ULI Hines Student Competition Europe 2026
The ULI Hines Student Competition Europe offers eligible students the opportunity to form multidisciplinary teams and engage in a challenging exercise in responsible land use.
Working in teams of four, students are set the task of working on a challenge which tests their understanding of the core elements of real estate finance, planning, and development, as well as social and environmental issues that impact decisions around land-use and sustainable development. We welcome all to participate and can help individuals to form intercollegiate teams.
The 2026 competition final will be held on 21 and 22 April 2026 as an in-person event, Location TBC.
The evening of the 21st will include a networking drinks reception, a tour of a development site and a guest speaker. Students will undertake the competition on Wednesday 22 April, with the winners being announced the same day.
Key Dates
| Film and submit application video by | Saturday 28th February 2026. |
| ULI to notify teams of status | Mid-March 2026. |
| Finalist teams invited to attend an evening networking reception - Location TBC | Tuesday 21 April 2026. |
| Finalists teams to attend the in-person competition event - Location TBC | Thursday 22 April 2026 |
Hear experiences of previous participants
The 2026 Finalists will enjoy:
- Comprehensive travel and accommodation support is provided to ensure all finalists can attend the in-person event without barriers.
- A valuable CV boost by gaining practical experience through an immersive case study challenge during the competition.
- Exceptional networking opportunities with senior industry leaders, expert mentors, and peers from other top universities.
- Exclusive access to a complimentary networking reception.
- A one-year ULI membership, unlocking a wealth of resources including research, events, webinars, education, mentorship programs, and connections with a global community of real estate and land use professionals.
- Discounted rate to attend the ULI Europe Conference taking place in Berlin, 1-3 June 2026.
- Membership to the exclusive LinkedIn Student Competition Cohort group of previous global student competition participants, offering a great platform for career advice, networking, and peer support
The 2026 winning team members will be rewarded with:
- A fast-track opportunity into the prestigious Hines internship programme, accelerating your career in real estate.
- An exclusive, guided tour of a live development project, with the chance to participate in project meetings at Hines’ European offices, providing invaluable hands-on experience (subject to travel conditions).
- A one-year ULI membership, offering access to cutting-edge research, events, webinars, education, and mentorship programs, along with connections to a global network of multidisciplinary professionals in real estate and land use.
Complimentary access to in-person opportunities within ULI programmes, tailored to your location and interests, giving you direct exposure to industry insights and learning.- A complimentary delegate passes to ULI Europe’s flagship Annual Conference in Berlin, 1-3 June 2026, where you’ll engage with thought leaders and peers at one of the industry’s top events (conference ticket only; other associated costs are not covered by ULI or Hines) AND Complimentary delegate places to a ULI National Council Annual Conference.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs for students:
Q: What should I do if I’m struggling to form a team?
A: Please contact [email protected] and we can support you in forming a team with students from other Universities.
Q: For the application video, is it ok to film on a phone?
A: Yes, a phone is fine for filming. Please note that the judges will assess the content of your submission. The quality of video editing is not reviewed. For more details, including tips and example videos, please visit our ‘how to apply’ page here.
Q: When putting together our team, what do we need to consider?
A: Teams are made up of 4 and should demonstrate diversity. We encourage all forms of diversity. The challenge will require some prior knowledge and understanding of certain fundamental concepts. We therefore recommend your team has someone with each of the following specialist skills: real estate, design and architecture planning and sustainable development, social and environmental issues and financial modelling skills. For further details, visit our ‘how to form a team’ page here.
Q: What prizes are on offer for the winning team?
A: Prizes include a fast-track opportunity into the prestigious Hines internship programme, a one-year ULI membership and complementary access to the ULI Europe Conference taking place in Berlin, 1-3 June 2026. For the full prize list, please visit here.
Q: Can you give me more details about the fast-track opportunity to the Hines internship programme?
A: The winning team will receive a fast-track to interview for the Hines internship programme. This means they will be guaranteed an interview with the potential to secure an internship in one of Hines’ offices in Europe. Several students from past winning teams have secured internships at Hines, accelerating their career and building their network. You can hear more about their experience via our video.
Q: Do the finalist teams receive support for travel and accommodation in London?
A: Yes, we will offer generous support for travel (upto £250 per student) and free accommodation for 2 nights. Incidental expenses are not covered.
Q: Do all finalists have to attend the in-person final event?
A: Yes. All members of all finalist teams are expected to attend in person the networking drinks, site tour and guest speaker evening on 21 April and the full day final event on 22 April.
Q: Can I speak to the ULI team to ask a question?
A: Of course! Please email [email protected] and we would be happy to assist.
For lecturers:
Q: Can you talk to our students about the competition?
A: Absolutely, we would be happy to arrange a virtual presentation as part of one of your lectures or a separate session to run through the competition in more detail and answer any questions. Please contact [email protected] to arrange.
Q: Is there a limit to the number of teams that can apply from the same University?
A: No, there is no limit to the number of teams from any university or business school.
Q: What resources can I share with my students?
A: We have a number of helpful resources, including a PDF explainer and video.
Q: We have students who are interested, but are struggling to form a team.
A : Please contact [email protected] and we can support your students in forming a team with students from other Universities.
Q: When do teams need to apply by?
A: The application deadline is 28 February 2026.
Q: Is there an expectation or is a member of the academic faulty required to attend the event final?
A: There is no requirement for student teams to be accompanied by a tutor to the event final on 22 April. We also respectfully ask that tutors do not attend on the event final day to ensure we maintain fairness. Tutors would be welcome to attend the networking event on the evening of 21 April. Please note that any tutors joining their teams will not be eligible for travel support or accommodation.
Q: Can I speak to the ULI team to ask a question?
A: Of course! Please email [email protected] and we would be happy to assist.