EF Hult Prize 2026-27 (global student startup competition)

Hult Prize Foundation

Deadline not announced

Amount

$1,000,000 in seed funding (grand prize)

Location

Campus qualifiers or online, then nationals and global stages · Remote

Cost

Free

Class level

Community college, Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Graduate

The world's largest student startup competition: teams of 2 to 4 students build a for-profit startup tied to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and compete through campus or online qualifiers, nationals, an incubator and a London accelerator. The winning team at the Global Finals receives $1M in seed funding.

Why it matters

It is a global competition built for students from every country, so it fits international, immigrant and undocumented founders in any major.

Who can apply

U.S. citizensGreen-card holdersDACA / TPSUndocumented studentsInternational students (F-1 and other visas)Refugees and asylees

The official page does not state a citizenship or immigration rule. Confirm with the organizer before you invest time.

The official page lists no citizenship or immigration requirement. Confirm with the organizer before you invest time. The registration page and the Terms and Conditions on hultprize.org only require enrollment in a degree program, age 18+ and a team of 2 to 4, and the terms state that there is no entry fee. Later stages include travel (for example to London), so check your travel options early.

Eligibility

All team members must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program at a university or college, be at least 18 by February 28, 2027, and teams must have 2 to 4 members. If your university hosts a local Hult Prize event, your team must compete through it, otherwise you use the Open Application.

What you need

• Team of 2 to 4 students
• All members enrolled in a degree program
• All members 18 or older by February 28, 2027
• Startup addresses one UN Sustainable Development Goal
• No entry fee

How to apply

Register your team (name, country, chosen SDG and teammates' contact details) on the Hult Prize registration page, then compete in your campus qualifier or the Open Application.

Registration for the 2026-27 competition is open. Qualifiers run September 2026 to February 2027 (campus events or the Open Application), nationals April to May 2027, Global Finals September 2027. No single closing date is posted, so register early and check your campus event date.