Real Estate Competition | School of Hospitality Administration

Now accepting applications for the 2026 Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition!

Express your interest in participating here.

Founded and hosted by the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration (SHA), the Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition challenges students to act as real estate developers and design a master plan for a vacant site. Teams create innovative, financially viable proposals that embrace sustainability and address community needs.

Successful teams will demonstrate:

A strong grasp of real estate fundamentals
Deep understanding of the chosen market
Creativity in their vision for the site
Advanced quantitative and financial modeling skills

With $25,000 in cash prizes and over $1 million in scholarships available, students from hospitality and real estate programs worldwide will compete in both undergraduate and graduate divisions. The competition not only showcases student creativity and expertise but also highlights SHA’s distinctive approach to hospitality, real estate, and innovation.

Finalists will present their projects to an industry panel during the Hospitality Real Estate Symposium, followed by an awards ceremony celebrating the winning teams. By connecting students, faculty, and industry leaders, SHA aims to inspire the next generation shaping the future of hospitality real estate.

The timeline for the 2026 Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition is as follows:

Application Period – Now through January 16, 2026, 11.59 pm ET
Case Document Released – January 17, 2026, 9.00 am ET
Stage 1 Submissions – Feb 8, 2026, 11.59 pm ET
Semi-Final Submissions – March 15, 2026, 11.59 pm ET
Finals – April 21-22, 2026: In Boston (for US schools) & Online (for international schools) at the Hospitality Real Estate Symposium