#FutureProofCreativity | Fall - Winter Module

5.11 – 8.12. 2025 | Applications are now open

This season, #TheAlternativeSchool offers 50 full scholarships for its #FutureProofCreativity Fall-Winter Module - an intensive creativity program leading to the Young Lions, RHA and ERA competitions on the road to Cannes Lions 2026.

Stellar Scholarship Opportunities

Accessing high level education, related to the creative economies with international exposure, career and networking opportunities, has never been easier. In its 21st year, #TheAlternativeSchool, alongside its partners offers 50 scholarships for underrepresented or vulnerable talents, as follows:

*20 scholarships for creatives or young clients under 30 to access the #FutureProofCreativity Module. The best team participating in #FutureProofCreativity will qualify for the Young Lions Design competition at Cannes Lions 2026, with the support of The Alternative School x Ursus Breweries, for the second year in a row.

*30 ERA scholarships for young talents under 25 in their uni and master years, if they are also:

• Freelancers / solopreneurs in the creative economy facing financial challenges

• Students, master’s & PhD candidates with limited resources

• Talents from vulnerable family backgrounds

• Creatives from rural or small-town environments, facing limited opportunities

• Anyone in the creative economy who has faced discrimination based on gender, age, ethnicity, origin, beliefs.

At the end of the semester, there are 3 international opportunities to attend the Lions - one place for the best application at the Roger Hatchuel Academy & 2 young exceptional talent meeting at least one ERA criteria.

For the second year running, #TheAlternativeSchool x Invizibilii.ro are empowering the ERA & RHA scholarships leading to Cannes Lions.

For questions, join the dedicated WhatsApp group for the ERA & RHA scholarships: WhatsApp Group.

Application deadline: 27 October, 11:59 PM

#FutureProofCreativity Program Highlights

• One live event on November 5th, exploring Kindful Brands & global trends, in partnership with Invizibilii.ro

• Zoom sessions twice a week (Mon & Thu, 7–9 PM, Zoom), with 3-4 trainers per meeting.

• Topics:  “How to build a relevant board”, Branding Today & Creativity vs AI Tools Culture as Inspiration, Design Thinking & Design feeling, Hybrid Disciplines, HR for talents, The Power of Insight, Research, Visual Languages, from illustration to animation and video

• Trainers: highly awarded professionals from Romania & abroad (Austria, Croatia, France, Denmark, Italy, Malta, Nederland, Portugal, Pakistan, UAE, USA, Spain)

  
  

Catalina Manea & Alexandra Moisescu (5 to go), Madalina Sandu & Cristiana Trifu (UM Romania), Diana Neagu (McCann), Larisa Stefan & Teodor Bivolaru (ERA/Invizibilii.ro), Anca Ifrim (Heist Industries), Ruxandra Papuc (AIN’T), Nicoleta Ratescu (Sweet TV), Andreea Boukhil, Miruna Potop (VML), Vlad Dumitrescu (Ilustrescu), Georgiana Chitac (Animini), Lacramioara Loghin (Exact Business Solutions), Manuela Mancas (Aha Moments), Andreea Drizu & Andra Constantinescu (Kantar), Daniel Enescu (Daedalus), Kirsten Ludwig (In Good CO), Ioana Iuna Serban (MARe), Olga Abramescu (Shutterstock), Gabriela Cretu (Ursus), Octavian Gheorghe (GMP&U), Manu Drosu (Nuts), Gabriel Mihailesco (Y3K), Adrian Pasarica (Orkla Foods), Bob Liuzzo (IED Milan), Davor Bruketa (Bruketa Zinic Grey), Madalin Dragnea (All Mad Studio), Alex Duarte (Nova University), Matei Schwartz (FCB Health), Andrey Tyukavkin (Le Pub), Rifah Qadri (Easypaisa), Vidya Manmohan (V4good), Martin Hablesreiter & Sonja Stummerer (Honey & Bunny), Corina Neagu (Dare), Serena Abi Aaad, Lin Pham (Nordic Sustenability), Daiana Jaqueline Dorse (Tale Of You) and Teodora Migdalovici (Love&Lobby and #TheAlternativeSchool founder) are some of the speakers confirmed for the 21st edition.

How to apply for a scholarship:

If under 25 and meeting the ERA criteria, send to andra@thealternativeschool.com, before October 27:

1. A 2-minute YouTube video (“My life is a movie. This is its trailer”) sharing about your creative self, your journey, challenges, international ambitions and uniqueness

2. A one-page intention letter explaining the personal context qualifying you for either

3. A Google Drive link with CV (incl. social media), portfolio (if available) & portrait photo (480 x 600 px)

For those under 30, a design & trade lead brief will be available in the weeks to come. Stay tuned on #TheAlternativeSchool insta & website for the news.

Founded in 2005, #TheAlternativeSchool was Eastern Europe’s first award-winning cMBA, redefining how the creative economy - from advertising and branding to design and marketing - competes on the world stage. Using education as both private diplomacy and a tool for evolution, it helped shift the status from underdogs to compelling performers at relevant international events. 

Cannes Lions 2026 Pathways

• 1 Young Lions Design team of 2 (empowered by Ursus Breweries), after being the best in solving 3 different briefs

• 1 Roger Hatchuel Academy & 2 ERA scholarships (empowered by INVIZIBILII.RO)

Merit is the main selection criterion, everything else comes second.

#TheAlternativeSchool’s 21st edition visuals are signed by the highly awarded Georgiana Chitac, the talented recipient of the ERA / Invizibilii.ro scholarship for Single moms, solopreneurs 2025.