Boston University School of Hospitality Administration Announces the 2026 Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition
Boston University School of Hospitality Administration (BU SHA) proudly announces the 2026 Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition, an international challenge inviting student teams from hospitality and real estate programs worldwide to act as real estate developers. Participants are tasked with designing an innovative, realistic, financially viable master plan for a vacant development site that embraces sustainability and addresses community needs.
With separate undergraduate and graduate tracks, students will compete for $25,000 in cash prizes and more than $1,000,000 in scholarships to BU SHA’s Master of Science in Hospitality Real Estate program, the first of its kind housed within a hospitality school in the United States. With this competition, BU SHA is championing its bold commitment to preparing students to shape the future of hospitality real estate. The 2026 Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition builds on the inaugural competition in 2025 where undergraduate and graduate students from across the country competed for $25,000 in cash prizes and over $250,000 in scholarships. This year, the competition is open to students around the world with increased prizes for the winners.
To participate in the competition, faculty members from undergraduate and graduate schools anywhere in the world are required to fill out the Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition Application Form on the BU SHA website.
Key dates for the 2026 Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition
- Application Period: Now through January 16, 2026, 11:59 PM ET
- Case Document Release: January 17, 2026, 9:00 AM ET
- Qualifier Submissions: February 8, 2026, 11:59 PM ET
- Semi-Final Submissions: March 15, 2026, 11:59 PM ET
- Finals: April 21–22, 2026 at the Hospitality Real Estate Symposium
For information on the competition, visit the BU SHA Hospitality Real Estate Competition webpage.
The qualifier and semi-final stages will be held virtually, with US-based finalists presenting in person at the Boston University Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences (665 Commonwealth Ave., Boston), and international finalist teams presenting live via Zoom on April 21 and 22, 2026.
“At Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, our mission is to empower students to become leaders who can apply Experience Innovation to real-world challenges,” said Arun Upneja, Ph.D., Dean of BU SHA. “The Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition offers a unique platform for students worldwide to collaboratively innovate and help develop lasting value for communities and the hospitality real estate industry.”
Kaushik Vardharajan, Director of the Real Estate Program, added, “This competition provides an unmatched hands-on experience where students engage deeply with complex development issues. Beyond applying strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, participants gain mentorship from senior industry professionals and expand their global professional networks, preparing them for an increasingly dynamic industry.”
Event Details:
Date: April 21–22, 2026
Location: Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences,
665 Commonwealth Ave., Boston
Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities: Hospitality Real Estate Symposium