The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the winners of its 53rd Student Academy Awards, with the presentation ceremony being held in conjunction with the Toronto International Film Festival for the first time. Sixteen student filmmakers were selected from a field of 2,972 entries submitted by 894 colleges and universities worldwide, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1972 and has previously honoured future industry figures such as Spike Lee, Robert Zemeckis and Pete Docter.

The ceremony will take place on Monday 14 September 2026 at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto, where gold, silver and bronze placements will be revealed across four categories: Alternative/Experimental, Animation, Documentary and Narrative. Winning institutions include Duke University, the National Film and Television School and Warsaw Film School, among others, with several schools receiving their first-ever nominations. All winning films become eligible for the 99th Academy Awards in the short film categories, continuing a pipeline that has already produced 70 Oscar nominations and 15 wins for past Student Academy Award recipients.