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A bold typographic graphic on a blue background reads “THE GRAD 2020UATES”. The text uses a chunky, 3D style with the first part in green and the second in white.

The Graduates 2020

Every year, we scour creative undergraduate courses around the world to find the best new talent and, for a day, we dedicate the site to these promising individuals. In the lead-up to this site takeover, we also publish a series of long-form articles advising (and encouraging) the new wave of graduates at this daunting time, from portfolio tips to how to handle your first job interview.

A person wearing orange-tinted sunglasses and a white dress with a cutout detail. They wear a sheer, shimmering grey jacket and pose against a painted backdrop of a cloudy sky.

Photographer Delali Ayivi is delivering the change she wishes to see in the industry

17 August 2020
A 3D render of a stylised figure with a round, yellow body and dark, textured hair. They have a small, simple face and hold one hand up with a finger pointed.

Googly eyes, curious critters and perfect comic timing combine in Doug Alberts’ animations

17 August 2020
An illustration of a winged figure with a white circular head and black antennae. They wear a black Nike T-shirt and socks, sitting in a field of green grass under a blue sky.

What is “good taste”? Meiting Song defies categorisation with her all-encompassing portfolio

17 August 2020
A 3D render of a fluid, abstract sculpture with a smooth, pale blue surface. The organic form floats above a shimmering, sandy landscape under a soft light.

Louise Silfversparre builds 3D ecosystems as a reminder of our fragile relationship with nature

17 August 2020
A collage of an open notebook set against a black, jagged silhouette. The left page contains handwritten text, while the right page shows two figures in denim and white tops walking across a white space.

Rene Matić explores “dimensions of Blackness through the lens of their own personal experiences as a queer, Black womxn”

17 August 2020
An illustration of a stylised figure with closed eyes and red lips. They wear a purple headpiece, set against a vibrant purple and orange gradient background.

Animator Inger Bierma on finding a sense of freedom through her graduate film, Blanket

17 August 2020
A black-and-white digital collage of two pages featuring fragmented text and glitchy, distorted imagery. The text includes phrases such as “The Next School should be free” and “Mistrust authority”.

Katharina Shafiei-Nasab’s portfolio is not just Swiss graphic design, it’s a hybrid of everything that she’s learned, seen and experienced

17 August 2020
An illustration of Pinocchio with a long wooden nose, which is shaped like a pencil. Below him, bold black text on a yellow background reads “Real boys don’t share fake news”.

Welcome to the brilliantly daft world of illustration graduate, Sa6ettu

17 August 2020
A person wearing glasses and a yellow floral sweater leans against a cream-coloured sideboard. They wear black trousers and white Crocs decorated with colourful charms.

Gloria Wong’s photography explores identity, the family unit and Canada’s Asian diasporas

17 August 2020
A black and white photograph of a small, snow-covered wooden hut in a bleak landscape. A dark, heavy sky hangs over a line of bare trees and a wire fence.

How can photography unveil invisible systems of power in society? Kirsten Bosma explores

17 August 2020
A person in a white ribbed vest poses against a red background, one arm raised behind their head. The image is cropped into a fluid, organic shape with a thin black border.

Capturing the multiplicity of brown Asian masculinity, Hidhir Badaruddin aims to change the narrative

17 August 2020
An illustration in pink, black and gold featuring figures in an Egyptian-inspired setting. Two figures arch over the scene, framing a central figure dancing before a doorway flanked by ankh symbols and eyes.

Illustrator Gvidas Pakarklis creates meticulous hand-drawn worlds merging infographics with magical realism

17 August 2020
Two posters side by side against a black, jagged background. The first reads “A Mirror of the World’s Gender Biases” above an illustration of three people. The second reads “Decolonizing the Internet” below a black and white photograph of people on a beach.

What would Wikipedia look like if it acknowledged its gender and racial biases? Graphic designer Sharon Park explores

17 August 2020
Two posters are set against a black oval background. The first is a yellow flyer for “Race Zine” featuring a launch party and panel discussion on 15 March 2017. Beside it, a bright green poster reads “God Loves Queers” in bold, black capital letters.

