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Best of the Year
Best Student Design of 2026
The student design that won a GDUSA award in 2026, each with the firm and the designers credited.
25 award-winning projects
Student work is where the next decade of the profession shows up first, and the firms that hire from it watch this category closely. The student designer has a brief and no client, which means the discipline has to come from the work itself, and the best entries behave as if a budget were riding on them. The winners here are judged on the same standard as the professionals: does it work, and is it beautiful because it works. The University of Central Oklahoma's School of Design has won 198 times and SCAD 179, and SCAD's After bottles let real junk food sell itself through the glass under a minimal label. The best student designers in the country and the schools that taught them are on this page. Open any project to see the work and learn what made it stand out.
Standouts of 2026
- Kurl Kissed Leave-in Conditioning Cream Brandingby Kennesaw State University · 2026
- Gossa Loose Leaf Tea Social Mediaby Kennesaw State University · 2026
- Buff & Bloom's Body Scrub Social Mediaby Kennesaw State University · 2026
- Dissonance Immersive Multimedia Installationby Shreya Talegaonkar · 2026
- OneCreative Mentorship 2026 Pairings Postsby Ball State University | OneCreative · 2026
- Casa Nueva Wineby Academy of Art University · 2026
2026
Kurl Kissed Leave-in Conditioning Cream Branding
Student Design
School
Kennesaw State University
View Project→
2026
Gossa Loose Leaf Tea Social Media
Student Design
School
Kennesaw State University
View Project→
2026
Buff & Bloom's Body Scrub Social Media
Student Design
School
Kennesaw State University
View Project→
2026
Dissonance Immersive Multimedia Installation
Student Design
Firm
Shreya Talegaonkar
View Project→
2026
OneCreative Mentorship 2026 Pairings Posts
Student Design
School
Ball State University | OneCreative
View Project→
2026
Casa Nueva Wine
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
View Project→
2026
Kubo and The Two Strings Premium Movie Box
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
View Project→
2026
Sweet Baby Rays Rebrand
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
View Project→
2026
Eggers Beer
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
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2026
Magnolia Brewing
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
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2026
Vivani Chocolates & Shipper Display
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
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2026
After Bottles
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
View Project→
2026
Caliber Writing Tools System
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
View Project→
2026
Vignoli Tuscan Olive Oil Rebranding
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
View Project→
2026
Bear Minimum Packaging
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
View Project→
2026
Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Collector's Item
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
View Project→
2026
Ducati Strada Skincare
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
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2026
Raspberry Pi Pico Starter Kit
Student Design
School
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
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2026
Jack In The Box
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
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2026
Snowden Winery Label Design
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
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2026
Peloton Skincare
Student Design
School
Academy of Art University
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2026
Clef Earbuds Packaging
Student Design
School
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
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2026
Spritz Personal Care Packaging
Student Design
School
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
View Project→
2026
Boom Buds Earbuds Packaging
Student Design
School
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
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2026
Wise Monkey Earbuds Packaging
Student Design
School
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
View Project→
Featured
All Student Design
Common questions
- How many student design projects won GDUSA awards in 2026?
- The gallery lists 25 winners from 2026 in this category, out of 1,457 across all years. Each one appears here with its firm and designer credits.
- Which firms won the most GDUSA awards for student design in 2026?
- Academy of Art University and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) share the top spot with 8 of the 2026 winners each. Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (4) and Kennesaw State University (3) follow. The ranking for the year lists every firm with its winning work. Best Student Design firms of 2026, by award wins.
- Where are the student design projects from other years?
- Every year has its own page, from 2015 to 2026, and the category hub lists all of them together. All Student Design.
- How do I enter next year's awards?
- Entries go through the GDUSA entry platform. A single entry costs $120 as of October 2026, and packages bring the price per piece down to $400 for ten to twenty entries. Winners who publish get a project page here with full credits, and publication is the paid step. How the awards work.