Which competitions are free to enter changes over time as new ones launch and old ones close, so there is no fixed list to work from. Check the current listings rather than relying on an answer from a few weeks ago.
Filter the listings to free entry only
Open the filters on the competitions page and tick Free entry under Entry Fee. The listing then shows only competitions with no registration charge. The filter stays in the address bar, so you can bookmark it or send it to someone:
It combines with the other filters, so you can ask for free competitions in a particular discipline, or free ones that are running right now.
Or spot them while you browse
On each competition card, a free competition carries a crossed out money icon. Hover over it and it reads "Free entry - no fees required". A competition with an entry fee simply has no such icon.
The other icon next to it is the prize pool indicator, reading "Fixed prize pool" or "Dynamic prize pool". That one describes the prize, not the entry fee, and it appears on free and paid competitions alike, so do not read it as a sign that a competition costs money.
Browse the current listings
The competition listings on uni.xyz can be browsed directly, by status and by discipline. Two statuses matter when you are looking for something to enter:
- Ongoing: registration is accepting entries right now.
- Upcoming: registration has not started yet.
Both appear in the competitions menu and as options under Competition Status in the filters, alongside Past / Closed, Ongoing Evaluation and Ongoing Voting.
Every competition has its own info page. Open it to check the entry requirements, the deadlines, the entry fee, and whether you are eligible.
Narrow it down
If you are after a particular discipline, such as architecture, interior design or product design, or a particular format, such as student only competitions, portfolio based awards or thesis awards, narrow the listings to that first rather than reading through everything.
Hosted on uni.xyz, or listed here
Some competitions are hosted on uni.xyz directly and others are listed here but run elsewhere. The distinction matters for submission mechanics and prize payout, because hosted competitions go through uni's own systems. The filters carry a Hosting Status section with Hosted Competitions and Listed Competitions, and the competition's own info page tells you which it is.
If nothing free is open right now
Competitions open and close on a rolling basis, so a gap is normal rather than a sign that something is wrong. Browse the full competitions listing and check back later.