Awards and prizes

Through philanthropic support of Norwich University of the Arts, the University is able to offer the following awards to students who have shown excellence through their studies.

The Helen Hoyte Award

The Helen Hoyte Award was established in 2020 and is open to all second year BA (Hons) Textile Design students.

The prize is awarded by the Costume & Textile Association (C&TA) at the end of BA2a to a student who has effectively used research to inform their practice.

EAAF John Alston Prize for Fine Art

This £500 prize was first awarded in 2022 and is given to a final year BA (Hons) Fine Art student by East Anglia Art Fund, in memory of John Alston CBE. The prize is awarded based on the student’s final year work.

Norfolk Contemporary Art Society Prize

The Norfolk Contemporary Art Society (NCAS), members of the NCAS Committee, generously award two final year students each year.

The NCAS Maker’s prize, worth £250 and the NCAS Fine Art Prize, worth £250 are presented to graduating BA (Hons) Fine Art students who have excelled in their final year of study and demonstrated this in their outstanding final exhibition.

Roger Ackling Prize for Fine Art

The Roger Ackling Prize for Fine Art is awarded to a graduating BA (Hons) Fine Art student who has demonstrated excellence during their final year of study.

The award, generously gifted by Sylvia Ackling, is worth £1,000.

Infinite Form Prize for Creative Use of Technology

The prize of a VR headset, worth around £500 is awarded annually to a student enrolled in the Computer Arts and Technology Programme or has passed the level 5 Diploma in Creative Computing and be in their final year.

They look to award projects that merge the worlds of artistic endeavour, original thinking and technological execution.

Robert Boyall Prize

This prize was established in 2016 by Keith and Kay Boyall in memory of their son, Robert Boyall. Robert was a BA (Hons) Graphic Design student at Norwich University of the Arts from 2011-2015, who developed a special interest in Typography.

Keith and Kay generously award £250 each year to a graduating Graphic Design student who demonstrates a shared passion for Typography.

David Thorpe Memorial Prize

The David Thorpe Memorial Prize is awarded annually by Linda Thorpe in memory of her late son, David Thorpe, a former Norwich University of the RTS BA (Hons) Design for Publishing student.

This £25 prize is awarded to the student who has shown the most significant improvement over their three years on the course.

Elsie Cole Prize

Elsie Cole studied at the Norwich School of Art between 1908-1910 and her prize, worth £100, is awarded to a final year BA (Hons) Graphic Communications student.

The Elsie Cole Memorial Prize is a historical legacy, generously left in Elsie Cole’s will to Norwich University of the Arts. The prize is awarded to a student who has created the most outstanding work in their final year and showed the most improvement over their three years on the course.

Walter Scott Prize

This £100 prize is awarded to a BA (Hons) Graphic Communications student who has created outstanding work in their end of year show and demonstrated the most improvement over the course.

Give Back, Take Back Award

The Give Back, Take Back Award is sponsored by Modulyss. A £100 voucher is awarded to a year 3 Interior design student, exhibiting at Gradfest with a project that shows a sophisticated and sympathetic approach to sustainable design strategies, employing adaptive reuse of materials and/or spaces to repurpose buildings to provide new functions to existing structures.

Inclusivity in Experimental Design Award

The Inclusivity in Experimental Design Award is sponsored by Forbo Flooring Ltd. A £50 gift card is awarded to a student year 3 Interior Design student, exhibiting at Gradfest with a project that has been informed by design for the mind and/or inclusive design principles, evidenced through the design and specification of the project.

The Socially Responsible Design Award

The Socially Responsible Design Award is sponsored by the Norse Grouse Ltd. A £100 voucher is awarded to a year 3 Interior Design student, exhibiting at Grafest, with a project that exemplifies an inclusive approach to a community centred project

The Bio-Design Award

The Bio-Design Award is sponsored by the Norse Grouse Ltd. A £100 voucher is awarded to a year 3 Interior Design student, exhibiting at Grafest, with a project that showcases innovative approaches to the application of sustainable design theories.

RIBA East Student Award for Outstanding Design

Th £100 prize is presented annually to celebrate the talent of final year BA (Hons) Architecture students in the region and to reward them in the pursuit of excellence in the study of architecture.

RIBA Norfolk Design Achievement Award

The £250 award is presented to a Year 2 Architecture student, for a final design project that shows a creative and inventive approach to architectural design and representation.

RIBA Norfolk Studentship Award

The £250 award is presented to a Year 2 Architecture student, showing great studentship in the approach to their education, colleagues, lecturers, and university over the course of the year, recognising their hard work and commitment.

Hudson’s Award for Sustainable Design

This £200 prize is presented annually to a final year student studying BA (Hons) Architecture whose project work shows the most promising approach to environmental considerations according to the following criteria:

1. Demonstrates a sustained approach to environmentally aware architecture and urbanism.
2. Illustrates a considered approach to environmental design for cities, landscapes, public spaces, materials, industrial, retail, and residential architecture.

LSI Architects Drawing Prize

A £200 prize is presented annually to a final year student studying BA (Hons) Architecture whose design work includes outstanding use of architectural drawing and representation tools and methods.

Purcell Research Report Prize

This £300 prize is presented annually to a final year student studying BA (Hons) Architecture who produces the most outstanding Research Report according to the following criteria:

1. The topic is contemporary and relevant to issues pertinent to the broader architectural community.
2. The report has a clear argument and demonstrates strong analytical skills and the use of evidence.
3. The report is engaging and articulate in style and has been designed professionally with clear consideration of aesthetics and layout.

Taiwan Summer School Architecture Fellowship 2025

The fellowship is awarded to senior continuing students who, through their work, have shown an interest in broadening the practice of architecture.