Closed: Apply for Dare to be Digital 2011

The international games development competition for students, Dare to be Digital, is now open to entrants for 2011. This is a yearly competition held at the University of Abertay in Scotland. Teams of students from around the world are selected and compete head-to-head for one of three prizes worth £2,500.

Who’s eligible?

You need to be a team of 5* containing a balance of art and programming students with a team member who will tackle the audio aspects of the game. In addition to this your team must have someone willing to take on the role of team leader in addition to their creative / technical duties. You must be a team of students (postgraduate and / or undergraduate) at a Higher Education Institute (University or Art College).

If you’re applying from outside the UK, there are extra criteria (e.g. Irish teams need at least 2 members from the Republic and 2 members from Northern Ireland for some reason). See the full How to Apply to Dare to be Digital post on the official site for details.

Why should you apply? Well, this year the competition is partly sponsored by Intel, who will be providing hardware and software specifically geared towards games and media production – great for getting hands-on experience. You’ll also get to hang with people already in the industry, you’ll have a demo ready for job applications and you get a weekly stipend and free accommodation for the competition. Sure, it’s in Scotland but you can’t have everything, right? ;)

[Ok, I admit that I have never been to Dundee. It’s way too far up north for me. While I’m sure it’s a lovely place and the photos make Dundee look very pretty, I likes my warmth.]

To a more personal perspective on the competition, check out the interviews we did with Dare to be Digital competitors back in 2006. Then go start polishing up your application.