Entrants should review the complete publication restrictions before submitting a series that has already appeared online, in print or in an exhibition.

Click here to enter the 2027 Student Competition.

Student Competition Prizes

Up to ten photographers will be shortlisted, and one will be selected as the overall Student Competition winner.

Depending on their position, selected photographers may receive:

Sony Digital Imaging equipment
Flights and accommodation for the awards ceremony in London
Inclusion in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition
Inclusion in the annual awards book
Global press and media exposure
Promotion on the World Photography Organisation website
Promotion through its online community
A certificate
A trophy for the overall winner

Travel and accommodation for the overall winner include the selected student and one tutor.

The overall winner’s university or institution will receive Sony Digital Imaging equipment worth approximately €30,000. This institutional award is not a cash prize or a personal €30,000 payment to the student.

There is no cash alternative for the announced equipment prizes.

Important Student Deadline Clarification

The Student Competition summary and overall awards timeline state that entries close on: November 27, 2026 at 4:00 PM GMT

However, a later clause within the rules displayed on the same page states: November 27, 2026 at 1:00 PM GMT

Because the official page contains these conflicting times, applicants should use the earlier time as the safe deadline.

For Indian applicants, the safe deadline is therefore: November 27, 2026 at 6:30 PM IST

Do not wait until the later displayed time of 9:30 PM IST.

Youth Competition

The Youth Competition recognises outstanding individual photographs created by photographers aged 19 or below.

Participants may submit up to three single images free of charge. The photographs are judged individually rather than as a series.

All photographic styles, subjects, genres and creative approaches are accepted under the 2027 open call, provided the entries comply with the competition rules.

Youth Competition Eligibility

The Youth Competition is open worldwide to members of the public who are 19 years old or below on January 5, 2027.

Participants below 16 must have permission from a parent or legal guardian.

If an entrant below 16 is selected as a winner, a valid signed parental or guardian consent form must be provided within the period specified by the organiser.

Youth Image Requirements

Youth entrants may submit up to three images.

Each image must:

Have been taken during 2026.
Be the participant’s original work.
Be submitted in JPEG format.
Be between 1 MB and 5 MB.
Use the sRGB colour model.
Be available in a high-resolution version suitable for printing.
Be free from names, watermarks and copyright markings.

Images captured using mobile phones are accepted, provided they satisfy the file-size and quality requirements.

Photographs that have been published, exhibited, entered into another contest or previously awarded may still be eligible, provided they meet the dates and other conditions stated in the 2027 rules.

Click here to enter the 2027 Youth Competition.

Youth Competition Prizes

Judges will select a shortlist of up to ten photographers. One will be named the overall Youth Competition winner.

The overall winner may receive:

Sony Digital Imaging equipment
Flights and accommodation for the London awards ceremony
A trophy
A certificate
A copy of the annual awards book
Inclusion in the awards book
Inclusion in the London exhibition
Global press exposure
Promotion on the official website and online community

Shortlisted photographers will receive international exposure and promotion through the World Photography Organisation’s platforms.

There is no cash alternative for the equipment prize.

Youth Competition Deadline

The Youth Competition closes on: January 5, 2027 at 4:00 PM GMT

For Indian applicants, this corresponds to: January 5, 2027 at 9:30 PM IST

Editing, Manipulation and AI-Generated Images

Photographic manipulation is permitted, but entrants must clearly explain the extent of the editing in the image description.

Every submission must originate from an analogue or digital photograph. Computer-generated content cannot be the original source of an entry.

The organiser may request the original photograph or image file to verify how an entry was created or manipulated.

Originality and Permissions

Participants must:

Own and have created the submitted photographs.
Hold the necessary rights to enter the work.
Obtain permission from identifiable people shown in the images.
Avoid infringing third-party copyright, trademarks or privacy rights.
Avoid unauthorised commercial material.
Follow applicable rules when using drones.
Avoid harming, manipulating or distressing animals to obtain an image.

Stock photographs purchased or licensed from another creator cannot be submitted as the entrant’s work.

Copyright

Photographers retain copyright in their submitted images.

By entering, participants grant the World Photography Organisation rights to use selected images for judging, exhibitions, publications and promotion connected with the awards.

Images used by the organisation should carry the photographer’s credit.

How to Apply?

Interested applicants may follow these steps:

Select the Student or Youth Competition according to eligibility.
Create an account on the World Photography Organisation website.
Review the complete competition rules.
Prepare the required photographs.
Remove watermarks, names and copyright markings.
Confirm the required file size, format and colour profile.
Write accurate image titles, captions and descriptions.
Upload the photographs through the official website.
Review the complete submission carefully.
Submit before the applicable deadline.

Once an entry has been formally submitted, images generally cannot be changed. Participants should check every file before completing the submission.

Important Dates

Student Competition

Entries opened: June 1, 2026
Safe submission deadline: November 27, 2026 at 1:00 PM GMT
Safe Indian deadline: November 27, 2026 at 6:30 PM IST
Official summary-page time: November 27, 2026 at 4:00 PM GMT
Overall winner announced: April 2027

Youth Competition

Entries opened: June 1, 2026
Submission deadline: January 5, 2027 at 4:00 PM GMT
Indian deadline: January 5, 2027 at 9:30 PM IST
Winner and shortlist announced: Before or during April 2027

Which Competition Should You Enter?

Choose the Student Competition if:

You are aged 18–30.
You are enrolled in an eligible higher-education photography programme.
Your educational institution is registered.
You can submit a connected series of five to ten images on “Journeys.”

Choose the Youth Competition if:

You are 19 years old or below.
You want to submit up to three individual photographs.
You are not necessarily enrolled in a photography course.

A photographer aged 18 or 19 who is also enrolled in an eligible photography programme may appear to meet the basic age requirements for both competitions. They should review the complete rules and ensure that the images entered comply separately with each category’s requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Indian photographers participate?

Yes. Both competitions accept eligible photographers worldwide, including applicants from India.

Is there an entry fee?

No. The Student and Youth competitions are free to enter.

Can mobile photographs be submitted?

Yes. Photographs taken using mobile phones are accepted if they meet the technical and quality requirements.

Can non-students enter the Student Competition?

No. Applicants must be enrolled in an eligible formal photography programme.

Can school students participate?

Eligible school-age photographers may enter the Youth Competition. Participants below 16 require parental or guardian consent.

Are the prizes paid in cash?

No. The principal awards include Sony Digital Imaging equipment, travel, exhibition opportunities and international exposure. No cash alternatives are available.