The Graduates 2020: Applications now open

It’s been a turbulent, and at times tragic, few months. Amidst a global pandemic and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, launching this year’s Graduates series feels somewhat odd. Yet for students graduating in 2020, the clock hasn’t stopped. Despite everything going on around the world, they are still finishing up their studies, leaving their universities and colleges, and entering the industry at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.

We at It’s Nice That have always supported creative graduates, each spring offering advice and guidance on starting a creative career, and each summer providing a showcase of a handful of grads’ best work. This year, with the creative industry reeling from the effects of the pandemic, grads need more support than ever.

Yet even though you, as grads in 2020, must be feeling incredibly anxious about the future, make no mistake that you, your ideas and your creativity can change the industry and the wider world for the better. There’s a lot of work to do and, of course, it’s not just down to you as the new generation entering the industry – but your talents will always be needed.

With this in mind, applications for this year’s It’s Nice That’s Graduates are now open. From now until midnight GMT on Sunday 28 June, we are calling all creative grads finishing their studies in 2020 to apply. Now in its 12th year, The Graduates celebrates a diverse range of talent, from graphic design to fashion. Wherever you are in the world and whatever your discipline, we would love to see your work and your personalities shine through.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing a series of advice articles catered to the current situation. One piece will share advice on graduating in a downturn, shedding light on the experiences of creatives who graduated during the last economic recession. We’ll also look at how important Instagram followers really are, how to create an authentic portfolio or work, and how to get your foot in the door with both clients and employers as a recent graduate. Also published today, we highlight 12 students and recent graduates’ personal stories, and how they are faring in the current situation.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Things to know before you enter:

- Work submitted must be the product of an individual portfolio, as opposed to a partnership or collective.

- We prefer evidence of work that isn’t bound by previous commercial or competition briefs. We want to see work that has authorship and that is original to you!

- All portfolios can be submitted as a website link or a downloadable PDF up to 10 MB. Unfortunately, we cannot open WeTransfer links, Hightail or Dropbox folders.

- Applicants must have graduated, or be due to graduate, from an undergraduate course (bachelor’s or equivalent) in 2020.

Remember: the deadline for entries is midnight GMT on Sunday 28 June.