Design Challenge

Grand Finals: 9 October 2026, One Birdcage Walk, London

The Design Challenge gives students from universities and university technical colleges (UTCs) a taste of ‘real world’ engineering, challenging them to design, create, present and run a device to a strict technical specification.

With a low bar to entry, students can gain realistic experience of an engineering project together with business and people skills, all within a set time frame. It is intended to complement the academic curriculum and may be used by participants towards their official projects, or alternatively as an extra-curricular activity.

The Challenge is open to teams of 3-6 students from universities or UTCs. Teams in the UK will compete in regional competitions from March to June, leading to a national final for the regional winners, hosted at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' London HQ at the start of the following academic year.

About Design Challenge

Find out about the competition and the benefits for students.
Ansys Student team partnership

Get access to industry-grade software for your team’s projects.
Team Resources

Everything you need to compete, including rules, key dates and more.
Register your team

Be a part of the 2026 Design Challenge.
Become a sponsor

Align your organisation with us and meet the next generation of top engineers.
Past Events

Find out the winners and full results for previous years of the Design Challenge.