Competitions and Awards

Taking part in competitions is a fantastic way to enhance your CV, network with food professionals and make connections across the sector.

We offer national and regional opportunities for students. Deadlines are staggered throughout the year so be sure to check back regularly for up-to-date information.

Ecotrophelia

Ecotrophelia is an EU-wide Dragons' Den-style competition rewarding student teams who have developed the best eco-innovative food products.

The UK competition is organised jointly by IFST and Campden BRI and is open to teams of students from UK universities. Teams pitch to our "dragons" for a share of a prize fund worth over £3500 and a year of free IFST membership. The winners of the UK competition have an opportunity to compete in the European competition for a chance to win up to 8000 euros.

Please visit our UK Ecotrophelia website for more details on how to enter. 

Science Communication Competition

Are you passionate about the biggest challenges we face? Do you want the opportunity to communicate your passion for science to the wider community? Do you have a flair for science communication?

This competition will relaunch with a new updated format in 2024.

Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Fellowship

Are you a bright and enthusiastic PhD student working in a food-related area? Do you have an interest in communicating scientific research? Would you like the opportunity to work within parliament?

If so, this opportunity is for you. You could gain a unique insight into the inner workings of the Parliamentary Offices of Science and Technology (POST) as part of a three-month placement open to final-year PhD students. You will gain experience working in the Commons or Lords researching and writing briefing material for MPs and Peers on a scientific subject, usually in the form of one of POST’s well-known POSTnotes.

Click here for the application process and information.

Student Resources Competition

Are you a creative student looking to help teach and promote food science to the younger generation? Considering a career teaching science? Know of an interesting experiment or demonstration that would interest secondary school students (11-16) while they are stuck at home?

The inaugural Student Resources Competition gives you the opportunity to inspire and teach the next generation of food scientists by producing a video/worksheet/experiment card/poster either explaining a demonstration or running through an experiment that covers an area of food science. This is an opportunity to be creative and impart some of your food science knowledge to the younger generation!

This competition is now closed, please consider applying next year!

Find out more here 

IFST University Food Challenge

IFST's Student Group are bringing back the University Food Challenge in April. This is a chance for students from food-related courses to compete against each other in a food science trivia contest and be crowned an IFST University Food Challenge Champion! 

Teams of four shall compete, they can be made up of Undergraduates, with the addition of one master's student and one PhD student. But you cannot enter a team full of PhD or Masters' students. Only one team per university may enter. Preliminaries were held virtually on 23-24 March 2020. 

If you have any queries, please get in touch at info@ifst.org. 

This competition is now closed, please consider applying next year!