Student OBIE Awards
The 2026 Student OBIE Awards encourage college students to develop and submit artwork for any OOH format and advertiser of their choosing.
The OBIE Awards are the oldest and most prestigious honors for creative excellence in out of home (OOH) advertising. The program honors outstanding work built for the medium and recognizes both the strength of the idea and the power of its execution.
This student competition, now in its third year, invites college students to develop and submit original creative for any OOH format and advertiser of their choosing — giving the next generation a platform to showcase bold ideas in out of home
Submissions are now open to agencies, brands, media owners, production partners, and creative innovators whose work ran during the eligibility period. Entries will be judged by a distinguished panel of leading creatives, marketers, and industry leaders.
This year’s ceremony will take place at The Museum of Modern Art, marking a creative-first evolution for OOH’s most prestigious honor
Guidelines:
- Deadline: The deadline for the Student OBIE Awards entries is Friday, June 12, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
- Student OBIE Awards submissions are $35 per entry. Fees are non-refundable once entries are submitted. Please pay close attention to all the entry requirements.
- Entrants are 18 years or older and are/were enrolled full- or part-time at a U.S.-accredited college or university for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Submitted work must be original designs created during college/university enrollment.
- Submitted work must have been developed specifically for this competition or previous school projects.
- Work created by students while working at an agency–as an intern, copywriter, art director, or other professional position–for the agency or advertising client, is not eligible.
- The schools of finalists will be contacted to confirm enrollment and appropriate credentials.
- Work submitted to the Student OBIE Awards program will NOT be considered a real advertisement. All artwork submitted for consideration must be for speculative/educational purposes only.
Need something to get the creative juices flowing? Check out this Sample Creative Brief.
You can see a PDF of the entry form for reference here.
Questions? Email awards@oaaa.org
FAQ
1. When is the deadline?
Entries are due by Friday, June 12, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
2. Can I submit if I’m outside the U.S.?
No. Only students attending a U.S.-accredited college or university for the 2025-2026 school year are eligible to enter.
3. Who judges the Student OBIE Awards?
The Student OBIE Awards are chosen by a panel of judges made up of OOH industry veterans curated by OAAA.
4. What materials do I need to enter?
You can see a PDF of the entry form for reference here. You will need to include at least one digital image of the creative. Images must be in JPEG format and at least 2MB each.
5. I’m having a technical issue. Who do I contact?
If you’re having technical issues, please contact awards@oaaa.org.
6. What forms of payment are accepted?
All entries must be submitted and paid for by credit card online here. Please contact awards@oaaa.org if you experience any issues submitting payment.
7. Can I edit my entry after I submit?
Unfortunately, once you have submitted and paid for your entry, you will not be able to log in to edit the form in any way. If there is factual information that is incorrect, please contact the awards team to request a change.
8. When and how will the finalists be announced?
Finalists will be notified by the OAAA awards team in advance of the awards show in October.
9. When and how are winners announced?
Student OBIE Awards winners will be revealed at the 84th Annual OBIE Awards ceremony at the MoMA on October 15, 2026.
10. How many finalists and winners will be selected?
Up to five (5) finalists will be shortlisted from all entries, and up to three (3) awards may be presented—one (1) Bronze, one (1) Silver and one (1) Gold. The total number of finalists and winners is up to the judges’ discretion.
11. What do finalists and winners get?
Entries that become finalists and winners will be announced at the 84th Annual OBIE Awards ceremony on October 15th. Work will also be showcased in various ways at the show and post show, including promotion and publication at the sole discretion of OAAA.
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