<p>The D&AD New Blood Awards are D&AD's global awards programme for students and emerging creatives, pairing entrants with real briefs set by major brands. Entries are judged against a Pencil scale – Wood, Graphite, Yellow, White, and Black Pencils – that is widely recognised across the advertising and design industry.</p><ul><li>Open to students enrolled in recognised further or higher education anywhere in the world, and to non-students over 18 with fewer than six months cumulative paid creative experience.</li><li>Up to five people may collaborate on a single entry; multiple responses per brief are allowed.</li><li>2026 cycle timeline: briefs launch 31 October 2025; entries open 2 February 2026; submission deadline 17 March 2026, 5pm GMT; ceremony 30 June 2026 in London.</li><li>Entry fee £15 per submission, or free via a short D&AD survey voucher.</li><li>Winners receive a New Blood Pencil per team plus digital certificates per team member; White Pencil recognises socially impactful work.</li></ul><p>Entrants choose a brief from the annual New Blood Briefs and submit their response through the D&AD entry portal.</p>