Okocha Obasi is a designer aiming to “uncover truth, individuality and question the status quo”

17 August 2020
A person wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a brown tank top lies in a field of grass. They hold a dandelion seed head and blow the seeds into the air.

Meet the Dutch cowboy Kees in Sabine Rovers’ sincere, vulnerable and humorous photography

17 August 2020
Two book covers by Stephen McCauley are displayed side by side. The first features a pink and yellow gradient with the title “The Object of My Affection”, while the second shows a green and orange gradient titled “Alternatives to Sex”.

Type design, textiles, book covers and more: Willie Shaw brings function and beauty in equal measure to his graphic design practice

17 August 2020
A graphic with bold, stylised typography on a textured pink background. The text reads “THE GRADUATES 2020” in a chunky, distorted font with black outlines.

Introducing The Graduates 2020!

17 August 2020
A graphic featuring bold, distorted green typography on a textured grey background. The text reads “The Graduates 2020 Continued”.

The Graduates continued! Meet some more of the class of 2020

17 August 2020

Advice

The Graduates 2020
Bold, stylised typography on a textured blue background reads “HOW TO PRESENT YOUR WORK”. The letters are chunky and outlined in black, alternating between pink and white.

“Think, create, fail and be proud”: How to put together an authentic portfolio of work

25 June 2020
A typographic illustration on a bright pink background reads “GETTING YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR”. The letters are chunky and stylised with organic, curving cut-outs.

Getting your foot in the door: Top tips on landing a job or freelance work as a recent grad

4 June 2020
A graphic in bright green with bold, white decorative typography. It reads “DEADLINE 28TH JUNE” and “THE GRADUATES 2020”.

Unsure about applying for The Graduates 2020? This year, we are judging Grads differently

17 June 2020
A bold typographic image on a textured green background. The text reads “HOW IMPORTANT ARE INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS?” in a stylised, chunky font in pink and white.

How important are Instagram followers? Five creatives on how to market yourself online

15 June 2020
A typographic poster on a black background reads “Graduating in a downturn”. The words are rendered in a bold, stylised serif font in blue, white and green.

Graduating in a downturn: Advice from creatives who survived the 2008 crash

11 June 2020
A black and white typographic illustration reads “INTO THE UNKNOWN”. The letters are bold and interlocking, with a distorted, liquid-like quality.

Into the unknown: Students and recent grads discuss their hopes, anxieties and aspirations

8 June 2020
A bold typographic graphic on a blue background reads “THE GRADUATES 2020”. The text is rendered in a chunky, stylised font with green and white lettering.

The Graduates 2020: Applications now open

9 June 2020

The Graduates Archive

A graphic illustration of the year “2019” in bold, black typography. The numbers are set against a light grey grid with bright cyan, red, yellow and purple blocks along the top and bottom edges.

The Graduates 2019

    An illustration of the year “2018” in bold, blue 3D lettering against a pink background. The numbers are interrupted by colourful geometric shapes in yellow, red and green.

    The Graduates 2018

      The numbers “20” and “17” appear in black serif typography on a light grey background. A red, jagged explosion shape is positioned between them, partially overlapping the digits.

      The Graduates 2017

        A graphic on a black background shows the year “2016” in bold white type. The zero is replaced by a green silhouette of a staircase.

        The Graduates 2016

          An illustration of the year “2015” in bold white type against a turquoise background. A black ladder leans diagonally across the zero, as if replacing it.

          The Graduates 2015

            An illustration of the year “2019” written in bold, red hand-drawn numerals. The text is set against a plain, off-white background.

            The Graduates 2014

              Supported by

              Pinterest

              Pinterest is thrilled to sponsor the bright creatives in The Graduates. Pinterest is where people go to find inspiration and create a life they love. From interview wardrobe ideas to cocktail mixes, Pinterest is there to help realise your ideas from the epic to the everyday.

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