Future Designer Scholarship

At CardsDirect our job is to capture a moment that resonates with our customers and present it through our greeting cards. We want your help designing our next top-selling holiday card – and are proud to offer our scholarship program. The winner of our Future Designer Scholarship will receive a $1,000 scholarship to a secondary institution of their choice and will have their design featured as products on our site. Applicants must be at least 17 years old and already accepted or enrolled in this educational organization. One entry per person. Click here for official rules and details. Scroll down to see previous winners for inspiration!

APPLICATIONS DUE MAY 1, 2026.

All submissions must be sent via email to scholarship@cardsdirect.com.

Applicants will need to submit their:

• First and last name.
• Date of birth.
• Phone number
• Name of institution enrolled at or accepted to.
• Official artwork.

Timeline

Entries are due May 1, 2026. Top 5 finalists will be notified that their designs are eligible for voting. Public voting will take place from May 8 – May 15, 2026. The top design from the voting round will be evaluated and confirmed by CardsDirect. Winner will be contacted May 18, 2026. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of designs are permitted?

Original artwork, photographs, or computer graphics can be submitted online as a JPEG (.jpg), via email. Artwork is open to any 2-dimensional medium, including oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, pencil, mixed media, digital illustration and more. Original artwork can be sent by taking a digital photograph or by scanning the image. Artwork must be at least 300 dpi and a maximum file size of 5 MB.

What is the theme of the design?

We are looking to expand our holiday card selection with designs geared toward December holidays and seasonal greetings. Here are some ideas to help get you started: winter or mountain landscapes, Christmas-themed still life such as ornaments, animals or wildlife in the snow, and Santa portraits. Use your imagination to create a unique holiday card.

Who is eligible to apply for this scholarship?

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents who are: 17 years of age and older (proof of age and identity must be furnished upon request). Either a full-time student enrolled in a post-secondary education institution (this includes junior colleges and vocational schools) or one who has been formally accepted into such a post-secondary educational institution and will begin school within the next calendar year. This giveaway is not open to: Employees, agents, independent dealers and affiliates of CardsDirect and its agents, as well as affiliates and immediate family members of all such persons.

How will my work be judged?

All entries will be evaluated by an internal panel of judges, and the top five entries will be selected for a public voting round hosted via a CardsDirect form. Users must have a Google account to vote; all votes are anonymous, only one vote per person is permitted, and any use of automated or third-party software to vote is prohibited and will disqualify the entry. After the voting period closes, the top-voted design will be verified by CardsDirect’s internal panel of judges. The top five designs will be evaluated on the following criteria: 1. Overall aesthetic appeal, creativity, and originality. 2. Quality of execution. 3. Versatility and applicability for use as a greeting card.

How will the prize be paid?

Upon completion of the obligations specified in the official rules, the selected winner will then receive a one-thousand-dollar ($1,000) check made payable to the qualified institution shown on the winner’s entry. The retail value of each respective prize package is $1,000.00, and the odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received. The winner is responsible for any taxes or additional costs. All decisions of CardsDirect in this giveaway are final, binding, and non-negotiable. A winner will be asked to forfeit the prize if he/she does not attend the post-secondary institution.